Deuteronomy 31:2-3 (KJV)
And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
We all know Moses was not permitted to enter the land because, in his anger, he disobeyed the Lord and smote the rock instead of speaking to it.
Moses here gives a second reason—he was old and could no longer get around as he once did.
But I see in verse three what is, in my understanding, the root reason. Moses didn’t go over Jordan with them—but God did.
I am happy to acknowledge that God gave them a leader after Moses, Joshua. But Joshua would have been new in the job—proven as Moses’ servant, but not yet as the man out front. During this very critical juncture in the life of Israel, they needed to know that God was their leader.
- Not Moses.
- Not even Joshua.
God went over before them.
I am thankful that God places good leaders in our lives. I’ve known some pastors whose impact and influence have been amazing, inspiring, almost flawless. It would not be difficult to come to the place where we were unwittingly following them rather than the Lord.
One of those men passed away just this week. Pastor Dave Brown has influenced my life for the better part of forty years. In my earliest days of ministry, I watched him in awe. His father took me under his wing, so to speak, and encouraged me. But when he died, it was as if Dave Brown picked up the mantle and did double his dad.
He molded me. He led me into advanced positions of leadership. He introduced me to people of influence I would otherwise not have known. He stood beside me in spiritual combat, even shielding me from the enemy’s darts.
But he would have always wanted me to know—it was God who went before me.
Today, like no other day in the last forty years, I am reminded of that. We love people. We cherish those men God has used to build us. But we trust in God alone.
I will see you in glory, my friend.
#GodGoesBeforeUs #FaithfulLeadership #TrustInTheLord #LegacyOfFaith #HeavenBoundHope
He Led Well Because God Did: When Leaders Leave
When a faithful leader finishes his course, God’s leadership doesn’t end—He still goes before His people. 🌅
Have you ever had a pastor or Christian mentor who deeply shaped your walk with God? Share their name or how they influenced you in the comments below. 👇
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