JOSHUA’S   BIOGRAPHY

Joshua or Jehoshua means “Jehovah is salvation

His name was originally Oshea, his family name or surname.

Oshea (also Hosea or Hoshea), means “salvation”

but Moses renamed him Joshua, so he was called Salvation Salvation  (Num 13: 8 & 16)

He was from the tribe of  Ephraim and succeeded Moses as spiritual and military leader of Israel

He was a master strategist (learn ambush strategies – Josh 8)

Joshua left Egypt at the age of  40years and died at 110 years old.

Joshua was called a “young man” (Ex 33: 11)

 

Why did Moses change Joshua’s name to Oshea?

Jews were named in keeping with their future role in earth. In fact, God names things and people according to their purpose. People were not usually renamed in adulthood except under unique circumstances. For example, Saul was renamed Apostle Paul because Saul means “ditch”. If you fall in you will die there.

I tracked a few of the many references to Joshua in order to understand the events leading to his renaming. the is first introduced as Moses’ servant and minister  – 

Exodus 17: 19 – military commander who led the battle against the Amalekites

Ex 24: 13 – minister who accompanied Moses into the mountain to meet God

Exodus 33: 11 – as Moses’ servant he did not depart from the tabernacle

Num 11: 28 – Moses’ servant

Numbers 13: 16 – Moses renamed him Joshua

Num 27: 18 & 22 – God commanded Moses to lay hands on him or to anoint him and Moses did so in front of all the people.  This was a different assignment from that of the Priesthood. God designated Joshua as His incumbent political, military and spiritual head of Israel.

Prior to Moses’ death, God commanded Moses to charge Joshua in front of the nation

Given God’s direct involvement with Joshua’s appointment as successor, I concluded that Joshua was renamed after Jesus. Apostle Paul revealed in 1 Corinthians 10: 1 – 4, that Jesus was the leader of the Jews while they were in the desert. Like Moses, Joshua personally knew the three members of the God family and would prophetically become a savior of his people in the same way that Jesus would save the entire world.

MOSES GROOMED HIM FOR LEADERSHIP

He was Moses’ minister and went everywhere with him – into the Mountain to meet God; into the Tabernacle with Moses to meet God (Ex 24: 13)

Joshua therefore knew God face to face

Moses appointed Joshua as General of the army  that fought with Amalek, Israel’s most dangerous opponent.

God confirmed Joshua as successor

Moses had transferred the Spirit of  Wisdom to Joshua by laying hands on him at God’s command (Ex 27: 18).

Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies who returned with a good report

And the only two of their generation to enter into the Promised Land