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Joshua 1:8 - Meditate Continually on Gods Word.

Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of the Law 
continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be 
sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then 
will you succeed. 

INTRODUCTION

In the days of the wilderness wandering the 
Lord had made abundant provision for His children 
to keep in remembrance the words of His law. 
After the settlement in Canaan the divine precepts 
were to be repeated daily in every home; they 
were to be written plainly upon the doorposts and 
gates, and spread upon memorial tablets. They were 
to be set to music and chanted by young and 
old. [PK 464-465] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

What Are You Thinking?
   As the Israelites were preparing to enter 
the Promised Land, God told them that if they 
wanted to succeed spiritually, they needed to be 
constantly looking at His Word. 
   God said, Study this Book of 
Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so 
you will be sure to obey everything written in 
it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in 
all you do (Joshua 1:8 NLT). 
   What does it mean to meditate? In the 
Bible it means to contemplate. The idea given in 
Scripture is that of chewing your food carefully. 
Eastern meditation is emptying your mind. But 
biblical meditation is filling your mind with the 
Word of God. 
   And as you memorize, know, and understand 
Scripture, it will be a weapon to use as you share your 
faith and also to defend yourself when youre 
being attacked. 
   In the Garden of Eden, Satan came to Adam 
and Eve and basically challenged them to doubt 
the Word of God. He said, Did God really say 
you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees 
in the garden? (Genesis 3:1 NLT). In other 
words, Did God really say what you think He 
said?  
   This is one of the first things that 
happens to someone who becomes a Christian. They 
have doubts about what they believe. But Jesus 
showed us how to handle this during His temptation 
in the wilderness. In each instance, He began 
by saying, It is written. He came back to 
the Word of God, which the Bible refers to as 
the sword of the Spirit. 
   Psalm 1, describing the happy person, 
says, But they delight in the law of the Lord, 
meditating on it day and night. They are like trees 
planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each 
season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper 
in all they do (verses 2"3 NLT). 
   A growing Christian will delight in and 
love the Word of God. [Greg Laurie from Harvest 
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

COMMENTARY

How does God's guarantee of success to 
Joshua relate to us? 
   The Book of Joshua begins with God's 
commissioning of Israel's new leader. God described 
Joshua's mission"to go in and possess the Land 
(1:2-6). God hinged Joshua's success on three key 
factors: 1) God's own presence (v. 5); 2) Joshua's 
personal strength and courage (vv. 7, 9); and 3) 
Joshua's attention to and application of God's word 
(vv. 7, 8). 
   God spelled out this third factor with 
some detail for it was to be the basis for all of 
Joshua's actions. God's word was to be Joshua's 
constant conversation, continual meditation, and 
unswerving application. The phrase "This Book of the 
Law shall not depart from your mouth" (v. 8) 
deserves added attention. While a first impression 
might lead to the conclusion that Joshua was not 
supposed to talk about the Book of the Law, the 
direct opposite is the case: he was not supposed to 
stop talking about it. 
   Biblical meditation begins with the 
thoughtful, lingering reading of God's Word. It 
progresses to familiarity and memorization. In order to 
"meditate in it day and night" (v. 8), the Book of the 
Law would have been in Joshua. The purpose has 
been achieved when meditation leads us to 
"observe to do according to all that is written in 
it" (v. 8). 
   "Then," God told Joshua, "you will make 
your way prosperous, and then you will have good 
success" (v. 8). Joshua found the ultimate measure of 
prosperity and success"knowing how God wants His 
people to live and then living that way. God 
repeatedly assured Joshua of His own presence "wherever 
you go." What greater measurement of success 
could there be than to honor the ever-present God 
with our obedience? [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003] 

To Gain Insight into Gods Word, Learn to 
Meditate on It 
   There are so many things you can do to 
unlock the gifts the Bible offers. You can read 
Scripture, study it, and memorize it. But you should 
also meditate on it.  
   Second Timothy 2:7 says, Reflect on 
what I am saying, for the Lord will give you 
insight into all this (NIV). 
   When you reflect on the Bible - when you 
meditate on it - God gives you more insight into his 
Word. 
   What does it mean to meditate? It simply 
means to think seriously about something. It means 
you engage your mind. 
   Wondering how to meditate? If you know 
how to worry, you know how to meditate. Worry is 
simply negative meditation. When you worry, you 
take a negative thought and go over and over it 
in your mind. And the more you worry, the 
bigger your thought gets. 
   In meditation, you do the same thing with 
Scripture: You go over and over a passage of the Bible 
in your mind. But unlike with worry, meditating 
on Scripture produces positive results. 
   One of the ways you can meditate on 
Scripture is by doing what I call pronouncing 
it. Say a Bible verse aloud over and over again. 
Each time you say it, emphasize a different 
word. 
   Take Philippians 4:13, for example: I 
can do all things through Christ who strengthens 
me (NKJV). The first time you say the verse, 
emphasize I. The next time emphasize can. And so on, 
until you emphasize the last word of the verse. 
   Each time you say the verse, its meaning 
will be nuanced in a different way. 
   Another tool for meditating is a 
reflection bridge. Beneath every story in the Bible is 
a timeless principle, and the reflection 
bridge helps you find it. First, you read the story 
and ask what it meant when it first happened. 
Then you ask what timeless principle its 
teaching. Then you personalize it by asking what it 
means to you today 
   The Bible promises tremendous blessings 
if you spend time meditating on it: Keep 
this Book of the Law always on your lips; 
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 (Joshua 1:8 
NIV). 
   Take the time now to develop the habit of 
meditating on Gods Word, and youll reap the 
benefits for the rest of your life. [Daily Devotional 
by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY 

Joshua 1:8 - Meditate Continually.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190831-1326.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study 
Guides: 
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657