Joshua had one final task to perform for God. He was very old now, and for a while the land of Israel had been at peace and rest. The inheritance had been distributed properly between all of the tribes. The Levites had been given designated places to live and work in certain cities. Some cities were now set up as cities of refuge. These were known as a place where a person could receive a fair trial for unintended crimes; away from the places of the original occurrence of the crime, where the people making such decisions would not know any history that leads to prejudiced thoughts. The Tabernacle was once again set up for worship.
At first glance you might think Joshua’s work was over.
However; some Canaanites still remained in the land. Many were in the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. God had decreed that every Canaanite should be driven out of Israel.
Joshua had one final task.
MEETING AT SHECHEM
He called the elders, leaders, judges and officials together. The meeting place was at Shechem, which was between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. This was a place of historical significance for Israel. Some of that history was good and other parts of that history were not so good.
On the good side of history; Shechem had been the first place that Abraham camped in the Promised Land. Abraham had built an altar to The Lord at Shechem.
Another historical moment on the good side of history was when Jacob had returned home again to Israel after being in a foreign land for many years because of his sins against his brother Esau. Jacob had first camped in Shechem. He built an altar to the Lord there. He named the place of that altar El Elohe Israel, “God, The God of Israel.”
Other history at Shechem held more shameful memories for Israel. It was there that Simeon and Levi deceptively lured the men of Shechem into a huge and unfair massacre.
We also can remember the story of the time that Jacob confiscated his family’s idols and buried them beneath the terebinth tree near Shechem.
HOW GOD BRINGS PEOPLE “OUT OF EGYPT”
There, from both mountains that surround the valley of Shechem, the children of God had stood and heard the recitation of the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience pronounced from Moses. This was the beginning of how God was bringing them out of a wilderness full of the sins of mankind and into a more holy nation. At Shechem and the mountains surrounding it; the people were witnesses to the history of how God brings people “out of Egypt.”
Examples are the way God called Abraham out of Ur, Moses and Aaron out of Egypt, the people of Israel out of harm’s way from Pharaoh’s army as they crossed the Red Sea. We can also recall how God sent the plagues to Egypt to bring His people out of the bondage from slavery. To deliver them “out of Egypt” God saved Israel from the Amorites, from Balak, from Balaam’s curses, from the dangers of the wilderness, from the Men of Jericho, from the Canaanites in their inherited territories. God brought the people from poverty into undeserved blessings and from slavery into freedom.
All of this was God delivering His people “out of Egypt” and into a better kingdom.
SERVING GOD – EXCLUSIVELY
This place was a solid witness to all of this history and the lessons learned in these times of deliverance. It was very clear that the people were to serve God – EXCLUSIVELY in order to come out of the ways of Egypt.
By the history of Shechem the people had lived through much that taught them that God is greater than any of the false and pagan gods that were worshiped by the Egyptians. They knew they had to make a firm choice and stick to their commitment to God in order to remain free and delivered from sin. Every history lesson had proved it. In the days of Moses they had stood on these mountainsides and confirmed their choice to be the people of God. They had committed themselves to serve no other gods, just before they had crossed the river and come into their inheritance on the other side. Today, they would reconfirm this same commitment; only Joshua would lead them this time.
THE RIGHT PLACE AND THE RIGHT CHOICE
This was the right choice of the place for Joshua to give his last farewell address. It was a good place to remind the people of all of their previous commitments to God.
Joshua stepped up and reminded them first of all that God had done for them.
They were admonished to “be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left” They were told not to associate with those nations left in Canaan, and not to be associated with their false gods. Joshua firmly warned them if they turned away from God and aligned themselves with these nations that God would no longer drive the pagan nations away. Instead they would become snares and traps for Israel.
SNARES AND TRAPS
They say that history has a way of repeating itself. Here in America today we have also been warned by prophets of our nation not to participate with the gods of other nations or to align ourselves with false gods and the ways of those who do not believe in or worship the One True God of Heaven and Earth.
If you aren’t clear about what I mean here; please purchase a copy of Jonathon Cahn’s book called “Return of the Gods.” He goes into great detail about how the people of today have allowed the ancient false gods of Egypt back into our country against the wishes of Our Great God.
NO APOSTASY
We are a nation in apostasy; and it must change. We need to remember these lessons that Israel learned so long ago. It is time for us to renew our covenant with God. Churches must begin to preach the Gospel again instead of trying to be culturally accepted and politically correct. We must realize that these cultural and political clashes we are now going through will all be set straight as soon as Jesus Christ returns for those who have overcome this world and stayed true to Him and Him alone.
It is nothing new; Israel experienced the same tug of war from the same demonic spirits that travel the airwaves of our nation today. Let’s not repeat the same story. Pray for our nation to overcome the ways of the world and return to their first love. America was founded on Godly principles. These same principles from our founding fathers are the ones that Joshua was repeating to his beloved nation. He was reminding them to KEEP GOD’S LAWS.
REPENT AND COME INTO A BETTER LIFE
Yes; we all know that is humanly impossible; but still we must be constantly growing and trying to live more like Jesus every day. There is always mercy and forgiveness for those who fail; but there will only be the wrath of God for those who fail to repent and fail to rely on God’s Holy Spirit to lead them into a better way to live.
Do you think when Joshua was crying out his last message to the people he was saying “wait until the nation is perfect; then begin to keep the things God has commanded you?”
No!
He was telling them to repent, turn, and walk in the ways of God immediately and never to stop doing so. It should be the same with us!
WHIPS AND THORNS
As Joshua spoke to them of not caving in to the culture around them he used strong language. His words were referring to the fact that these evil and pagan practices of other cultures would become “whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes.” These would be the case until every Israelite died; unless they chose to become obedient to God instead of disobedient.
As Joshua drew nearer and nearer to his death, he reminded the people that God had not failed to keep one of His promises. All had been fulfilled. Not one promise had failed. God is always true to His word. This also means that he would let the evil things chosen destroy the people if they chose disobedience. If the people chose to violate God’s Covenant by serving other gods, they would surely experience God’s wrath and perish in their sins.
As they all stood at Shechem and were presented to God; Joshua’s last words to Israel (which can be found in Joshua 24:2-22) were spoken and delivered for all to hear.
JOSHUA’S LAST MESSAGE
The area was a natural setting that worked like a huge amphitheater. These words rang out over the land and into the people’s ears.
They were loud and clear:
(Joshua 24:2-22) Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.”
“Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brouoght the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.“
EAST OF THE JORDAN
“I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.”
“Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you–also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.“
HEART OF THE MESSAGE
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
“Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”
“Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”
“But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
“Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”
“”Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.”
A WITNESS OF STONE
Once again history recorded God’s people renewing their vow to keep Covenant with God. They promised to serve and obey God. Joshua re-read the Laws to the people at Shechem. These laws were recorded in The Book of The Law of God.
In this very same spot where Abraham and Jacob had worshiped God; Joshua set up a huge stone under an oak. As he did this he explained to the people: “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”
After this recommitment; the people all went back to enjoy their inheritance.
Joshua lived to be 110 years old. He was buried in his inherited land; Timnath Serah which was in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
Today we heard about Joshua’s last message to the people. In this time of Joshua’s reminders, the people recommitted to God. Joshua managed to keep the people on track and focused on God for all the years that he was appointed to be their leader. It was now time to say goodbye to this great leader of Israel.
By looking back over Joshua’s amazing life we can learn so much. He teaches us that we must always be serving God, no matter what culture we are living within. God’s ways should always be our ways. Anyone following that advice will surely find themselves blessed. People who do not want God’s ways eventually reap the rewards of the world.
Next week we will talk about some other important historical notes found in Joshua Chapter 24.