Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. Sermons
I. NOTE THE HIGH QUALIFICATION OF JOSHUA. He was "full of the spirit of wisdom." This is a rare gift. By nature he had been endowed with strength and fearless courage, so that he had been military lieutenant to Moses all through the desert. He was illustrious also for diligence and fidelity in a long career of service. Among the spies dispatched to Canaan, he (in company with Caleb) had been "faithful among the faithless found." Now to courage and unbending loyalty there was added another endowment, and this in amplest measure: he was "filled with the spirit of wisdom." "To him that hath, it shall be given." II. OBSERVE THE METHOD BY WHICH THIS WISDOM WAS ACQUIRED. "Moses had laid his hands upon him." We need not limit our thoughts to a solitary act, even though it might be a solemn and religious act. We may rather think of the plastic, formative influence which Moses had exerted over the growing character of this young man. It is astonishing what immense power God has entrusted to our hands for fashioning and embellishing the spiritual nature of men. By a wise employment of spiritual energy, we can direct into right channels the lives of many; by implanting right principles into youth, and by awakening into vigorous activity the latent forces of character, we may elevate a city - we may influence the destinies of the world. III. MARK THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT. "The children of Israel hearkened unto him." Moses influenced for good his servant Joshua. Joshua influenced for good the nation of Israel. The twelve tribes felt the force of Joshua's character, and yielded to the wisdom which he displayed. They were a different people as the consequence of Joshua's leadership. He touched, through Israel, the fortunes of the world. The high example of Joshua provoked the imitation of the tribes. His combined wisdom and energy led them on to triumph. By virtue of his superlative wisdom he became, in God's hands, a Savior, and remains, in name and office, the type of the world's Redeemer. - D.
He buried him, but no man knoweth of his sepulchre. I. GOD WILL HAVE NO ONE, LIVING OR DEAD, TO STAND BETWEEN HIS CREATURES AND HIMSELF.II. GOD WISHES MEN TO SEE SOMETHING MORE LEFT OF HIS SERVANTS THAN THE OUTWARD SHRINE. III. GOD TAKES THE HONOUR OF HIS SERVANTS INTO HIS OWN KEEPING. IV. GOD WOULD TEACH MEN THAT HE HAS A RELATION TO HIS SERVANTS WHICH EXTENDS BEYOND THEIR DEATH. V. GOD WOULD TEACH MEN FROM THE VERY FIRST THAT HIS REGARD IS NOT CONFINED TO ANY CHOSEN SOIL. VI. THE SEEMING FAILURE IN A TRUE LIFE MAY HAVE AT LAST A COMPLETE COMPENSATION. (John Ker, D. D.) (Bp. Joseph Hall.) (Alexander R. Thompson, D. D.) So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses wore ended And when these days were ended, straightway the career of Joshua opens, the tide of things rolls forward, and the march of events sweeps on. And is this the end of it all so far as Moses is concerned? We cannot think it. In some churchyards we see the broken column, and that we always understand as the emblem of a broken life. Where are the lives which are not broken? And over what graves shall the broken column not be raised? "Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there," etc. That life falls; but the thread of its conjunction with the eternal purpose is not broken; that does not fall with the life. The streamlet fails, but the mighty river rolls on. Moses dies, and is buried, but Joshua takes up the staff and stretches forth the hand. What is the life of Moses, or any other life? It is safe with God, if in purpose, at least, and intention and drift it be lived in Him and for Him — safe with God while its mortal courses are running, and safe with Him when they are stayed. But while they are running He works by them, and when they are stayed He works without them, and by other lives. And it is when the soul of the man is in harmony with this fact, and governs itself by it, as the soul of Moses was in harmony with it — it is then that the true life will be lived, and no shadow of fear will rest upon the future. But indeed it is a great thing of which we speak, this harmony of mind with the purpose of God. It is the highest life of man. It is the fruit of long patience and much strife, and the triumph of the grace of the Almighty Spirit within the human soul.(D. Wright, M. A.) Joshua...was full of the spirit of wisdom We have here a very honourable encomium both of Moses and Joshua; each has his praise, and should have. It is ungrateful so to magnify our living friends as to forget the merits of those that are gone, to whose memories there is a debt of honour due. All the respects must not be paid to the rising sun; and on the other hand, it is unjust so to cry up the merits of those that are gone, as to despise the benefit we have in those that survive and succeed them. Let God be glorified in both as here.1. Joshua is praised as a man admirably well qualified for the work to which he was called.(1) God fitted him for it. Herein he was a type of Christ, in whom are hid the treasures of wisdom.(2) Moses by the Divine appointment had ordained him to it; he had laid his hands upon him, so substituting him to be his successor, and praying to God to qualify him for the service to which He had called him. And this comes in as a reason why God gave him a more than ordinary spirit of wisdom, because his designation to the government was God's own act; and those whom God employs, He will in some measure make fit for the employment. When the bodily presence of Christ withdrew from His Church, He prayed the Father to send another Comforter; and obtained what He prayed for.(3) The people cheerfully owned him, and submitted to him. An interest in the affections of the people is a great advantage, and a great encouragement to those that are called to public trusts of what kind soever. It was also a great mercy to the people, that when Moses was dead they were not as sheep having no shepherd. Moses is praised (vers. 10, 11, 12), and with good reason.(1) He was indeed a very great man upon two accounts among others —(a) His intimacy with the God of nature; God knew him face to face, and so he knew God (Numbers 12:8). He saw more of the glory of God than any (at least) of the Old Testament saints ever did; he had more free and frequent access to God; and was spoken to, not in dreams and visions and slumberings on the bed, but when he was awake, and standing before the cherubims.(b) His interest and power in the kingdom of nature. He was greater than any other of the prophets of the Old Testament; though they were men of great interest in heaven, and great influence upon earth, yet they were none of them to be compared with this great man; none of them either evidenced or executed a commission from heaven so as Moses did. ( Matthew Henry, D. D..). People Dan, Isaac, Israelites, Jacob, Joshua, Manasseh, Moses, Naphtali, Nun, Pharaoh, ZoarPlaces Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Gilead, Jericho, Moab, Mount Nebo, Negeb, Pisgah, Valley of Jericho, ZoarTopics Commanded, Ear, Filled, Full, Hands, Hearken, Hearkened, Israelites, Joshua, Laid, Listened, Nun, Obeyed, Orders, Sons, Spirit, WisdomOutline 1. Moses from mount Nebo views the land5. He dies there 6. His burial 7. His age 8. Thirty days mourning for him 9. Joshua succeeds him 10. The praise of Moses Dictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 34:9 3050 Holy Spirit, wisdom Library A Death in the Desert'So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. 6. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, ... but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.'--DEUT. xxxiv.5, 6. A fitting end to such a life! The great law-giver and leader had been all his days a lonely man; and now, surrounded by a new generation, and all the old familiar faces vanished, he is more solitary than ever. He had lived alone with God, and it was fitting that alone with … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Death of Moses Moses the Type of Christ. So Then we must Confess that the Dead Indeed do not Know what Is... The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City. Peræa to Bethany. Raising of Lazarus. Appendix xii. The Baptism of Proselytes Deuteronomy Links Deuteronomy 34:9 NIVDeuteronomy 34:9 NLT Deuteronomy 34:9 ESV Deuteronomy 34:9 NASB Deuteronomy 34:9 KJV Deuteronomy 34:9 Bible Apps Deuteronomy 34:9 Parallel Deuteronomy 34:9 Biblia Paralela Deuteronomy 34:9 Chinese Bible Deuteronomy 34:9 French Bible Deuteronomy 34:9 German Bible Deuteronomy 34:9 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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