How is joshua like moses

Since we read Vezot Haberachah on Simchat Torah, at the end of which Moses dies and is buried Deuteronomy 34 , the direct continuation of the story in Joshua 1 is a fitting choice as haftarah. This continuity is conveyed not only by specifics in the narrative of Joshua, but through the quotation of and allusion to passages in the Torah associated with Moses.

Josh establishes Joshua as the fitting successor to Moses, who is mentioned another ten times in this chapter, by presenting him as the recipient of divine revelation. Nonetheless, a clear hierarchical distinction is made between Moses and Joshua. Joshua 1 continues with a lengthy divine exhortation to Joshua to continue in the footsteps of Moses and to finish the work of leading the people into the Promised Land Josh Just as God had been with Moses, so too would he be with Joshua v.

The associations between Joshua and Moses are already found in the earlier layer s of this chapter, and are continued in its later layers, such as the allusions to the Torah scroll in vv.

In vv. He is to finish what Moses left unfinished at his death. Indeed, the fact that the Torah ends with the death of Moses before the completion of the aims of the exodus narrative in the conquest and settlement of the land has led some to posit that the existence at one time of a work that encompassed not a five-book collection or Pentateuch like the Torah, but a six-book collection or Hexateuch encompassing both the Torah and Joshua.

The book of Joshua is chock full of thematic and linguistic similarities between Joshua and Moses. Indeed, as is illustrated below, the Moses traditions and the Joshua ones intersect at so many points that the conclusion is inescapable that the one is being set up on the literary level as a reflection of the other. In Numbers Moses sends a delegation of twelve spies, one from each tribe, to scout out the Promised Land before the Israelites attempt to enter it.

This episode ends disastrously, when ten of the twelve return with a discouraging report. Advantage: Joshua. In Exodus Moses leads the Israelites through the Reed Sea on dry land, when God splits the waters for the Israelites but causes them to return to drown the pursuing Egyptians. As depicted so brilliantly by that great biblical exegete, Cecil B. DeMille, in The Ten Commandments , this has the appearance of a panicked flight from looming death as the ragtag column of the Israelites rushes chaotically across the exposed seabed in their attempt to escape the Egyptian host.

While the biblical text does not state this explicitly, this image can be inferred from the fear of the Israelites before and their flight from the Egyptian army Exod In light of the smoother — and presumably unhurried — crossing, once again it is advantage: Joshua. This means that the Israelites were not circumcised in the wilderness. That Moses seems to have a problem with circumcision may be implied by the bizarre episode in which God attacks Moses on the way back to Egypt and tries to kill him, his life being saved by the quick thinking of his wife Zipporah, who circumcises their son Exod By performing the ceremony promptly and having ample time for recovery, ocne again it is advantage: Joshua.

Following their circumcision, the Israelites celebrate the Passover Josh This echoes the story of the Passover night in Egypt, when the angel of death passes over the houses of the Israelites and smites the Egyptian firstborn, while the Israelites eat a ceremonial meal Exodus It should be noted, however, that Moses also leads the Israelites in the celebration of the Passover following the exodus from Egypt and the revelation on Mount Sinai in an unhurried and calm manner Num So, perhaps this theme should more properly be viewed as a draw.

When Moses approaches the bush that was aflame but not consumed, God calls to him and tells him to take off his sandals, since the ground upon which he stood was holy Exod Just as in the case of Moses at the burning bush, Joshua is commanded to remove his sandals, since the ground upon which he stood was holy.

Unlike in some of the other cases considered, this one is probably a draw; unless we wish to give the advantage to Moses, since God spoke to him directly, while Joshua had to deal with a being lower than God. Whichever it is, this is another clear example of the literary dependence of these two traditions on each other.

Whereas, in the case of Moses in Egypt, it takes ten plagues to convince the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, in the case of Joshua at Jericho it takes little effort to conquer the city, just walking around the walls of the city for seven days while blowing on trumpets and shouting in order to get Jericho to fall into the hands of the Israelites Joshua 6.

Although these examples could be multiplied, [14] a clear pattern should already be evident. In these parallel narratives, Joshua is, more often than not, able to accomplish with ease what Moses was only able to do with great difficulty.

What if the church today would learn that wherever we go, God will be there? What a principle to remember! When we go to a hospital, God will be there. When we minister in prison, God will be there. When we pray for the ill, God will be there.

No matter where we choose to go, God is there! I encourage you today to walk with this conviction! As God was with Moses, He will also be with you! So, just go! If you have given your life to Christ, He already dwells inside of you see Ephesians No matter where God leads you, or where you decide to go for Him, He is there! Be not afraid in any way. God is with you wherever you go! Begin with the psychological effects of age. Moses begins as a mature adult man, living in slavery to the Pharaoh when God chooses him.

Everything about the Exodus occurs when Moses is a man. Joshua matures into a man during the Exodus. You might say that Moses experiences the Exodus while Joshua learns the Exodus. Moses had a lifetime of life and learning before God speaks. Joshua had only a brief childhood behind him. Moses must have constantly struggled with memories of his adult past — the rules, norms, contingencies, and on and on with the learning of life — as he confronted an entirely new experience with God in the Exodus.

Becoming a prophet does not mean you forget your past. Joshua, by contrast, was still figuring out the world when God appears and the Exodus begins.

Now consider Attribution Theory with a particular focus on Actor-Observer effects. Joshua would always be primarily an Observer to the Actor, Moses.