DECEMBER 4, 2016
JOSHUA’S FAREWELL SERMON
INTRODUCTION:
1. The final two chapters of the book of Joshua consist essentially of two powerful discourses which Joshua delivered before his death. First, in Chapter 23 we have what might be called Joshua’s farewell sermon, which in all likelihood was delivered at Shiloh, since the proceedings of the previous chapter took place there, and because the Tabernacle of Meeting was there. Then, in Chapter 24 we have Joshua’s final charge to the people, which we are specifically told was delivered from Shechem. (Ch. 24:1)
2. In Joshua’s farewell address, which we will now consider, he began by reminding the congregation of how wonderfully they had been blessed with victory and success. He did this so that through the remembrance of past blessings they might be inspired and challenged to future faithfulness, and thus, they would enjoy continued success and happiness as a people.
I. JOSHUA CALLED FOR ISRAEL’S LEADERS TO ASSEMBLE AT SHILOH SO THAT THEY MIGHT HEAR HIS WORDS. (VERSES 1, 2)
A. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ADDRESS IS EVIDENT FROM THE FACT THAT A CONVENTION OF ALL OF ISRAEL’S ELDERS, OFFICERS, JUDGES, AND HEADS WAS CALLED TO HEAR IT. (VERSES 1, 2)
1. Only for the special feast days did these men come to Shiloh all at the same time. There is no indication that this assembly was in conjunction with one of those convocations.
2. No doubt all of these principal men understood the gravity of such and assemble at which Joshua himself would demand a hearing.
B. THE TIME OF THE CONVOCATION IS GIVEN IN GENERAL TERMS. “AND IT CAME TO PASS A LONG TIME AFTER THAT THE LORD HAD GIVEN REST UNTO ISRAEL.” (VERSE 1)
1. The dividing of the land had taken an estimated six or seven years after the fighting ended.
2. Joshua was in his mid-eighties when the dividing began. He died at 110 years of age, and this event took place in the last year of his life.
3. What is here said to be “a long time after” was, at best estimate, approximately fifteen years.
C. JOSHUA SOLEMNLY ADDRESSED ISRAEL’S OFFICIAL LEADERS, PLACING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ISRAEL’S SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE ON THEM. (VERSE 2)
1. He spoke to the judges, who were learned in the law, and whose officers under them were responsible to carry out their judgments. All human magistrates are answerable to God for how they conduct their office. This was particularly true respecting Israel’s chosen ministers.
2. He named the elders and appointed heads over the tribes. As we have seen in our study, these were down the chain of command heads over tribes (officers) and heads over families. (Ch. 1:10ff)
3. The noblemen and heads of tribes shouldered heavy responsibilities, especially in matters of spiritual leadership and communicating God’s Word to those under their authority.
4. Likewise in the church and in the home, the Lord places the responsibility of headship on the men, and thus, they are accountable to Him as spiritual guides.
D. JOSHUA’S MESSAGE WAS PARTICULARLY POWERFUL, SINCE THE TIME OF HIS DEPARTURE WAS AT HAND. “I AM OLD, AND STRICKEN IN AGE.” (VERSE 2c) “BEHOLD, THIS DAY I AM GOING THE WAY OF ALL THE EARTH.” (VERSE 14a)
1. Eighteen years or so before this it was the Lord Who reminded Joshua that his time on earth was drawing to an end, thus he must finish his mission of subduing and dividing the land.
2. Here it was Joshua himself, who feeling the infirmity of old age, and knowing that the end was very near, sensed the urgency of delivering some parting instructions to the congregation. (Compare Acts 20:25-32; II Pet. 1:12-15)
3. He also used his imminent departure as an argument with them, that they should give the more earnest heed to his words.
a) He taught nothing different than he had instructed all along, but under such circumstances, their attention to his words ought to have been the more intense.
b) May we as parents teach our children consistently, so that our dying words, though nothing different, may, because of the circumstances, be the more powerful and effectual.
II. JOSHUA’S MESSAGE TO ISRAEL’S LEADERS WAS MEANT TO ENCOURAGE BY WAY OF REMEMBRANCE. (VERSES 3-10)
A. HE REMINDED THEM OF WHAT GOD HAD DONE IN GIVING THEM THIS LAND. (VERSES 3, 4)
1. God had been faithful in keeping His promise to them. He had done it for them. “…ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done…because of you.” God had fought for them. “Faithful is He who hath promised.”
2. Joshua had in faith divided to them the land according to the Lord’s revealed will. (Verse 4) There was nothing lacking to this point of what God had said He would do, and no reason to doubt that He would finish the job.
3. Joshua was speaking particularly of what the Lord had done for them under his leadership. However, he was soon to be called home, and would no longer be there to lead them. He would remind them that though he was leaving God was not. There was no reason why God’s blessing should not continue, provided they remained faithful to Him.
4. God uses good men, but no man, not even one so great as Joshua, is indispensable. Thus, Joshua spoke not of what he had done, but of what God had done. Thus, there was nothing to prevent their future success.
B. HE ASSURED THEM THAT ALL OF THE NATIONS THAT REMAINED WHOSE LANDS HAD BEEN ALLOTTED TO THEM, WOULD BE DRIVEN OUT. (VERSES 4, 5)
1. All that the Lord had promised had not fully come to pass yet. (Verse 4)
2. What better assurance could they want than to consider what He had already done? (Verse 3, 9)
3. Again, their continued success was not dependent upon their human leadership, but upon God. This is not to deny Joshua any of the honor and respect that is due him as the Lord’s anointed, but it is, after all, Joshua, who is here assuring them that his death need not hinder their success.
C. HE MADE CLEAR TO THEM THAT VICTORY WOULD COME IN THE WAY OF OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD. (VERSES 6-8)
1. The only barrier to success would be their own failure in faithfulness to God.
2. There was no additional condition. They were to courageously keep up good religion, just as they had done before. (Verse 6)
3. They were to be very careful not to become distracted, and not to be lured away from the path of obedience. “Turn not…to the right hand or to the left.”
4. They were not to mingle with idolaters, or become acquainted with idolatry. (Verse 7)
a) They were not even to take the names of false gods on their lips.
b) Many professing Christians seem to have a vast knowledge about people and things that are idolized by the world, and they sometimes speak of them all too fondly.
5. They were to continue to cleave unto the Lord, leaving no room for any rival god. (Verse 8) They must hold to Him, delight in Him, and depend upon Him.
D. HE REITERATED WHAT THE KEY TO THEIR SUCCESS WOULD BE. (VERSES 9, 10)
1. As they held to, delighted in, and depended on the Lord, He drove out their strong enemies, and at the same time, was a wall of protection about them. (Verse 9)
2. As for the future, God would remain faithful in enabling them to do the impossible. “One man of you shall chase a thousand.” (Verse 10)
a) How true this had been with respect to past victories. (Chapters 10, 11)
b) It would yet be so, as long as the people would remain true to the Lord.
III. JOSHUA CONCLUDED HIS MESSAGE WITH A FAIR WARNING. (VERSES 11-16)
A. HE WARNED AGAINST THE DANGER OF DISHONORING THEIR COVENANT OF MARRIAGE WITH THEIR GOD. (VERSES 11, 12)
1. They must guard against this awful sin by taking heed to themselves, not allowing their love for the Lord to wane. (Verse 11)
2. They must drive out the heathen, allowing for no inner-mingling that might lead to inner-marriage, which would open the door to serving their strange gods.
3. They must allow for no compromise concerning these things; for to do so would be to break their covenant with the Lord their God.
B. HE WARNED ABOUT THE AWFUL CONSEQUENCES BY WAY OF PERSONAL LOSSES. (VERSES 13-16)
1. Forfeiture of the Lord’s help in battle, even abandonment to the enemy. (Verse 13)
2. God’s goodness would be replaced with evil and eventual destruction. (Verse 15)
3. The Lord’s anger would be kindled, that they should perish from off the good land.
4. We cannot, any more than Israel could, have our sins and God’s blessings too.
5. There was something very good at stake here. Three times we read the phrase, “good land, good land, good land.” (Verses 13, 15, 16)
a) Sin has a huge price tag. It will cost you the good land.
b) To choose to serve sin is to forfeit heaven itself.
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