The Call of God to Old Testament Characters

Lesson 5

Lesson Text—Numbers 28:18-19

Numbers 28:18-1918 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

Lesson Text—Numbers 27:22-23

Numbers 27:22-2322 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Lesson Text—Joshua 1:1-2

Joshua 1:1-21 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the

children of Israel.

Lesson Text—Joshua 1:6-7

Joshua 1:6-76 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

Lesson Text—Joshua 1:6-7

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

Lesson Text—Joshua 1:8-9

Joshua 1:8-98 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good

success.

Lesson Text—Joshua 1:8-9

9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Focus Verse—Deuteronomy 31:14

Deuteronomy 31:14And the LORD said unto Moses,

Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a

charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Focus Thought

When we have been proven

faithful under a mentor, God will

advance us in His time.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersCulture Connection

Mentors and Mentees Mentors and mentees are

everywhere. They are the rave of the business world and the darlings of the self-improvement society. There are marriage mentors, wealth mentors, mentors for military kids, success mentors, marketing mentors, outdoor mentors, mentors of ministry, garden mentors, and business mentors. A brief search through the Internet discovers hundreds of mentors.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersMentors and mentees—they make a

great team when joined together for a common goal. The goal is to help the mentee develop to the fullest possible potential. The mentor does not do the work of development but just facilitates the development. The responsibility for growth and progress lies with the mentee.

Notice Luke 16:10-12: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersIf therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?”

A good mentor often works himself out of a job; the mentee frequently grows to the point of eclipsing the mentor. A mentor’s mantra could be, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

I. God Places Us Under LeadersIn contemporary society, behaving

responsibly often brings its own reward—more and greater responsibility. In God’s kingdom, those who are faithful over a few things will He make to be ruler over many things (Matthew 25:23). God will advance us in His time.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersContemplating the Topic

We live with a shortage—not in a physical sense, for we are surrounded on all sides by matter, and not in the sensory realm, for we are bombarded on every side by sights and sounds. Certainly, this shortage is not spiritual, for God is ever present. Nevertheless, a shortage does exist in our culture—a shortage of quality leadership. Today’s world urgently needs excellent leaders. Businesses pay incredible sums of money to secure CEOs with leadership skills.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersIn electoral cycles the dearth of worthy candidates makes voting choices difficult.

This leadership void should not exist in the church of Jesus Christ. In His kingdom it should be normal for those redeemed by His blood to develop in His likeness until they are leaders who continually attempt to accomplish His will on earth.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersIn this lesson we will explore the life of Joshua and discuss key components to developing a life into the full potential God desires and that He can utilize to perform His purposes.

We will discover what God saw in Joshua, how God shaped him, and how God’s timing affected his life. We will apply the qualities Joshua exhibited to our own lives in order to affect the kingdom of God positively. We will help fill the shortage of leadership.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersSearching the Scriptures

God Places Us Under Leaders

The first essential step toward a person’s leadership development is for God to place him under the authority of another. The specifics of how God develops individuals vary, but in every case the common threads of submission, learning, and testing are always present.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersOne need only glance through the

pages of the Scriptures to see this pattern borne out. Moses molded Joshua; Jesse and Saul helped to develop David; Eli trained Samuel; Elijah developed Elisha; Paul discipled Timothy; Jesus taught the apostles. Even Christ Jesus Himself went through this process, for Luke wrote, “And [Jesus] went down with [his parents], and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them” (Luke 2:51).

I. God Places Us Under LeadersShould we then find it strange that

the process replicates in us? God uses this plan of submitting to the authorities in our lives to unfold His purpose in us. By doing so, we acknowledge our need for further development and express our hunger to grow spiritually. In these seasons God determines and proves our mettle and properly equips us for the day when we will step out of the shadow of our current mentor into greater levels of responsibility.

Transparency 1

A. God Gives Us Lessons to Learn

A. God Gives Us Lessons to Learn

One of the great treasures of time spent under the tutelage of another is the invaluable lessons we learn from coordinated interaction and from observation. The opportunity to observe how a leader handles situations, exercises wisdom, and applies principles has no substitute. No amount of “book learning” or seminars can accomplish what quiet moments under the guidance of a leader can. Joshua had such a moment in Numbers 11.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersMoses assembled all but two of the

seventy elders of Israel around the Tabernacle. The glory of God descended on Moses, and God also placed the spirit of prophecy upon the seventy elders, and they began to prophesy. For some reason, however, Eldad and Medad had not come to the Tabernacle. Still, God visited them where they were and moved also upon them to prophesy.

A young man ran to Moses with the news. Joshua heard and objected indignantly because Eldad and Medad had not come when the call went out.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersHe protested, “My lord Moses, forbid them” (Numbers 11:28). However, Moses turned to him patiently and said, “Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them” (Numbers 11:29). Joshua learned the valuable lesson that a leader must not fall prey to jealousy or ego in a one-on-one interaction with his leader.

Joshua observed as his leader dealt with another more grievous situation in Exodus 32.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersAs Moses climbed down Mount Sinai, he met his servant Joshua and they descended together. They heard and then saw the Hebrews reveling around the golden calf. How would Moses respond? Joshua witnessed both the anger of Moses at the sin of his people and his intercession for them. (See Exodus 32:10-14, 19.) What a marvelous lesson of the proper response to transgression! Joshua could learn such a lesson only by close association with the person of authority in his life, Moses.

B. God Gives Us Tests to PassB. God Gives Us Tests to Pass

God tests His people before He uses them, and their ability to pass the tests often is associated with their willingness to learn from a mentor. Attempting to pass these developmental tests on one’s own can result in calamity.

Joshua faced some difficult tests while serving Moses. Perhaps this was most clearly demonstrated when Moses selected him as one of the twelve spies sent to view the land of Canaan.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersAfter their journey through the land, the majority of his companions reported only the challenges that would prevent their victory. “But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31).

Would Joshua demonstrate the same courage and conviction Moses had demonstrated to him, or would he cave under the negative pressure of his peers?

I. God Places Us Under LeadersHow Moses’ heart must have swelled when Joshua stood in unison with Caleb against the naysayers. Caleb’s faith-filled words demonstrated their visionary commitment: “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30).

Every believer will encounter similar opportunities to stand for faith and victory in his relationship with God. God must test and establish us as He is building us to be leaders until He can entrust us with more responsibility.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWe should never underestimate the importance of decisions we make early in our relationship with God. While these moments may appear insignificant, God may be testing our willingness to stand for right.

II. God Saw Joshua’s Potential for Leadership

God Saw Joshua’s Potential for Leadership

One man wisely said that God loves everyone equally, but He does not trust everyone equally. That may be true, but one thing is certain. God has a vital role for every person in His kingdom. Every part of the body of Christ has something to add to the whole.

Ephesians 4:16

“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted

by that which every joint supplieth, according to the

effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of

the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16).

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWhy does God place individuals at

different levels of responsibility? What does God see in one that may be absent from another? What did He see in Joshua that distinguished him from among the masses of young men who trekked out of Egypt? God chose him by name and favored him above his fellows in the sight of the congregation. (See Numbers 27:18, 20.)

Transparency 2

A. FaithfulA. Faithful

There may be no more important character trait in God’s economy than a man’s faithfulness. It distinguishes him in a greater way than does his talent or ability. While talented people are plenteous, God prefers to use faithful people. That is largely why God bestowed favor on young Joshua.

Joshua was faithful to God. His deep gratitude for deliverance from the sting of Egyptian whips and the degradation of slavery developed into an enduring

faithfulness to God.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWe too must be faithful to God. All

other commitments in life must be secondary to the one we make to Jesus Christ because He delivered us from the power of darkness and death. If that commitment wavers, we cannot expect a call to do greater things for God. God will not entrust a significant work into the hands of one who will not serve Him faithfully.

Joshua was faithful to God, but he also was faithful to Moses. Such devotion to the leaders in our lives is a significant key to advancing in God’s

kingdom.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersJoshua was faithful to Israel, and certainly God asks us to be faithful to a cause that is bigger than ourselves. The New Testament believer must demonstrate unswerving loyalty to the church.

Joshua was faithful in battle. He served in the front lines, conquering the enemy. Some believers may desert when they hear the sounds of battle, but God favors and elevates the person who stands his ground against the enemy of the soul. Faithfulness distinguishes a servant from his peers!

B. TrustworthyB. Trustworthy

To receive trust a person must prove himself worthy of trust. Trust is not demanded; it is earned. Further, one does not earn trust in a moment of time, but over an interval of time as various tests reveal layers of character. A believer earns trust when he has the opportunity to violate it but refuses to do so. Integrity despite opposition merits trust.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersJoshua demonstrated his worthiness

of the Lord’s trust by passing each test as it came. After he reconnoitered Canaan with twelve spies, he did not allow the negative reports of the ten to overpower his and Caleb’s positive reports. When God needed a leader to succeed Moses, Joshua’s pivotal moment proved him worthy of trust.

Proving ourselves worthy of trust often is done in unseen moments away from the public arena. It could be as simple as noticing that the clerk gave

us too much change.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersIt could be refusing to tell a “white lie” even though it would be much easier. Some might rationalize failure in such moments as a lapse in judgment or a poor choice. In reality, such defining moments render us worthy or unworthy of trust.

C. VisionaryC. Visionary

The Bible emphasizes the importance of vision. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Vision is one of the qualities that attracts the favor of God and prepares a person for leadership. Joshua certainly demonstrated this.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersHuman perspective finds it

preposterous that this group of newly freed slaves could survive the hardships of desert travel, conquer walled cities, overthrow Canaanite culture, and defeat physical giants. Only a man whose dreams are grounded in faith in God could possibly see such a remote possibility as a certainty. Yet Joshua had such faith-filled vision. Even as everyone else looked at the reasons they could not accomplish the purpose of God, Joshua saw that they could.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWhen forty years had passed and all the doubters had fallen, God chose this visionary to do what he and Caleb had long before said they could do. Never minimize the dreams God has given you. Timing is everything; when God needs a believer to lead His people in the next conquest, He turns consistently to someone who sees what others cannot.

D. ResponsibleD. Responsible

Joshua possessed a robust sense of responsibility. It seems that leaders get more than their share of credit when things go well and more than their share of blame when things go wrong. A leader must not allow successes for which he receives credit to go to his head and cloud his judgment or taint him with pride. Further, the willingness of a leader not to deflect blame for mistakes and failures is vital to the success of the

cause he leads.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersJoshua shouldered a leader’s responsibility during the trouble Israel encountered at Ai.

Fresh off the stunning victory at Jericho, Joshua sent a small contingency of soldiers to conquer the seemingly insignificant city of Ai. Unaware of the sin that had infiltrated the camp of Israel, Joshua was dismayed to hear that his troops had been defeated and thirty-six of his men killed. He did not berate the soldiers or pass blame on others.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersInstead he threw himself on the ground before the Lord and sought an answer. When he learned of Achan’s sin, Joshua led the effort to cleanse the nation. After completing that grisly task, Joshua personally led the forces against Ai. He had passed another test of leadership.

Such quality leadership is rare in our day. Most people find it easier to avoid any personal responsibility and assume that someone else should bear the burden and either be commended for accomplishing the task or blamed

for its failure.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersThe unfortunate trend to resist

personal responsibility is both sadly and humorously seen in a college course evaluation submitted by a student at the end of the semester. He wrote, “I think this is an excellent class, but I am concerned that the professor puts too much responsibility for learning on the students.”

If believers desire to be the leaders God would choose, they must accept the burden of responsibility. For example, we should bear our own responsibility to pray.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWe should not expect God to make us soulwinners; we ourselves are responsible to become witnesses. We should not expect God to fill our minds with knowledge of the Word of God without studying to show ourselves approved unto God (II Timothy 2:15). The responsibility is ours, and when God sees we are willing to bear it, we have taken a significant step toward fulfilling His purpose in our lives.

Transparency 3

III. God Decides when to Advance Us

God Decides when to Advance Us

Someone has said, “Timing is everything.” Obviously, timing is important to God, for He exercises perfect timing. For instance, He gave Israel a calendar with specific feast days and years of jubilee. He banished them for a predetermined length of time in Babylon. He even timed perfectly the arrival of the Messiah. Paul wrote, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law” (Galatians 4:4).

I. God Places Us Under LeadersGod makes appropriate decisions

regarding the timing of a person’s advancement in His kingdom. He knows exactly how long we need to prepare and when to propel someone to visible leadership. If a person attempts to force the issue out of impatience or pride, he merely ensures his own failure at the task God could have used him to accomplish successfully at a later date. Timing is vital.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersMoses groomed Joshua for over

forty years for the role he was to fill, but God alone decided when that chapter of leadership should give way to a new chapter. Only when the next generation of leadership was sufficiently developed did God send Moses to the top of Mount Nebo to view the Promised Land and to die. Clearly, God planned for the death of Moses and Joshua’s succession to leadership of Israel.

I. God Places Us Under Leaders“And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge” (Deuteronomy 31:14).

One of the greatest challenges for leaders in training is to learn the art of serving while waiting. A person destroys much of his potential when he rushes foolishly ahead of God’s timing and attempts to thrust himself into a role for which he is not yet ready.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersBut the individual who with joy continues to celebrate his freedom from Egypt by serving in lesser capacities until the day God selects him for greater things is the one whose appointment with destiny is certain.

A. God Will Place Us Where He Needs Us

A. God Will Place Us Where He Needs Us

Every believer should serve in the Kingdom at the King’s pleasure and for His glory in the location and capacity the King chooses. Joshua did not elbow Moses out of his vital role. It was his willingness to minister unto his God-ordained leader that qualified him for his role. God elevates us at times and at other times He sets us down. Often He selects one person to accomplish one task and someone else to accomplish another.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersBoth are successful if they serve the Master in their appointed roles. “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Romans 9:21).

Would-be leaders must build an altar at which to place their future entirely in the hands of God. As God wills, one will lead thousands and another will lead a dozen. One will preach to multitudes and another will teach a one-on-one home Bible study.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersOne will pastor a church and another will run a church bus route. All are leaders if they serve faithfully where God placed them.

B. God Will Empower UsB. God Will Empower UsJoshua had to be a little intimidated,

even knowing God had called him and was preparing him for a momentous leadership role. To be thrust into the fore of about two million rugged and stiff-necked people and organizing a force that could pull off a massive military victory would be a daunting task! However, God did not call Joshua because the man thought he could do it; He called Joshua because Joshua would allow divine empowerment to

work through him.

Joshua 1:5-6“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses,

so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give

them” (Joshua 1:5-7).

Joshua 1:7

“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest

observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant

commanded thee” (Joshua 1:5-7).

I. God Places Us Under LeadersThe same is true for all those who

serve God through divine appointment. He does not expect us to serve in our own strength but in His. Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (II Corinthians 4:7). When we rely on Him to help us accomplish something for His kingdom, we know where the glory belongs. He empowers us, we serve Him, His kingdom advances, and He alone receives the honor!

C. God Will Provide for UsC. God Will Provide for Us

As Joshua’s days of leading the people of Israel unfolded, he faced unimaginable challenges. Had God shown him all the obstacles and battles to come, Joshua might have gladly wished this leadership role on someone else. Instead, as each challenge arose, God provided the plan and the resources for the victory.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWhether it was circling Jericho in silence or placing an ambush behind Ai or causing the sun to stand still, God always met the need of the moment.

Those who are developing into leaders must know that God will never call a person to something and then leave him without the tools or strength to accomplish it. We are laboring in His kingdom, so He assures us He will provide.

IV. God Has a Purpose for Our Lives

God Has a Purpose for Our Lives

We are not saved to be idle but to serve. This is true for people from every economic or social stratum, every educational level, every ethnic group, and every family background. Every born-again believer has a specific God-ordained purpose. All excuses for shying away from this purpose pale in light of the enabling power of God.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersEven a sinful past does not

disqualify us from a future of purpose. The Scriptures are full of testimonies of those whom we would have expected to fail, who instead became winners. For example, an adulterer and murderer became a man after God’s own heart. A liar became the father of the faithful. A man who denied Christ by the courtyard fire just days later proclaimed Him Lord of all at Pentecost!

A. We Are Responsible for Discovering God’s Purpose

A. We Are Responsible for Discovering God’s Purpose

Understanding that every believer has a purpose in God’s kingdom is only the first step. We should not remain idle while awaiting marching orders. The expectation that “when God wants me He’ll tell me” is flawed, for God has clearly informed us what He wants.

Acts 1:8

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon

you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and

in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the

earth” (Acts 1:8).

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWe should seek actively for God’s

specific purpose in our lives. We can accomplish this only by listening to His voice, communing with Him in private devotions and public worship services, and heeding the counsel of elders. We who would be leaders must pursue intently God’s will for our lives. An individual who makes empty promises to act and offers excuses for idleness will not discover the will of God. Purpose awaits every individual, and each one must seek to find it.

B. We Are Responsible for Fulfilling God’s Purpose

B. We Are Responsible for Fulfilling God’s Purpose

Once we have discovered our purpose, the goal becomes fulfilling it. Each member of the body of Christ must strive to accomplish all God has ordained for him. The alternative is like hanging around the starting line until the race is over.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersThere is no higher contentment for

believers than knowing we are fulfilling the will of our Creator. To rise each morning with the assurance that we are actively about our Father’s business and to retire each night with a sense of eternal accomplishment is the type of life He promised. Jesus promised, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

I. God Places Us Under LeadersWe do not measure abundant life by the quantity of blessings God sends our way, but in the scope of the service we render to Him. Thus the believer enjoys abundant life as he fulfills God’s purpose in his life.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersInternalizing the Message

Being chosen and commissioned by Jesus Christ to serve in His kingdom is the highest honor a person may receive. It eclipses any governmental position or academic award. It fulfills believers in a measure that temporal pleasures and possessions cannot. To that end every child of God should seek to prepare to lead in whatever fashion God would design.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersJoshua set a wonderful example for us to follow. He spent valuable time under the influence of a godly leader. He learned lessons that benefitted him in the years ahead. He passed the tests that proved his character for future assignments. As he waited on God’s timing, he demonstrated such faithfulness, trustworthiness, vision, and responsibility that God selected him for a great role.

I. God Places Us Under LeadersVance Havner wrote, “A leader is a

person with a magnet in his heart and a compass in his head.” This is especially true for those who would lead in the church. The magnet in their heart pulls them to a deeper relationship with God, and the compass lets them perceive the direction of God and His purpose in their lives and the lives of those they are leading. Following that direction brings completeness and wholeness to a redeemed life. Leading in God’s kingdom is one of life’s great joys!