Ob and In:
1. Three times the Lord encourage Joshua to be strong v.6,7, 9
(BKC) First, Joshua was commanded to be strong and courageous (cf. vv. 7, 9, 18) because of God’s promise of the land
(BKC) Second, Joshua was again commanded to be strong and very courageous, being careful to obey all the Law of Moses. This command is based on God’s power through His Word. This is a stronger exhortation, indicating that greater strength of character would be required to obey God’s Word faithfully and fully than to win military battles!
(NET) In v.7, being brave and carefully obey God's Law was related. (NET) The use of the infinitive לִשְׁמֹר (lishmor, “to keep”) after the imperatives suggests that strength and bravery will be necessary for obedience.
(BKC) The third call to courage addressed to Joshua was based on the promise of God’s presence...Joshua probably had times when he felt weak, inadequate, and frightened. Perhaps he considered resigning before the Conquest even began. But God knew all about his feelings of personal weakness and fear and told Joshua three times,
Summary and Reflection: Courage is not just a determination, but it is related to God's promise. Courage is also related to our carefully obey God's Word when we are tempted by our sin, by the world or by Satan. Lastly, courage is needed all our lives and is given by the promise of the presence of God. Will I find God's presence to be enough to give me courage?
2. 7 Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep. Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do. 8 This law scroll must not leave your lips. You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it.
The phrase, carefully obey repeated twice in v.7a and v.8b. In between v.7a and 8b God told Joshua how to be carefully obey His Law:
a. Do not swerve...
(EBC) The expression “to the right or to the left” is a vivid way of stating that no deviation would be permitted.
b. This law scroll must not leave your lips...
(NET) The ancient practice of reading aloud to oneself as an aid to memorization is in view here.
(BKC) The Law was not to depart from his mouth; he was to talk about it (cf. Deut. 6:7);
c. memorize (BDB (soliloquize-talk to oneself) meditate, muse-say to oneself in a thoughtful manner) it day and night
(NET) He was to meditate on it day and night, to think about it (cf. Ps. 1:2; 119:97);
Reflection: Carefully obey is not a hit-and-miss kind of obedience. I need to prepare myself for the obedience. Do I determine not to deviate from the Law? Do I read so that I can memorize it? Do I talk about it? Do I mediate, say to myself, and think about it day and night?
3. Repeated phrase: all the law, all that is written
(EBC) Joshua’s life demonstrates that in a practical way he lived according to the teachings of the Law of Moses, the only portion of the Word of God then in written form. This alone explains the victories he achieved in battle and the success that marked his entire career. In one of his farewell addresses to the nation just before he died he urged the people to live in submission to the Scriptures (Josh. 23:6).
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