Serve the Lord

Joshua 23:1-24:33

Key Verse 24:14-15

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the 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 forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

This passage teaches us that each person must make a conscious decision to deny oneself, take up the cross, and follow the Lord, until the last moment of one's pilgrimage here on earth. 

While it is by God's grace, not by human decision, that we are born of God as God's children, each and every day it is our choice to voluntarily love him, follow him, and serve him. Then, the Lord God blesses us with all the blessings he has for us, particularly the best blessing, that is, establishing his presence inside of us. 

1. Read 23:1-5. This passage indicates that there still remain many heathen nations (and their lands) to be conquered. Yet what will the Lord do for the Israelites? What does this passage teach us about the way of salvation?

** The Lord will drive them out. 

** We are to be saved by His power, not by our might. So it teaches us that we are to put trust in Him, and live by faith in His power. 

2. Read vs. 6-16 and describe the two choices the Israelites have. How are the choices compared? What can we learn from the Lord who gave the Israelites these choices? 

** 1) The first choice is to put trust in the Lord and obey him and walk in His way.

2) The second choice is to ignore the Lord's promise,  compromise with the idol worshiping people, mingle with them, and live a life of idolatry. 

** The first choice will lead man to freedom from bondage to the power of sin and death (and eternal condemnation), into the (quality) life that God has for his children.

** The second choice will lead man to subjection, slavery to the power of sin and death, both physically and spiritually, resulting in eternal condemnation. 

** The Lord God respects and trusts his children, esp. their ability to make a choice to love him and live in His blessings willingly. 

3. Read 24:1. Joshua picked Shechem as the place to give a farewell message. What is the significance of Shechem (Gen 12:6; 33:17-19; 34:2,26; 35:4)? 

** It is significant because it is:

1) The place where the Lord God appeared to Abraham for the first time in the land of Canaan and promised to give that land to Abraham's descendants. [This promise is symbolic of the Lord's promise of salvation for all who believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, the Savior.]

2) The place where Jacob repented of his [hidden] sin problems, threw away idols, and renewed his covenant with the Lord. [This is symbolic of the need for us to repent of sin problems which disrupt our relationship with the Lord.]

4. Read vs. 2-13. In this passage the Lord God gave the Israelites a "history" lesson. What do you think is the point of the lesson (2)? What can we learn from this passage?

** It is to teach them the purpose of bringing the Israelites into the land of the Lord's promise, that is, to help them repent of idol worship, and establish the rule of God first in their hearts, and then in the hearts of many who would believe in the Lord through them. 

** Without a history lesson it is impossible for us to get spiritual orientation about the purpose the Lord God has for us.

5. Read vs. 14-24. How many times did Joshua say, "throw away"? What did Joshua ask them to throw away? Why do you think Joshua repeated the same request? 

** Two.

** Foreign idols that were still "among" them (v. 23).

** Although the leaders kept saying, "Yes. We will serve the Lord", they still secretly enjoyed sinful, pleasure seeking lifestyles. So what they said with their lips was different from who they were in their hearts. 

6. Read vs. 25-27. V. 25 says that Joshua "made" a covenant for the people. What does the word "made" tell us about the nature of the transaction Joshua put the people through "on that day" and "there at Shechem"? What can we learn here in securing the blessings the Lord God has for us (Mk 1:15; Jn 1:12; Mk 8:34,35)? 

** Loving the Lord and following Him is a matter of choice, not a feeling. 

Just as Jacob made a conscious decision to repent [at Shechem (after the painful experience re: his daughter Dinah)] of his hidden sins, and renewed the decision to love the Lord and serve Him, so also we need to think about the Lord's character which is holy, and decide not to do what the Lord hates, and do what the Lord loves us to do. 

** We must first commit ourselves to the Lord, just as a bride chooses to marry a husband with a pure heart. 

7. Read vs. 28-33. This passage describes the final outcome of Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazer. What do they have in common? What can we learn here in serving the Lord? 

** They are all precursors of Jesus Christ. Joshua is a type of Jesus the Savior in that he was instrumental to bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land. Joseph is a type of Jesus in that he saved Israelites from the hunger and thirst of Egypt. Eleazer is a type of Jesus in that Jesus is our true High Priest praying to have our sins forgiven so we would be found guiltless before God.

They all were buried in the Promised Land, indicating that after running their races marked out for each of them, they all rested still in the hope of the perfect redemption to be fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

** Just as Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazer served the Lord faithfully, we too must serve the Lord faithfully and run the spiritual races of faith marked out for each of us.

The end. 

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