Joshua 1:13, commentary and pictures

Remember the instruction Moses had laid upon Israel, that their God had already granted them settled repose and bestowed upon them the territory for their own. That repose was quiet and secure possession of Canaan as a God-given inheritance, with freedom from foes, already realized east of the Jordan by Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, whose households, flocks and goods were to stay there while their armed men of valor went over to fight beside their brethren until the rest of the tribes likewise received repose and possessed their portion west of the Jordan. This Canaan repose and inheritance was a figure of the inheritance promised to Abraham's faithful seed and of the heavenly inheritance, standing in the same relation to that final inheritance as Joshua stands to Christ and as literal Israel stands to the children of Abraham by faith, and it was not itself the final repose that remains for God's people, which those who fell in the wilderness never knew and which Joshua did not ultimately bestow. It is the same repose spoken of in the oath that the wilderness generation should not enter into repose. The charge belongs to a call to courage, faithful keeping of God's commandments, and firm standing for truth as Joshua and Caleb stood, and Israel's forward march into Canaan parallels God's people nearing the eternal kingdom, urging them to remember Moses' command, to take success as evidence that God works with His servants, and to move forward at once in God's strength, as in training children in truth in their tender years before worldliness takes hold.

Meaning and Historical Setting

Joshua 1:13 looks back to the word Moses commanded, that the Lord God had given Israel rest and had given them the land. It recalls Moses' promise and assurance to that effect, and stands as a reminder to keep Moses' command in mind. Its promise is seen fulfilled as Joshua led the people into the land and set them on the way to conquer their foes and possess the promised rest, with success taken as evidence that God was working with His servants.

The rest is the land of Canaan itself, which God had given them to possess, so that promise of rest and inheritance of the land refer to the same thing. It means peaceful possession of Canaan as the inheritance God gives, with safety from enemies. The rest promised after the exodus was not simply freedom from Egyptian bondage but the peaceable possession of Canaan obtained with its inheritance, and it was not the weekly Sabbath.

The rest already given was possession of the land east of the Jordan to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh as a settled inheritance in the land. Their wives, little ones, cattle, families and possessions were to remain there while their armed mighty men of valor passed over Jordan to help their brethren. The eastern tribes had received their share, but their rest was not complete while the other tribes still lacked their inheritance, and they were to help their fellow Israelites until the Lord gave their brethren rest also and they possessed the land west of Jordan.

The verse stands in the opening chapters of Joshua, which record Israel's preparation to cross the Jordan under Joshua's leadership and Joshua's charge as he leads the people into the promised land. The book was written by Joshua, and the first chapter records God's charge to His servant Joshua as successor upon whom the spirit of Moses was placed, together with the plea of the two and one-half tribes in the account of the settlement of the chosen people in Canaan. Under Joshua Israel entered Canaan, conquered foes, won victories over its inhabitants, divided the land among the twelve tribes, and was set on the way to possess the promised rest reflected in its successful settlement.

Type of Future Rest

The rest and settled inheritance given under Joshua is a figure or type of the inheritance promised to Abraham's faithful seed and of the heavenly inheritance still promised to God's people. As peaceful possession of the land God gives, with the eastern tribes already settled while their brethren were yet to possess and find rest, it points forward to a greater possession and rest beyond Canaan. That coming rest bears the same relation to Canaan that Christ bears to Joshua and that the children of Abraham by faith bear to literal Israel.

This Canaan rest was not itself the final rest that remains for God's people. The Israelites who died in the wilderness never experienced that promised-land rest, which shows it was still future for those who would enter and possess. Joshua did not ultimately give Israel the greater rest and inheritance, so a rest remains beyond what was obtained under him. The rest remembered in the verse is the same rest named in the oath that Israel in the wilderness should not enter into rest.

Courage and Faithful Application

The verse belongs to the call to courage and assurance given as Israel prepared to enter the promised land. It teaches faithfulness in keeping God's commandments and perfect faith in God, standing firmly for the truth as Joshua and Caleb did. The land and rest God had promised through Moses were to be inherited through a campaign of forward movement. Israel's passage into Canaan in that forward movement is a parallel to God's people nearing the eternal kingdom, with confidence that God will lead His people into the promised land.

The promise that God had given rest and land is a reminder to keep Moses' command in mind. Its fulfillment is seen in success as evidence that God is working with His servants and giving them success. It is a call to go forward at once in the strength of God to do the work He has given, without delay. That means keeping up schools and starting new ones so children are trained in truth during their tender and receptive years rather than given to worldly schools, because now is the opportune time to implant truth in their hearts before worldliness gains a foothold, a soul being too precious and God's work too needy to wait.