DECEMBER 18, 2016
JOSHUA’S FINAL CHARGE
INTRODUCTION:
1. When Joshua delivered his farewell sermon at Shiloh (Ch. 23), it appears that he may have thought he was addressing Israel’s leaders for the last time. Note his words on that occasion: “This day I am going the way of all the earth.” (Ch. 23:14a) Yet, here we find him calling them together again, this time at Shechem, where he would deliver one final message; charging them to remain faithful to God, even the God of their fathers, who had fulfilled to these their children the covenant promises. Joshua could say to these elders, “not one thing hath failed of all of the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you.” (Ch. 23:14b)
2. Thus Joshua, so long as the Lord left him in this world, seized upon every opportunity to instruct and encourage the people over whom God had appointed him captain and minister. He was of the same mind as the Apostle Peter, who said, “Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle.” (II Pet. 1:13, 14) Let us not think that our work for God is done until our life is done. If it seems that our life on earth has been extended, let us conclude that God has some further service for us to do. Welcome as departure may have seemed to Joshua, it was needful for him to abide in the flesh a bit longer for the people’s sake. (Phil. 1:23, 24)
3. Clearly, Joshua had one final charge to deliver before his course would be finished. How grateful we are for this charge. May it be to the benefit of our souls by the Holy Spirit.
I. JOSHUA MADE ISRAEL’S BLESSED AND DIVINELY FAVORED HISTORY THE BASIS AND STRENGTH OF HIS FINAL CHARGE. (VERSES 1-13)
A. THE PLACE WHICH WAS CHOSEN TO DELIVER IT WAS OF PARTICULAR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. (VERSE 1)
1. Some have suggested that perhaps Joshua chose Shechem for convenience, since it was closer to his home in Timnath-serah than Shiloh, and therefore, more accommodating to his stricken condition. However, from the manner in which the charge begins, it seems more likely that God, Who gave Joshua the word to deliver, also chose the place. “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel.” (Verse 2a)
2. The history begins with the call of Abraham, and Shechem was the place where the original trustee of the covenant settled when he first came into Canaan, and it was there that God appeared to him. (Gen. 12:6, 7)
3. It was also very near to Shechem, where, in more recent history, the covenant was renewed at Mount Ebal and Mount Garizim, soon after they entered the land. (Josh. 8:30)
B. IT WAS BEFORE GOD, WHO HAD SO WONDERFULLY FAVORED THIS PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE GATHERED. “AND THEY PRESENTED THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD.” (VERSE 1c) It may well be that the Ark of The Covenant had been brought to Shechem for this special occasion. Thus, the people are said to present themselves before the Lord, the Ark being the token of His presence. This would explain why this meeting place was called “the sanctuary of the Lord” in Verse 26. It was the presence of the Ark that made the tabernacle at Shiloh the sanctuary of the Lord.
1. Clearly, Joshua and those who gathered to hear him were aware that this was a solemn and sacred assembly.
2. Joshua was highly respected by the people (Ch. 4:14), but particularly when he was God’s messenger in holy things. It should always be that God’s ministers are highly esteemed for their work’s sake, (I Thess. 5:12, 13) which essentially consists of declaring the Word of God.
3. When we gather to hear the preaching of the Gospel, may we “present ourselves before God,” for true ministers are His ambassadors, and speak in His stead. (II Cor. 5:20)
4. Where two or three are gathered in Christ’s name is our holy sanctuary, because He is in the midst. He is the true Ark of the Covenant.
C. JOSHUA HERE REHEARSED TO THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL THE UNIQUE HISTORY OF THAT PECULIAR NATION WHICH WAS DISTINCTLY GOD’S OWN BLESSED AND COVENANT PEOPLE. (VERSES 2-13)
1. God had chosen Abraham, an idol worshipper who dwelt with his kindred in Ur of the Chaldees, which was “on the other side of the flood,” that is, on the other side of the great River Euphrates.
a) It was their father, Abraham that God had of His own will singled out, and chosen to bless.
b) Abraham was chosen from among his kindred, and called out. (Gen. 12:11)
c) Ur was a place that was celebrated for learning but was steeped in idolatry, for “the world by wisdom knew not God.” (I Cor. 1:21)
d) The Lord said, “And I took your father Abraham…and led him,” otherwise he would never have come out. So it is with all of Abraham’s spiritual seed, they would remain in the world apart from Christ if the Father did not draw them. (John 6:44, 45)
2. God brought Abraham to Canaan, even to Shechem, where they were now gathered, and there multiplied his seed through Ishmael, the son of the bondwoman, and particularly through Isaac, the seed of promise. (Verse 3)
3. God gave to Isaac twin sons, Jacob and Esau, whom He separated, giving to Esau Mount Seir, and sending Jacob, who had obtained the birthright, down into Egypt, where He would make of him a great nation. (Verse 4)
4. God used Egypt like a mother’s womb, to nourish and develop His son until the time when He would bring him forth. (Verses 5-7)
a) It was there that God sent Moses and Aaron to lead the children of Israel in their exodus from Egypt. (Vs. 5)
b) God did bring them forth with a mighty hand, even destroying Pharaoh and his armies in the process. Egypt itself was expendable, and God literally gave the mother for the life of the child. (Verses 6, 7; see Isa. 43:3)
c) He protected them in the wilderness for forty years, preserving the seed unto the next generation. “And ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.” (Verse 7c)
5. God destroyed the Amorites and gave their lands to the Israelites for a possession. (Verse 8; Num. 21:21-35; Deut.2:32f; 3:1f)
a) What an amazing victory that was! Israel was able to do the impossible because God fought for them and delivered the kingdom of Sihon and Og into their hands.
b) Of that great victory the children of Israel had been recently reminded. (Ch. 22:1-9)
6. God defeated the plot of Balak, king of Moab, and Balaam, the false prophet, in an effort to curse the children of Israel. (Verses 9, 10; Num. Chs. 22-24)
7. God brought them safely and triumphantly into the land of promise, and delivered the Canaanites into their hands. (Verses 11, 12)
a) Their first battle was won decisively by the mighty power of God alone. There was no conventional weapon raised by Israel’s army. (Verse 11a; Ch. 6)
b) The two great campaigns led by Joshua, which gave Israel possession of the land from north to south, were won through various divine interventions. (Verse 11b; Chs. 10, 11)
c) Here Joshua confirms what had been before promised; that God had indeed sent hornets before Israel in these campaigns (Exo. 23:28), this in addition to raining down hailstones (Ch. 10:11) and other kinds of supernatural interventions. (Verse 12)
8. God had, according to His promise, given His people lands for which they did not labor, and cities which they did not build. (Verse 13)
a) We know that our heavenly Canaan is a land of unspeakable delights which our Lord has gone to prepare. (John 14:2; I Cor. 2:9)
b) But, even in this life, the Lord makes the labors and investments of all men to serve us. (I Cor. 3:21, 22)
II. JOSHUA REHEARSED ALL OF THIS HISTORY IN ORDER TO CHALLENGE THE PEOPLE AND REMIND THEM OF THEIR OBLIGATION TO SERVE THE LORD THEIR GOD HEREAFTER. (VERSES 14, 15)
A. THEIR DUTY WAS SIMPLE AND SIMPLY PUT. (VERSE 14)
1. “Fear the Lord.”
a) Reverence and worship His majesty.
b) Dread His displeasure so as to remain faithful to Him.
2. “Serve Him in sincerity and in truth.”
a) They were to keep up true religion, not just outwardly, but inwardly.
b) They must therefore abide in God’s truth, being obedient to His word.
3. “Put away the strange gods.”
a) Since this admonition is repeated in Verse 23, it would seem that some of them may have secretly held on to some of the old idols of the Chaldeans and the Egyptians.
b) Jehovah will have no rivals. He will be worshipped above all, or not at all. (Psa. 96:4)
B. AS FOR JOSHUA, THE MATTER WAS SETTLED. (VERSE 15)
1. It is up to every individual to make his choice. “If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve.”
a) The alternative choices were before them, some from the past, others from the present.
b) We are faced with like choices. Many are the idols that are worshipped by men and women of our present world, some are old as mankind itself, and others are of more modern invention; yet in a sense there is nothing new.
2. Joshua had made his choice, and since it was given him from God to make that choice, it was not subject to change.
a) He was not “halt between two opinions.” (I Kings 18:21)
b) He also, as head over his own household, spoke for them all. In the final analysis we cannot choose for our children, but so long as they are under our roof we can speak for them, and we can disallow behavior that is not honoring to God.
c) Let us be so resolute as Joshua, and say, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”
Speak Your Mind