II. The place Joshua had been in before he was thus preferred. He was Moses's minister, that is, an immediate attendant upon his person and assistant in business. The LXX. translate it υπȣ̃ργος, a workman under Moses, under his direction and command. Observe, 1. He that was here called to honour, had been long bred to business. Our Lord Jesus himself took upon him the form of a servant, and then God highly exalted him. 2. He was trained up in subjection, and under command. Those are fittest to rule, that have learnt to obey. 3 He that was to succeed Moses was intimately acquainted with him, that he might fully know his doctrine and manner of life, his purpose and long-suffering, (2 Tim. 3. 10.) might take the same measures, walk in the same spirit, in the same steps, having to carry on the same work. 4. He was herein a type of Christ, who might therefore be called Moses's Minister, because he was made under the law, and fulfilled all the righteousness of it.
III. The call itself that God gave him, which is very full.
1. The consideration upon which he was called to the government; Moses my servant is dead, v. 2. All good men are God's servants; and it is no disparagement, but an honour, to the greatest of men to be so; angels themselves are his ministers. Moses was called to extraordinary work, was a steward in God's house, and in the discharge of the trusts reposed in him, he served not himself but God who employed him; he was faithful as a servant, and with an eye to the Son, as is intimated, Heb. 3. 5. where what he did, is said to be for a testimony of the things that should be spoken after; God will own his servants, will confess them in the great day. But Moses, though God's servant, and one that could ill be spared, is dead; for God will change hands, to show that whatever instruments he uses, he is not tied to any. Moses, when he has done his work as a servant, dies and goes to rest from his labours, and enters into the joy of his Lord. Observe, God takes notice of the death of his servants. It is precious in his sight, Ps. 116. 15.
2. The call itself; Now therefore arise. (1.) Though Moses is dead, the work must go on, therefore arise, and go about it. Let not weeping hinder sowing, nor the withering of the most useful hands be the weakening of our's; for when God has work to do, he will either find or make instruments fit to carry it on. Moses, the servant is dead, but God the Master is not, he lives for ever. (2.) "Because Moses is dead, therefore the work devolves upon thee as his successor, for hereunto thou wast appointed. Therefore there is need of thee to fill up his place. Up, and be doing." Note, [1.] The removal of useful men should quicken survivors to be so much the more diligent in doing good. Such and such are dead, and we must die shortly, therefore let us work while it is day. [2.] It is a great mercy to a people, if, when useful men are taken away in the midst of their usefulness, others are raised up in their stead to go on where they broke off. Joshua must arise to finish what Moses began, thus the latter generations enter into the labours of the former. And thus Christ, our Joshua, does that for us which could never be done by the law of Moses; justifies, Acts 13. 39. and sanctifies, Rom. 8. 3. The life of Moses made way for Joshua, and prepared the people for what was to be done by him: thus the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. And then the death of Moses made room for Joshua: thus we are dead to the law our first husband, that we may be married to Christ, Rom. 7. 4.
3. The particular service he was now called out to. "Arise, go over this Jordan, this river, which you have in view, and on the banks of which you lie encamped." This was a trial to the faith of Joshua, whether he would give orders to make preparation for passing the river, when there was no visible way of getting over it, at least, not at this place and at this time, when all the banks were overflown, ch. 3. 15. He had no pontons or bridge of boats by which to convey them over, and yet he must believe, that God, having ordered them over, would open a way for them. Going over Jordan was going into Canaan; thither Moses might not, could not, bring them, Deut. 31. 2. Thus the honour of bringing the many sons to glory is reserved for Christ the Captain of our salvation, Heb. 2. 10.
4. The grant of the land of Canaan to the children of Israel is here repeated, v. 2..4. I do give it them. To the patriarchs it was promised, I will give it, but now that the fourth generation was expired, the iniquity of the Amorites was full, and the time was come for the performance of the promise, it is actually conveyed, and they are put in possession of that which they had long been in expectation of, "I do give it, enter upon it, it is all your own, nay, v. 3. I have given it; though it be yet unconquered, it is as sure to you as if it were in your hands." Observe, (1.) The persons to whom the conveyance is made, to them, even to the children of Israel, v. 2. because they are the seed of Jacob, who was called Israel then when this promise was made to him, Gen. 35. 10, 12. The children of Israel, though they had been very provoking in the wilderness, yet for their fathers' sakes should have the entail preserved. And it was the children of the murmurers that God said should enter Canaan, Numb. 14. 31. (2.) The land itself that is conveyed, from the river Euphrates eastward to the Mediterranean sea westward, v. 4. Though their sin cut them short of this large possession, and they never replenished all the country within the bounds here mentioned; yet had they been obedient, God would have given them this and much more. Out of all these countries, and many others, there were in process of time proselytes to the Jewish religion, as appears, Acts 2. 5, &c. If their church was enlarged, though their nation was not multiplied, it cannot be said that the promise was of none effect. And if this promise had not its full accomplishment in the letter, believers might thence infer that it had a further meaning, and was to be fulfilled in the kingdom of the Messiah, both that of grace and that of glory. (3.) The condition is here implied, upon which this grant is made, in those words, as I said unto Moses, that is, "upon the terms that Moses told you of many a time; if ye will keep my statutes, you shall go in and possess that good land. Take it under those provisos and limitations, and not otherwise. The precept and promise must not be separated." (4.) It is intimated with what case they should gain the possession of this land, if it were not their own fault, in these words, "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon (within the following bounds) shall be your own. Do but set your foot upon it, and you shall have it."
5. The promises God here makes to Joshua for his encouragement. (1.) That he should be sure of the presence of God with him in this great work to which he was called, v. 5. "As I was with Moses to direct and strengthen him, to own and prosper him, and give him success in bringing Israel out of Egypt, and leading them through the wilderness, so I will be with thee to enable thee to settle them in Canaan." Joshua was sensible how far he came short of Moses, in wisdom and grace, but what Moses did, was done by virtue of the presence of God with him; and though Joshua had not always the same presence of mind that Moses had, yet if he had always the same presence of God, he would do well enough. Note, It is a great comfort to the rising generation of ministers and christians, that the same
