Moses appoints Joshua as leader (Numbers 27:12-23)

After Moses had sent Twelve Spies to explore the Promised Land, God informed him that he would not be the one to lead the people into their new homeland. Rather, he was to train one of the faithful spies, Joshua, to succeed him as the new leader.

Joshua was originally named Hoshea and he worked as an assistant to Moses. Moses renamed his young trainee ‘Joshua’, which means ‘God saves’, as a sign of his future role as the saviour of the Chosen People (Numbers 13:1-16). His leadership appointment is described in the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy.

As Moses neared the end of his life, when the people had arrived at the Dead Sea, he had another conversation with God about his successor. There God said to him: “Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom the Spirit is found, and lay your hand upon him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before the whole assembly and commission him in their sight. Give him some of your authority, so that the assembly of the people of Israel might obey.” (Numbers 27:18-20)

And so, in the presence of the whole people, Moses laid his hands on Joshua, to appoint him as his successor. God said to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous, for you will lead the Israelites into the land that I promised them and I will be with you.” (Deuteronomy 31:23)

Joshua was forty when Moses appointed him as the new leader of the people. Shortly after that, Moses died and was buried east of the Dead Sea. Joshua then went on to lead the Israelites across the River Jordan and to direct the conquest of the Promised Land.

Since ‘Joshua’ is the Hebrew version of the name Jesus, Joshua was later understood as a symbol of Jesus Christ. As Joshua started his new role as leader by leading the people across the Jordan, so Jesus began his public ministry when he was baptised in the same river.

In this Byzantine Revival mosaic, we see Moses and Joshua pictured as a pair, reflecting their close spiritual relationship. Moses is represented with the identifying symbols commonly associated with him – the Ten Commandments, his miraculous staff and two rays of light shining from his head. 

Joshua is pictured as a young soldier, with a spear and shield. The sun symbol on his clothing relates to a later story from the book of Joshua. In the story, at Joshua’s command the sun miraculously stood still, providing extra daylight that enabled him to win the battle of Gibeon (Joshua 10:9-14).

The mosaic is part of a wider scheme that covers the beautiful church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine, in Droitwich. Designed by Gabriel Pippet, the mosaics were created between 1922-1932 by Maurice Josey and Fred Oates. Pippet was inspired to produce the scheme after contemplating the mosaic churches of Rome and Ravenna.

See the full image:

Where to find this work of art`
Sacred Heart and St Catherine, Droitwich

Read the relevant passage
Numbers 27:12-23

On a similar theme

• From the Old Testament: Joshua went on to lead the people across the River Jordan, into the Promised Land.
• From the New Testament: Christ appointed St Peter, his disciple, as the new leader of the Church.