JEHOVAH WAS WITH JOSHUA

5. To succeed in his assignment, what did Joshua need?

⁵ Let us turn the clock back some 35 centuries. Forty years have passed since millions of Israelites were delivered from Egyptian bondage under the mighty hand of Jehovah. The prophet Moses has taken the lead. Now at the age of 120, he views the Promised Land from a distance and then dies atop Mount Nebo. His successor is Joshua, a man “full of the spirit of wisdom.” (Deut. 34:1-9) The Israelites are about to take possession of Canaan. To succeed as their leader, Joshua will need God-given wisdom. He will also have to exercise faith in Jehovah and prove to be courageous and strong.​—Deut. 31:22, 23.

6. (a) Joshua 23:6 calls for courage to do what? (b) What do we learn from the words of Acts 4:18-20 and Acts 5:29?

⁶ The wisdom, courage, and faith shown by Joshua during the long conquest of Canaan must have strengthened the Israelites.

7. To act with courage and have success, Joshua needed to do what?

⁷ To have the courage needed to do God’s will, we must study and apply his Word. That is what Joshua was told to do when he became Moses’ successor: “Be courageous and very strong to take care to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. . . . This book of the law should not depart from your mouth, and you must in an undertone read in it day and night, in order that you may take care to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way successful and then you will act wisely.” (Josh. 1:7, 8) Joshua followed that counsel, and ‘his way was successful.’ If we do likewise, we will have greater courage and success in God’s service.

8. The yeartext for 2013 is drawn from what scripture, and how do you feel that those words will help you?

⁸ Joshua must have been greatly strengthened when he heard Jehovah’s further words: “Be courageous and strong. Do not suffer shock or be terrified, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:9) Jehovah is with us too. So let us “not suffer shock or be terrified” regardless of our trials. Especially noteworthy is the statement: “Be courageous and strong. . . . Jehovah your God is with you.” Those words of Joshua 1:9 have been chosen as the yeartext for 2013. They will surely strengthen us in the months ahead, as will the words and actions of other examples of faith and courage.