Joshua 1:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

There is no title that rivals this esteemed designation. Indeed, pay attention to what God Himself declares: "Moses My servant died." Additionally, it is said to Isaac, "Thy servant" (Gen. 24:14). Such a designation brings joy to the angels, cherubim, and seraphim alike.

Paul crafted this teaching not by dismissing history but by drawing connections between the symbols and the ultimate truth—linking Abraham to God, his wives to the two covenants, and his sons to the two nations. Similarly, when referring to Moses, one ought to see the law, while Jesus represents the Savior named after him. The Scriptures affirm that the law is synonymous with Moses, as evidenced by the passages proclaiming that “they have Moses and the prophets” and noting that “even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts.”

Thus, just as Moses led the people into the promised land after his death, Christ, who arrived at the culmination of the law, unlocked the heavenly kingdom for believers. The Scriptures declare that “the end of the law is Christ, for righteousness to everyone who believes." Before John, the law and prophets proclaimed the coming of the kingdom, and from John's time, it has been forcefully advancing, with the desperate seizing its opportunities.

What a fitting role for our Lord Jesus Christ in ministering! The text reveals that God spoke to Joshua, the assistant to Moses, and the Apostle tells us that "Christ Jesus has become a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises made to the fathers." At the appointed time, God sent His Son, born of a woman, under the law, to redeem those under the law, allowing us to be adopted as His children. Therefore, Christ is both the one who lived under the law and the minister of the circumcision. He expressed to the Jews, "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me." The Jews affirmed to Joshua, “If we will heed Moses' every command, we will listen to you.”

It is understood that the Promised Land, which God vowed to bestow upon the Israelites, encompassed only regions situated beyond the Jordan River to the east. Due to Moses and Aaron's lack of faith, these leaders were denied the honor of entering the land, as stated in Numbers 20:12: And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye have not believed to sanctify Me before the children of Israel, therefore, ye shall not bring this host into the land which I have given them.

EXPLANATION. The Promised Land, evident from the descriptions of ancient Palestine, was divided into two areas separated by the course of the Jordan River. Thus, all territories located both near and across the Jordan River were included within the boundaries of the Promised Land. Given this positioning, there is no doubt that the kingdoms of Zion, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, though they were in proximity to the Jordan River, were part of the Promised Land. This is underscored by the fact that the descendants of Noah, from whom the Canaanites descended, spread their settlements widely, claiming all areas near the Jordan River. It is clear that the two Amorite kings, Zion and Og, were of Canaanite lineage, residing on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. This is supported by the account in Genesis 10:16.

After addressing this matter, another question arises: why is the Promised Land referred to exclusively as the region divided by the Jordan? The answer lies in specific circumstances worth noting: (a) The territory beyond the Jordan River, where the Hebrews were commanded by God to relocate, is termed the Promised Land because it held the primary and most valuable possessions of the Canaanites, who traced their origin to these regions beyond the Jordan. (b) This area possessed more extensive and favorable lands, more suitable for habitation than the initial land from which the Hebrews migrated. (c) Additionally, a larger number of Hebrews were expected to relocate beyond the Jordan River and establish their permanent settlement there. (d) This area beyond the Jordan also held significance as the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was situated there. Most importantly, it should be recognized that God aimed to fulfill the mystery of human Redemption through His Son directly within the borders beyond the Jordan.