Remember! (X7)
After Joshua makes the wonderful declaration: "As for me an my house, we will serve the Lord." The Israelites respond with great enthusiasm. They declare that they will follow the Lord too. Joshua warns them not to commit rashly or lightly: He challenges them in the negative: "You're not able to serve the Lord - He's holy and you're not... Will your faith persevere?"It's an important question.
The Israelites are positive. They believe they can. Joshua's response is to build another memorial - another reminder that they should be faithful to God.
The ESV Study Bible notes that there are seven of these stone "memorials" in the book of Joshua:
- When they cross the Jordan and commit themselves to the Lord through circumcision (4:20)
- Over the body Achan who sinned against the Lord - a reminder that obedience is better than sacrifice (7:26)
- Over the King of Ai (The only king to ever defeat them) A sober reminder about the disaster that a wrong turn can bring but also the wonder of a second chance. (8:28-29)
- When Joshua reviews the Law(8:30-32)
- Over the five Amorite Kings that they defeated when God made the sun stand still. (10:27)
- A covenant of loyalty with the the tribes on the East of the Jordan. (22:34)
- And here with covenant renewal (24:26-27)
We easily forget the major milestones, lessons and rescues that God performs in our lives. Recently a friend took us out to lunch to celebrate his spiritual birthday - the day he gave his life to the Lord. It was profound and beautiful to share that moment with him.
Here's your homework challenge after you've read this last passage in our Joshua series: Can you write down seven key moments in your life where God did something profound in your life or where you learned an important lesson?
Maybe you can share your list (or parts of it) with those who shared those moments with you.
We're told that the remainder of Joshua's generation remained faithful to the Lord. May this be true of us!
| On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. 26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. 27 "See!" he said to all 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." 28 Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. 29 After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 30 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 31 Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel. (Joshua24:25-31) |
This brings us to the end of our series on Joshua. Hope you've found it very meaningful! I'll take a break for a day or two before starting the next series. Any suggestions for the next series?
God bless, Theo
