A Change In Leadership

 Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “…it is appointed unto men once to die…”  Moses had faithfully led the children of Israel for forty years, but he died before they crossed the Jordan.   Sometime before his death, at God’s instruction, Moses had designated Joshua to be the next leader, but he was still there for guidance.  After his death, Joshua would have to step up and take on the full responsibility.  A change of leadership always raises some questions, for both the new leader and those who follow him.  There is concern whether the new leadership will build on what previous leaders have done or tear it down and start over.   Will he consider his advantage of his position to seize power and enrich himself?  Will the people follow him or rebel?  Will his policies make things better or worse?  We face the same questions today in America that Israel faced after the death of Moses. 

 

For forty years, Joshua had demonstrated a deep love and concern for pleasing God, and now God would step in to assure him that he would bless Joshua’s leadership just as he had blessed Moses’, in Joshua 1:1-5.  “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.  Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

 

God promised that they would one day own the land from the wilderness where they had spent forty years to Lebanon, and from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River, because God would be with him just as he had been with Moses.  They would obtain that land if they would trust God completely, obeying all his commands.  It would be up to Joshua to set the example as the leader, as God explained in Joshua 1:6-9.  “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. “

 

Some of the commands of the Law would seem counter-intuitive, or irrelevant and they might be tempted to ignore them, but God said they needed to follow them completely and trust him with the outcome.  If they would do so, God would bless Joshua and the nation of Israel in everything they did. 

 

With that assurance from God, Joshua stepped boldly into the position of leadership, directing the people to prepare to go into the land, in Joshua 1:10-11.  “Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.”  Joshua’s command to get ready to cross Jordan had to reassure the people that he was going to continue to follow God and not some idea of his own.  While they would be doing things they had never done under Moses’ leadership, it was a continuation of what Moses had begun. 

 

Joshua further reassured the people with his acceptance of Moses’ agreement with the Trans Jordan tribes in Joshua 1:12-15.  “And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.  Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.”

 

Confident that Joshua would not disrupt everything, the trans Jordan tribes committed to follow Joshua just as they had Moses, in Joshua 1:16-18,  “And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.  According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.   Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.”

 

People naturally distrust change, not knowing how it will turn out.  While the leader may be sure he is doing what God wants, he needs to reassure his people of that.  If the previous leader was following God, major changes in policy and practice raise legitimate concerns about the new leader’s agenda because God’s agenda has not changed.   Changes need to be based on God’s commands, not the leader’s desires   If the leader will take the trouble to spend time seeking the Lord and set the proper example, God will cause the people to follow him.