Deuteronomy 1:38
“Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.”
What does Deuteronomy 1:38 mean?
Moses is speaking to the Israelites right before he passes leadership to Joshua, telling them that Joshua will be the one to lead them into the promised land that Moses himself won't enter. He's asking the people to support and strengthen Joshua as he takes on this enormous responsibility, because Joshua's confidence will matter as he guides them forward. This is a tender moment, recognizing that the next generation will carry what the previous generation couldn't complete, and that they need one another's backing to do it. There's something beautiful here about how transitions of leadership and purpose don't happen in isolation, but within a community that chooses to encourage one another.