God's Word Will Not Pass Away
Scripture Reading — Joshua 1:1-9
“Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you.”
—Joshua 1:7
Moses had led Israel for forty long and sometimes difficult years (Joshua 5:6). The people had known no other leader. Now they would be going into their new land without Moses to guide them. What would the new leadership do?
As God appoints Joshua, he does not say, “It’s time for fresh ideas; it’s time to do things differently than Moses did. Be creative.” Rather, God says that the words of Moses are still relevant. They were right for Israel’s life with God in the desert, and they will be right for the people’s life with God in the promised land.
It was not that Moses had such good ideas, but Moses had spoken the words God had given him to lead and teach Israel. To listen to Moses in the desert was to hear the Word of God. And now, though Moses had died, the Word of God would not pass away.
So God said to Joshua: “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you… Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Today the Lord still promises to be with us—always. Jesus, the Son of God, came and fulfilled the law of Moses, and now we know God through the Holy Spirit, who comes to live in our hearts. The Spirit helps us understand the words of Moses and all the rest of the Bible, which gives us the trustworthy Word of God.
Lord, help us by your Spirit to hear your voice as we read the Bible today. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Arie C. Leder
Dr. Arie C. Leder is the Martin J. Wyngaarden Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He previously served as pastor at Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church, Trenton, Ontario, and with Christian Reformed World Missions in Latin America. He teaches courses on the Pentateuch and on historical books of the Old Testament.
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