Many Christians today may look at the Old Testament and view it as irrelevant — a collection of ancient laws, genealogies, and Jewish customs that don’t really apply to modern life. But the Old Testament is filled with spiritual riches: wisdom, history, and prophecies that reveal God’s nature and speak powerfully into our walk of faith today.
In Christ, we are the new spiritual Israel — grafted into the same story of redemption that began long before Bethlehem (Galatians 3:28-29; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 2:12-14).
So, beginning with this article, we’ll explore lessons from Old Testament figures whose lives still teach us timeless truths. We start with Joshua.
A Leader Chosen by God
Have you ever been thrown into the middle of something — like a movie or book — and told to figure out how the rest of the story should unfold? If you have, then you can probably relate to Joshua more than you think.
Joshua (Hebrew: Yehoshua — “The Lord is my salvation”), from the tribe of Ephraim, was chosen by God Himself to lead Israel after Moses’ death (Numbers 13:16 and 18; Joshua 1:1-2). He had been Moses’ faithful assistant, a warrior and worshipper who trusted God when others doubted (Exodus 24:13; Exodus 33:11; Numbers 14:6-9). When the time came for Israel to cross into the Promised Land, it was Joshua — not Moses — who had to carry the weight of that divine assignment.
He was probably about 80 years old when God appointed him, reminding us that age does not limit purpose. Joshua’s life shines as a testimony that God can raise leaders and dreamers in any season of life.
1. Courage Rooted in God’s Presence
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9) - this verse is one many Christians hold close, especially when facing daunting tasks or uncertain futures. Yet, before it became a word of comfort for us, it was first a divine charge to Joshua — God’s personal encouragement as He called him into the enormous responsibility of leading His people into the Promised Land.
When God called Joshua to lead, He didn’t promise an easy road — only His presence. Joshua teaches us that courage doesn’t mean fearlessness; it means trusting God enough to move forward despite fear. In seasons of uncertainty, we find strength not in our own abilities but in knowing that God goes before us.
2. Obedience Even When It Defies Logic
Joshua’s first major test was Jericho — a fortified city surrounded by towering walls. Yet God’s strategy was simple and strange: march around the city in silence for six days, then shout on the seventh – a plan that defied military logic (Joshua 6:2-5). Joshua obeyed without question, and the walls fell (Joshua 6:6-7; Joshua 6:15-16, 20).
How many times do we stop ourselves from doing what God has commanded us to do because it doesn’t align with our human reasoning? Joshua’s obedience shows that God’s victories, breakthroughs and miracles, often come through faith, not human reason. True faith listens and obeys, even when it doesn’t understand.
3. God’s Promises Never Fail
Throughout Joshua’s life, he witnessed the faithfulness of God firsthand. In the Book of Joshua 21:45, it declares, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” From beginning to end, God proved Himself true. As depicted in His exhortation to him (Joshua 1:9), God never demanded faithfulness without first assuring His own.
Even when the journey took decades and the challenges seemed insurmountable, God’s word stood firm. Our trust, too, rest on the same faithfulness. What God promises, He performs — in His perfect time.
4. God Fights for His People
In congruence, every victory Joshua won came through divine power, not human might.
When the sun stood still in battle (Joshua 10), it was God showing that He fights for those who trust Him.
In our spiritual battles, we are reminded that “the battle belongs to the Lord” (1 Samuel 17:47). He defends, delivers, and strengthens us in His perfect way.
5. Leadership Grounded in Dependence
Joshua’s leadership was marked by humility and dependence. He led with vision and reverence, constantly seeking God’s presence and will before every battle and refused to lead in his own wisdom (Joshua 5:13-15; Joshua 7:6-10). He faithfully followed God’s instruction to remain grounded in His Word — meditating on the Book of the Law day and night (Joshua 1:7-8). He was both warrior and servant, conqueror and worshipper.
Even at the end of his life, Joshua gathered the people and challenged them: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). After decades of victories, Joshua knew faithfulness was still a choice.
He helps us remember that faith isn’t automatic – we must renew our commitment daily to choose to serve God with sincerity, not out of duty, but devotion. His example also reminds us that godly leadership means listening before leading and following before commanding. The strongest leaders are those who stay surrendered to God. A life guided by vision and reverence for God leads to endurance, peace, and impact that outlives our own lives.
6. Holiness and Accountability Matter
Not every victory came easily. After the sin of Achan (Joshua 7), Israel lost a battle because of hidden disobedience. Joshua immediately sought God, confronted the sin, and restored holiness to the camp.
This shows that spiritual battles are not only fought outwardly but inwardly, and as we wrestle with sin, we must never grow complacent in this lifelong battle. Sin tolerated is ground surrendered to the enemy, but repentance restores our relationship with God and with that, our strength to go on.
7. The Power of Remembering
When Israel crossed the Jordan River, Joshua instructed twelve men to take stones from the riverbed and set them up as a memorial (Joshua 4). He told them, “In the future, when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean? tell them…The Lord your God did to Jordan what He had done to the Red Sea when He dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is so powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God” (Joshua 4:21-24).
Joshua understood the importance of remembrance. Gratitude and testimony keep faith alive in us and others. When we recall God’s past faithfulness, we find courage and strength for what He will do in the future.
8. Leaving a Legacy of Faith
Joshua’s final act was to reaffirm the covenant between Israel and God (Joshua 24). He left behind more than land or victories — he left a spiritual inheritance of faith, courage, and obedience. True success, Joshua teaches, isn’t measured by achievements but by the faith we pass to the next generation.
A Life That Points to Jesus
Interestingly, Joshua’s name — Yehoshua, “The Lord is salvation” — foreshadows Jesus, whose name in Greek carries the same meaning. Just as Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land through absolute dependence on, obedience to, and humility before God, Jesus leads us into eternal rest and redemption in the same way (Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 1:13-14; Romans 3:24; John 3:16).
Joshua’s life, then, is not just history — it’s a living picture of God’s faithfulness, strength, and saving grace.
Final Reflection
Joshua’s journey reminds us that faith and obedience are never outdated virtues. Whether we’re young or old, starting anew or finishing strong, God calls us — like Joshua — to be courageous, to obey in holiness, to remember His faithfulness, and to lead others into His promises.
So, dear reader, the next time you read the Old Testament, don’t see it as a distant story. See it as your story — the same God who led Joshua still leads you today.
Republished from Christian Today UK.
