JOSHUA 23-24

Put yourself in this situation.  You have just learned that you have only a few weeks to live.  Your pastor knowing your condition, invites you to give a farewell address to your church.  What do you tell him?  What do you tell the church?  What would you include in YOUR farewell address?  God’s provision through the years?  The names of Godly people He has brought into your life?  The promises He has kept?  Suggested HOMEWORK!  WRITE out your thoughts and don’t wait to share them!

Joshua found himself in a similar situation.  He knew he would soon die so he seized the last hours of his life to address the nation on matters of vital importance. 

“If you have accomplished all that you planned for your life, you have not planned enough.” 

As Joshua’s life draws to a close, he addresses the leaders of the nation, exhorting them to “follow the Lord your God”  23:8.  Then he calls together the nations and delivers a ringing call to commitment.  “Decide today whom you will obey…But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”  24:15

Chapter 23:  Be Firm About Warning Others! 

Chapter 24:  Be Faithful in Challenging Others!

Joshua began by reviewing God’s past dealings with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses.  He traced God’s faithfulness through Egypt, the Red Sea, the wilderness, and Canaan.  He reminded the people again that OBEDIENCE brings blessing, and REBELLION brings destruction.  Joshua called for commitment.

Joshua is an excellent example of what happens when Godly leadership is at the helm.  The nation continued to serve the Lord even after Joshua’s death because of the impact of the elders who had been with him.  Right leadership begets right leadership.

In our earlier study, we learned that God installed a new leader for His people…assuring Joshua of His abiding presence in the difficult days of conquest that lay ahead.  The joy of entering the Promised Land is balanced by the sobering task that faced them.  A surprising setback is traced to sin in the camp, which God deals with decisively so that the nation can continue moving forward.  Finally the land is won and divided among the tribes and Joshua exhorts the people to serve the Lord in the land He has given them. 

All through the recordings of Joshua’s leadership, he gave his warrant of faith that the Lord had spoken, the Lord had promised.  The Word of God is the guaranty of faith.  Genuine faith always advances on the authority expressed in Heb. 13:5,6.

We have in these two chapters the parting counsels of the aged Joshua.  This faithful leader’s words unveil the concerns of his heart for this privileged nation. For some years now, Israel had been enjoying the rest and plenty of Canaan.  What of the future?  All depended on whether or not Israel would continue faithful to the covenant.  Joshua’s words do not conceal his apprehensiveness.  Seven times he refers to the idolatrous nations still left in Canaan.  He knew the snare they would be to Israel; and he therefore prescribed three safeguards.

1.     There must be brave ADHERENCE TO GOD’S WORD!  23:6

2.     There must be a vigilantly continued SEPARATION from the Canaanite    nations. 23:7

3.     There must be a cleaving to the Lord with real and fervent LOVE!  23: 8-11

This is the gist of these two chapters and these are the 3 indispensable conditions (just as truly today as in Joshua’s day for a CONTINUING in the experience of the “fullness of blessing.”  There must be…

1.     A living close to the Word of God

2.     A consistent separation from all known wrong

3.     A cleaving to God with the best love of the heart. 

The problem with thrilling victories is the threat of complacency afterwards.  Living in the glow of yesterday’s victories can be helpful and can be harmful! 

SUGGESTED HOMEWORK:  David expressed many warming memories of God’s past deliverances in his life in Psalm 18.  David knew from first hand experience that God is the One who hears, avenges, lifts up, rescues, reward, shows mercy, gives strength to those who put their trust in Him.  That knowledge gave David confidence to trust God in future days as well…”I will praise You among the nations v. 49

There is a danger for those who bask in yesterday’s victories…COMPLANCENCY!  Just because God has promised to fight for you does not mean you can sit idly by and do nothing.  Look at David’s action steps of obedience.  “I have kept the ways of the Lord…I did not put away His statues from me…I kept myself from mine iniquity…v. 21-23

For the indwelt believer:  What am I to DO?  YIELD TO HIS LIFE WITHIN!  Humbly admit, “I cannot!”  and YIELD with “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me:  I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

HIMpossible:  John 15:5 I am the Vine; you are the branches, Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit.  However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 

Joshua knew this Truth, lived this Truth, and always deflected credit to the Lord for all the victories and verbally passed on to those who followed after the admonition to do the same!  “Decide today whom you will obey…But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”  24:15