Deuteronomy 31:14

And the Lord saide vnto Moses, Beholde, thy dayes approach that thou must die: call Ioshua, and present your selues in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, that I may giue him a charge. And Moses and Ioshua went and presented themselues in the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Deuteronomy 31:14 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 31:14 records a pivotal moment in the lives of Moses and Joshua, marking the transition of leadership as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land. The book of Deuteronomy contains Moses’ farewell speeches to the people before his death and repeatedly stresses the importance of obeying God’s commandments and the consequences of disobedience.

In this verse God tells Moses that his days are drawing near and that he will die. After forty years of guiding the nation through the wilderness, Moses is warned that he will not enter the Promised Land because of his earlier disobedience at Meribah (Numbers 20:12). The announcement underscores the reality of mortality even for great leaders.

God then commands Moses to call Joshua, his assistant and chosen successor, to the tabernacle of the congregation. This summons signals a significant moment of transition, in which Joshua will receive a divine charge and assume the responsibility of leading the people into the land that God has promised. Although the specific details of the charge are not recorded in this verse, the purpose is clear: God intends to commission Joshua with the authority and strength needed for the task ahead.

Moses and Joshua obey the command and present themselves before God in the tabernacle. Their willingness to follow the divine instruction demonstrates faithful obedience, submission to God’s plan, and readiness to embrace the leadership change that God has ordained.

The passage teaches several enduring principles. First, it highlights the importance of a smooth leadership transition, showing that humility, obedience, and acceptance of God’s timing are essential when authority passes from one servant to another. Second, it illustrates divine commissioning: God equips and empowers leaders, and those who lead must continually seek His guidance and rely on His strength, recognizing that all authority comes from Him. Third, the faithful response of Moses and Joshua models the kind of obedience believers are called to exhibit, especially in times of uncertainty or change.

Overall, Deuteronomy 31:14 reminds us that leadership passes according to God’s sovereign plan, that divine guidance is indispensable for fulfilling God‑given responsibilities, and that faithful obedience to God’s directives is the foundation for successful stewardship of His work.