Joshua 1:9

(2 min)

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In this week's passage, God is speaking to Joshua.

Biblical Context: Moses → Joshua

Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and they wander for 40 years in the desert.

Our passage comes shortly after the leadership transition from Moses to Joshua (Deut 31:7) and before Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land (Joshua 3).

Repeated Phrase: Strength + Courage

After God makes promises to Joshua (in verses 2-6), you'll notice that God repeatedly instructs Joshua to "Be strong and courageous" (verses 6, 7 and 9).

Anytime we see a phrase repeated, it should cause us to lean in and pay closer attention to what's being said. This literary mechanism is used throughout Scripture to emphasize a point.

The Kind of Strength + Courage

God was not asking Joshua to be heroic in his own human strength and might.

God was calling Joshua to lead the Israelites by following Him and his commands.

Joshua was about to enter some dire situations. God needed Joshua to obey and trust that He was in control.

The Reason for Strength + Courage

The second part of our verse tells us why we can be strong and courageous.

"For" functions like "because" - you can be strong and not fear because God is with you.

For Reflection: What would it look like to trust and obey God in your current situation?

God wants us to be strong and courageous by trusting and obeying him, especially when external circumstances make that difficult.

As you memorize verse 9 this week, imagine God speaking these words to you in your context:

Let God be the source of your strength this week,

The Malachi Daily Team