JOSHUA LESSON 24
We will begin this lesson in Joshua 24:1 "And Joshua gathered all
the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel,
and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and
they presented themselves before God."
This gathering before the LORD called by Joshua, seemed to be
even more serious than the one in the previous chapter.
Joshua 24:2 "And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the
LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood
in old time, [even] Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of
Nachor: and they served other gods."
This is speaking of the fact that Abraham's father was not a
worshipper of the One True God. "LORD God of Israel" is Jehovah, the
God of Israel. This is just explaining that God had chosen them, while
they were still worshippers of false gods.
Joshua 24:3 "And I took your father Abraham from the other side
of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and
multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac."
God saved Abraham, because of his great faith. God did the same
thing for him He does for all of us. While he was yet in sin, the LORD
saved him. God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to follow Him.
He wandered in search of a city whose maker was God. God promised the
seed of Abraham would be as the sand of the sea. He had Isaac in his
and Sarah's old age. He was the son God had promised him. The seed as
the sand of the sea is speaking of the believers in Christ. Galatians
3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise."
Joshua 24:4 "And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave
unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went
down into Egypt."
All of this is a basis for these Israelites, to realize where
they came from. Esau was the eldest son, but he sold his birthright
for a bowl of soup. Jacob received the birthright. Jacob and his sons
went into Egypt, because there was a famine in their land.
Joshua 24:5 "I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt,
according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you
out."
God sent Moses and Aaron to bring the family of Jacob out of
Egypt. God sent 10 plagues on Egypt, to get the Pharaoh to release
them. The family of Jacob went into Egypt. The nation of Israel came
out of Egypt. This is up to date. God promised them a land of promise.
Joshua 24:6 "And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came
unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with
chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea."
This message is touching on the highlights of their release. The
sea, of course, is the Red Sea, where God opened the sea and allowed
the children of Israel to walk across on dry land. Then Pharaoh's army
with horses and chariots followed them into the sea, and were drowned.
Joshua 24:7 "And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness
between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and
covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and
ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season."
Joshua is re-capping this, to show the divine undertaking of God
on their behalf. The miracles in Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea,
and the miracles during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness,
should let them not doubt the hand of God in their activities. They
were even fed with no effort on their own for the 40 years. Manna fell
from heaven to feed them. The miracle of their shoes not wearing out
in 40 years was almost unbelievable. There is no question, they belong
to God.
Joshua 24:8 "And I brought you into the land of the Amorites,
which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I
gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I
destroyed them from before you."
The destruction of the Amorites was more recent. Even the young
should be able to remember that. They were strong and fierce fighters,
but God subdued them for Israel.
Joshua 24:9 "Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose
and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor
to curse you:" Joshua 24:10 "But I would not hearken unto Balaam;
therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand."
God delivered them from Balak and from Balaam. Joshua seems to be
relating this, as if God is speaking to the people. All of these
accounts seem to be in the order in which they happened, as well.
Joshua 24:11 "And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and
the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the
Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites,
the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand."
Notice, Joshua deliberately leaves out the fact, that he led them
over on dry land at the parting of the Jordan River. This is because
he is an humble man. All of these people fell to the mighty hand of
God.
Joshua 24:12 "And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them
out from before you, [even] the two kings of the Amorites; [but] not
with thy sword, nor with thy bow."
It really does not matter whether these were literal hornets, or
whether they were more of a spiritual nature. The important thing is
that they drove the people out at the command of God.
Joshua 24:13 "And I have given you a land for which ye did not
labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the
vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat."
The cities were already built, when the Israelites came to this
land. The vineyards had already been planted, as well. They were gifts
to the Israelites from God. They were taken from a people, who did not
know God, and given to God's people.
Joshua 24:14 "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in
sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers
served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the
LORD."
They must fear the LORD and worship Him alone. They will be able
to keep their inheritance, as long as they are faithful to the Lord,
and keep His commandments. To worship false gods is spiritual
adultery, and will bring destruction to them.
Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,
choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your
fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods
of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house,
we will serve the LORD."
Each person has his own free will and he can worship and serve
whomever he will. He must be ready and willing to accept the
consequences of his decision, however. Joshua has no doubt in his own
mind who he will serve. He, and his family, will worship the LORD.
Joshua 24:16 "And the people answered and said, God forbid that
we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;"
This is the very statement they should have made. The important
thing is to continue believing, what they have stated here. There is
no other god. God is God, and He alone.
Joshua 24:17 "For the LORD our God, he [it is] that brought us up
and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage,
and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all
the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we
passed:"
They are not only confessing God, but His wonders, as well. They
are admitting to Joshua that all they are, is because God made them.
The signs, like the Manna, left no doubt where they came from.
Joshua 24:18 "And the LORD drave out from before us all the
people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: [therefore] will we
also serve the LORD; for he [is] our God."
It seems, they are replying to the things Joshua has brought
before them. They are agreeing that this is of God.
Joshua 24:19 "And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve
the LORD: for he [is] an holy God; he [is] a jealous God; he will not
forgive your transgressions nor your sins."
God will be their God, as long as they are faithful to Him. God
will not share His people with any false god. Joshua is reminding them
of the importance of living holy before their LORD. He not only is
jealous, but His name is Jealous. Exodus 34:14 "For thou shalt worship
no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous
God:"
Joshua 24:20 "If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods,
then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath
done you good."
The blessings of the LORD will continue in their lives as long as
they are faithful to God. If they play the harlot and go after false
gods, the Lord will turn on them, and destroy them.
Joshua 24:21 "And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will
serve the LORD."
At the time they make this statement, they really do believe that
they will serve the LORD. Their intentions are to serve the LORD.
Temptations have a way of changing some people.
Joshua 24:22 "And Joshua said unto the people, Ye [are] witnesses
against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And
they said, [We are] witnesses."
Joshua has given them the facts of what will happen to them
either way. It was their decision to make. They are full of good
intentions and actually believe they will do this. The pressure to sin
has not come before them at this time. They will be without excuse, if
they turn from God.
Joshua 24:23 "Now therefore put away, [said he], the strange gods
which [are] among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of
Israel."
They had sinned with strange gods all the way on the 40 year
journey, and even now. The people of Canaan, they have left alive,
worship false gods. They must be loyal to God in their hearts, as well
as with their mouth.
Joshua 24:24 "And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God
will we serve, and his voice will we obey."
They have agreed to the terms set down by God through Joshua.
They have made their decision to serve God. They must continue in this
faith to be blessed of God.
Joshua 24:25 "So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day,
and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem."
A covenant is an agreement that cannot be broken, without
terrible consequences. The statutes and ordinances were unbreakable.
Joshua 24:26 "And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the
law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak,
that [was] by the sanctuary of the LORD."
This is in addition to the law of Moses. This is like signing an
agreement to keep the law of Moses. The stone was the seal of the
agreement.
Joshua 24:27 "And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this
stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of
the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto
you, lest ye deny your God."
To deny God, means to declare that He does not exist. It is as if
the stone can speak, as a witness against those who do not believe.
Joshua 24:28 "So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his
inheritance."
Joshua let them leave, full of the words of God he had brought
them. They went back, each man to his own land.
Joshua 24:29 "And it came to pass after these things, that
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, [being] an
hundred and ten years old."
Joshua lived 110 years on the earth. He was only concerned with
doing the will of God. He tried to do the commands of God to the
fullest.
Joshua 24:30 "And they buried him in the border of his
inheritance in Timnath-serah, which [is] in mount Ephraim, on the
north side of the hill of Gaash."
Joshua was buried not in prominence, but among his people. He,
like Moses and Aaron, was buried on a mountain.
Joshua 24:31 "And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua,
and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had
known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel."
Joshua had been a great influence on these people, and on their
leaders. As long as Joshua was there to lead them, and the elders that
Joshua had taught were alive, they followed God's commandments.
Joshua 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of
Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of
ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem
for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the
children of Joseph."
Joseph had requested that he be buried here in the promised land.
He died in Egypt, but they brought his bones and buried them in the
land of promise. Genesis 33:19 "And he bought a parcel of a field,
where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor,
Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money." Genesis 50:25 "And
Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely
visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence." Exodus 13:19
"And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly
sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and
ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you."
Joshua 24:33 "And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried
him in a hill [that pertained to] Phinehas his son, which was given
him in mount Ephraim."
This land had been part of the cities given to the priestly
family. When Eleazar dies, they bury him in the area that had been
alloted to his son Phinehas.
There are many lessons we can learn from this lesson. The most
outstanding lesson for me in this is the necessity of walking in the
salvation we have received. Salvation is free, but should be guarded
as if it is the most expensive thing we own. It is by far the most
precious thing we possess.
Joshua 24 Questions
1. Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to ___________.
2. Joshua said unto the people, thus ________ the _______.
3. Abraham's father was not a worshipper of the _______ ______ ____.
4. "LORD God of Israel" is who?
5. God saved Abraham, because of his great _________.
6. Where did Abraham live, when God called him?
7. He wandered in search of what?
8. What was unusual about Abraham and Sarah having Isaac?
9. Quote Galatians chapter 3 verse 29.
10. Who were Isaac's sons?
11. Who got the birthright?
12. Why did Jacob take his sons to Egypt?
13. Who did God send to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?
14. How many plagues did God send on Pharaoh?
15. What happened at the Red Sea?
16. Why is Joshua re-capping their trip to the promised land?
17. What were some of the miracles God did for them?
18. Joshua is speaking, as if it is ______ speaking?
19. Why did Joshua deliberately leave out about the crossing of the
Jordan?
20. What did God send against their enemies?
21. What good advice did Joshua give them in verse 14?
22. How long can they keep their inheritance?
23. Quote Joshua chapter 24 verse 15.
24. What statement did they make to Joshua?
25. Who did God drive out, to give this land to Israel?
26. Quote Exodus chapter 34 verse 14. What will God do, if they
worship the false gods?
27. Put away the strange _______ among you.
28. What is a covenant?
29. What unusual thing was to be a witness?
30. How old was Joshua, when he died?
31. Where did they bury him?
32. Whose bones had they brought and buried here?
33. Quote Exodus chapter 13 verse 19.
34. Where was Eleazar buried?
35. What lesson can Christians learn from this lesson?
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