Pam Padgett ... teacher
God did not allow Moses to enter into
the land promised to the children of Israel beyond Jordan. But God chose Joshua to lead the children of Israel in possessing this
land, and instructed Moses to encourage (strengthen) Joshua ...
Deuteronomy 1:37 Also the Lord was angry with me (Moses)
for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither. 38 But
Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in
thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
One of the ways Moses encouraged Joshua was to remind him of what God
had done in giving Israel victory over Sihon king of Heshbon and over Og king of Bashan,
completely destroying the people and giving Israel possession of the
lands. Just as God had fought for Israel against these, so God would fight for Israel so they could possession the land
promised to them beyond Jordan ...
Deuteronomy 3:21 And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying,
Thine eyes have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto these two
kings: so shall the Lord do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest.
22 Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God he shall fight for
you.
God hardened the heart of
Sihon the king Heshbon against Israel, and God delivered Sihon and all his people to be killed by the
children of Israel ...
Deuteronomy 2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would
not let us pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and
made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as
appeareth this day. 31 And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have begun
to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou
mayest inherit his land. 32 Then Sihon came out against us, he and all
his people, to fight at Jahaz. 33 And the Lord our God delivered him
before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. 34 And we
took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and
the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:
35 Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of
the cities which we took.
Then God led Israel to fight against Og king of Bashan. Although their cities were
fenced with high walls, gates, and bars, and there were a great many unwalled towns, God delivered them into the
hands of Israel who completely destroyed them ...
Deuteronomy 3:1 Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and
Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to
battle at Edrei. 2 And the Lord said unto me, Fear him not: for I will
deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou
shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which
dwelt at Heshbon. 3 So the Lord our God delivered into our hands Og
also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until
none was left to him remaining. 4 And we took all his cities at that
time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore
cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5 All
these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside
unwalled towns a great many. 6 And we utterly destroyed them, as we did
unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and
children, of every city. 7 But all the cattle, and the spoil of the
cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.
Moses encouraged Joshua to remember how God had fought for Israel
against Sihon and Og, and that God would do so against the kingdoms they were to
possess as Joshua led them.
Remembering what God has done strengthens us as well. Recently I was strengthened when I was reminded of something God did in my life. At one time, I had tried very hard to impress those in
upper management where I worked. But I turned from this. Some years later, I was again in a
position to impress a vice president of the company. But the changes God had
brought about in my life caused me to want no part of trying to impress him, and to simply speak honestly, even though the truth was not what he would want to hear. Being reminded of the changes God had made in this area of my life
strengthens my faith that God is able and will continue to change me, the Holy Spirit working in me by the word given me, continually conforming me to
His image.