Joshua 24:1-28: Choose You This Day Whom You Will Serve

 

Joshua 24:1-28: Choose You This Day Whom You Will Serve

Joshua's last speech before he dies is to first remind the people of all of God's miracles, then he instructs them to fear the Lord and out away false gods and serve the Lord.  He tells them that now is the time to make a choice whom they will serve.  They remember the Lord's goodness and choose the Lord.

Joshua then reminds them they must serve only God.  God will forgive their sins only if they refuse to follow false idols.  He then says their promise to serve the Lord only is a witness against themselves should they ever backslide.  They set up a memorial stone to show that the Lord has heard their promise and that they will not deny God.  

 

This is one of my favorite portions of scripture in the Old Testament.  It is such a profound way in which Joshua addresses his people and reminds them of all God had done for them.  He wants to convince them to give up their sinful ways and follow only God.  How much more beautiful for us who live after Jesus' death on the cross and all He sacrificed to save our souls from Hell.  Knowing the veil has been torn so we can have a personal relationship with Jesus that does not require hollow ritual or a third party to speak to God (such as a priest), how much more we should want to give up our false gods and only have a pure relationship with Him! (see Matthew 27:51)

When we agree to follow Jesus, we are saying we want to be a new person and purge our lives of sinful habits.  We want to live according to the principles of Jesus Christ and no longer cleave to worldly, ungodly ways.

Time on this earth is very short and today truly is the day to choose whom you will serve.  Don't wait until tomorrow!  As for me and my husband, we choose the Lord! 

(2 Corinthians 6:2) For [God] saith, "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured [gave assiatnce to] thee: behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation."

When we make a promise to serve God and forsake the world, it is a permanent witness to our souls that we have vowed to never deny or betray God.  I pray I always take my promises to the Lord seriously with awe, fear, and humility.

(2 Corinthians 5:10, 15-17) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

(This is a long portion of scripture, but I edited some of it out, but please read the entire thing on your own.)

(Joshua 24:1-28) And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel... and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, 'Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time... and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.... sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea... And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. '"

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you THIS DAY whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

And the people answered and said, "God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed... therefore will we also serve the Lord; for He is our God."

And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve Him."

 And they said, "We are witnesses."

"Now therefore put away," said he, "the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel."

And the people said unto Joshua, "The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey."

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day... and Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.

And Joshua said unto all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God."