Joshua the Next Leader of Israel
“And the
LORD said to Moses, Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the
spirit, and lay your hand on him; And set him before Eleazar the priest, and
before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.”(v.18-19)
Here
God appoints a successor to Moses, Joshua; who had established himself by his
courage in fighting Amalek, his humility in ministering to Moses, and his faith
and sincerity in witnessing against the report of the evil spies. A man in whom
the Holy Spirit resides and the Spirit of grace, a good man, fearing God and
hating covetousness.
Notice
here that God appointed the successor to Moses, not Moses nor the people. He
also chose someone faithful to Him, someone filled with the Spirit who feared
God rather than man.
Joshua
was then set before Eleazar the priest, and before the congregation and Moses
to be confirmed. Moses then laid his hands on him and placed some authority upon
him in the eyes of the congregation so the children of Israel would obey him.
Thus,
the next leader of Israel was confirmed and a model presented for the selection
of leadership by God and not man as it would be done with David – anointed not appointed.
The
Truth
"And the
Lord said to Joshua, “This day I
will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as
I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” (Joshua 3:7)
