It is easy for us to look back at history with hindsight. We can put ourselves in Joshua's shoes as we read the preamble to the Battle for Jericho and almost take for granted that Elohim (God) would show up and reveal His plan for the conquest of Jericho to Joshua. After all, Yahweh had spoken to Joshua before, saying:

"'Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the Torah (Law) my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Torah (Law) depart from your mouth; 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. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for Yahweh your Elohim (God) will be with you wherever you go'" (Josh.1:6-9, NIV).

It's not often that Yahweh repeats an instruction three times in virtually the same breath. But I guess that is what Joshua needed to hear. It cannot have been easy for him stepping into Moses' sandals, yet he had the confidence of this second, younger generation, who said to this trusted elder:

"'Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may Yahweh your Elohim (God) be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your davar (word) and does not obey your devarim (words), whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!'" (Josh.1:16-18, NIV).

There is something very simple and very pure about such an attitude and there are not many commanders in history who have received such affection, trust and devotion. But then we are talking about supernatural events and miracles that have a way of inspiring confidence. And those miracles continued after the Jordan crossing, even though a whole category of other miracles abruptly ceased, like the provision of heavenly manna at the first trans-Jordan eating of Canaanite food (Josh.5:12). But the miracle of the Jordan was enough to secure the devotion of this new generation of Israelites:

"That day Yahweh exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses" (Josh.4:14, NIV).

No wonder. No Christian or Messianic leader alive today commands such respect and devotion because none of us have been exalted in the way Joshua was, and probably won't be. When we speak a davar Elohim (word of God) people not very acquainted with the Ruach haQodesh (Holy Spirit), as perhaps they ought be, hesitate between trust and doubt.

All too many of us have been burned by very fallible Christian and Messianic leaders and and are understandably and rightly cautious. We have to be. So in the meantime, until Yahweh raises the last generation's leaders to whom will be given such mighty signs as were given by Yahweh to, and through, Moses and Joshua, we will have to make do with people's minds swinging from one position to another, and sometimes back again. And each position will be, and is being, held with a passion summonsed from the realm of faith more than reason, where there are secret uncertainties that only the loudest voice can mask.

The shame and reproach of my generation must, at some point, be "rolled away" for all the junk we taught and practiced in the second half of the 20th century and onwards, just as the reproach of the first generation of Exoduseers was rolled away symbolically through the act of circumcision at Gibeath Haaraloth (Josh 5:9,3). We - my generation - will not be passing over the latter-day 'Jordan', what ever that - of they - may be. We will be cheering you on from the other side of the veil of mortality, and the words we leave behind for you will, I pray, be a guide and of comfort as you mature into your calling and endowment of the Ruach (Spirit). For though Moses did not cross the Jordan with Joshua and the Israelites, his words and counsel most definitely did, and have become immortalised in our scriptural canon.

So I feel I need to make some warnings in advance to, and for, the next generation because the temptation will arise to disregard the good that was said and done before, on account of the bad, because some will treat it as if it were of no importance. Please don't tar all in my generation with the same brush, for those of us who love Yahweh and His Davar (Word) have gone out of our way to first reach, and then we deparated from, those who abandoned the emet (truth) or refused to accept it. It is written:

"Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and Elohim (God) will call the past to account" (Eccl.3:15, NIV).

"That which is, already has been;
that which is to be, already is;
and Elohim (God) seeks out what has gone by/is pursued" (NRSV).

In other words, what you are called to do, we will have received and done before you, because "there is nothing new under the sun" (Eccl.1:9, NRSV). The difference between what we, in my generation, knew, and did, and experienced, and what you younger ones will come to know, and do, and experience, will be:

• 1. A matter of degree (and that will be based on grace, not merit) just as Elisha essentially carried on the same work as Elijah but with a double anointing, but first you must be put through the mill of purification like everyone else in every generation;

• 2. A matter of execution of the plan and materials which Yahweh has provided through us, in the same way that Yahweh provided the plan and materials for the construction of the temple through his father David.

The children of Israel were supplied with the Master Plan for the conquest of Jericho that required them to trust Joshua, which they absolutely did, because he had earned that trust through Yahweh showing him favour. And Yahweh supplied the power - all they had to do was follow instructions and mop up afterwards. My life and your life have been prepared in exactly the same way if we will just follow the Plan. Be blessed!