At the height of his career, Joshua waits at the very end of the line to receive his inheritance.
We began the book of Joshua with the words, “Moses My servant is dead” (Jos 1:2). Now, after a rigorous life of responsibility, conflict, and victories, the book draws to its conclusion with Joshua also “going the way of all the earth” (Jos 23:14). He has been a symbol: he is the man whose name was crafted by Moses—the blessed name to be later translated as Jesus, prepared for the true Captain of our salvation (Heb 2:10). He has been a servant. The book gives this introduction: “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant” (Jos 1:1). Moses is called an ‘ebed, a bondservant of the Lord; Joshua is Moses’ sharath, someone who attends to menial tasks. Yes, he is a servant of servants, just like his Lord. But finally, in his funeral announcement, Moses’ servant is called “the servant of the Lord.” He has also been a strategist. Each battle is unique in the lessons it teaches about the path to victory. Jericho teaches the need to possess our possession, claiming the promises by standing on them. Ai shows the way to victory after defeat by knowing when to flee and when to fight. The battle of Gibeon illustrates the reality that God hears the voice of a man and can do the impossible for us. The triumph over the five southern kings reminds us that total victory is assured and “the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom 16:20). The Waters of Merom campaign underlines the truth that “some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Ps 20:7). Then, without fanfare, we read, “Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old” (v 29). Well done, Joshua!