THE HANDOVER

Numbers 27:18-20

The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

Present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community, and publicly commission him to lead the people.

Transfer some of your authority to him so the whole community of Israel will obey him.

When it is time to handover the assignment, will you be found worthy?

Moses was not to enter the promised land, the Lord said it was because he did not give Him His honour when water was released to the people in Meribah.

Numbers 27:14

for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters.” (These are the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

Listening to this conversation I personally felt as if God was giving Moses the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and seek for mercy. However, we see Moses only interest was for the people to have a great leader. This man was so selfless!

Numbers 27:15-17

Then Moses said to the Lord,

“O  Lord, you are the God who gives breath to all creatures. Please appoint a new man as leader for the community.

Give them someone who will guide them wherever they go and will lead them into battle, so the community of the lord will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

It was not as if God told him to, he was the one asking God to bring in a new leader (just my thoughts on the episode!)

Let us look at the handover.

Recall that 70 elders were chosen to assist Moses to judge the people. One would have thought that one of them would have been picked, but no, it had to be the one that kept following Moses around. He was like the self imposed servant or do I say disciple of Moses.

Listen:

Numbers 11:26-28

Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp.

A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ assistant since his youth, protested, “Moses, my master, make them stop!”

Joshua had offered himself as assistant to Moses from his youth.

Exodus 17:9-10,13-14

Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”

So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill.

As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

After the victory, the Lord instructed Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

We see faithfulness, dedication and obedience, Joshua was indeed groomed for leadership, he learnt from his master.

This wasn't enough, Joshua spent time in the presence of the Lord.

Listen:

Exodus 33:11

Inside the Tent of Meeting, the lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.

His master will close for the day, he would not, he would remain.

Look at our apprentice(s) of today, it is a shadow of itself, the apprentice would seek for comfort, they do not want to sacrifice anything neither time, treasure or talent. They just want to be pampered. That is not a way to be trained.

No wonder we don't have strong leaders being produced for the generation next, just a group of entitled and lazy bunch, the Lord help this generation!

One key thing is that God recognized Joshua. The men chosen to lead with Moses had the Spirit come on them but just prophesied for a day.

When God talked of Joshua He said:

Numbers 27:18

The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.

. . . who has the Spirit in him . . .

This was God speaking concerning Joshua.

How many of us who desire to occupy seat(s) of power in the spirit and in the secular can have this same testimony from God. Remember that at that time the Holy Spirit had not been given freely to man, for Christ had not yet been revealed, yet someone had this testimony.

No wonder, we see many who claim to be this or that in the Christian world today but have no power display near those of the old times.

How many of your respected men of God today and in centuries before can command the sun to stand still, or will I say ask the earth to stop rotating!

Your sacrifice, dedication, faithfulness and obedience is not for granted it will surely payoff. Even if men do not understand, acknowledge or appreciate, God Himself watches and He will surely reward you.

Hebrews 6:10

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.

Are you ready for the handover, are you ready for your first assignment or for the next assignment the Lord has for you? Are you ready for the next level.

The Lord is always ready to appoint, are you ready to lead?

Matthew 9:37-38

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.

So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Are you ready for the handover?

Help us Good Lord.

PRAYER

Dear Lord help me to be ready at all times to take up that assignment you want to assign, make me ready for the handover, a worthy vessel that will do Your good work, never disappointing You but found to be faithful, dedicated and obedient. I am here Lord, use me, qualify me Lord. Glory to Your name Lord.

He calls us blessed.

Love

@the watcher.