Commentary on "The Second Generation: Admonitions"

STEVE PITCHER

 

Day 3: Monday, December 14, 2009

 

Today’s lesson is about Joshua being the successor to Moses. In the first question the lesson author makes a great point. He says, “In Numbers 27:12 the Lord talks about the land that He has ‘given’ (in the past tense) to the children of Israel, even though they were not there yet. What does that tell us about God’s promises?” God’s calling of, and gifts to, Israel are irrevocable. As we read in Romans 11:29, “for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

We are also asked to think about the type of man Moses was. This is important. A good spiritual leader is always concerned about his sheep, even when he knows his time is at an end. Moses was concerned about who would shepherd the flock of God. In Numbers 27:16-17 Moses said,

May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.

Num. 27:21 says, “"Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the LORD. At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation."

The lesson author then makes this comment:

[T]he texts make it clear that, as with Moses, Joshua was to lead only through the guidance of God; that is, besides the written laws and commandments, he also was to seek the Lord’s will through the “judgment of [the] Urim before the Lord.”

Read the verse in context, and then notice the addition by the lesson author, “besides the written laws and commandments.” I am not saying that Joshua was to not use the laws and commandments, but to be true to the Biblical text, this is not the point God is making in his word. Here God is showing that the leader of Israel must be totally dependent upon him and no one and nothing else, and that the congregation must following the leading of God through Joshua and no one else.

Overall today’s lesson is a good one. We have learned that the calling of Israel and his gifts to them are irrevocable, and that a good leader of God’s people must be dependent upon no one but God himself.

 

Summary

1. Joshua is chosen as the successor to Moses. God’s people are not to be without a shepherd.
2. God’s calling of Israel and his promises to them are irrevocable.
3. Moses, as a good leader of God’s people, is also concerned about a good shepherd for the flock of God.
4. We must be careful not to read into the Biblical text information that is not there, even if it is true. We must allow the text to say what it says without any embellishment on our part.

 

GO TO DAY 4

 

Copyright 2009 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised December 9, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

Official Adventist Resources

Standard Edition Study Guide Week 12

Teacher's Edition Study Guide Week 12

Easy Reading Edition Study Guide Week 12

Search the Complete Published Ellen G. White Writings