There’s Still Much to Do
Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess. Joshua 13:1 ESV
It had been quite the life for Joshua! He had apprenticed under Moses for 40+ years, most of those spent in the desert as God led Israel’s wanderings until they finally reached the east side of the Jordan River. Here his mentor, Moses, died and Joshua was commissioned by God to take his place.
After finishing the mourning period for Moses, the nation moved out, miraculously crossing the Jordan at flood stage just as Moses had led Israel through the Red Sea. They conquered Jericho with a shout and then learned major lessons through the defeat at Ai and the deception of the Gibeonites. Then came the campaign to occupy the land promised to Abraham, renewed to Moses, and now realized by Joshua.
Caleb’s life story gives us a great overview of the entire process. He says to Joshua in 14:7, “I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart.” Then he follows with vs. 10, “And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old.” It had been 45 years since the spies had viewed the land – 40 years of desert wanderings and 5 years of warfare to occupy the major cities and subdue their kings.
The promise still had to be acted upon – yes, the cities had been conquered, but there remained the towns and villages and the coastal cities to the west. As the Lord had said, “there remains much land to possess.’ The journey of faith is one where we must act upon what God has promised. Yes, we plead His promises and ‘claim’ their fulfillment, but we still must act in faith to ‘possess the land.’
We must share the gospel with the lost, disciple those who are young in the faith, and equip disciples to become disciplemakers that we might ‘possess’ the third and fourth spiritual generations from our efforts. May we see the Lord going before us as we step out in faith trusting His faithfulness to His promises.
Developing Kingdom Leaders - Tom Yeakley 