Knowing that he would not be going into the Promised Land, Moses in the final months of his life tried to do as much as possible to prepare the Israelites for future success. Concerned more about Israel's future than his own, he asked God, "Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that that congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd" (Nu 27:16-17).
God's response was to instruct Moses to anoint Joshua as his successor (verses 18-23). Joshua would not have quite the "face-to-face" relationship with God that Moses had (see Num 12:6-8), but God would be working with him closely.
It was surely no surprise to Moses that Joshua, his longtime assistant, would be Israel's next leader. Joshua was one of only a few from the older Exodus generation still alive (Num 26:65). He is described in Nu 27:18 as "a man in whom is the Spirit", and in Deut 34:9 as "full of the spirit of wisdom." God would not be working with Israel through a dynasty, but through leaders who were people of faith.
Are Nu 27:18 and Deut 34:9 saying that Joshua was led by the Holy Spirit? I believe the answer to this question is "yes." In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on November 12, 2022, Kyle Kettering observed that Christian theology has too often downplayed the extent of the work of the Holy Spirit before the Pentecost event in Acts 2. (Sometimes this can result from misinterpreting passages like John 7:39.) Certainly the work of the Spirit has increased through history, but the Spirit has been active from the beginning.
Kyle related a midrashic tradition about the meaning of Moses' request in Nu 27:16-17. According to this tradition, Moses was asking God for a new leader who would, like God, understand each person's spirit and be able to work with everyone. God replies that he'll show Moses all the future leaders, the prophets and judges. Moses sees, though, that the only one who will understand every spirit will be Messiah, who will have "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord" (Isa 11:2).
The Gospel of Mark shows that Jesus, following in Moses' footsteps, was concerned that the people of Israel have a good shepherd to lead them (Mk 6:34). Through the Spirit described in Isa 11:2, he taught the people.
Kyle explained that in both Jewish and Christian tradition, those who follow God in believing loyalty ared led by the Holy Spirit. One who is led by the Spirit
- exhibits the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).
- puts the practices of the old nature to death (Rom 8:13).
- enjoys a close connection to the Father (Rom 8:15).
- lives a brave and powerful existence (2 Tim 1:7).
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