Joshua the Assistant
Joshua appears for the second time in the Exodus account here in Exodus 24.
Exodus 24:12–14 (ESV) The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”
What is so good about Joshua? He is willing.
If you need Joshua to pick a group of fighting men, he'll do that.
If you need Joshua to wage a battle, he'll do that.
If you need Joshua to assist you in something, he'll do that.
If you need Joshua to spy out the land, he'll do that too!
It is worth noting that the only title given to Joshua thus far in Exodus is "Moses' assistant". Earlier in Exodus 17 Joshua is in charge of forming a battalion of soldiers and fighting against the Amalekites. He won a powerful victory thanks to the intercession of Moses who had the help of Aaron and Hur with his tiring hands. Yet even now, after Joshua is victorious in battle he is not given a special title or even the designation of Elder.
Joshua did not need a designation of spiritual importance to do whatever Moses needed. He did not seek recognition. You don't see him ever scrambling for power or control. He never usurp's Moses authority even when others do (including Moses' own family.)
You have to think it was empowering for Joshua to join Moses for this encounter with God. Moses does not take an elder. He does not take his brother Aaron. He does not take Hur the other associate of note. He takes the young willing to do anything servant.
That's the value of being willing.
We live in a society where people are becoming less and less willing to do whatever is asked. The world's method of advancement is to use opportunities as stepping stones to greater things for ourselves. If there's an immediate benefit in sight for us - we do it, otherwise, not. Many of our decisions are made considering how it will look on a resume or application someday.
But what about being willing to do whatever is asked regardless of the payoff or advancement we seek for ourselves? What about seeing what's before us and doing it the best we can? Perhaps this is the unnamed trait in Joshua that God valued enough to turn over the leadership responsibilities of the entire nation to him. Joshua embraced what was given to him rather than chasing what he saw for himself. And even when no special designation was given after a great victory was secured on his resume, eventually God saw his heart and set him up for great success.
He was willing. And when the time came, he was exalted.
Exodus 24:12–14 (ESV) The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”
What is so good about Joshua? He is willing.
If you need Joshua to pick a group of fighting men, he'll do that.
If you need Joshua to wage a battle, he'll do that.
If you need Joshua to assist you in something, he'll do that.
If you need Joshua to spy out the land, he'll do that too!
It is worth noting that the only title given to Joshua thus far in Exodus is "Moses' assistant". Earlier in Exodus 17 Joshua is in charge of forming a battalion of soldiers and fighting against the Amalekites. He won a powerful victory thanks to the intercession of Moses who had the help of Aaron and Hur with his tiring hands. Yet even now, after Joshua is victorious in battle he is not given a special title or even the designation of Elder.
Joshua did not need a designation of spiritual importance to do whatever Moses needed. He did not seek recognition. You don't see him ever scrambling for power or control. He never usurp's Moses authority even when others do (including Moses' own family.)
You have to think it was empowering for Joshua to join Moses for this encounter with God. Moses does not take an elder. He does not take his brother Aaron. He does not take Hur the other associate of note. He takes the young willing to do anything servant.
That's the value of being willing.
We live in a society where people are becoming less and less willing to do whatever is asked. The world's method of advancement is to use opportunities as stepping stones to greater things for ourselves. If there's an immediate benefit in sight for us - we do it, otherwise, not. Many of our decisions are made considering how it will look on a resume or application someday.
But what about being willing to do whatever is asked regardless of the payoff or advancement we seek for ourselves? What about seeing what's before us and doing it the best we can? Perhaps this is the unnamed trait in Joshua that God valued enough to turn over the leadership responsibilities of the entire nation to him. Joshua embraced what was given to him rather than chasing what he saw for himself. And even when no special designation was given after a great victory was secured on his resume, eventually God saw his heart and set him up for great success.
He was willing. And when the time came, he was exalted.
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