John Maxwell, the
best-selling author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, says, “A
leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
Bob Pruitt knew
the way. He was a career officer in the US Army Field Artillery. He served in
Vietnam and rose to the rank of colonel. He knew how to lead. After his retirement
from the military, Bob worked in real estate and was active in Kiwanis. In
fact, he served as president. Bob was a problem solver, and he led by example.
When the Kiwanis group needed something to hold snow cones, Bob made it. And he
made it right. That was the only way he knew how to do it.
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| Bob Pruitt |
He knew what
needed to be done when St. Mark’s was just getting started and meeting in a
community center. And he knew what needed to be done when his son wanted to get
permission from the city of Germantown to use a trail for dirt bikes. He knew
what needed to be done to stop a water tower from being built near the middle
school. Bob knew the way.
And he wasn’t shy
about offering advice. But he was always there to help when someone was in
need. And if there was a job to do, Bob was there to do it.
Bob was a true
leader. He knew the way of Jesus the Good Shepherd. He went the way of the Good
Shepherd. And he showed others the way.
The same could be
said of Joshua. He knew the way of servant leadership. And that way began with
faith. He had faith in God. And, boy, did he need it!
If anyone was ever
put to the test it was the newly appointed leader of the Israelite people. Joshua
had some mighty big shoes to fill. Moses had guided the people for decades. In
fact, it was Moses who led the people out of captivity in Egypt and through the
Red Sea. It was Moses who drew water from a rock and brought down manna from
heaven. It was Moses who received the 10 Commandments and built the Ark of the
Covenant. It was Moses who had led the people to the Promised Land. But Moses
was gone. He had died on Mount Nebo, looking down into the fertile valley of
Canaan. Moses saw the land that God had promised to give the people of Israel,
but Joshua would claim the prize.
Joshua had earned
God’s favor. He had proven himself to be reliable. Strong. And faithful. Back
when the Israelites first made their way to the edge of the Promised Land,
Moses had sent 12 leaders to scout out the land. Joshua was one of them.
“See what the land
is like,” Moses told the scouts. “Are the people strong? How many people live
there? Are the towns well protected? Is the soil fertile? What kind of food
grows there?” (Numbers 13:18-21) That’s the kind of thing you need to know
before you attempt a takeover.
So the 12 scouts
spent 40 days getting the lay of the land. When they returned, they told Moses
that the land was very rich. It flowed with milk and honey! But the people who
lived there were powerful, which just makes sense, right? If the land is
fruitful, then the people who live there will be strong and healthy and rich,
and the cities will be full of people and well protected.
Ten of the scouts
discouraged Moses from even trying to enter the land, but Caleb said they
should go and take possession of it. And Joshua reminded them that the Lord was
with them so there was no reason for the people of Israel to be afraid. “The
Lord will lead us, and the Lord will give the land to us.”
But the people rebelled. They lost faith in
God. They did not believe that the Lord would keep the promise to Abraham. They
did not believe that God would give them the land. So they refused to go. In
fact, they even talked about replacing Moses as their leader and heading back
to Egypt! They were so afraid of what was ahead of them that they were ready to
go back into SLAVERY.
And that made God
very angry. “How long will these people treat me with contempt?” God fumed.
“How long will they refuse to believe in me? In spite of all that I have done
for them! I should strike them down.”
But Moses pleaded
for mercy. And the Lord relented. God vowed to keep the promise made to
Abraham. God would be faithful, even though the people were not. The Lord would
give the Israelites the land that had been promised. But, first, they would
have to wander in the desert for 40 years. Long enough for them to learn to
trust God. And long enough for the unfaithful spies to die. The unfaithful ones
would not enter the Promised Land, but their children would. God would show
them the way. (Numbers 13-14)
Sure enough, four
decades had passed. The disbelieving had fallen away. And the time had come,
finally, for the Israelites to claim the land that had been promised to their
ancestors. God would defeat their enemies. And Joshua would lead them to
victory.
But it would not
be easy. Leading others into battle never is. The Lord encourages Joshua, “Be
strong and courageous. Follow my commands. Do what I tell you to do. Do not
waver from my instructions, and you will succeed.” (Joshua 1:6-9)
So Joshua does
exactly what the Lord tells him to do. He gathers up the people and tells them
to get ready. In three days, you will take possession of the land that the Lord
is giving you.
He does not doubt
or waver or change the plans one iota. Joshua is faithful. He believes in God.
He trusts that the Lord will do what God has promised to do. In fact, Joshua
has so much faith in God, so much confidence in the Lord, that it inspires the
people. They vow to follow Joshua and to obey his commands fully. “Just as we
fully obeyed Moses,” they say, “we will obey you.”
Huh? Ae you paying
attention? That right there is some revisionist history! Because the people
were always rebelling against Moses and against God. That’s how they ended up
wandering in a desert for 40 years, remember? But maybe they have learned a
thing or two. Maybe all those days trusting God for food and water and life
itself have taught them the wisdom of obedience. Maybe they truly have come to
believe that God is good. Maybe they truly have come to believe that God is faithful.
Maybe they really believe that God is trustworthy. Because Joshua tells them it
is time to go and they go. They follow Joshua, and they follow the Lord. They
follow even though the way forward is difficult.
The first hurdle they
face is the Jordan River, which is at flood stage, but they line up behind the
Ark of the Covenant and walk straight into it. And the water dries up! They
walk right across a dry river bed, and, after 40 long years, they finally enter
the Promised Land! The first thing they do is worship and recommit themselves
to the Lord.
It appears that
the Israelites have learned finally to trust the Lord. The faith of their
leader has inspired them to believe. So they march together. Bravely into
battle.
Before the battle
begins, Joshua sees a warrior outside of the city. Joshua wants to know, “Are
you for us or against us?” “Neither,” the man replies. “I am the commander of
the army of the Lord.” Joshua fell face down on the ground in reverence and
asks, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”
Now THAT is
humility! And obedience. Joshua has been chosen by the Lord God Almighty to
lead a great nation, but he is not arrogant. Or boastful. Or domineering.
Joshua does not believe that he is too great to bow down before the Lord. He
does not believe he is too great to serve. Joshua is humble. Joshua is obedient.
Joshua is respectful. Joshua does not act as if he is better than everybody
else. He seems to know that it is his service to God that makes him great.
The commander
tells Joshua to take off his shoes because he is standing on holy ground, and
Joshua does what he is told. Again, Joshua is obedient. And faithful. He follows
God’s commands.
The people of
Jericho had heard that the Lord had dried up the mighty Jordan River so that
the Israelites could cross it safely. They knew that Joshua and his army were
coming for them, so they were shut up tight, ready to ward off an assault. They
were bigger. They were stronger. And they were prepared for battle.
But the Lord had
told Joshua, “I have delivered Jericho into your hands.” God promises victory
to Joshua. “Just do what I tell you to do. March around the city once a day for
six days. Have 7 priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark.
Then on the 7th day, march around the city 7 times with the priests
blowing the trumpets. When they hit one long note, have all the people shout
out loud. Then the wall of the city will collapse, and your people can walk
right in.”
Sounds crazy,
right? That is not how you win a war against a well-fortified city. Jericho was
a spring-fed oasis. It dominated the lower Jordan plain, and it had for 6000
years or more. Its people were protected by a high wall and tower. Enemy
invaders trying to take such a city must penetrate the walls and gates. To do
that, you generally had three options. Use some sort of ruse like Trojan horse.
Break through some weak place in the wall, or go over or under it. Or you can lay
siege to the fortress, cutting off supply lines until residents are forced to
surrender.[i] You
want to take a well-fortified city, you go in with guns blazing. You don’t
march around it and blow a few horns. What kind of military tactic is that?
Foolishness like that could get everybody killed!
But Joshua does
not waver. He does exactly as God had instructed. He gives the priests and the
people and the armed guards their instructions. And they follow his lead. They
line up and march around the city while 7 priests blow trumpets. But they don’t
say a word. Not one cry. For six straight days. They follow God’s commands
exactly. On the seventh day, they line up again and march around the city. But
this time they circle the city 7 times, and when the priests finally hit one long
blast on the trumpets, the people cry out, just as Joshua had told them to do.
And the walls of the city collapsed! Just like that. Just as God had promised.
Imagine that!
The Israelites
were victorious. Even though they were small and weak and vulnerable. They
defeated a much more powerful enemy. Because they trusted their leader, and
they had faith in God.
[i]
Jerome F.D. Creach. Joshua: Interpretation Commentary. Louisville: John
Knox Press, 2003. 61-62.
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