NOTES for Jos 1:1-18

These words are repeated four times in the first chapter of the Book of Joshua. Three times, however, they are spoken by God, and once by people. In the first instance, God tells Joshua that he is to take part in the fulfilment of God's promise—in a task clearly beyond human capacities—and calls him to be steadfast and courageous in consenting to this participation and in remaining faithful to God's purpose.

Then God says that, in order to follow this path successfully and wisely, Joshua must steadfastly and courageously read the book of the law continually (‘day and night’), keeping it on his lips (‘it shall not depart from your mouth’), studying it (‘meditating on it’) and doing everything written in it. A little explanation is needed here: at this stage of God's formation of His people, the law was the principal means of connection. Continual immersion in the book of the law was the way to remain in an ongoing relationship with God, to make His presence a lived reality.

From this follows God's third call to steadfastness and courage: they are necessary for working with God, who is always near, all-powerful, all-seeing and unpredictable.

Joshua is a charismatic leader of God's people. He spent forty years beside Moses, learning from him how to relate to God. Throughout those forty years, the book of the law travels with the people, and Joshua probably already knows it by heart. Yet the Lord considers it necessary to speak to him the words we have read today.

Evidently, it is not enough simply to know Scripture by heart: we need to meditate on it, that is, to enter into its meaning and let that meaning permeate us, so that God's Word becomes not a book lying beside us but an inner source of prudence (wisdom) and of the strength that brings success along the way—courage and faithfulness. And there is more: all learning is directed towards putting the knowledge gained into practice. So it is here: reading Scripture is of no use to someone who approaches it ‘theoretically’ rather than trying to do God's will.

Still, it is interesting: are believers familiar with the feeling of fear? And if so, why? It would seem that if God is near, there is no one and nothing to fear. That is, of course, true, but only if two very important conditions are met. The first is that it must truly be God who is near. Him, and Him alone. One can, of course, imagine that He is near, or convince oneself that He must be here, that He simply has to be, that it cannot be otherwise. Emotions, especially religious emotions, are often quite convincing, and theology can be even more convincing than emotions (though not always). But in the face of real danger, neither emotions nor theology will help. Only God can help then.

And He will help if the second condition is met: in order to help, God must truly be near. Of course, no one would turn that down. But as a rule, in wanting to see God near, few people consider that He will be with us only on His own terms, the chief of which is that, when He is near us, it will be He, and no one else, who determines the course of our lives.

But we would prefer something else: to live our own way and have God nearby as a helper in our affairs and in carrying out our plans. Then He steps aside, and religious emotions and theology take His place. Only when real danger comes do we forget everything, agree to anything, and call on Him for help. It is well if it is not too late.