2 November Numbers 27

Called by God

Numbers 27:18-23 (NIV) “So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.” Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses”.

God chose Joshua because he had the spirit of a leader. Moses said the people needed someone to "lead them out and bring them in." This means the leader had to be brave and willing to lead the soldiers into battle from the front, not behind. When we have the Holy Spirit, we don't need to be afraid of anyone.

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]”.

Joshua and Caleb were God’s witnesses who tried to encourage the fearful people to have faith that they could conquer the giants in the Promised Land.

Numbers 14:9 (AMP) “Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them”. Only Joshua and Caleb would be allowed to enter because of their faith. Numbers 14:24 (AMP) “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land into which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it”. And confirmed again in Numbers 14:30 (AMP) “Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, not one of you shall enter the land which I swore [an oath] to settle you”.

The ordination of Joshua was not complete until Moses publicly laid hands upon Joshua. Before laying hands upon leadership, we must ensure that God calls this person for this role. Pauls says this to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:22 (AMP) “Do not hurry to lay hands on anyone [ordaining and approving someone for ministry or an office in the church, or in reinstating expelled offenders], and thereby share in the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin”.

In conclusion, Joshua’s calling as a leader was affirmed by God, who recognised the spirit of leadership within him. Moses publicly ordained him, demonstrating the importance of following God’s direction when appointing leaders. Joshua and Caleb stood as faithful witnesses who trusted God's promise, encouraging the Israelites not to fear the giants in the Promised Land. Their unwavering faith led to their unique inheritance, while others who doubted were not allowed to enter.

As seen with Joshua, leaders should be selected and commissioned with great care, ensuring God genuinely calls those appointed. As Paul advises in 1 Timothy 5:22, we should only be quick to lay hands on people with discernment so that we do not share in their sins. Leadership requires faith, courage, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, as Joshua displayed when he led the people to God’s promise. The spirit God gives us is not one of fear but of power, love, and sound judgment, enabling us to face any challenge with confidence in His guidance.