Next?
When you reach the inevitable end of your journey, who takes over? How will your organization, your team, or your employer move forward when you are no longer there?
This week concludes our leadership lessons from Moses. He is at the end of his life, and the people of Israel are preparing to enter the Promised Land. For forty years, Moses has traveled with them through hardship and triumph. He has witnessed their failures, celebrated their victories, and faithfully led them through seasons of uncertainty.
One critical issue remains for this servant leader: Who will lead the people next? Who will take over? How can Moses make the transition as smooth as possible? And what leadership lessons can we learn from his example?
I offer five lessons drawn from Moses’ example as we continue reading in Deuteronomy 31.
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
The first lesson is simple but essential: someone must take over.
The work must continue. Unless you founded the business or started the organization yourself, it did not begin with you. Just as importantly, the goal should be that it does not end with you. Effective leaders understand that their responsibility extends beyond their own tenure.
Who will take over when your time is finished? What is the succession plan? If you do not have one, it is time to begin developing one.
The second lesson is that Moses invested in Joshua long before the transition occurred.
As Moses passes the baton, it is important to remember that this is not their first interaction. Throughout Scripture, Joshua is consistently found alongside Moses. The seasoned leader invested in him, teaching, guiding, mentoring, and modeling leadership over many years.
The best time to develop future leaders is long before they are needed. Even at this late stage of his life, Moses continues to encourage and instruct his protégé.
The third lesson is that the endorsement of your successor should be visible and public.
Moses does not quietly appoint Joshua behind closed doors. He presents him before all the people and openly affirms his leadership.
Your team needs to know that your successor has your confidence and support. Public endorsement provides credibility for the next leader and reassurance for those who will follow them. Your words and actions carry tremendous weight. Used wisely, they can help position the next leader for success.
The fourth lesson is that leaders must pass on the vision, not just the position.
Moses points both Joshua and the people toward the future. The vision that has guided the nation must now be renewed through Joshua’s leadership.
Through your words and actions, you can help ensure that those who follow you understand and embrace the vision you have worked so hard to establish. Without intentional effort, a vision can fade when its champion departs. Organizations often begin to decline not because leadership changed, but because the vision was never clearly passed on.
Finally, Moses offers Joshua a familiar message of encouragement.
Earlier in the chapter, Joshua receives the promise that God will be with him. The same promise had already been given to the people, as we discussed in last week’s blog. Now Moses reinforces that promise once again.
Just for good measure, Moses reminds Joshua of it later in the chapter:
23 The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”
Three times Joshua is reminded that he does not need to rely on his own strength. God will provide the strength needed for both Joshua and the people to move forward.
As I said at the beginning of this series on Moses’ life, you do not need to share my faith journey to gain insight from these leadership lessons. The principles remain valuable regardless of your personal beliefs.
However, for those who do share that faith journey, let me conclude with a promise. If God has called you to a task, He will strengthen you for it. The same promise given to Joshua still speaks today.
Joshua stood at the edge of a new season. Moses would soon be gone. The future stood as a great unknown. Challenges awaited. Yet the success of the mission did not depend on Joshua's abilities alone—it depended on the presence and faithfulness of God.
The same is true for us. Every leader will eventually pass the baton. Every season of leadership comes to an end. What matters is not whether we remain in place forever, but whether we have faithfully prepared others to continue the work.
Perhaps today you are Moses, investing in and encouraging those who will follow you. Or perhaps you are Joshua, stepping into responsibilities that feel larger than your experience or confidence. Either way, the message remains the same:
Be strong and courageous.
Lead faithfully.
Invest in others.
Pass on the vision.
And trust that the God who brought you this far will continue His work long after your part of the journey is complete.
After all, great leadership is not measured by what happens while we are present, but by what continues when we are gone.
It is time to move forward.
