The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-06-30

Council Of Religious Education; used by
permission.
ENTERING THE PROMISED
LAND
LESSON 'rEXT-Joshua 1919; 23:1-5.
GOLDEN Textile strong and Of good
mayed: for the Lord thy God Is with thee
whithersoevsr thou goest-Joshua 1:9.
The forward look is typical OF
Gods people. They are always to
60 on. They are to be like Israel, to
whom came the word, "Moses is
dead" but ''now therefore arise
and go"-under a new leader.
Our lessons for this quarter CEN
ter around the experiences Of Israel
from Joshua to David, period rich
in historical data, much Of ii with
most helpful spiritual application.
It affords a real opportunity for
effective teaching.
Moses was now dead, but that
only brought forth
I. Gods Provision of a New Lead
OF (l:l, ~.
God buries His workmen at the
end Of their day of labor, but Gods
work goes on. The people had
become attached to Moses and had
learned to trust his leadership (even
though they often murmured). With
his death we might have assumed
that there would be letdown, but
that was mot in Gods plan.
The Lord works through men. He
gives them abilities and uses them
for His glory-often in a way which
astonishes them and others. But
let them not become proud, for God
has someone to take their place
when they are gone. They are not
indispensable.
Sometimes people talk as though
all the great leaders of the church
had died, or were dying. Yet God
has some obedient men who are
ready to step into the gap.
Joshua was ready, when God was
ready, and he stepped into leader
ship.
III. Gods Promise Of Victory (1:3-
81.
The promise given to Moses was
still good. Gods promises are al
ways good. They are the only real
ly stable thing in trembling uni
verse. The question is, Are we
ready to accept Him at His word?
II our love were but more simple.
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness Of our Lord.
-Faber.
They were to step out by faith.
The land was promised to them
only as the sole of their foot should
tread upon it. Israel never took out
the full promise of verse 4. They
lacked faith. Do we?
God honors those who believe Him
and who move forward by, faith to
plant the foot Of spiritual conquest
in new territory. Some are doing 1t
now. Are we?
The enemies Of Gods people were
many and mighty, but they were not
able to stand in the way of Gods
people when they were moving for
ward for Him. Here again, Israel
failed. They did not drive them out,
because they did not take God at
His word. The application Of that
truth to us is obvious.
III. Gods Plea for Obedience and
Courage (1:6-g.
"Be strong and Of good courage"
There is a side to the believers
character which calls for submits
sion, for turning everything over to
God, for being sweet and spiritual.
ALI that Is good and very desirable,
but 1t can never be substituted for
that other side which shows virile
courage and fearless abandon to
the cause of our God.
Joshua was made to realize-as
we must too-that serving God (and
especially in place Of leadership
calls for a measure Of high courage
unsurpassed in any other pursuit Of
man. It takes all there is Of man
to be a real follower Of Christ-be
sure of that
This courage, however, is not to
be confused with a foolhardy Draw
cry which is reckless and unin-
telligent. No indeed, for 1t is based
on the observance Of Gods law
". y.
Note ". 81 the importance Of
meditating upon Gods Word. This
(which is really lost art in our
day. means so absorbing the prin-
ciples Of the Word that our very
lives are conditioned by them, and
we are made ready to meet every
problem in the light Of its teaching.
~. Gods Purpose for the Future
(23:1-5).
Passing all the great and stirring
experiences Of Joshua, we have now
a glimpse Of his closing days. He
was counseling the people regard
ing the future.
It Is the mark Of great man
that he looks beyond the end Of his