Tuesday 25 November 2025
Then the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun and said, “Be strong and bold, for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them; I will be with you.” (v. 23)
Background
Moses has announced the handover in yesterday’s reading and today Joshua takes on the role of being faithful in ministry. Joshua must have been nervous, wondering if he was up to the job. The Lord urged him to be strong and courageous because he is the one who is going to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Moses commands the Levites to put the book of law (Deuteronomy) beside the ark of the covenant (v. 26). This was an acacia box overlaid with gold which contained two stone tablets, on which were written the Ten Commandments. They had been given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 10:1-5). The ark was the location of God's holy and invisible presence.
Today's verses involve the Lord explaining to Joshua that, as a leader, he is going to need to take risks and keep his nerve when his fears feel overwhelming at times. He needs to hold on to the belief that he is there for a purpose, and that God is going to fulfil what he has promised through him.
Joshua was not new to leading, but he was not used to leading at this level. He had been promoted to the leader of his people. He had the skills, and he was chosen for good reasons but he had to trust not only God, but himself enough to do the job well. God doesn’t say that Joshua just needs to trust in God and it will all be OK. God points out the attributes that Joshua is going to need to show are mental strength and courage. Yet, God also reassures him that he has this type of resilience by assuring him that he will lead his people into the land God has promised.
To Ponder:
- Have you ever felt led into a lay or ordained ministry and wondered “Am I going to be good enough?” If so, what skills or attributes did you have that God wanted you to use in that situation and did you know where it would lead you?
- In what areas do you think you might be stronger than you sometimes think, because of the roles you have?
Bible notes author: Sally Rush
Sally is a Learning & Development Officer in the Methodist Connexional Team.