How does Joshua 1:13 encourage us to trust in God's promises today? Setting the Scene Joshua 1 opens with Israel poised on the east side of the Jordan. Moses is gone, Joshua now leads, and God is directing the nation into Canaan. Verse 13 captures Joshua’s exhortation to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, who already possess land on the east yet are obligated to help their brothers secure the west. “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: ‘The LORD your God has given you rest and has granted you this land.’” (Joshua 1:13) Key Words and Phrases • “Remember” – a call to bring God’s past words into present focus. • “has given” and “has granted” – completed-action verbs; God’s promise is settled fact even before the conquest begins. • “rest” – freedom from wandering and warfare; a God-provided state of security and satisfaction. • “this land” – a concrete, measurable inheritance. Why This Encourages Trust Today 1. God’s promises are stated as accomplished realities. • If He could speak of Canaan as already given while walls of Jericho still stood, He can speak the same certainty over every promise He makes to us (Numbers 23:19). 2. The promise rests on God’s character, not our circumstances. • Israel still faced rivers to cross and giants to fight, yet God declared “rest.” • Whatever obstacles loom before us, God’s word remains literal and reliable (2 Corinthians 1:20). 3. God links rest to obedience and unity. • The eastern tribes must assist their brothers. Trusting God’s promise includes active participation in His plan (James 2:22, though not quoted, illustrates faith expressed in action). 4. Fulfilled promises in the past fuel faith for the present. • Every believer can trace God’s track record in Scripture and personal history, drawing courage for today’s unknowns (Psalm 37:5). Rest: Then and Now • Israel’s rest = geographical safety, cessation of warfare, enjoyment of covenant blessings. • Our rest in Christ = – Deliverance from the penalty and power of sin (Matthew 11:28). – Inner peace in every circumstance (Isaiah 26:3). – Ultimate entrance into eternal glory (Hebrews 4:1,11). Land: Then and Now • For Israel, land was tangible proof of God’s covenant love. • For believers, “land” pictures all God’s “precious and magnificent promises” (2 Peter 1:4) secured in Christ—spiritual inheritance now and physical renewal in the coming kingdom (Romans 8:32). Practical Ways to Lean on the Promise • Rehearse what God has already done—make a written list of answered prayers and fulfilled Scriptures. • Speak God’s words aloud; verbs like “has given” train the heart to treat His promises as facts. • Act in obedience even when fulfillment seems distant, just as the eastern tribes crossed the Jordan to fight. • Encourage others: your confidence in God’s settled promises bolsters the faith of those still battling. Other Scriptures Echoing the Same Assurance • Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” • Psalm 119:140 – “Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it.” • Joshua 21:45 – “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everything was fulfilled.” Joshua 1:13 invites us to treat God’s word as the ultimate certainty, rest in His completed work, and walk forward with unshakable confidence that every promise He has spoken will be realized. |
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