The time had come that Moses must die. His sin in the wilderness at the rock in Kedesh would be the cause of God to forbid him from leading the people into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:11-12). Moses had fallen short and had proven himself, although a great leader, not to be worthy of an honorable task. God wanted someone who would obey at all costs no matter what.
Moses recognized the need for Israel to have a leader. He requested a leader for Israel, “Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:17) God's choice was one who had proven his obedience in the past, one who was filled with the Spirit: Joshua (Gk: ιησουν Heb: יהושׁוּע)
The choosing of a leader for the nation of Israel reminds me of another who is far greater than Joshua. He is one who proved his obedience unto death, even cross death (Philippians 2:8). He is one who not only has the Spirit upon Him, (Matthew 3:16) not only was He conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20), but it was even His Spirit that had filled Joshua (Galatians 4:6): Jesus (Gk: ιησουν Heb: יהושׁוּע). The great leader Joshua is only a foreshadow of a greater leader to come. It is no coincidence that they share the name name: "Jehovah is Salvation."
Moses' hope for the people was a shepherd, but the greatest Shepherd would come later. He called Himself "the Good Shepherd," Peter calls Him the Chief Shepherd," and Zechariah prophecies Him as a rejected shepherd of Israel (Zechariah 11:7-14, John 10:11, 1 Peter 5:4). He took the time to teach the people who flocked to Him in droves, and to feed a group whom He had compassion on because they were as a sheep without a shepherd in the grass on the sea shore (Mark 6:34).
Joshua would prove himself to be a great leader; taking the chosen of Israel into the land and conquering it. The Lord Jesus will soon return to take the chosen of God, those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and Lord, to be with Him forever. For the Lord Jesus will reign on earth a thousand years with the remnant of Israel and with a Gentile remnant from the Tribulation to serve (Isaiah 65:18, Revelation 7:14-17). What a glorious day it will be when the true King of Israel takes His Throne, when the theme shall be "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" (Zechariah 14:20-21)
