| Joshua: Strength and Courage |
Joshua: The Lesson of Smoke
& Fire
& Fire
Joshua: Strength and Courage: The Lesson of Smoke and Fire
Exodus 24:12-18
Exodus 32:15-35
Exodus 33:7-11
Big Idea: Where there’s smoke, there is fire – wait for God’s fire!
Exodus 24:12-18 - Cloud, devouring fire
“Assistant.” Joshua goes up on the mountain with Moses and remains there with him 40 days and 40 nights.
Joshua could have loudly proclaimed his victory over the Amalekites and demanded leadership. He could
have ridden in on his victory and taken over the camp. He had chosen hand picked men to fight. This would
have been his core group for putting power into his hand. The servant does not even think of these things. As a
servant Joshua quietly came from the battle back to servant.
Exodus 32:15-35 - Moses hot, burning anger, fire to melt gold
To Joshua, the noise sounds like war – and in a certain sense he is right. The people are in rebellion against
God.
Exodus 33:7-11 - Pillar of Cloud
Joshua, the assistant of Moses, guards the tent of meeting. The Lord speaks to Moses as a man speaks to his
friend.
Joshua had just come down from the mountain. He had drunk deeply of the Spirit of God and evidently loved
what he tasted because he would not leave the tabernacle. I believe he became a lover of God at this point.
All the people would stand far off at the doors of their tent, but not Joshua, he went right down to the altar,
where the presence was. He knew the lover of his soul and it made him into a lover of God. The attraction of
the presence made all the world had to offer dark to Joshua. His eyes had seen the Lord and the tents of the
world were nothing to that. The Tabernacle was the place where he wanted to be.
All of this lays the foundation for Joshua and Caleb’s confidence that Israel can take the Promised Land.
1. There are three things about Joshua here that are a model for men today:
a. Look – he watches Moses and sees how God deals with Moses (smoke, fire, etc.)
b. Listen – he listens to what Moses and God say, to each other and to the people.
c. Wait – he has opportunity to take over as leader now, but is patient and waits for God’s timing.
Exodus 24:12-18
Exodus 32:15-35
Exodus 33:7-11
Big Idea: Where there’s smoke, there is fire – wait for God’s fire!
Exodus 24:12-18 - Cloud, devouring fire
“Assistant.” Joshua goes up on the mountain with Moses and remains there with him 40 days and 40 nights.
Joshua could have loudly proclaimed his victory over the Amalekites and demanded leadership. He could
have ridden in on his victory and taken over the camp. He had chosen hand picked men to fight. This would
have been his core group for putting power into his hand. The servant does not even think of these things. As a
servant Joshua quietly came from the battle back to servant.
Exodus 32:15-35 - Moses hot, burning anger, fire to melt gold
To Joshua, the noise sounds like war – and in a certain sense he is right. The people are in rebellion against
God.
Exodus 33:7-11 - Pillar of Cloud
Joshua, the assistant of Moses, guards the tent of meeting. The Lord speaks to Moses as a man speaks to his
friend.
Joshua had just come down from the mountain. He had drunk deeply of the Spirit of God and evidently loved
what he tasted because he would not leave the tabernacle. I believe he became a lover of God at this point.
All the people would stand far off at the doors of their tent, but not Joshua, he went right down to the altar,
where the presence was. He knew the lover of his soul and it made him into a lover of God. The attraction of
the presence made all the world had to offer dark to Joshua. His eyes had seen the Lord and the tents of the
world were nothing to that. The Tabernacle was the place where he wanted to be.
All of this lays the foundation for Joshua and Caleb’s confidence that Israel can take the Promised Land.
1. There are three things about Joshua here that are a model for men today:
a. Look – he watches Moses and sees how God deals with Moses (smoke, fire, etc.)
b. Listen – he listens to what Moses and God say, to each other and to the people.
c. Wait – he has opportunity to take over as leader now, but is patient and waits for God’s timing.
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