2385 AM (1375 BCE) – JOSHUA: Joshua’s Lesson in Faith—and the Long Day at Gibeon
As Moshe was getting along in years and his days were running out, Joshua, the son of Nun, would soon be taking over the leadership of Israel. He was desperate to discover what made Moshe great. So, humbly, Joshua came to Moshe one day and asked him what made him great.
Moshe thought about it, and he answered the question with a question, “What is the most important verse of the Torah?”
Joshua thought about the question for a moment, but then, finally, he responded, “I don’t know.”
“Ah,” Moshe said, “Well, it’s easy. It’s Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim v’et ha’aretz” (which means “In the beginning, Adonai created the heavens and the earth”).
Joshua considered Moshe’s response, but he was confused.
“Why?” Joshua asked.
Moshe answered, “Because it presents you with a choice. No! It thrusts an inescapable choice upon you! It’s a question, and it demands that you answer!”
Joshua was now even more confused. After all, the opening of Bereshit was not phrased like a question at all.
Joshua’s perplexed expression told Moshe everything he needed to know. So, Moshe continued, “You see, Joshua, when you read that Adonai created the heavens and the earth, you have to ask yourself immediately whether you believe it or not. And if you do believe it is true, is there anything that follows that is too unbelievable? Too difficult for Adonai to do? Too amazing or too impossible?”
“But,” Moshe paused for a little theatrics, holding up his finger sternly, “if you cannot believe that, in the beginning, Adonai created the heavens and the earth, and the stars and moon and everything there is, is there anything else anywhere in the Torah that would convince you to believe it? Even if Adonai raised someone from the dead?”
Joshua smiled. He finally understood from where Moshe got his greatness. It always was and always had been from his faith in the words of Adonai and what they tell us about Adonai and about life.
Sometime later, when Joshua was in the heat of battle near the town of Gibeon, Adonai asked Joshua if he wanted any help. Just then, Joshua remembered, “Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim v’et ha’aretz,” and Joshua boldly asked his Adonai, the Creator of the universe, for a day that would last until he was victorious in battle.
Used with permission by the author. Find the author’s complete works online: Complete Works of Mack Samuels
