Not only does Moses pass the leadership of Israel to Joshua, but God passes it to Joshua as well. In verse 5, Joshua is told that God will be with him. Verses 7 and 8 are favorites of many. They summarize well the need for Joshua to be strong, but for that strength to be based on obedience to God, not on his own abilities. Verses 12-15 make reference to an incident we didn’t read in Numbers 32. The two and a half tribes mentioned here had already received their land on the east side of the Jordan River, but had promised to continue to fight on behalf of the other tribes so they could obtain their land too.
Matthew 28:20 says, “Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” so God is with us too! God’s promise gives an excellent way to set priorities in life. We need to first make sure our relationship with God is right before we look for success in other areas. Success in our careers, finances, marriages, etc. are all dependent on obedience to God.