One biblical character who's been capturing my interest lately is Joshua. He can claim a significant portion of the American population as his namesake, and he has his own book in the Bible (which probably qualifies him for top 100 holiest people of all time), so he certainly is a Christian household name. And yet, beyond that whole bit about being Moses's successor/leading the 2nd generation Israelites to the promised land, there was not much that I knew about him.
While reading the book of Joshua, I noticed that God's frequent message to Joshua was "Do not fear." As a self-admitted scaredycat, this message piqued my interest. Joshua's fear seemed unlike that of other Biblical characters - largely unfounded. As the anointed successor of Moses, Joshua went on to conquer the promised land. Even before being officially chosen, Joshua had the luxury of being by Moses's side for so many critical moments in the Israelites' history.
However, I began thinking that perhaps his experience(s), rather than bolster Joshua, actually burdened him.
At one point during their journey, the Israelites grumble about the lack of meat, which in turn causes Moses to complain before the Lord about his overwhelming responsibility. The Lord unburdens Moses, simultaneously giving him a foretaste of the Holy Spirit's ubiquity in the age following Jesus's ascension, and several Israelites prophesy. The Bible also specifically names two men, Eldad and Medad, who remain at camp and continue prophesying. Upon seeing this, Joshua proves that he does not understand the sovereignty of God and humility of Moses, and asks Moses to stop the two men. "But Moses said to him, 'Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!'" (Numbers 12:29). Joshua learns here that he is not yet humble enough, that his perspective is not yet Godly enough.
Later, when Moses sends a dozen spies into the land of Canaan, Joshua is one of two spies who reports optimistically regarding the conquering of Canaan. However, despite being Moses's personal aid (Exodus 17:14), Joshua is not the spy who first voices the faithful opinion that the Israelites can overtake the land of Canaan. Out of the dozen spies, Caleb is the one who quiets the people and expresses optimism about the land God promised the Israelites. It is not until after Caleb has boldly expressed his faith in front of Moses and the people that we see Joshua chiming in (Numbers 13:30, Numbers 14:6). Perhaps Joshua learns here that he does not have the courage, that he does not yet possess the boldness to defy the reports of the ten other spies and the cries of the people.
Of course, Joshua's frequent encounters with seemingly mighty peoples whom God called the Israelites to conquer adds on to his trepidation. Joshua experienced firsthand the size and strength of the people of Canaan as he scouted, the airtight defenses of enemy strongholds (Jericho), and the bitter taste of defeat when he thought the Lord was with him (Ai).
Additionally, having personally followed Moses for so long, Joshua knows full well the foolishness, the fickleness of the people he's been chosen (burdened) to lead. He is the one who first hears the sound of Israelites worshipping the golden calf as he accompanies Moses down the mountain with the divinely inscribed stone tablets: "Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, 'There is a sound of war in the camp.'" (Exodus 32:17). The fact that he is accompanying Moses down the mountain gives him a literal and figurative vantage point that is unique - not quite the leader, but not quite the follower.
In a way, Joshua is almost unfairly exposed to the call of leadership before he is actually a leader. Expecting Joshua to assume leadership with full confidence, having seen all of the issues of man - himself, his people, his enemies - while only experiencing deliverance second-hand, does not seem sensible. After all, whenever there was an issue, Moses had always been the mode of transmission for God's grace and power. If even the great Moses had struggled to lead the people, so much so that he was eventually destined to not cross into the promised land, how was young Joshua supposed to become a better man, lead the fickle Israelites, and conquer the mighty people of Canaan?
As always, God seems to be the only answer, and as always, God reminds Joshua as such.
God allows Joshua to experience true worship at a young age: "When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as man speaks to his friends. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent." (Exodus 33:10-11).
Not only that, but he reminds Joshua of his destiny: "No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them." (Joshua 1:5-6).
He reassures Joshua that he will lead the fickle people: "[The people] answered Joshua, saying, 'All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous'" (Joshua 1:16-18).
He preemptively quells Joshua's fears about the enemy: "The Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors'" (Joshua 6:2); "Now the Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land'" (Joshua 8:1); "The Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you'" (Joshua 10:8).
He teaches Joshua how to be a Godly conqueror: "'Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, 'There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under ban from your midst,'" (Joshua 7:13); "'This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.'" (Joshua 1:8).
God, being the omniscient, omniloving(?) God he is, addresses every facet of Joshua's fear.
As a second generation of sorts in so many ways, I often feel burdened by the exact kinds of fear I've projected on to Joshua just now. Of course, I'm unsure about the "magnitude" of my calling from God, whether he is calling me to be a leader like Joshua or an anonymous foot soldier marching around Jericho blowing trumpets. Regardless, I see the futility of my own flesh, the disappointing shortcomings of those I'm called to love and march with, and the might of the challenges before me. And like Joshua, I find myself constantly constantly constantly needing reassurance, affirmation, encouragement that God is God and that God remembers me.
Not only that, but his call to be courageous is so terrifying, his command to meditate on him so burdensome, and his demand to consecrate myself so painful. It truly only is by the power of God that this feeble human will ever amount to anything. "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained." (Philippians 3:13-16).
