Our Bible Lesson Column

From: The Springing Well: Volume 5 (1902)

Joshua 24:15 • 3 min. read • grade level: 11

Golden Text.— “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 Antorites in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”—Josh. 24:15¹⁵And 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. (Joshua 24:15). Read Josh. 24:14-25¹⁴Now 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. ¹⁵And 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. ¹⁶And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods; ¹⁷For 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: ¹⁸And 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. ¹⁹And 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. ²⁰If 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. ²¹And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. ²²And 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. ²³Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel. ²⁴And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. ²⁵So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. (Joshua 24:14‑25).

Joshua’s Memorable Decision

14-15. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua, having lived a hundred and ten years, and being conscious that the time had come for him to go the way of all the earth, gathered the tribes of Israel and reminded them that not one thing had failed of all the good things which the Lord had spoken concerning them (chapters 24:29: 23:14). He called for the elders, the heads of tribes, the judges and officers to present themselves before God at Shechem, and there he rehearsed unto them the story of God’s dealings with them and entreated them to fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth, telling them that whatever they might decide he was determined that he and his house would serve the Lord, and all the people said—

16-18. “God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods. We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.” They certainly had every reason to serve Him only and truly, for, as they said, He had brought their fathers out of the bondage of Egypt and preserved them and brought them to that land: and Joshua had just reminded them that the Lord had given them a land for which they did not labor, cities which they had not built, and vineyards and oliveyards which they had not planted (verse 13).

19-21. “And the people said unto Joshua, Nay: but we will serve the Lord.” Joshua, in reply to their assurance that they would serve the Lord, reminds them that they must be sincere, for the Lord is both holy and jealous. Holy is the only word that is used of God three times in one verse, and that only in two places (Isa. 6:3³And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isaiah 6:3): Rev. 4:8⁸And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8)). He, being holy, requires a holy people (Lev 19:2²Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2): 1 Pet. 1:15-16¹⁵But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; ¹⁶Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:15‑16)).

22-24. “The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey.” Hearing their firm protestation of a great determination to serve the Lord, Joshua further tells them that in taking this stand they must understand that they are taking a stand against themselves, and they must turn with their whole heart to God by putting away all strange gods from among them.

25. “So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day.” This verse and also verse I says that it was done at Shechem, and as Shechem was a city of refuge (20:7) and signifies “shoulder,” it is all suggestive of this—that we must find in the Lord our constant refuge from self and sin, and in our conscious weakness dwell between His shoulders and let the government of all our affairs and of ourselves also be upon His shoulder (Ps. 46:7-11: Deut. 33:12¹²And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. (Deuteronomy 33:12): Isa. 9:6-7⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ⁷Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6‑7)).

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