Joshua 24:1-27
Wednesday, 31 May 2023
“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods…” -Joshua 24:14
The LORD had accomplished through Joshua the plan of getting His people settled in the Promised Land. As Joshua is nearing his final days, he calls together all the elders of the different tribes and exhorts them before renewing a covenant with the Lord. Here is a call to reverent fear and service of the Living GOD. After Joshua outlines how GOD had wonderfully led them through the generations, delivered them from the hand of their enemies and brought them forth to Canaan, he urges them to follow the LORD faithfully. Then Joshua sets the example by pledging his allegiance to follow and serve GOD- “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh.24:15).
As Joshua speaks to the people, He reminds them of:
· God’s Choosing- God chose their forefather Abraham and blessed him and his descendants with the land they were possessing now. They were privileged to be thus chosen!
We—God’s children too are a chosen people…”Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:10)
· God’s deliverance- God delivered His people from the bondage in Egypt and brought them through the Red Sea miraculously, saving them from their enemies.
We were once under the bondage of sin—without God and without hope (Eph. 2:12); but through Christ, we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of light (Col.1:12-14)
· God’s Victories- God reminds them: “It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory.” (V.12) but He drove out their enemies before them and gave them the abundance of the land to enjoy!
The believer’s victory is always through Christ! 2 Cor.2:14 says: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” It is in the strength of the Lord and in His mighty power that we withstand the enemy.
The One True and Living God is the One to whom we owe our allegiance—He is worthy of our reverence and service. There is none like Him who is mighty and awesome, just and true, merciful and loving, yet One who fellowships with us. How can we refrain from willingly giving ourselves to such a God, who actively involves Himself with our lives, willing to guide us and steer us through every thick and thin, until He will make us abide with Him forever by His side? Is He not worthy of our wholehearted devotion?
Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” (Matt.6:24). It is impossible to give prominence to two things in our life. Our pre-occupation will ultimately turn to the master we serve. Let us look at it this way- we may have given the LORD Jesus a “prominent” place in our lives but is He the PRE-EMINENT (most important)? If He is, then we can cay that He is “Lord over all” in our lives!
Jesus by His precious blood has purchased us and made us kings and priests, to serve the Living God (Rev.5:9,10). Our service is building His Kingdom, not ours or the earthly one. Let us ask the LORD to give us an undivided heart to love Him and serve Him. Let Him by His blood cleanse our conscience from dead acts, so that we may serve the Living God! (Heb.9:14)
To Heed: “…For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ” (Matthew 4:10)
Listen: 'How great are You LORD'