The life of Joshua has always challenged me. An ex-slave from Egypt, a husband, father, leader, a confidant to Moses–one of the greatest leaders in history, Joshua was a great man. Joshua emerges slowly onto the scene in the Exodus. His presence emerges in battle as a leader of men, in prayer as a seeker of God’s face, and in community life as a man of courage. Joshua was God’s gift to Moses.
In Exodus 17, the Bible records the Hebrew battle with Amalek. Aaron and Hur held Moses’ arms aloft in prayer to God. When Moses’ arms remained lifted heavenward, Joshua and the Hebrew army prevailed. But when Moses’ arms sagged in weariness, the battle went against Joshua’s forces. Ultimately, Moses lifted the staff and Joshua fought the Amalekites victoriously.
Often the battle against Amalek focuses our attention on Moses in prayer on the mountain. We have encouraged colleagues in ministry to lift up the hands of their leaders. We have encouraged leaders to be men and women of prayer. Certainly, such applications are legitimate ones.
But what about the faithful warrior fighting the battle in the valley? He is fighting the Amalekites! Moses is lifting up his hands in prayer for his chief lieutenant! These Amalekites were a warring, violent, bloodthirsty lot of pagans who practiced sex and religion idolatry. They represented Canaan’s cup of iniquity that was full to overflowing in the eyes of God. The Amalekites were part and parcel of the people who polluted the land of promise, which God intended for the Hebrews. Joshua’s job was to wipe them out! He fought valiantly and victoriously.
Turn to Mount Sinai. Moses ascended the summit of Sinai to receive the law. Exodus 24 records Moses journey up the mountain with Nadab, Abihu, Aaron, Joshua, and the 70 elders. They experienced a miraculous encounter with God where they ate and drank with him on the mountain. This mystical miracle is followed by the Lord calling Moses up the mountain. Moses commanded all of his company to remain at this halfway point up the mountain. Joshua accompanied him for the ascent to the summit. At some point, Moses left Joshua behind, and spent the next 40 days alone with God.
What happened in that 40 day period is left to our speculation. The next event is recorded in Exodus 32.
“And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, ‘There is a noise of war in the camp.’ But he said: "It is not the noise of the shout of victory, Nor the noise of the cry of defeat, But the sound of singing I hear." (Exodus 32:15-18).
But what about the leaders? How did they allow this to happen? Remember, Moses had led the leadership halfway up the mountain where they had seen the Lord. Moses then commanded them to wait for him, as he ascended the summit to receive the Law from God. Joshua waited on the mountain for Moses. The 70 elders along with Aaron were not waiting on the mountain for Moses. They had returned to the camp during the 40-day wait for Moses. They even speculated that their leader was dead.
Not Joshua. Joshua submitted to the godly leadership of Moses. Apparently, the people were anxious, complaining, and stirring controversy. Perhaps they sent emissaries up Sinai to call the leaders to camp. Once there, the leaders discovered the camp in disarray. Aaron sought to calm them through appeasement. He disobeyed Moses’ command to remain on Sinai, returned to the camp, and eventually led the Hebrew rebellion by creating a golden calf, which was reminiscent of Egyptian idolatry. Idolatry soon ran amuck with a wild party, drunkenness, and rampant sexual immorality. It was all in full swing when Moses came down from the mountain.
For ten years, I directed new student orientation at Kentucky Mountain Bible College. When I saw Ava Smith walking toward the new students, student roster in hand, I knew what was about to happen. Ava had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new students. In her 70's, she still asked the admissions office for a list of names of new and prospective students. She prayed over that list daily. At Orientation, I could count on Ava to seek out each student, connect a face with a name, introduce herself, and tell each one, “I have been praying for you.” Every year she waited in prayer. Every year she waited for that moment. Every year she said those words, “I have been praying for you.”
Joshua, a warrior, yes, but a teachable man of submissive character. He understood his orders and he obeyed them. 40 days later, he was waiting for Moses when he descended Sinai’s Summit.
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