Moses Asks For A Successor

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Numbers 27:15-23
Psalters: 263, 400, 292, 407
  1. Moses' concern and request.
    1. Moses' zeal and concern for the welfare of God's people is as a paternal affection for them.
    1. He has a concern for God's peoples' provision in the future.
      1. Moses compares the people to sheep (cf. Matt. 9:36).
      2. They need one to go before them in war and to lead them in civil government (cf. II Chron. 1:10).
    2. Notice Moses' humility for he does not take the right of appointment to himself.
    3. God appoints their leader, and thus the supreme power always remains in Him.
    4. Moses addresses God as "the God of the spirits of all flesh" (also in 16:22).
      1. This identifies God as the Maker of each and every man in his whole being (personality, gifts, and talents).
      2. God is the best judge of each man's ability and aptitude and He penetrates the inmost recesses of every heart.
      3. Also God fashions each man and re-fashions, supplying them with the sufficient faculties to bear their burden.
  2. God show His care of His beloved sheep by immediately answering Moses' prayer by telling him to take Joshua.
    1. Joshua had been a servant of Moses for 40 years (Ex. 24:13; 33:11).
    2. Joshua is a "man in whom is the spirit" (18).
      1. Joshua had the necessary gifts (cf. Deut. 34:9).
      2. And that he had the Spirit of God to qualify him when needed - each time.
    3. Next God commands Moses to "lay thine hand upon him" (18).
      1. This is the way the patriarchs blessed their sons and the apostles appointed pastors (I Tim. 4:14; 5:22).
      2. It publicly testified that Joshua is no longer a private individual, but was called by God to this position.
    4. Notice that Joshua had to "stand before Eleazar the priest."
      1. This indicates that Joshua was subordinated to the priest in certain matters (Urim and Thummim)
      2. It is fitting that this was done before all the people, that all might willingly receive him as presented to them by God.
    5. "Moses did as the Lord commanded him" (22).