God commanded Joshua to be ‘strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land, which I swore to their fathers to give them.’ ( v6)

Within a few verses this command to be `strong and of good courage’ recurred three times. Therefore it must be important, for Deuteronomy 31 repeats the same truth.

To be strong is to conquer the enemy waiting for them; to be resolute in the face of change; to restrain the opposing forces; and to seize the moment for victory. Joshua was probably about 80 years old, remembering he was a spy in the land when Caleb and he optimistically reported on the land. Presumably they were about the same age.

I recall when General Montgomery was appointed leader of the Allied forces in the Middle East in WW11, opposing the Nazi leadrer, General Rommel. Many asked, `Who was this General?’ He was a man of prayer and of the bible and one of England’s great commanders of the century. God had primed him, even as He had steered Joshua.

He was also to be `of good courage,’ as a man determined to find God’s path; to be alert in the face of the hostile Jericho and other cities; to be brave in life’s difficult hours; and to boldly initiate movements to overcome the enemy. As christians, we must follow the demand of our Lord and be strong and very courageous in all circumstances.

This night the Archbishop-elect of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen spoke of his personal faith in the Christ as Saviour, and that Australia must return to the authority of God’s word. He was of the same order as Joshua.

God laid down His boundaries for Joshua, ‘that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ( v7) Many times in scripture the Lord commanded that `You shall not turn aside to the right hand or the left.’ ( Deut 5;32 ) Peer pressure for alcohol. Marihuana, amphetamines or cocaine turned aside many young people from God’s right path. Economic factors may deviate the ambitious young person from a noble direction. Sexual advances weaken a stand for purity and deviate from the course.  If Joshua must pursue such a plan, how much more do we?

Joshua must safeguard the pure bible truth, ‘You shall not add to the word, which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord which I command you.’ ( Deut 4:2 ) When we revere God’s Word, we will never turn the truth to the right or the left, evangelical truth may be twisted to a liberal position. Some church leaders pathetically deny that our Lord Jesus bodily rose from the dead. ( That is turning to the left). WE believe the scriptures that Christ rose from the dead. Nor do we turn to the right and say `it was only a spiritual resurrection. `God’s leaders must be committed to the eternal Word.’

God repeated this truth later to Moses, `I command you; be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it, nor take from it. ( Deut 12:32 ) Saul disregards this when he refused to destroy Agag, the king of the ungodly amalekites, and the best of their flock. ( 2 Sam 15: ) Samuel executed God’s judgment immediately. Saul was abandoned by the Lord.

Satan, in the temptation of Christ, `brought Him to the pinnacle of the temple,’ (as shown in Luke 4:10), and said, ‘For it is written’, (brazen enough to quote from Holy scripture) ‘He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you’, omitting the specific phrase ‘In all your ways.’ The devil twisted God’s Word and impudently omitted the special clause `In all your ways.’ That would disqualify our Saviour and every follower of Jesus Christ, who is out of step with His Lord. Christ rejected this devilish suggestion. For we are protected only when we walk in God’s ways.

‘this book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.’ ( v8)

Strong’s Concordance shows that to `meditate’ is to ponder, to study or to muse on eternal truth. Our busy life-style makes it hard to find time to do this. Yet ,it is essential. The psalmist writes in 1:1 `Blessed is the man, whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.’ The special promise followed, `he shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water.‘

David continued `Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my Strength and my redeemer.’ (19:14) Joshua urged his people to be meditators in the word. Later in psalm 119:11, David released one of the great truths in His word, `Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.’ The children of Israel had good foundations laid for entry into a new land.  Do you meditate in the Bible truth?  If so, great rewards await you!

On the eve of the invasion of this Promised land, Joshua gave a further command to ‘be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go.’ He added, `Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, `prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over the Jordan (surging angrily and flooded), to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ Did you notice the space of three days preoparation. That reminds us that Abraham and Isaac journeyed that same period when Isaac was to be offered as a sacrifice to God. Our Lord Jesus rose from the dead after three days. Saul the persecutor ws blind for three days before the scales fell from his eyes and natural light flooded in while God’s grace drenched his soul.