On the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan, there was a young man about the age of 40 named Joshua.  He had been born in Egypt as a slave in bondage.  He was from the Jewish tribe of Ephraim who was one of the two sons of Joseph.  The Bible says Joshua was the son of Nun.  How did a nun have a son?!?!  Well, Nun was the actual name of Joshua’s father who was a direct descendant of Joseph.  

So, approximately four hundred years after the Israelites became slaves in Egypt, Moses (age 80) would meet God at the burning bush near Mt. Sinai.  God was calling Moses to accomplish a major work for Him:  lead the deliverance and exodus of the people of God.  When Pharaoh finally let the people go, Joshua packed and followed Moses who followed God.  (Joshua also packed something very special which we shall see…). 

Joshua was a witness to all the plagues.  Joshua crossed the Red Sea on dry land.  In the wilderness, he ate the manna and the quail and drank water that flowed freely from a rock.  He was being prepared for a very special task.  Does God prepare His people in advance for what He wants to them to do for Him?  Yes! Joshua did not just “appear” in the sixth book of the Bible.  God and Moses, his mentor, began building and preparing Joshua long before the events recorded in the book which bears his name.  As you read these passages of scripture, look for the lessons that God taught Joshua along the way which prepared him to become the leader of Israel after the death of Moses. 

We first see Joshua in the Book of Exodus.  He is a military leader in the fight against the Amalekites (17).  He follows Moses up Mt. Sinai as Moses goes to receive the plans for building the tabernacle (24).  He was with Moses as they descended the mountain and discovered Aaron had built a golden calf and saw that they were forsaking God and worshipping that idol (32).  He spends every extra waking hour at the door of the tent of meeting where Moses met with God (33). 

In the Book of Numbers, it is written that Joshua was the servant of Moses from his youth (11).  He stood with Caleb of the tribe of Judah as one of the two spies who brought back the good report from their reconnaissance mission in the Land of Canaan (13).  He would say let us go and take the land (14).  He stood fully alive and ready in the census of those who would march into Canaan (26).  In our lesson scriptures today, we see that the power of God was to be removed from Moses and given to Joshua (27).  We also see that he remained a “good report” spy and became the first real estate agent in Canaan (32, 34). 

In the Book of Deuteronomy, we see that Joshua was reconfirmed as one of the good spies (1).  God confirms that Joshua will be the replacement for Moses as leader after the death of Moses on Mt. Nebo (3, 31).  Joshua becomes leader in the final chapter of Deuteronomy (34).  This book ends with the death of Moses.  The Book of Joshua begins acknowledging the death of Moses and confirming the leadership of Joshua.  

God wants every one of His followers to be trained and coached and ready to go.  Sometimes, God uses mentors to help get us ready.  God’s desire was for the first preparation to be done within the circle of the family.  Fathers and mothers who know Jesus should be teaching us how to follow Him by living the example of a godly life.  I was raised in a home exactly like that and the older I live, the more grateful I am for my home.  Then, God prepares teachers to help us along the way.  Our church family should also nurture us toward a personal faith in Jesus.  

Moses and Joseph had a very precious, unique, and valuable friendship.  Joshua would accompany Moses just about everywhere he walked every day during their nearly 40-year journey to the Land of Promise.  By watching Moses, Joshua learned everything TO DO and everything NOT to do as he tracked the trails from Mt. Sinai to Canaan.  Both of these men made some mistakes along the way, but God is always able to accomplish His purpose through yielded servants.  They both had a deep abiding relationship with the Lord. 

This passage of scripture in Numbers 27 records the prayer of Moses for a successor to lead the people.  God had made it known to Moses that, because of his disobedience, he would SEE the land, but he would not be able to lead the people there.  In his desire for a leader to be appointed, Moses was told to commission Joshua for the task.  This leader was to go out and come in with the people.  He was to make sure that they were not like sheep without a shepherd. 

Think about this:  Joshua was “in training” with God and Moses for forty years!  Moses was “in training” with God and Jethro for forty years.  Wow.  Mentoring takes a while!  We should all HAVE a mentor and be in training to BE a mentor.  Have one.  Become one.  Pass the faith along. 

Now, for the story of Joshua’s carry-on baggage.  At the end of Genesis, four hundred years prior, Joseph made a request of his brothers.  In the last two verses of Genesis 50, Joseph tells his brothers that God will deliver them and when they are freed, they are to bury his bones in Canaan.  I believe the care of the family of Joshua, as a direct descendant of Joseph, took care the bones of Joseph all those 400 years.  I also believe that Joshua made sure that those bones of Joseph made it all the way to the Land of Promise.  

Mentoring brings rewards.  Lack of mentoring weakens the legacy chain as we seek to follow God.