Joshua 1:8 - Meditate Continually on Gods Word.
Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of the Law
continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be
sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then
will you succeed.
INTRODUCTION
In the days of the wilderness wandering the
Lord had made abundant provision for His children
to keep in remembrance the words of His law.
After the settlement in Canaan the divine precepts
were to be repeated daily in every home; they
were to be written plainly upon the doorposts and
gates, and spread upon memorial tablets. They were
to be set to music and chanted by young and
old. [PK 464-465]
COMMENTARY PEARL
What Are You Thinking?
As the Israelites were preparing to enter
the Promised Land, God told them that if they
wanted to succeed spiritually, they needed to be
constantly looking at His Word.
God said, Study this Book of
Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so
you will be sure to obey everything written in
it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in
all you do (Joshua 1:8 NLT).
What does it mean to meditate? In the
Bible it means to contemplate. The idea given in
Scripture is that of chewing your food carefully.
Eastern meditation is emptying your mind. But
biblical meditation is filling your mind with the
Word of God.
And as you memorize, know, and understand
Scripture, it will be a weapon to use as you share your
faith and also to defend yourself when youre
being attacked.
In the Garden of Eden, Satan came to Adam
and Eve and basically challenged them to doubt
the Word of God. He said, Did God really say
you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees
in the garden? (Genesis 3:1 NLT). In other
words, Did God really say what you think He
said?
This is one of the first things that
happens to someone who becomes a Christian. They
have doubts about what they believe. But Jesus
showed us how to handle this during His temptation
in the wilderness. In each instance, He began
by saying, It is written. He came back to
the Word of God, which the Bible refers to as
the sword of the Spirit.
Psalm 1, describing the happy person,
says, But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night. They are like trees
planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each
season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper
in all they do (verses 2"3 NLT).
A growing Christian will delight in and
love the Word of God. [Greg Laurie from Harvest
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
How does God's guarantee of success to
Joshua relate to us?
The Book of Joshua begins with God's
commissioning of Israel's new leader. God described
Joshua's mission"to go in and possess the Land
(1:2-6). God hinged Joshua's success on three key
factors: 1) God's own presence (v. 5); 2) Joshua's
personal strength and courage (vv. 7, 9); and 3)
Joshua's attention to and application of God's word
(vv. 7, 8).
God spelled out this third factor with
some detail for it was to be the basis for all of
Joshua's actions. God's word was to be Joshua's
constant conversation, continual meditation, and
unswerving application. The phrase "This Book of the
Law shall not depart from your mouth" (v. 8)
deserves added attention. While a first impression
might lead to the conclusion that Joshua was not
supposed to talk about the Book of the Law, the
direct opposite is the case: he was not supposed to
stop talking about it.
Biblical meditation begins with the
thoughtful, lingering reading of God's Word. It
progresses to familiarity and memorization. In order to
"meditate in it day and night" (v. 8), the Book of the
Law would have been in Joshua. The purpose has
been achieved when meditation leads us to
"observe to do according to all that is written in
it" (v. 8).
"Then," God told Joshua, "you will make
your way prosperous, and then you will have good
success" (v. 8). Joshua found the ultimate measure of
prosperity and success"knowing how God wants His
people to live and then living that way. God
repeatedly assured Joshua of His own presence "wherever
you go." What greater measurement of success
could there be than to honor the ever-present God
with our obedience? [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]
To Gain Insight into Gods Word, Learn to
Meditate on It
There are so many things you can do to
unlock the gifts the Bible offers. You can read
Scripture, study it, and memorize it. But you should
also meditate on it.
Second Timothy 2:7 says, Reflect on
what I am saying, for the Lord will give you
insight into all this (NIV).
When you reflect on the Bible - when you
meditate on it - God gives you more insight into his
Word.
What does it mean to meditate? It simply
means to think seriously about something. It means
you engage your mind.
Wondering how to meditate? If you know
how to worry, you know how to meditate. Worry is
simply negative meditation. When you worry, you
take a negative thought and go over and over it
in your mind. And the more you worry, the
bigger your thought gets.
In meditation, you do the same thing with
Scripture: You go over and over a passage of the Bible
in your mind. But unlike with worry, meditating
on Scripture produces positive results.
One of the ways you can meditate on
Scripture is by doing what I call pronouncing
it. Say a Bible verse aloud over and over again.
Each time you say it, emphasize a different
word.
Take Philippians 4:13, for example: I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens
me (NKJV). The first time you say the verse,
emphasize I. The next time emphasize can. And so on,
until you emphasize the last word of the verse.
Each time you say the verse, its meaning
will be nuanced in a different way.
Another tool for meditating is a
reflection bridge. Beneath every story in the Bible is
a timeless principle, and the reflection
bridge helps you find it. First, you read the story
and ask what it meant when it first happened.
Then you ask what timeless principle its
teaching. Then you personalize it by asking what it
means to you today
The Bible promises tremendous blessings
if you spend time meditating on it: Keep
this Book of the Law always on your lips;
meditate on it day and night, so that you may be
careful to do everything written in it. Then you
will be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8
NIV).
Take the time now to develop the habit of
meditating on Gods Word, and youll reap the
benefits for the rest of your life. [Daily Devotional
by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
Joshua 1:8 - Meditate Continually.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190831-1326.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
