Just like you followed Moses?!?

So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. – Joshua 1.16-17

I only include this because it is one of favourite incidents of the Bible that we skip over far too quickly.

Remember that Joshua had been along since the very beginning of the wanderings in the wilderness. He had seen everything that had happened. He had seen how Moses led and how the people had followed.

So when the people said ‘we will obeyed Moses we are going to obey you.’

If I were Joshua I would have been less than excited. Just like they obeyed Moses?!? The had griped and complained and whined and rebelled. How was that supposed to encourage the new leader?

Anyway, I chuckle every time I see that.

But they did get one thing right – only the Lord your God be with you like he was with Moses.

Men change. They are not always reliable. They let us down.

But ‘God with us’ never fails.