Joshua takes on the pressure of leadership at the lowest point on earth, just northeast of the Dead Sea at Shittim. All eyes are on you and everyone’s wondering: how is this going to go? This transition is a moment of testing and pressure. Maybe you were a new pastor taking over from the founding pastor, or a graduate student stepping into the corporate world after study your advisor. Maybe you were a student teacher, and then the head teacher stepped out and you were on your own. With that foretaste of the promise before his eyes, he dies. Then Moses ascends Mount Nebo for his first and only glimpse west into the promised highway land of Canaan. At Shittim Moses lays hands on Joshua to commission him, and the Spirit of wisdom fills him (Deuteronomy 34:9). The Israelites are just east of the promised land at a town called Shittim in Moab. The day of the transition has arrived and it comes by the banks of a river called down: the Jordan. He mentored him on the battlefield, in the Tent of Meeting, and on the road. Moses reminded him of God’s faithful provision through their long wilderness journey despite their unfavorable odds. Moses encouraged and supported Joshua, preparing him for the day when he would step in as leader (Deuteronomy 3:22). This name change would be a daily, verbal reminder that Yahweh is their salvation. Moses didn’t want Hoshea to mistake the source of their provision as he had done when he struck the rock.
This truth is critical for humble vision: trusting God’s work and not our own view of the landscape. Hoshea became Yehoshua or as we say in English, Joshua: Yahweh the Lord saves. Moses added the prefix “Yah,” a shortened form of the Hebrew name for God, Yahweh. It might refer to the might of the pharaoh and the gods of Egypt for all the Israelites knew. Hoshea, which means “is salvation” or “saves” was too ambiguous. Scripture doesn’t say for sure, but perhaps it was after this battle that Moses decided to change his name. Moses must have had an inkling then that Hoshea would be the leader, because even then he asked the scribes to record the historic battle so Hoshea could remember God’s provision during future challenges (Exodus 17:14). This took place at Rephidim, south of the Desert of Sin. While Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ arms and staff during their first battle after the exodus, Hoshea had commanded Israel’s army. He had been with Moses since the very beginning of their journey from Egypt. His name was originally Hoshea, but since he’d started serving as Moses’ assistant, no one called him that anymore. Joshua has been Moses’ assistant for years. Right in view of the Jordan River that will immediately challenge him, God promises to be with him and calls him to lead with strength and courage. But their entryway comes at the lowest point on earth because humility walks down.īy this geological depression God elevates Joshua to be leader over all Israel. God has led Israel through the desert and now they’re finally going to enter the highway land of Canaan. From Mount Hermon it snakes down to the Sea of Galilee and eventually pours into the Dead Sea at 1300 feet below sea level.
The Jordan River starts in the north of the land of Canaan, at a majestic mountain known as Mount Hermon. It snakes through the Great Rift Valley, a geological depression that today marks the divide between the countries of Israel and Jordan. It cuts the deepest down into the earth of any river on earth. The name Jordan likely comes from the Hebrew word yarad, which means “to go down.” If you dropped down where Israel crossed the Jordan River, that name would make total sense to you. The geography of the River Jordan teaches us about the direction of humility. The Jordan River Shows us Humility’s Direction Humility trusts that the barrier can be made into a doorway. His people step down to serve.īut you may not have thought about the way that humility means laying down our point of view in exchange for a holy imagination. Jesus steps down from his throne into the world. In Scripture we see over and over again that humility is about stepping down. You may have thought about the fact that humility is directional before. Humility surrenders its vision of reality in exchange for a redemptive vision of reality. Humility’s Directionīut it does more than walk down. You can read this episode below and follow along in your Bibles in Joshua 1-4 Exodus 17:8-16 Deuteronomy 3:22.
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