WE WILL SERVE THE LORD

Joshua 24:1-33

Key Verse 24

And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

Introduction

This passage is about Joshua’s final farewell message to the Israelites. In his final words, he reminded them of what God had done for them and encouraged the Israelites to serve God only with all their faithfulness. And the Israelites confirmed that they would serve the Lord and Joshua set up a stone as a witness for their decision. After that, Joshua died and was buried. Through this passage we can learn how we can live a victorious and blessed life continually.

1. Read verses 1-13. What did Joshua do after giving his farewell message to the

leaders? (1) Why might God have reminded them of what He had done

throughout history? (2-13)

1-1. Read verses 1-13.

Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.

² 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. ³ 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, ⁴ 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.

⁵ “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. ⁶ When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen^[a] as far as the Red Sea.^{[b] 7} But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought 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.

⁸ “‘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. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

¹¹ “‘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. ¹² 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. ¹³ 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.’

1-2. What did Joshua do after giving his farewell message to the leaders? (1)

Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.

- Shechem : Abraham built an altar for God for the first time at Shechem after receiving God’s calling and his promise. (Gen 12:6,7). Jacob built an altar at Shechem after coming back from Paddan Aram (Gen 33:18-20) The covenant was renewed at Shechem during the conquest (Joshua 8:30-35). The city of Shechem was set aside as a city of refuge and a levitical city. Joseph was buried at Shechem. This city is located at the center of Canaan land and between Mt.Gerizim and Mt.Ebal.

- Shechem could be the best place to remember God’s calling for Israelite, his promise and God’s covenant and command.

· Joshua summoned the leaders of Israel to give them his final farewell message to them.

· They presented themselves before God. Even though they were summoned by Joshua they stood before the presence of God. They were ready to listen Joshua’s message as the words from God.

- When we receive word of God or do service work we should do it presenting ourselves before God.

1-3. Why might God have reminded them of what He had done throughout history? (2-13)

· God reminded Israelite what he had done for them through the history from Abraham until the conquest of Canaan land. It was Israelites’ whole history.

· God called Abraham and gave him many descendants ( v. 2-4)

- “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. ³ 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, ⁴ 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.

- Israelites’ ancestors were idol worshippers including Abraham. They worshipped man made idols. They were totally ignorant about God and lived in deep darkness.

- People who lived beyond the Euphrates River worshipped thousands of idols and one of the main gods was the god of Moon.

- Abraham was really hopeless man having no child in his old age. He was so miserable spiritually and practically.

- “But I took your father Abraham from the land” – But God chose Abraham and called him and took him from the land of idol worship to know true God.

- Abraham didn’t look for God but it was God who took him out from the idol worshipping land. Only by God’s grace and sovereignty, Abraham was called by God and became ancestor of God’s people. He didn’t deserve it. He would have died in the sin of idol worshipping if God had not called him. But God called him by his grace.

- God gave Abraham many descendants: He was a miserable and hopeless person. He was a person who couldn’t even one child for himself. But God gave him many descendants. It was really God’s grace and abundant blessing.

- Israel people had to realize that they became numerous people because of God’s grace and blessing not by their own strength.

- Through this history God let Israelite know how much their ancestors were poor and miserable and what grace and blessing were given to them so that they may be humble before God and they became powerful God’s people only by God’s grace and blessing.

- The same grace and blessing are given to us in Jesus. Before we were called by God we lived in deep darkness of idol worshipping and our life was miserable without true hope. We were under curse of sin. But God called each of us and took us out of the darkness and blessed us to worship true God and live a blessed and fruitful life in Jesus. Thank God for his calling and blessing for us.

· God saved the Israelites with his mighty power (v.5-7)

- Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. ⁶ When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen^[a] as far as the Red Sea.^{[b] 7} But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought 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.

- The Israelites lived as slaves in Egypt being oppressed and tortured by powerful king Pharaoh. Their life as slaves as so miserable and painful. But they didn’t have any power to be from the slavery. They just cried out for help to God.

- God sent Moses and Aaron to save them. He afflicted the Egyptians by his mighty work. He crushed the Pharaoh and brought out Israelite from Egypt. And he brought the sea over Egyptians who pursued Israelite with chariots and horsemen and destroyed them completely.

- The Israelites saw with their own eyes what God did to the Egyptians. It was fact. They practically experienced God’s might saving power.

- But they lived in the wilderness for a long time because of their lack of faith. God gave them the Canaan land. God wanted them to enjoy the land serving God’s will. But they couldn’t enjoy the blessing because of their lack of faith.

- Through the history, God let them know that he is the one who saves them from all powerful enemies with his mighty power.

- God saved us from the slavery of sin and death through Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus, his death and resurrection is the mighty power of God that can give salvation to all those who believe. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile (Romans 1:16)

- God saved us from the power of sin and death and Satan’s hands. We are free from all the miserable slavery and received blessed promised in Jesus.

· God fought for Israel and destroyed all their enemies and protected them from attacks.

- “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. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

- Enemies fought against the Israelites. Israelites were still weak after getting out of the Egypt. They didn’t have strong army. But God gave them into their hands. God destroyed all their enemies from before Israelite.

- God fought for them with his mighty power and destroyed all the enemies who were against Israelite. Israelite was weak but they won the victory because of God.

- God protected Israelite from enemies’ attack through Balaam. Enemies couldn’t touch Israelite because God protected them and blessed them.

- God fights for us against all our enemies and gives us victory. If God doesn’t allow no one or nothing can harm us. No curse can harm us. He turns enemies’ curse into blessing for us. We are under God’s perfect protection and blessing.

- Once God is fighting for us nothing can harm us. Victory is guaranteed . What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

- ¹¹ “‘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. ¹² 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. ¹³ 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.’

· God gave victory to the Israelites by fighting for them with his mighty power and gave them the blessed land that they can enjoy.

- ‘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. ¹² 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. ¹³ 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.’

- God let the Israelites cross the Jordan and conquer to Canaan land.

- God fought against strong enemies and gave victory to Israelites. He drove out all the enemies with his powerful work and power.

- “You did not do it with your own sword and bow” : The victory came from God. Even though the Israelites fought against the enemies. But it was God who destroyed the enemies. Their victory depended on God not their strength. They won the victory because of God.

- God gave them the land as their plunder that they could enjoy. They just received all the good things of the land even though they didn’t do any work. It was God’s gift for them.

- God gives victory over all enemies and challenges by fighting for us. He drives out all our enemies. It is not us but God who gives us victory. The only thing we need to do is to believe in God and fight putting all our trust in him.

- God gave much blessings through Jesus that we never worked for and let us enjoy all the blessings in Jesus; eternal life, freedom, joy and peace, true rest, much more. And we will enjoy the kingdom of God forever. All these victory and blessings were given by God.

· God reminded Israelite of what he had done for reasons;

- First, to let them know it is God who let them become powerful nation and conquer the land not Israelite. In verse 2-13, the word, “I” is repeated 18 time. The Israelites could think they did achieve all the things. But they earned all the things because of God. Comparing what God did for them, what they did was so small. Apostle Paul said, But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1Co 15;10)

- Second, to let them remember all the great things that God had done for them. They needed to remember how many good things God had done for them.

- Through knowing these God wanted them to know that God is the source of blessing and all the victories and only by serving him they could live truly blessed and victorious life.

- God didn’t want them to serve God blindly. Or he didn’t want to force them to serve him. He wanted them to serve him considering what God did for them and who God is deeply. And God wanted them to serve God out of great thanks and faith remembering what he had done. Our service to God should come from thanks and faith based on what he has done for us.

- To have faith in God and serve and obey him faithfully we need to think about what God has done for us and who he is. When we think about all the great things that God did and who he is our faith can be strengthened and we can serve him and obey him out of thanks and deep faith.

- God is the one who saves us and blesses and gives us victory. The only way to live truly blessed and victorious life is to serve the God only and obey him wholeheartedly.

2. Read verses 14-28. What did Joshua urge them to do? (14-15a) How did he lead

them by his personal decision? (15b) How did the people respond?(16-18) How

did Joshua help them to solidify their resolution to serve the Lord faithfully?

(19-28)

2-1. Read verses 14-28.

“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. ¹⁵ 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.”

¹⁶ Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ 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.”

¹⁹ 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. ²⁰ 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.”

²¹ But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

²² Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.

²³ “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

²⁴ And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed 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 dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.

2-2. What did Joshua urge them to do? (14-15a)

· “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. ¹⁵ 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.

· Joshua urged them to fear God and serve him with all their faithfulness.

- “Now” Joshua was saying the conclusion of the history education.

- “Fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness” This was the conclusion of the history education and application. It was the conclusion and key point of his final message for Israelite.

- All faithfulness means full commitment and consistency.

- ‘Fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness’ – This is the way for the Israelites to enjoy the promised land that God gave them and continue to win the victory over enemies and be prosper and successful.

- Israelites did not need to do many things to live blessed life. The only thing they needed to do is to fear God and serve him only with all their faithfulness.

· Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped: The Israelites still kept idols or idol worshiping hearts even though they had seen all things God had done.

- Even though they worshipped God but in the other hand they worshiped idols too. They didn’t remove them completely. It might be quite possible because they had served the idols for long time. Or the idols looked attractive to them. Also very possibly, they still thought the Lord was one of many gods instead of believing him as the Only True God. They might believe God but believed idols too.

- But God wants us to remove any kind of idols completely.

- The idols are not just visible statue made of stones or metals. The idol is whatever we rely on or love more than the Lord.

- We had had so many idols before we met Jesus. Even after meeting Jesus we may still keep the idols. We believe in God and love him somehow. But we may still rely on others such as our own strength, money or worldly power and love other things more than God such as ourselves, pleasure, the things of this world.

- Now we have to remove all these things completely to serve God only. We cannot serve both God and idols. We try that but it doesn’t work. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Mt 6:24)

- We have removed the idols that we have served for long time; the idols of Egypt, the idols of Canaan.

· But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,

- ‘choose for yourselves- Joshua gave them choice. Serving God should come from personal choice and free will based on personal conviction and decision not someone’s push.

- If we thinks that the Lord, the Jehovah, the God of Israel is the true God and serving God looks good to us, we better choose to serve God only not both God and idols.

- We have to decide to serve the Lord wholeheartedly eliminating all other idols completely.

· What are your idols beyond the Euphrates, the gods of Egypt or the gods of the Amorites

2-3. How did he lead them by his personal decision? (15b)

· But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord

- Joshua decided to serve the Lord, Jehovah, the God of Israel only.

- Joshua said that although other people serve other gods, he would serve the Lord only. His decision came from his personal faith in God. Through his life he realized that the Lord is the true and only God. So he decided to serve the Lord only.

- Joshua wanted the Israelites to make their personal decision about the matter and he wanted them to follow his example.

- ‘my household’ : He knew that he had responsibility to help all his household to serve God only as the head of household.

- He showed good example as the leader of the people. Leader should show good example.

- Serving God is personal decision based on 1:1 relationship with God. It should not come from peer pressure. We have to make personal decision regardless how all other people do.

- Serving God is not losing our freedom being bound to a burden. It is the way to live a blessed and the happiest life with perfect freedom. If we serve other things other than God we will lose freedom and become slaves.

2-4. How did the people respond?(16-18)

· Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ 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.”

· They recognized that God was the one who saved them, protected and fought for them.

· They said they would serve the Lord too because he was their God.

- They followed Joshua’s example.

- They decided to serve the Lord, Jehovah’ the God of Israel, the God who revealed him to Israelite.

- They said, “he is our God” : They recognized God as true God. They also believed as their God meaning God is for them and stands with them.

2-5. How did Joshua help them to solidify their resolution to serve the Lord faithfully?

(19-28)

· “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.

- ‘You are not able to serve the Lord’ – It means they would not be able to serve God faithfully with their current attitude or mindset. They needed more serious and firm attitude and decision to serve God faithfully. It also means they would not able to serve God with just their decision based on their emotion or self-confidence with without God’s help and true repentance and faith. Peter said that he would follow Jesus to the end but he failed but later through his sincere repentance and faith and the power of Holy Spirit he was able to follow Jesus to the end.

- Joshua said, ‘you are not able to serve the Lord’ not to discourage them but to remind them the importance of their decision to serve the Lord and help them to serve God with firm decision and absolute attitude and resolution not just with emotional and temporary decision.

- The true faith in God and serving him should be expressed through firm decision from the deep bottom of heart. Joshua worried their emotional and temporary decision.

- We have to check what kind of attitude and mindset we have to serve the Lord. If our attitude is not firm or serious enough we are not able to serve the Lord with all faithfulness.

-“He is a holy God” : God is separated from all creature and above them all. None of things in the world and universe can match with him. Idols are manmade and belong to the corrupted world.

-he is a jealous God: he doesn’t allow any idols to be worshipped. He doesn’t allow any glory and honor that are supposed to given to him to be given to idols. When man offer worship to idols, the worship he deserves only, it causes his burning anger. God hates idol worshipping.

· He will not forgiving your rebellion and your sins: Idol worshipping is rebellion to God and greatest sin. We could commit many sins but the biggest sin is idol worshipping.

· 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.”

- When we serve God, he treats us with all the good things.

- But if we worship idols he brings disaster on us and makes an end of us. It is betrayal to him and blasphemy.

· 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. “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

- The Israelites said confirmed again that they would serve the Lord only.

- Joshua told them they would be witnesses against themselves. Joshua wanted them to keep their decision before God regardless people see them or not.

- Joshua told them to throw away the idols among them and yield their hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel fully.

- Israelite replied. “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him. They expressed their firm decision to serve the Lord.

· On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.

· 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.- Joshua set up a stone to be witness of the covenant.

- “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.”

- God would punish them if they are not faithful to him according to the covenant.

3. Read verses 29-33. When did Joshua die and where did people bury him?

(29-30) How were the Israelites influenced by Joshua and the elders? (31) How

was Joseph’s last will of faith fulfilled? (32, Gen 50:24-25) Where was Eleazar

buried? (33)

3-1 Read verses 29-33.

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^[c] 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.

³² And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver^[d] from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants. ³³ And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

3-2. When did Joshua die and where did people bury him? (29-30)

· Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten.

· They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

· ‘The servant of the Lord’ – Joshua was recognized as the servants of the Lord who lived to serve God’s will and carried out his mission faithfully. It was glorious title. He lived as ‘good and faithful’ servant of God. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Mt 25:21)

3-3. How were the Israelites influenced by Joshua and the elders? (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

- Israelites served God faithfully under the influence of Joshua and the elders. We can see the powerful influence of good spiritual leaders.

- It implies that the Israelites would fail serving God after the leaders’ death.

- It shows the limitation of influence of good spiritual leaders. Each individual should develop personal faith in God instead of relying on spiritual leaders’ influence.

3-4. How was Joseph’s last will of faith fulfilled? (32, Gen 50:24-25)

· Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem.

· Jacob bought the place for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Shechem became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

· Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” ²⁵ And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” (Gen 50:24,25)

- Joseph believed that God would surely give the land to Israelites and let his people to carry his bones up from Egypt to Shechem and his will of faith was fulfilled according to his faith.

- 400 years ago Joseph believed that God’s promise would come true and wanted to enter the promised land and receive the blessing together with his people instead of remaining in the Egypt.

3-5. Where was Eleazar buried? (33)

· Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

· Era of Joshua ended with Eleazar’s death and the era of Judges started.

Conclusion

God reminded the Israelites what he had done for them. Joshua urged them to serve the Lord with all their faithfulness removing all idols from them completely. The Lord, Jehovah is the only and true God. He is the only one whom we should serve wholeheartedly. May God help us to removes all the idols out of our heart and love God and serve him wholeheartedly, obeying all his command by faith. ^“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Dt 6:4,5) “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.” (Joshua 24:14)

One word, “We will serve the Lord”

---