Moses commissions Joshua to lead Israel
Bible Accent: Deuteronomy
Saint for Today: St. Stephen of Hungary
Puzzle
Moses commissions Joshua to lead Israel
Moses had been talking to the people of Israel for quite a while about the laws and their history and how God had guided them from slavery into freedom. Then he said to them, “I am now one hundred and twenty years old and am no longer able to go out and come in.”
He told his people that, even though Moses had been leading them since the time he asked pharaoh to set them free from Egypt, God told him he would not be leading them into the land he had promised to them. “It is Joshua who will cross before you, as the Lord promised,” he said.
Moses said there would be armies they would have to fight in order to possess the land, but, “The Lord will deal with them just as he dealt with Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and with their country, when he destroyed them.”
After he said this, Moses sent for Joshua. When Joshua was with him, Moses said to him in front of the entire assembly of people, “Be strong and steadfast, for you shall bring this people into the land which the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them; it is you who will give them possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you; he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed.”
Then Moses wrote down the law and gave it to the levitical priests who were charged with carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. He told them to read the law during the feast of Booths, which happened at the end of every seven-year period. “Assemble the people — men, women and children, as well as the resident aliens who live in your communities — that they may hear and so learn to fear the Lord, your God, and to observe carefully all the words of this law.”
Later, when Moses was alone, the Lord said to him, “The time is now approaching for you to die. Summon Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting that I may commission him.” Moses obeyed the Lord, and the Lord appeared in a column of cloud in front of the tent.
When Moses gave Joshua his commission, he said to him, “Be strong and steadfast, for it is you who will bring the Israelites into the land which I promised them on oath. I myself will be with you.”
READ MORE ABOUT IT:
Deuteronomy 31
Q&A
1. Who was going to lead Israel into the promised land?
2. What did Moses say to Joshua when he received his commission?
Bible Accent: Deuteronomy
“Deuteronomy” means “words” in Hebrew. The first verse of the book says, “These are the words that Moses spoke.” It is the final book of the Pentateuch, or the first five books of the Bible; it repeats some of the laws given in the other books; and it summarizes some of the important moments of the history of the Israelites up to that time. One of the key points of the book is that Moses tells the people Israel they must choose to serve either God or other gods. Serving God will bring them blessings, but serving other gods will bring a curse on them.
Saint for Today: St. Stephen of Hungary
Stephen of Hungary (975-1038) was the son of a duke who had become a Christian for mostly political reasons, as did some of the noblemen of the time. But Stephen’s conversion was genuine. By the time he was in his early 20s, Stephen had become governor of the Magyars. He requested and received from Pope Silvester II permission to be named king and to be given the authority to elect bishops. Stephen built a church honoring Mary and a monastery. He built churches for every 10 cities, paid for with tithes and donations from the people. He tried to establish political order within the country that would reduce some of the tribal fighting that was common. We honor him on Aug. 16.
Puzzle
