A. INTRODUCTION
We conclude our study in the book of Joshua with Bible record of the last days of his life. And what a full, exciting life it was!
1. Born into slavery in E __ __ __ __, Joshua experienced first hand oppression and injustice most people cannot even imagine.
a. He was there when M __ __ __ __ returned from exile, now ordained by God as the leader of His people, Israel.
b. Surely he was aware of the taut and drawn-out confrontations between Moses and P __ __ __ __ __ __.
c. He witnessed then ten great and terrible p __ __ __ __ __ __ God brought upon the land of Eqypt, including the night of the P __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
2. Joshua was among the estimated two million people who participated in the e __ __ __ __ __ from Egypt.
a. He crossed the R __ __ S __ __ on dry land after God Himself had parted the waters.
b. He looked back to see the destruction of the pursuing Egyptian army as God released those same waters.
3. He was with Moses on Mount S __ __ __ __ when God gave His l __ __ to His people.
a. He was there when, as they descended from the mountaintop, they stumbled onto the rebellious revelry of the people around the altar of the g __ __ __ __ __ c __ __ __.
b. He saw the tribe of L __ __ __ respond to Moses' call, "Who is on the Lord's side?!" and watched as they executed God's swift and terrible justice on thousands of the disobedient Israelis.
4. As a leader of the tribe of E __ __ __ __ __ __ Joshua had been one of twelve men selected by Moses to spy out the Promised Land some 60 years before the events recorded in this morning's text passage.
a. Ten of the spies were frightened by what they saw there and reported back that it would be impossible for Israel to possess the land.
b. Only Joshua and C __ __ __ __ trusted God and believed that the land was ready to be possessed at that time. The people, however, chose to receive the report of the other ten, so they did not claim the promise of God.
5. Joshua, of course, became part of the nomadic nation in the wilderness for the next forty years.
a. He watched every adult ( except for C __ __ __ __ and M __ __ __ ) who had left Egypt with him die during that time of wandering.
b. He saw with his own eyes the presence of God going before His people in the form of a pillar of c __ __ __ __ by day and a pillar of f __ __ __ by night.
c. He lived on nothing but m __ __ __ __ for many years.
d. During this time he watched many nights as Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote down the "b __ __ __ of the l __ __."
6. As one of Israel's "mighty men of v __ __ __ __" Joshua took part in battle after battle wherein he saw the power of God vanquish the enemies of Israel.
a. He led the army in the first great battle with the Amalekites, which was finally won on the basis of the outstretched hands of Moses. Victory came at last when Moses's weary arms were physically lifted by A __ __ __ __ and H __ __.
b. He marched around the city-fortress of J __ __ __ __ __ __ for seven consecutive days and finally saw the walls come tumbling down.
c. After Israel's stinging defeat at Ai, Joshua took part in the l __ __, which fell on the greedy A __ __ __ __. He heard his c __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ and then orchestrated the ministration of God's judgment on that man and his entire family.
d. In his 90's he led an incredibly successful seven-year campaign against the coalition armies of Canaan in the south and then in the north. At the end of the southern campaign Joshua personally dispatched the s __ __ __ __ enemy kings.
7. Per God's instructions Joshua divided the land among the twelve tribes, including the forty-eight cities of the L __ __ __ __ __ __ , including the six Cities of R __ __ __ __ __.
8. Finally he "retired" to the portion of the land given to his own tribe, E __ __ __ __ __ __, first having (we assume) to "clean out" remaining pockets of indigenous enemies there. Now, at the age of _____, Joshua is "stricken with a __ __" and knows he has come at last to death's door. He assembles the nation together one last time, and we are certain that a huge crowd has gathered to hear the "farewell address" of a man whose life had been successful by anyone's standards. He has come to the end of his life under ideal circumstances. Unlike most people, Joshua was allowed to die in peace; he was able to die at peace; and he was privileged to bequeath to his people a final, clearly-stated message of wisdom and truth given credence and substance by the record of his long years of experience, accomplishment and unswerving faith in God. As we shall see this morning, Joshua's testimony -- as well as the challenge he attaches to it -- is pointed, profound, and passionate.
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.
- The choice is whom one will serve.
(2) The second part of this verse contains Joshua's mighty profession of faith:
"...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
d. In v.16-22 Joshua engages in an almost taunting dialogue with the people. They declare their intention to serve the Lord in v.16-18, but Joshua almost mockingly answers that they will not do so (v.19).
(1) They respond strongly that he is wrong; that they will choose to serve God.
(2) Now satisfied that they are, in fact, sincere, Joshua ends with two retorts:
- "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves, to serve Him." ( 24:22, NKJV )
- "Now, therefore, put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel." ( 24:23, NKJV )
6. Joshua 24:26-28
a. Here is a record of Joshua continuing the historical plan of God for a w __ __ __ __ __ __ record of His Word for His people.
b. Another monument is erected to the covenant. The importance for Israel of these visible reminders has been emphasized throughout this study.
7. Joshua 24:29-33
a. The end of an era for Israel is recorded in these few verses.
(1) J __ __ __ __ __ dies, and is buried in the portion of the Promised Land given to the tribe of Ephraim.
(2) The bones of J __ __ __ __ __, having been carted about by the Israelis for all these many years, are laid to rest in Shechem, in the very plot of land purchased by his father, J __ __ __ __, centuries before. (see Genesis 33:19)
(3) E __ __ __ __ __ __, the son of A __ __ __ __, who succeeded him as chief priest, dies and is buried.
b. It is interesting to note that those Israelites who swore their allegiance to God before Joshua in these chapters did keep the covenant.
After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. ( Judges 2:6, NIV )
c. Sadly however, the next generation did not follow in their fathers' footsteps. After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshipped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the Lord to anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the Lord handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.
( Judges 2:10-15, NIV )
C. APPLICATION
1. As Francis Schaeffer remind us, "The element of personal choice stands out as a key theme in the book of Joshua."
a. Before the battle of Jericho, Joshua made one of his many excellent, faithful choices when he fell at the feet of the Commander of the Lord's Host (5:13-15) saying, in effect, "I choose to follow You!"
b. R __ __ __ __ and the G __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ made difficult choices to leave with-out reservation their entire past traditions and beliefs and to dwell permanently with the people of God ( Joshua 2, Joshua 9 ).
c. Joshua 7 records the catastrophic choice of A __ __ __ __.
d. Joshua 8 describes the choices given dramatically to Israel between Mount E __ __ __ and Mount E __ __ __ __ __ __. On that day the nation chose wisely.
e. In Joshua 22 we read of the deliberate choice of the 2-1/2 tribes who would dwell on the eastern bank of the Jordan to serve the true and living God. They went so far as to raise a
great a __ __ __ __ of testimony to announce to the world the choice they had made.
f. Also in that chapter is the record of the unhesitating choice of the western tribes to take a powerful and sacrificial stand on behalf of the righteousness of God being manifested in His people. They also chose to r __ __ __ __ __ with their brothers before taking rash action.
g. In the chapters we have just read, Joshua boldly declares his choice. In the orignial Hebrew, the rock-solid nature of his declaration is captured with more passion that the English translation. Roughly understood, it might be rendered:
"As for me and my house, I have always chosen and will continue to choose to serve the Lord!"
2. The people of God's earth have always lived by their existential choices. This is often called the "L __ __ of the H __ __ __ __ __ __." It is recorded in Galatians 6:7:
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.( NKJV )
"..we find throughtout the entire book of Joshua an emphasis on choice -- choice that makes a tremendous difference in history, for individuals, for groups, for future generations. The Bible insists, 'Don't forget who you are. You are not a puppet or a machine. You do not obey a universal law of cause and effect in a closed system. Rather, you are made in the image of God and, as such, you must choose, and choose rightly, at every point." Adam chose wrongly, and we bear the marks of his error. Abraham believed God, and his choice was counted to him for righteousness. Joshua chose rightly, too. For those of us today, the situation is the same. Whether Christian or non-Christian, we are called upon to make choices which will have significant results."
( Francis A. Schaeffer: Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History )
3. If you are a non-Christian, there is a once-for-all choice which will make a total difference to you, in this life and in the next.
a. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. ( John 3:14-18, 36, NIV )
b. "Your choice is not a piece of theater. You are not a thistle-down in the wind. There are good and sufficient reasons in history to know that this is the choice you should make, and you are called upon to make it." ( Schaeffer: op. cit. )
3. Of course, once a person becomes a Christian by having made the once-for-all choice that was involved in justification, the choices do not end! The choice to serve God must be made continually, even daily!
a. If you live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit. ( Galatians 5:16, paraphrased )
b. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ( Galatians 6:8-9, NKJV )
3. Then (Jesus) said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." ( Luke 9:23, NKJV )
4. Every day, each one of us must make the choice to follow God or to follow other gods. Joshua's great call to "Choose! Choose!" must be as meaningful to His people today as it was in the time of Joshua.
"What are your gods of Ur? What are your gods of Egypt? What are your gods of the Amorites? What are your gods? What gods did you leave when you made the great first choice to become a Christian? God says, 'You chose once for all to be a Christian. Fine. Continue to choose, continue to choose, continue to choose -- moment by moment, existentially. You must continue to choose between the old gods and me, the living God.' And, as Joshua said, you must not choose lightly."
( Schaeffer: op. cit. )
