Introductory Thoughts
As the people had honoured the Lord, they had honoured Moses. When Moses placed his honour upon Joshua, he did so in order to encourage the people’s obedience and loyalty toward Joshua. Moses wanted the same loyalty that had been directed toward him now directed toward Joshua. God’s people could have risen up against Joshua thinking that he had not accomplished enough to merit their loyalty. Yet, the people respected the fact that Moses had directly placed his own honour upon his minister Joshua. The people emphatically accepted Moses’ message as reflected by their answer to Joshua: “According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses” (Joshua 1:17).
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): We know we should honour and obey God, but we must also honour and obey those whom God has chosen to be over us. This includes pastors (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:7) and people in office (Romans 13:1-2; 1 Peter 2:17).
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(For everyone): To some degree, all loyalty owed to man is inherited by God placing His honour upon His creation. Do you honour those whom you should honour? Are you loyal to them?
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Why were the people loyal to Joshua? To what extent were they loyal (see Joshua 1:16-18)? If loyalty to man does not conflict with loyalty to God, to what extent should we be loyal?
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask the Lord to give you wisdom concerning your level of loyalty.
- Thank the Lord for giving us people worthy of loyalty.
Song
TRUST AND OBEY
