His Presence Generationally

The transition in leadership from Moses to Joshua is fascinating.  God had Moses impart his wisdom and his authority to Joshua.  The first act of Joshua’s leadership was to part the Jordan River which is obviously reminiscent of parting the Red Sea.

Then as Joshua was pondering the assault on Jericho, he ran into an armed stranger outside of the camp.

In classic military style, he inquired whether the stranger was on his side or the enemy’s side.  The response was startling.  “Neither, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”

It was a total power encounter.  Joshua responded by going face down before the Lord.

Ponder that in contrast with Moses’ relationship with God.  God and Moses discussed plans as friends.  God gave orders to Joshua.

Here is another contrast. The first time Moses got stuck in a military endeavor, there was limited help from God.  The Amalekites and the Israelites fought to a standoff that day.  Even though Moses extended the staff over the battle, there was no breakthrough.  They just broke even.

When Joshua had to improvise, God spontaneously engaged.  At the battle of the Valley of Aijalon, even though Joshua created an extra day of time, God ended up killing more Canaanites than the Israelites did.

Two great leaders.  Two very different relationships with God.  But His Presence was with both men.

His Presence in our lives should not be measured by anybody else’s metric.  Each of us will experience His Presence uniquely.

Moses absolutely experienced the Presence of God.  Joshua absolutely experienced the Presence of God.  Yet their experiences were radically different.

What makes it particularly intriguing, is that it was a generational transfer of power.  Joshua had been groomed by Moses for 40 years.  Joshua sat in on some of Moses’ encounters with God.  Moses imparted his wisdom and authority to Joshua.  Nonetheless, Joshua was no clone of Moses.

It is majestic when a great leader can pour himself into the next generation and then rejoice when the next leader differentiated and becomes fully himself.

His Presence in the second generation does not need to be like His Presence in the first generation for it to be legitimate.

Copyright by Arthur Burk
December 2023

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