I was reading through Numbers 13 when something stopped me mid-verse.
The chapter lists the twelve spies Moses sent to scout the Promised Land. Twelve men, one from each tribe. All of them described as leaders.
And there in verse 8 was a name I recognised immediately: Hoshea the son of Nun. Better known by the name Moses would later give him, Joshua.
Joshua. The man who would succeed Moses. The man who would lead all of Israel into the Promised Land.
But here in Numbers 13, he is just one of twelve spies. A leader, yes, but not THE leader of his tribe.
That stopped me.
If Joshua was destined to lead all of Israel, who was leading his tribe of Ephraim?
I flipped back to Numbers 2. The tribal leader of Ephraim was Elishama the son of Ammihud. Not Joshua.
Joshua, the future commander of Israel’s armies, the successor to Moses himself, had a leader above him.
And apparently, that was not a problem.
Two Different Groups of Leaders
The leaders listed in Numbers 2 and the spies in Numbers 13 are mostly different people.
Numbers 2 lists the tribal chiefs, the highest-ranking leaders responsible for military command and overall administration. Numbers 13 lists the spies, prominent, courageous men chosen for a specific mission, but not necessarily the top-tier leaders.
For the tribe of Ephraim, Elishama was the chief. Joshua was the spy.
For the tribe of Judah, Nahshon was the chief. Caleb was the spy.
Different roles. Different men.
And here is what is remarkable: there is no record of conflict. No jealousy. No competition. Joshua did not resent serving under Elishama. Elishama did not feel threatened by Joshua’s relationship with Moses.
They each served faithfully in their assigned roles without grasping for positions they did not yet hold.
What Joshua’s Example Teaches Us
- Great Leaders Know How to Follow
You cannot lead well until you have learned to follow well.
Joshua’s path to leadership looked like this:
Young warrior → personal assistant to Moses → mid-level tribal leader → spy → commissioned successor → supreme commander of all Israel.
Each stage prepared him for the next. Each role taught him something he would need later. None of those lessons could be skipped.
- Faithfulness in Small Things Qualifies You for Big Things
Joshua did not start as the supreme leader of Israel. He started as a warrior, then an assistant, then a tribal leader, then a successor in training.
At every level, he proved faithful. He obeyed Moses without question. He stayed in the tent of meeting guarding God’s presence even after Moses had left (Exodus 33:11). He stood courageously with Caleb against the fearful majority (Numbers 14:6-9). He served Moses for forty years without complaint.
Because he was faithful in each smaller role, God entrusted him with the ultimate one.
The question worth sitting with: are we faithful where we are right now? Or are we waiting for the right position before we give our best?
- Authority Does Not Require the Highest Title
Elishama had the higher title. Joshua had the calling. Both came from God. Neither diminished the other.
You can have tremendous influence without the top title. You can be a mid-level leader and still make an enormous impact. Stop obsessing over titles and start excelling in your current assignment.
- Submission to Authority Is Not Weakness
Our culture views submission as lack of ambition. Joshua’s example shows the opposite.
He was strong, gifted, courageous, and capable. He could have led. He had the ability. But it was not time. So, he submitted. And when God’s time came, he was not just skilled, he was mature.
Even Jesus, who had all authority, submitted to earthly parents and ultimately to the Father’s will (Philippians 2:5-8). If Jesus submitted, we certainly can.
- There Is No Room for Jealousy or Competition
There is no record of Joshua resenting Elishama’s position. No record of Elishama trying to sideline Joshua. No division. No competition.
Both men understood something fundamental: there is no competition in the kingdom of God. Your calling is yours. Mine is mine. Your success does not threaten me. My advancement does not diminish you.
We are on the same team, serving the same God, working toward the same goal (Romans 12:3-5).
The Test Joshua Passed That Many Fail
When the twelve spies returned from Canaan, ten gave a fearful report. Only Joshua and Caleb said the people were well able to take the land. The majority wanted to stone them (Numbers 14:10).
Joshua had the courage to stand against popular opinion, risk his life for truth, and trust God when everyone else doubted. He led even when he was not yet “the leader.”
This was not about position. It was about character, developed through years of humble service under others.
Caleb: The Same Pattern
Joshua was not alone in this.
Caleb was not the tribal chief of Judah. He was not even a native Israelite by birth, the Scriptures identify him as a Kenizzite, likely a Gentile convert adopted into Judah’s tribe (Joshua 14:6, 14).
Yet he stood faithfully with Joshua for forty-five years. At age 85, he was still strong and still ready to fight for God’s promises (Joshua 14:10-12). He received Hebron, one of the choicest portions of the land, as his personal inheritance.
God honours faithfulness, not pedigree, position, or status. Caleb’s background did not limit him. His mid-level position did not hold him back.
The Leader Who Knew How to Follow
Joshua’s legacy is extraordinary, he conquered Canaan, divided the land among the tribes, and led Israel faithfully after Moses.
But all of it started with learning to follow before he led. Serving faithfully in lesser roles. Submitting to authority above him. Waiting for God’s timing. Building character in obscurity.
The greatest leaders are those who first learned to be faithful followers.
So here is the challenge: stop waiting for the right position to be faithful. Start excelling in your current assignment.
Serve your leader with the same excellence you would want from those under you. Use your gifts without demanding recognition. Build character in the hidden places where no one is watching. Trust God’s timing.
Because if Joshua, destined to lead all of Israel , could faithfully serve under Elishama, then you can faithfully serve wherever God has placed you right now.
And the humble service you are giving today might be preparing you for the significant leadership God has planned for tomorrow.
Just like it did for a man named Joshua. The leader who knew how to follow.
Have you ever been in a season of serving under someone else’s leadership? What did that season teach you? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
