Now, pay close attention to this passage in Numbers 14. We know that Joshua and Caleb were the only two men above the age of 20 to be allowed to enter the promised land. For the next 40 years, Israel wandered the wilderness as they attended funeral after funeral. One account figure 1,078,00 died in that forty years period, averaging 74 deaths per day. There were times of mass uprisings and punishment, but I wanted to make the math easy. Numbers 14:22-24 states, “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” Caleb also reminded Joshua in Joshua chapter 14 that Moses promised that he would enter the promised land, he testified of his strength at the age of 85 years old, and was given Hebron as an inheritance. Hebron means “association or league.” Caleb was “in league” with God’s Will and he inherited his promise. Caleb had another spirit, a more excellent spirit, and followed God fully, but wait, where is Joshua? Joshua is not mentioned until verse 30. You may decide to get involved or increase your daily devotions and start wondering where your recognition is. “God, I fasted breakfast today, why haven’t you answered my prayer yet?” “Hey, Pastor, I have prayed three days in a row! When are you going to let me preach to the congregation?” In Numbers, God is speaking directly to Moses and, knowing Joshua’s expected end, knew that he would lead Israel across the Jordan river. God sometimes has more confidence is us than we do! Our Christian life must be lived in a way that we continue steadfastly in all spiritual disciplines. John Maxwell said, “If you start today to do the right thing, you are already a success even if it doesn’t show yet.” Joshua and Caleb escaped Egypt, they both endured the wilderness, and, because they did not give up, they witnessed the promises of God fulfilled in their lives. What an incredible testimony!
Joshua faithfully served Moses and God in whatever capacity was required of him. When Moses went to the mountain top, Joshua followed as far as was allowed and waited while Moses received instruction. We encourage you today to find a Godly example to look up to. You may always approach your youth team and they can recommend a faithful and safe person for you to bring questions to or simply help you pray for a need. We offer the Men of the Hour ministry that everyone here needs to get involved with. Too often we idolize sports stars or influencers or guys that do crazy things that make us laugh. We want to be like them and make our millions through stunts and activities that are not profitable for our soul. Most do not take into consideration that the odds of making it big are very slim. In the meanwhile, the damage that it could do to your thought process is incredibly hard to overcome.
The forty years of wandering are up, Moses had struck the rock instead of speaking to it (in Numbers 20), and now Joshua is appointed by God to lead the people to their inheritance. In Joshua chapter 3, the time has come to enter the land and Joshua wanted to do it the right way. He sent the ark of the covenant, which represented the presence of God, before all the people and God parted the Jordan river just like He parted the Red Sea for Moses, and all the people passed over on dry ground. When things look bad, the water is raging, and you are just not sure how you are going to make it through, “seek ye first the kingdom and the righteousness of God.” What all was in that ark? Reminders of God’s Word, His ability to meet your needs, and the creator’s power to bring life and appoint divine authority. These must be very important things for each of us to recognize! Those priests stood against the river, holding on to the presence of God and the testimony that He had given them. They did not leave until everyone was safe and they had built a memorial. Future generations would see these stones, stones carried up from the dry river bottom, and hear the stories of God’s salvation!
When the people came into Canaan, they enjoyed a powerful victory at Jericho. They were instructed not to keep anything for themselves, but in Joshua 7:1 we read, “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.” Now just hold on one minute, buddy!! Achan took something he was not supposed to. He was the one who did wrong! When men were sent to capture the city of Ai (pronounced “eye”), they suffered a defeat. It is interesting to me that we are in a world that embraces A.I. today! But, what conceivable purpose would God have in punishing the entirety of His people for one man’s sin? We need each other! Every single one of us has a part to play in the kingdom of God! We are stronger together! If one of us is weak in the faith, another should be helping us up, but you have got to have a made-up mind that I am going to live for God. When we are doing our daily spiritual disciplines, we are less likely to be distracted by the shiny things of this world! We will be on mission and capable of fulfilling the role that God has designed for you. Listen, do not try to be someone else or something that you are not when it comes to kingdom work. I promise you, if you are faithful to church, do your rule of 5, and submit to spiritual authority you will find your place and be effective in the ministry of reconciliation, the repairing of the relationship between God and those around you. I have no doubt that there are future ministers, preachers, and Sunday school teachers reading this right now. Some of you are going to journey to another country on a missions trip. Some of you may even barbecue for a gathering at the church that has people that need God in attendance. All these roles are important! We need you and your specific talent, otherwise the whole body suffers.
So why would Joshua’s final words include choose you this day and as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord? First, the enemy had been defeated, it was a time to rest from all the fighting. The Word beckons us to the “rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing.” When we choose to live for God whole-heartily and serve Him alone, Jesus will give us rest from our enemies. We obtain access to the refreshing and we don’t have to wait until a Sunday church service to tap into this power.
I also think it is important to consider Joshua’s lineage. Joshua was not a Levite as Moses and Aaron had been. Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim. In the Bible, Ephraim holds significant symbolic meaning. Ephraim was one of the two sons of Joseph. Israel had adopted Joseph’s sons as equal heirs, placing Ephraim among the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel, a pivotal role in the unfolding story of God’s chosen people. The name Ephraim itself means “fruitful” in Hebrew, Genesis 41:52 declares, “The second son he named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” His name reflects both the pain (the land of affliction) and the blessing (fruitfulness) experienced by his father, Joseph. It is as if he was accepting the good with the bad; “I have been through some hard times, but look at where God has brought me to today!”
The descending tribe named for this patriarch was not without their moments of waywardness and disobedience. Prophets frequently addressed Ephraim’s shortcomings, warning against idolatry and moral decay. Ephraim’s story serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating the consequences of straying from God’s commands despite being chosen for a significant role in His redemptive plan. To summarize this people, Ephraim embodies themes of fruitfulness, divine blessings, and accountability. His journey reminds us that God’s ways are often beyond our understanding, yet ultimately lead to redemption and purpose.
The statistics of this world are against you. The enemy will not stop until you give up. There may be a sense of relief for those that stop coming to church, simply because the spiritual battle is over, but the eternal consequences and the struggles we face alone are not worth a temporary reprieve. I researched reasons why young men would leave the church and identified some warning signs to watch out for: 1. Shifting priorities: As young men enter late teens and young adulthood, their focus might shift towards academics, careers, and social lives. Church attendance might become less important. 2. Relevance: Church teachings or practices might seem irrelevant to their daily experiences and struggles. 3. Church culture: Some young men may find the church culture to be judgmental, hypocritical, or out of touch with their generation’s social values. 4. Disagreements: Disagreements with the church’s stance on social or political issues can lead some young men to disengage. These may seem like good reasons to leave the church, but today I want to encourage you to “Stay in the Cluster.” Stay in the Church! There is blessing in the Cluster! There is an inheritance, there is safety, and there is provision! Bible teaching has never been more relevant and our priorities should always include God. We need to seek the Lord’s guidance when making decisions. When our priorities are set and our minds are made up, judgments fade away and disagreements can be worked out with a good attitude and a right spirit! “Your view determines what you will do!” God did not remove the Red Sea, He parted it. God does not always remove your problems, but He will make a way to get through them!
Joshua calls to us today to make a decision. We are not a perfect people, but that doesn’t mean we stop trying. We are doers of the word and not hearers only. We are a blessed people. We must also be accountable. Now is the time to make the decision to serve the Lord. Do not put this off or think that you will have time to make a commitment at a later date. Today is the day of salvation. The longer you put it off, the more you will be indoctrinated in the things of this world, and easier it will be to ignore the call of God on your life.
I would like to call everyone to make a commitment today or maybe rededicate. This is about you and God. You can’t make this decision based on whether your friend does or not. I am asking that you disregard what anyone else thinks. When you can do that, I know you are well on your way to making the kind of commitment that God desires for your life.