Jos 1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

Jos 1:11  Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.  

Jordan = “descender”

In three days you will pass over the “descender,” to go in to possess the land that God is giving you. I’m sure the significance of those words are not lost on the majority of you. In order to go in and possess the land (your blessings) you are going to have to pass over your fears, or whatever it is that makes you descend and draw back instead of ascend. This can’t be done without faith. Of course, this lines up with the Passover, and Christ’s victory over the grave as well. 

Jos 1:12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying,

Jos 1:13  Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.

Jos 1:14  Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them;

Jos 1:15  Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as [he hath given] you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.

This land of their possession was separate from the land being given to the rest of the tribes.

Deu 3:16  And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto the river Jabbok, [which is] the border of the children of Ammon;

Deu 3:17  The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast [thereof], from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, [even] the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward.

And at that same time, the command concerning their wives and children (above) was given. But look at what also happened. Remember, this is Moses, recounting to the people their history.

Deu 3:21  And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest.

Deu 3:22  Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.

Deu 3:23  And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,

Deu 3:24  O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God [is there] in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?

Deu 3:25  I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that [is] beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

Deu 3:26  But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.

Deu 3:27  Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold [it] with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

Deu 3:28  But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.

Apparently, Moses aggravated God by asking Him again to allow him to pass into the promised land. Once again, the reason for the refusal is clear. Moses’ heart had not changed. He was still bitterly blaming the people of Israel, and failed to see his own wrongdoing. Instead, he was told to charge and encourage Joshua, and to strengthen him for this task.

Jos 1:16  And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.

They should have stopped right there with that line, but they went further. I don’t know if Joshua caught it, but they clearly told him their intent.

Jos 1:17  According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.

This is a joke. They told Joshua that they would follow him, “just like we listened to Moses in ‘all’ things.” Don’t you remember? A while ago, they had Moses and Aaron on the ground pleading with God for their lives because of the rebellion of these people’s parents?

And here they say, according to the way they followed Moses, they would obey Joshua? They just told him in no uncertain terms that they are going to be problematic. So now, that they’ve put their foots in their mouths, they try to clean it up a bit.

Jos 1:18  Whosoever [he be] that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

So now, they try to act like they’re serious about obeying him, and then encourage him to be strong and of good courage. Don’t you love it when a hypocrite tries to snow you? And then, after they’ve tried to run game on you, they attempt to give you some form of false bravado? Good thing God had already established him in confidence and had his back.