"Reaffirming Your Faith"
Joshua 24:1-33
by Joseph "Mike" Willmouth
(This Sermon was preached at Trinity Bible Church on
January 27, 2002. All Scripture
references used in this sermon are based upon the NASB®,
unless otherwise stated)
by Joseph "Mike" Willmouth
(This Sermon was preached at Trinity Bible Church on
January 27, 2002. All Scripture
references used in this sermon are based upon the NASB®,
unless otherwise stated)
| This Sermon was written and submitted by: Joseph M. Willmouth, Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Biloxi, Mississippi 39532. This contributed article is copyright protected, and the sole property of the contributing author. It may be freely copied and used provided the above credits are included. Document expiration: indefinite. |
1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. 3 'Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac. 4 'And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. 5 'Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did in its midst; and afterward I brought you out. 6 'And I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 'But when they cried out to the LORD, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them and covered them; and your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness for a long time. 8 'Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land when I destroyed them before you. 9 'Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel, and he sent and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. 10 'But I was not willing to listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you, and I delivered you from his hand. 11 'And you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Girgashite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. Thus I gave them into your hand. 12 'Then I sent the hornet before you and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites from before you, but not by your sword or your bow. 13 'And I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.' 14 "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 "And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." 16 And the people answered and said, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; 17 for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. 18 "And the LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God." 19 Then Joshua said to the people, "You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. 20 "If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD." 22 And Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses." 23 "Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." 24 And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His voice." 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, lest you deny your God." 28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance. 29 And it came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. 30 And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash. 31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel. 32 Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph's sons. 33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
Introduction: We hear a lot today on the radio and in Churches about revival meetings. There are a few things that I don't like about Church revivals. One is the attitude by many churches that it is an annual event, like putting it on your calendar will make revival really happen. The second is how most Christians think that revivals are not for them but for the lost, so many Christians fail to see the need for their participation. As a result, true revival very seldom takes place. What I do like about revivals is that as a Pastor I get to be fed and refreshed by God's Word. Another important fact about having revivals is that it gives believers a chance to reflect upon their relationship with God, and it gives them a platform to verbally express their desire to recommit their lives to the Lord and that is what revival is. This is really what is taking place in our passage of Scripture today, Joshua is about to pass from the scene and he wanted the people to reaffirm their faith to the Lord and to each other. By doing so, it would once again help them to reflect upon their relationship with God, and help draw them closer to the Lord. This is why it is important for believers, from time to time, to take the time to reaffirm our faith also. It gives us the opportunity to get back on track, or at least to be renewed and refreshed in our walk with the Lord. How do we go about this task? Joshua accomplished this in at least four ways, so lets look at them and see if we can apply them to reaffirming our faith too.
I. Reflect Upon God's Past Goodness
(vv.1-13).
1. What God did for Abraham and his family (vv.1-4).
A. Shechem [shek'uhm] was the ideal location for this moving farewell address by Israel's great leader (v.1: BS).2. What God did for Moses and the Israelites (vv.5-10).1) It was at Shechem that God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land (Gen.12:6-7).B. Abraham was brought up in pagan idolatry; therefore, his call is an example of God's sovereignty and grace (EBCNT).2) It was here that Jacob built an altar (Gen.33:20).
3) Shechem was located between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, where the people of Israel had reaffirmed their commitment to the Lord (Josh. 8:30-35).
4) Shechem was indeed "holy ground" to the Israelites.
1) Likewise, it was God's sovereignty and grace that made Abraham's decedents a great nation.2) And it was God's sovereignty and grace that gave them the land also.
A. Joshua continues to trace God's goodness when He sent Moses and Aaron to deliver the nation out of the hands of Egypt (v.5a).3. What God did for Joshua and the Israelites (vv.11-13).- It was God who took a family of brick layers and turned them into a nation.B. They are reminded of how God sent the plagues, parted the Red Sea and destroyed the armies of the Egyptians (vv.5b-7).C. And it was God who brought them victory over the false prophets, the pagan kings and the armies as they wandered in the wilderness (vv.8-10).
A. Next, Joshua reminds them of their recent relationship with God.Application: Through Joshua, God reviewed the marvelous deeds He had performed for Israel's benefit. Eighteen times He uses the personal pronoun "I": I took I gave I sent I destroyed I brought I delivered, etc. Any greatness Israel achieved was not by her effort but through God's grace and enablement. From first to last, Israel's conquests, deliverance's, and prosperity were because of God's good mercies and were not of their own making (BKC). There is one outstanding fact that is evident in these passages, and that is the sovereignty of God. God works according to His eternal purposes, and no human or spirit can stop Him. Such a God is to be feared and obeyed (BBC). It's when we lose sight of the fact of who's in charge that we begin to try to take control of things ourselves and forget about God's goodness. To help the Israelites to maintain their relationship with God, Joshua reminds them that they needed to be mindful of their past by reflecting upon God's goodness to them as a nation. There's an old saying that people would often tell a family member or friend when they were going away that went something like this, "Don't forget where you come from." The purpose of this statement was to remind them of who they were and their history so that they wouldn't go off and begin to act prideful or sinfully. Even Christians can forget where they came from and what God did for them when He saved them. This is why it is important for us to also reflect upon God's past goodness to us, so that we "don't forget where we came from," and behave in such a manner that is not pleasing to God. We are reminded of this truth in Revelation 2:2-5, "I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lamp stand out of its place-- unless you repent." How do you know when you have forgotten your first love? It happens when you just find yourself going through the "religious" motions and you no longer do things because of your love for the Lord. This is why it is essential that believers should reaffirm their faith by going back, from time to time, and remembering what God has done for you.1) The parting of the Jordan River (v.11a).B. And Joshua lastly reminds them of God's goodness, in that he gave them the processions of the conquered people that the Israelites didn't have to labor to build, nor did they labor for the crops that they received (v.13).2) The defeating of the Canaanite kings and armies (vv.11b-12).
II. Make Up Your Mind Whom You
Will Serve (vv.14-15).
1. Make a choice in whom you will serve (vv.14-15a).
A. Joshua was calling Israel to honesty and commitment (EBCNT).Application: Joshua's summons speaks loudly today just as it did in his time. When you look at the history of Israel, they always seemed to flirt with idolatry and that is what ultimately destroyed them as a nation. In fact when you look at our nation today, you can see a lot of similarities. Let me make it clear that I do not believe that America has replaced Israel in God's eyes, but that we too were a nation that was founded upon Biblical principles (regardless of what people try to claim today), and we too have flirted with idolatry in our society and have lost. Why is this? Because Christians over the years have failed to stand firm and choose whom they would serve. Did you know that in most churches today, they have more members on their rolls than they do in their pews. I'm not talking about a small number either, but it is not uncommon that a church has several hundred people on their membership roll and the majority of them haven't set foot in the church since they joined. The reason for this is that most professing Christians today do not take their faith very seriously, which means they do not revere nor respect God. This means they have failed to serve Him with their whole heart and have not been faithful to Him. This means that they have failed to put away the idols of this world, and in doing so they have made their choice and it wasn't to serve God. Now this may sound very hard, but God's Word doesn't try to sugar-coat our sins like we like to do. The good news is for a believer is that they can be forgiven and restored to fellowship with God; 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The good news is you can make a commitment to begin serving the Lord starting right now, if you haven't done so yet.1) He wanted them to show singleness of heart.B. Though Joshua said, "Choose for yourselves," he did not intend to encourage idolatry (EBCNT).A) "fear," ("yare'" {yaw-ray': Qal Imper}); to fear, revere, reverence, respect.2) He wanted them to be honest with themselves and declare their allegiance.B) "sincerity," ("tamiym" {taw-meen'}); complete, whole, entire, sincerely, uprightly.
C) "truth," ("'emeth" {eh'-meth}); firmness, faithfulness, truth, reliability, sureness.
A) "put away," ("cuwr" {soor: Hiphil Imper}); to turn aside, depart, avoid, reject, put away.B) "serve," ("'abad" {aw-bad': Qal Imper}); to work, serve, labor.
1) He was confident that the very thought of making a commitment to an idol would be so abhorrent to them that they would take a stand against all such worship.A) "choose," ("bachar" {baw-khar': Qal Imper}); to choose, decide.2) Because Israel did not get rid of all the civilization that was in Canaan, they were still surrounded by idolatry (McGee).B) "serve," ("'abad" {aw-bad': Qal Imperf}); to work, serve, labor.
A) They were in real danger.B) Realizing this, Joshua calls them to a real dedication to God, a turning over of their lives completely to Him.
2. Be willing to stand alone in your choice (v.15b).
A. Regardless of the choice that anyone else would make, Joshua had made his, and that was he and his family would serve the Lord.Application: Joshua was hardened by battle and bore the scares of a long-term commitment to the Lord. His choice to follow the Lord was not made lightly, nor was it held lightly. He stood as a man of spiritual determination, regardless of what the rest of the people were doing around him (MOT). It wasn't an accident that God picked Joshua to lead Israel. It was because of Joshua's faith and determination to serve the Lord. Was Joshua a perfect and sinless man? No, but he was a man who was fully committed to serving the Lord to the best of his human ability. God doesn't expect us to be perfect, He's just looking for people who are willing to get back up when they fall down and brush themselves off, and will strive to do their best to serve Him. Many Christians today are constantly looking for God to do great things for them, while God is only looking for people who are willing to do great things for Him, and it starts with an unmovable faith that is willing to stand firm with the Lord regardless of what the rest of the world is doing. We are reminded of this truth in 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."B. Joshua is a good example of a godly leader, and a godly husband and father to his home.
III. Reaffirm Your Faith Before
The Lord (vv.16-28).
1. Verbalize it before others (vv.16-21).
A. The people spoke out and said that they would choose to serve the Lord (vv.16-19).Application: It was important that the Israelites publicly stated their intentions, because it held them accountable for their actions. In other words, if they said one thing and did another then it would be easy to see that they were not living up to their promise. It is also important to verbalize our intentions because it helps us to take a stand in what we believe. It's easy to remain silent and straddle the fence, but you can't remain neutral if you make known your views. As Christians we too need to verbalize our commitment to the Lord. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10:10 that it is part of our salvation experience, "for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 2:11 to verbalize our faith in Christ, "and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." And not only should we be vocal about our faith, but we should have others praying for us to do so, Ephesians 6:19, "and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel" When we know that our "words can come back to haunt us" then it should make us stop and think before we speak and commit ourselves to others. Words mean something!1) There could be no doubt of the sincerity of the people at that moment (vv.16-18: PC).B. Joshua reminds the people of the consequences of unfaithfulness and the people once again affirm their intention to serve the Lord (vv.20-21).2) The only doubt is expressed by Joshua and that was whether their feelings were likely to be permanent (v.19: PC).
2. Be accountable to other believers (vv.22-25).
A. Joshua spoke a 3rd time challenging them to serve the Lord and once again they affirmed their desire to serve the Lord (v.22).Application: A firm choice had to be made then just as it does in every generation. People must choose between expediency and principle, between this world and eternity, between God and idols (BKC). Not only is it important for us to verbalize our response to God, but it is just as important that we also hold each other accountable for our promises. Not in a legalistic way, that is, we sit back and salivate in hopes that someone will fail to keep their promises, but in a way that we want to help one another to succeed in being faithful to the Lord and keeping our promises. Legalism looks and hopes for failure because it makes us feel better about our own faith, but love takes no joy in the failures of believers but seeks what is best for others and the whole church body. This is probably one of the major areas in the Christian life today, where we have fallen asleep. We live in an age where people think that since we live in a free country that it means we can't be held accountable by our churches. The attitude is we expect everyone else to live up to our standards, but we don't think that anyone should hold us accountable. If this were true then Christ wouldn't have had to address how we are to take care of problems between believers (Matt.18:15-17); If this were true then the Apostle Paul wouldn't have had to write about church discipline (Gal.6:1-5; 1 Cor.5:11-13; 2 Thes.1:8; 3:6); And Christ wouldn't have had to rebuke several of the churches in the book of Revelation because of their behavior or lack of obedience. We are accountable to God because He is our creator and Redeemer. Family members are accountable to one another because their behavior impacts the whole family and it reputation. Likewise we are accountable to our employers because we directly impact their name and business. We are accountable to our government for our behavior, support and its reputation. So why is it when it comes to the church, we have a different attitude? Archibald Hart wrote in Leadership magazine, "Accountability to another is the only way to safeguard against poor judgment, unconscious motivations, and self-deception" (Leadership, Vol. 9, no. 2.). Israel's word of commitment made them accountable to God and one another, and it should be the same for those who profess Jesus Christ as their Savior also.1) The people's own words would condemn them if at any time in the future they turned from the commitment that they had made that day (EBCNT).B. After a 4th time of Joshua challenging the people, he commanded them to put away the things of the world and he made a binding covenant with them to remind them of their promise to serve the Lord (vv.23-25: BKC).2) "witnesses," ("'ed" {ayd}); witness, evidence, testimony.
1) He had heard the pledge on their lips; now he challenged them to prove their sincerity by their works.2) Knowing that many of them were secretly practicing idolatry Joshua forthrightly demanded that they remove their foreign gods (v.23).
3) Not only did Joshua accept their words, he recorded them for a future reminder of their promise (v.25).
A) "covenant," ("beriyth" {ber-eeth'}); covenant, pledge, agreement.B) "statute," ("choq" {khoke}); statute, limit, something prescribed, prescribed limit, boundary.
C) "ordinance," ("mishpat" {mish-pawt'}); judgment, ordinance, process or procedure, decision, charge.
3. Mark it down as a future reminder (vv.26-28).
A. Not only did Joshua make a covenant with the people, but he also recorded their words in the book of the law and erected a large stone memorial (vv.26-27).Application: Commitments are too easily forgotten. Too soon the intensity of feeling fades away. Joshua memorialized this important transaction in both the written word and a visible object to preserve the memory for future generations (EBCNT). Warren Wiersbe points out that, "There's certainly nothing unbiblical about God's people memorializing a wonderful event or a sacred decision, so long as the memorial doesn't become the focus of idolatrous worship. . .Religious traditions can be helpful or hurtful, depending on how we use them" (BS). This is why it can be important for believers to have memorials in our lives also, to remind us of our commitments that we have made. Mark an important event in your Christian walk on the calendar, or write it your diary or Bible. From time-to-time go back and take a look at it so that you can allow it to refresh your heart and mind. It's good to take a step back from time-to-time to see if we are still heading in the right direction. Memorials can be good mile-markers along the highway of our Christian walk, they often can tell us how far we have traveled and how far we still need to go.1) The stone's presence would be a constant reminder (witness) of the covenant promises made by Israel that day (EBCNT).B. After Joshua had done all these things, he dismissed the people to return to their homes (v.28).2) It may have borne some appropriate inscription, though nothing is stated in the text (EBCNT).
IV. Look At The Examples Of Others
For Encouragement (vv.29-33).
1. The death and burial of Joshua (vv.29-31).
A. Joshua died at the age of 110 and was buried in his own inheritance in the hill country of Ephraim, on the mount of Gaash [gay'ash].2. The burial of Joseph's bones (v.32).1) Just how much time elapsed between Joshua's parting words and his death is not indicated (EBCNT).B. No greater tribute could be paid to him than the fact that he was called simply the servant of the Lord (BKC).2) He was ten years younger than Moses when he died.
A. The bones of Joseph were buried in Shechem in the plot of ground Jacob had bought from Hamor (Gen. 33:19: BS).3. The death and burial of Eleazar (v.33).B. Moses, knowing of Joseph's request, took Joseph's bones with him in the Exodus (Ex. 13:19: BKC).
1) Now after the long years of the wanderings and the Conquest, Joseph's remains, which had been embalmed in Egypt (Gen. 50:26) more than 400 years earlier, were now laid to rest (Gen. 33:18-20).2) Joseph manifested great faith in the promises of God (Gen 50:24-25; Exod.13:19), and his remains are a symbol of God's promise being fulfilled (Heb 11:22: EBCNT).
A. Eleazar the high priest (Num. 20:28) died and was also buried in Ephraim, near Shiloh, where his son Phinehas had property.Application: The Bible Knowledge Commentary points out, "Recording three burials is a strange way to end a book like Joshua! But these three peaceful graves testify to the faithfulness of God, for Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazar once lived in a foreign nation where they received God's promise to take His people back to Canaan. Now all three were at rest within the Promised Land. God kept His word to Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazar--and to all Israel. And this encourages God's children today to count on God's unfailing faithfulness." When we look at the examples of faithfulness of others, who have and are presently serving the Lord, it encourages us in our walk with the Lord because we can see God's faithful hand in their lives too. It encourages us because we can know for sure that God's Word is able to sustain us too, not only in this life but in eternity to come. As believers we are challenged to be an encouragement to others in Hebrews 3:13, "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today,' lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." May it be each and everyone's goal here today, to be an encouragement to other believers in both this life and the one to come.B. When "Eleazar son of Aaron died," the whole generation of those who had left Egypt came to an end; an age had reached completion (EBCNT).
Truths To Ponder:
1. To stay on the path to success we must remember God's faithfulness
and blessings, and on a regular basis recommit ourselves to the Lord (JIS).
2. When you feel like your faith isn't what it used to be or should be, then take the time to:
A. To reflect upon God's past goodness (vv.1-13).B. Make up your mind whom you will serve (vv.14-15).
C. Reaffirm your faith before the Lord (vv.16-28).
D. Look at the examples of others for encouragement (vv.29-33).
Study References
BBC - William MacDonald, Believer's Bible
Commentary
BKC - John Walvoord & Roy Zuck, The
Bible Knowledge Commentary (Old Testament ed).
BS - Be Strong; putting God's Power to
Work in Your Life, by Warren Wiersbe.
EBCNT - Zondervan's, Expositor's Bible
Commentary, New Testament.
JIS - Journey Into Success, by Tommy C.
Higle.
MOT - Mastering the Old Testament, vol.6,
Joshua, by John Huffman.
McGee - J. Vernon McGee, Joshua and
Judges (commentary).
PC - The Pulpit Commentary, AGES Software
Rio, WI (Joshua).
Hebrew Study Reference Tools
. Analytical Key to the Old Testament, by John Owens, Baker Books,
Grand Rapids MI, 1999
. Bible Works 4.0 for Windows, Hermeneutika Bible Research Software,
Big Fork MO., 2nd edition.
. Biblical Hebrew; An Introductory Grammar, by Page Kelley,
Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids MI, 1992
. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, by E. Brown,
S. Driver, and C. Briggs, Hendrickson Publishers, 1996
. The Complete Word Study Bible & Reference CD, by Dr. Spiros
Zodhiates, AMG Publishers, 1997
. Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, by
H.W.F. Gesenius, Baker Books, Grand Rapids MI, 1994
. Nelson's Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament, Merrill
Unger and William White Editors, Thomas Nelson
Publishers, Nashville TN, 1980.
. The New Englishman's Hebrew Concordance, by Wigram, Hendrickson
Publishers, 1984.
. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology, Willem
VanGemeran, General Editor, Zondervan Publishing
House, Grand Rapids MI, 1997
. Old Testament Parsing Guide, by Todd Beall, William Banks
and Colin Smith, Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville
TN, 2000.
. Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies, by William Wilson, MacDonald
Publishing Co. McLean VA, (note dated).