Daily Devotions

Filled with the Holy Spirit

Filled with the Holy Spirit 
Day 
Day 12

"Full of the spirit of wisdom..."

Text: Deuteronomy 34:9

THE INAUGURATION OF JOSHUA

Joshua was duly inaugurated as the LORD God had commanded Moses.

“So Moses did as the LORD commanded him.
He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest
and before all the congregation.
And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him,
just as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.”
Numbers 27:22-23

1. “As the LORD commanded”

a) Twice this statement was made.
b) The inauguration of Joshua as the next leader was done according to God’s command.

2. The laying on of hands

a) The hand of Moses was mentioned in particular.
b) This was a symbol of the authority that was obviously in Moses.

3. “Eleazar”

a) His role was that of the high priest.
b) His ministry was in the Tabernacle.
c) He would offer prayerful support for Joshua.
d) He would seek the Lord’s leading in and through prayer.

4. “The congregation”

a) They would bear witness of the fact that Joshua was now the next leader.
b) They would have to give their support to Joshua.

A SIGNIFICANT COMMENTARY

Moses continued to instruct the children of Israel. His lasting legacy was to write the Pentateuch for Israel to read. We have an important commentary on Joshua in the closing lines of Deuteronomy.

“Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom,
for Moses had laid his hands on him;
so the children of Israel heeded him,
and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.”
Deuteronomy 34:9

1. “Full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him”

The spirit of wisdom was directly related to the laying on of hands by Moses.

2. The Holy Spirit’s role

Unquestionably the Spirit of God had come upon Joshua. And as he learned from Moses, so the Spirit of God enabled him to acquire much-needed wisdom for leadership!