INTRODUCTION: Moses is dead. Joshua must accept the fact and take his role as leader of the Israelites. In the first half of this chapter, God gives him his commission and encourages him in the great task he has to perform. In the last half of the chapter, Joshua takes the first steps in leading the Israelites into the land and the people affirm their faithfulness to him.

1. JOSHUA ACCEPTS HIS CALL (Joshua 1:1-9 [1] Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, [2] Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. [3] Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. [4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. [5] There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. [6] Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. [7] Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. [8] This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. [9] Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
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1. His Commission (Joshua 1:1-2 [1] Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, [2] Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
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1. The timing of the commission (Joshua 1:1Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
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2. The reason for his commission (Joshua 1:2Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
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1. The passing of Moses
2. The need to possess land
2. His Conquest (Joshua 1:3-4 [3] Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. [4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
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1. Fulfilling a promise given to Moses (Joshua 1:3Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
   See All...; Deuteronomy 11:24Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
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2. Borders foretold by the Lord (Joshua 1:4From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
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1. The wilderness - the southern border (Numbers 34:3-5 [3] Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: [4] And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon: [5] And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.
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2. Lebanon - the northern border (Numbers 34:7-9 [7] And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor: [8] From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: [9] And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border.
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3. The Euphrates – the eastern border (Numbers 34:10-12 [10] And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham: [11] And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: [12] And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.
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4. The Mediterranean Sea - the western border (Numbers 34:6And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.
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3. His Confidence (Joshua 1:5-7 [5] There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. [6] Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. [7] Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
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1. Strengthened by the past (Joshua 1:5There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
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1. No man will stand before Joshua.
2. The Lord will be with Joshua as He was with Moses.
1. He will not fail Joshua.
2. He will not forsake Joshua.
2. Strengthened for the future (Joshua 1:6Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
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3. Necessary for obedience (Joshua 1:7Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
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1. Fear leads to disobedience.
2. Courage allows for obedience.
3. Obedience leads to prosperity.
4. His Communion (Joshua 1:8-9 [8] This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. [9] Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
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1. In the word (Joshua 1:8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
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1. Beginning with meditation
1. Day
2. Night
2. Meditation leads to obedience.
3. Obedience leads to success.
2. With the Lord (Joshua 1:9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
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2. JOSHUA ASSUMES COMMAND (Joshua 1:10-18 [10] Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, [11] Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. [12] And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, [13] Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. [14] Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; [15] Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising. [16] And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. [17] 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. [18] Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
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1. Their Readiness for the Conquest (Joshua 1:10-11 [10] Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, [11] Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
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1. Joshua gives instructions to the officers (Joshua 1:10Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
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2. The instructions for the host (Joshua 1:11Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
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1. Prepare victuals.
2. Within three days they will pass over Jordan.
2. Their Remembrance of Their Commitments (Joshua 1:12-15 [12] And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, [13] Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. [14] Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; [15] Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
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1. The commitment of the Lord (Joshua 1:12-13 [12] And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, [13] Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
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1. To the two-and-a-half tribes (Joshua 1:12And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,
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2. Concerning the land for the two-and-a-half tribes (Joshua 1:13Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
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2. The commitment of the tribes (Joshua 1:14-15 [14] Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; [15] Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
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1. The wives, little ones, and cattle shall remain in the land on the east side of Jordan (Joshua 1:14Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;
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2. The men shall pass over before their brethren armed (Joshua 1:14Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;
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3. When the battles are complete, the two-and-a-half tribes can return to their land (Joshua 1:15Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
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3. Their Recognition of Their Captain (Joshua 1:16-18 [16] And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. [17] 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. [18] Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
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1. Their promise of obedience (Joshua 1:16-17 [16] And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. [17] 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.
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1. All that he commands they will do (Joshua 1:16And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
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2. Wherever he sends them, they will go (Joshua 1:16And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
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3. The way they hearkened unto Moses will be the way they hearken unto him (Joshua 1:17According 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.
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2. Their promise of judgment (Joshua 1:18Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
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1. The rebels will be put to death.
2. Joshua must remain courageous.

CONCLUSION: God uses leaders and followers. At some point, everyone is one or the other. Joshua shows that great followers make the best leaders. Learn to follow and you will learn to lead.