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the battle field would be an unforgettable event in his life. Was it not that so long as
there was prayer, God's People could perform God's purpose?
Moreover Joshua had experienced the holiness of God, like others of those God called.
"And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of
God" (Exod. 24: 13).
"And Moses turned, and went down from the mount . . . . . And when Joshua heard the
noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the
camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery . . . . . but the noise
of them that sing do I hear" (Exod. 32: 15-18).
Immediately prior to the first ascent mentioned in Exod. 24:,
Moses, in the
company of Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel:
"saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a
sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness" (24: 10).
It seems unlikely that Moses was not also accompanied by his minister on this occasion.
But not only was Joshua a man of experience, he had also demonstrated his faithfulness:
"These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And
Moses called Oshea (named verse 8 as one of the spies) and son of Nun Jehoshua"
(Numb. 13: 16).
"And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them
that searched the land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the company of the
children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding
good land. If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a
land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear
ye the people of this land . . . . ." (Numb. 14: 6-9).
With Caleb, Joshua was the only one to set forth a balanced view of the situation they
had found in the land after they had explored it. Following this incident, Joshua learned
the lesson that faithfulness would not bring popularity:
"But all the congregation bade stone them with stones" (Numb. 14: 10).
Joshua had learned an invaluable lesson before he finally embarked on the great work
to which God later called him.
So often nowadays the leader, the minister must be the choice of the people: the
minister goes to the church to `preach for a call'. Not so with Joshua. On the instruction
of Jehovah Moses had `ordained' Joshua:
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is
the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; and set him before Eleazar the priest, and
before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put
some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be
obedient . . . . . And Moses did as the Lord commanded him . . . . . And laid his hands
upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses"
(Numb. 27: 18-23).