Legacy Of Choices

B. NARRATIVE

1. Joshua 23:1-5

a. Joshua reminds the people of God's c __ __ __ __ __ __ __ with Israel: He would, indeed, give them the land He had long before promised to their patriarchs.

b. Note that he speaks of having divided the land among them in the past tense but indicates that the land has not yet been completely rid of the spiritually dispossessed Canaanites.

2. Joshua 23:6-11

a. Joshua again exhorts the people to o __ __ __ God wholly.

b. But be very sure to follow all the instructions written in the book of the laws of Moses; do not deviate from them the least little bit. (Joshua 23:6, TLB)

c. In v.11 he adds to his exhortation to obey God the exhortation to l __ __ __ God.

3. Joshua 23:12-16

a. in v.12-13 Joshua gives specific warning about intermarriage with the Canaanites.

(1) They will be a s __ __ __ __ and a t __ __ __ to you.

(2) They will be a t __ __ __ __ in your side ("eyes").

(3) They will cause you to "d __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ from this good land which the Lord your God has given you." (Joshua 23:13, TLB)

b. In v.14 he reminds the people briefly of the record of God's faithfulness.

c. But the chapter ends with a blunt warning of the certain w __ __ __ __ of God which will follow any foray by Israel into idolatry.

4. Joshua 24:1-13

a. Note the site chosen by Joshua for his "farewell address:" S __ __ __ __ __ __. Did he choose it for its excellent acoustics?

b. This passage begins with a rare Old Testament example of the utterance of prophetic history. We nearly always think of biblical prophecy in terms of the foretelling of future events, but this is not so. Biblical prophecy is any authoritative utterance which begins with the KJV phrase: "... t __ __ __ saith the L __ __ __...".

c. The entire passage is a brief review of the history of Israel to that point in time.

(1) The bizarre account of king B __ __ __ __ of Moab and the secular prophet named

B __ __ __ __ __ is contained in Numbers 22-24.

(2) In v.12 Joshua makes a reference which has confounded Bible scholars for centuries.

"I sent the h __ __ __ __ __ before you which drive them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow."

- God reminds His people again that the campaign in Canaan was not military; it was s __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

- But what were these "hornets?"

"The meaning of this Hebrew word is unclear. Some people think it refers to the irrational panic which spread through the Canaanites when they heard about Israel (2:11, 5:1, 9:24)."

( Joshua, one of the Navigators' "Life Change Series" of commentaries; Karen Hincley, ed. )

5. Joshua 24:14-25

a. The c __ __ __ __ __ __ __ with God is once again renewed.

b. v.14 records Joshua's charge to the people to:

(1) f __ __ __ the Lord;

(2) serve Him in s __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ and in t __ __ __ __;

(3) put away all I __ __ __ __.

c. v.15 is the familiar key verse in this book.

(1) Joshua declares that Israel must choose whom they will serve.

- The choice is not whether or not to serve somebody.