Joshua's Last Message - Part 2
#17 in Series: "Learning from the Past, Preparing for the Future" (A Study in the Book of Joshua)
Joshua 24:1-13
In Joshua's last messages to the nation of Israel, he is admonishing God's people as to how they are to embrace their future!
In part one, Joshua emphasized the need for God's people to maintain a "vertical focus", staying "biblically grounded", "relationally committed", and "spiritually vigilant". That was chapter 23 that we studied last time…
Today, we are going to unpack most of what he said, in what we are calling Part 2 of his Last Message… The first 13 verses of chapter 24 covers a single… vital principle that God's people need to learn, and learn well… It is the principle of learning from the past. We have already seen how he has leaned into this principle before. In fact, most of God's prophets would review historical narratives with God's chosen – draw out examples and principles from their history, that they should … learn and never forget!
This principle follows into the New Testament as well. Do you remember when Jesus said –
Luke 17:32
Remember Lot's wife.
He held Mrs. Lot up in the minds of His audience as an example – an example of what not to do!... You see, we are to learn from the past – both positive examples to emulate, and negative examples to avoid… Lessons from the past can be invaluable to the believer. We've said several times during this study, that you don't have to go down the road someone else has taken, to learn of its dangers! You don't have to repeat someone else's sin, to learn why it is so destructive!... "A wise person learns from their own mistakes, and a wiser person learns from the mistakes of others"!
Today, in Part 2 of Joshua's final messages, he takes his audience back … back to their history – only this time, it is not so much as to remind them of some … failure, some pitfall to avoid – but to remind them of what faithfulness looks like! And it's not merely the faithfulness of previous generations – but the faithfulness of God to those generations!
Can I jump to the end for just a moment?... Why is it important for us to review what God has done for others who have preceded us?... Why would Joshua want to spend so much ink on reminding his generation of what God did in previous generations?... It is for this purpose – God's people can joyfully embrace their future – knowing that God, the One and Only, covenant-keeping, grace-giving, ever-faithful God – is their God!
He IS Who He revealed Himself to Moses to be – He is the –
Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
It is my understanding that the double tetragrammaton, that is translated –
"I Am Who I Am"
… can literally be translated as –
"I will continue to be Who I have always been"!
The Lord brings encouragement to His people, through His prophet, Joshua, to prepare them for the future that is before them!... What is it that they need to be remembering about their Lord, as they are about to embark upon a future without the prophet they have been following for the past several years?...
Well, let's get into the text… The first thing we need to pay attention to, is something that can all-to-often be overlooked… Let's call it –
1. The Responsibility to Corporately Assemble
Look at the first part of verse :1 –
Joshua 24:1
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…
I realize this is simply narrative… We are told about something that happened! It was something that happened on many occasions throughout their history – it is the simple fact that they … assembled, when they were called to do so by their leaders!
Listen … the point is – if they failed to assemble, they would have missed out on all that was about to be shared!...
How often have you "missed church", to later learn about something that happened at church, and you … missed out on it?... God has a word for His people. He had Joshua to issue the call to assemble … and the people had the responsibility to do so!
By the way, this is a principle that continues into the New Testament, and throughout church history as well!... Listen to the Holy Spirit's words through the writer of the book of Hebrews –
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Listen… this is not a minor point. Gathering together is vitally important for your spiritual health! There is a lot that happens – organically, not just formally – in what God does in the minds, hearts, and lives of His children when they come together – especially for the purpose of hearing His Word!... One aspect of the "gathering" that is vital, though hard to describe, is what happens in fellowship! The mere fact of being in the same room, sharing conversation, hearing the heart of another, is all a part of the process God uses to strengthen you – encourage you – in your relationship to God!
The vertical helps your horizontal relationships… Your horizontal can also motivate your vertical!...
… Show up, whenever you have the opportunity – if fact … make it a priority!...
In verse :1, we not only see the principle of "assembling" being lived out, we also see a demonstration of the attitude for when they do!... Let's think about –
2. The Necessity of Personal Surrender
Look at what the people did, once they assembled to listen to Joshua… before they even heard the message, they –
Joshua 24:1c
… they presented themselves before God.
Let that phrase soak in for a moment… "They presented themselves"... Each one needed to present himself, or herself… This is a demonstration of personal worship! No one else could accomplish this for them – it was the personal responsibility of each … worshipper to come ready to worship – and the way to prepare, was to "present themselves to the Lord"!
Do you do that as you come into the corporate worship service?... As you sing, are you presenting yourself before the Lord with an open, sincere heart of worship?... Are you purposefully being transparent before God with your thoughts, motives, and attitude toward being ready to worship God?...
Again, this is a N.T. principle as well! The Apostle Paul makes this appeal in the book of Romans –
Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Do you need your life to be transformed? Follow this very instruction!... Every believer I know, who seeks to live according to this principle, not only are grateful for the transformation they are experiencing – they desire even greater!... Oh that we would cooperate with the Lord in the sanctifying, transforming work He is performing in our lives to make us more and more like Christ!
Those are already a couple of profound truths – and we haven't even gotten to the first sentence Joshua is delivering in message… So, let's begin to think about what he has to say… Joshua begins with –
3. The Announcement of Divine Authority
This is a powerful, profound, proclamation –
Joshua 24:2a
Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel,
Do we appreciate just how profound this simple statement is?... I think that because it appears so much throughout the O.T., that we fail to be impacted by the profoundness of what is being said.
Joshua is not declaring a personal perspective. He is not representing human autonomy. He is not giving advice, commentary, or opinion… He is simply proclaiming that what is about to be shared – is the very Word of God!...
And what is about to be shared needs to be received as coming from God Himself!... God's Word represents God's authority!
Again, do we approach God's Word that way? When we read the Bible, or hear the Bible read and expounded upon, do we listen with ears ready to hear from God?...
Listen, when God speaks … when He speaks about any particular issue, matter, or subject – what He says is the truth about that matter, and we are to receive and yield to His Word as coming from God Himself!
Now, what is interesting about our text, is that what is about to follow is not the giving of a command. It is not instruction, correction, or even exhortation… What the Lord does here is give a history lesson!
Let's consider –
4. The Review of Their History
The Lord Himself is about to give His people a history lesson! He begins, where they begin – their provenance, their very origin, if you will… In this section, the Lord is reminding His people … just why they are His people … just why they are a people in the first place.
Their Ancestral Background
The Lord begins by reminding them where their ancestors were, before the Lord called them… Their ancestors were a bunch of idolaters from the region of Mesopotamia!
Pick up in the middle of verse :2 –
Joshua 24:2b
… '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.
Okay, what do we know so far?... Israel always elevates Abraham, because they are the literal, and spiritual descendants of Abraham… But the Lord, in His lesson here, begins not with Abraham, but with … where Abraham came from! Why?... What is significant about pointing out the background from which Abraham came?... Because the Lord is reminding them of His grace toward them! In other words, just where would these people be, if the Lord had not intervened and saved Abraham?
Their Patriarchal Era
I realize that we need to talk a little about this specific term… In our vernacular today, the term patriarch has become a rather negative term. It has become synonymous with the concepts of totalitarian, tyrannical, dictatorial, and even oppressive… Sadly, that seems to be entomology of the term… I think in part, it has to do with the rather sad examples of those who have been abusive, abrasive, and authoritarian in their approach to leading their families, that the culture around us has turned this term into something negative…
[Listen, history has shown us how good terms can become bad term – and even so-called bad terms, becoming good! The term Christian started off as a derogatory label attached to followers of Jesus. Non-believers mocked early Christians with this label – now we would love to be accused of being "like-Christ"!... The term puritanical is now a negative term, but it originates as a reference to Puritans, who were – for the most part – more Christ-like than most "Christians" today… And so, patriarch, which originally speaks of faithful, godly men, who faithfully lead their families – has become … undesirable to the modern secular culture…]
In the reviewing of their history, the Lord moved from the Israelites ancestral background, to reminding His people of their patriarchal era… He begins with Abraham of course, and in one simple sentence – the Lord tells of all that He did in Abraham's life. Look at verse :3 –
Joshua 24:3
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.
There is a lot of history in that one sentence… This man was first called Abram, which means "father", and the Lord called him, changes his name to Abraham, which means "father of multitude", before he ever even fathered a child!... Abraham and Sarah became impatient with the Lord's promise to give them a child, so they tried to "help God out" by having Abraham father a child by Sarah's handmaid, Hagar…
The descendants of Abraham, through Hagar's son, Ishmael became known as the Ishmaelites. Those are the Arab peoples of today…
God was not having it! His promise to Abraham was that he and Sarah would have a son – which finally came about in their very advanced years – and that son was named Isaac – through whom came the Israelites!
(Incidentally, Abraham was also the father of the Midianites and several others, through his wife Keturah, whom he married after Sarah's passing…)
The point is God truly made Abram – Abraham, the father of multitudes! He gave him the land of Canaan, and specifically gave him His promised son, Isaac from whom the Israelites descended!
Read Genesis 11-25 – this one verse is a summary statement of Abraham's life that is recorded in those chapters.
Verse :4 –
Joshua 24:4
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.
… is a quick summary of Isaac's line… God gave Isaac Jacob and Esau. Then He gave Esau the hill country of Seir, and Jacob and his descendants eventually went down to Egypt…
We pick up the pace a bit, and read of the Lord's summary of a most significant chapter in Israel's history, and that is –
Their Exodus and Waiting Era
This is the history of the exodus, and wilderness wanderings… Let's pick up with verse :5 –
Joshua 24:5-7
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 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.
For centuries, the Israelites were in Egypt… They went there during Joseph's lifetime, and for a period of time, enjoyed being "guests" in the land… Then came the long history of becoming "servants"... The Egyptians enslaved the Israelites … until God raised up Moses and Aaron, and through supernatural demonstrations of His sovereign authority – God delivered the Israelites out of slavery!
Even after exiting Egypt, the Lord demonstrated His divine authority in a final act against the Egyptians decided to pursue Israel in order to recapture them… The Lord demonstrated supernatural power in providing a way to cross through the sea, which would end in the destruction of those who were pursuing them!
The last sentence of verse :7 simply records the … consequences of that generation's disobedience and choosing to not cross over into the land of Canaan when they were first given the opportunity. The Lord reminds them that they –
… lived in the wilderness for a long time.
What do you suppose this generation of Israelites should remember about those 40 years of wilderness wanderings?... They should at least remember how the Lord sustained them during those hard years before they would finally come to the Promised Land…
Beginning in verse :8, the Lord's history lesson turns to –
Their Conquest and Inheritance Era
This section begins with the reminder of how the Lord brought victory over the "Transjordan Kings" – those kings who were on the east side of the Jordan. Look at verse :8 –
Joshua 24:8-13
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.
Verse :9 briefly records the history you can read about in great detail in Numbers 22, when –
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. [But the Lord turned the intended "curse" into a "blessing" instead! The Lord said…] 10 But I was not willing to listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you, and I delivered you from his hand.
The Lord summarizes the history of the crossing the Jordan, and decades of conquering the land of Canaan –
11 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.
The Lord also reminds them that much of their victory was not because of natural skill with a sword, but because of supernatural intervention by the Lord Himself! He caused confusion and panic that would result in overwhelming victory!
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.
The final declaration was a reminder that what Israel now enjoyed was due to … the grace of God!
13 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.'
These 13 verses summarize the historical timeline of almost 8 centuries! We have been reminded of the patriarchs, the exodus, wilderness wanderings, and up to the victorious settlement of the Promised Land…
The question that comes to mind is; what should we understand from this passage? What should be take-aways that we should grasp and apply to our lives and time?... I think there are at least these:
Make Corporate Worship a Priority
God's people assemble, and when they do, they benefit from hearing God's Word together… Our spiritual health and growth depend on it. We are encouraged, and accountable, when we are invested in the family of God!
Maintain a Surrendered Heart
The Israelites "presented themselves before God" before hearing the message. Worship involves personally offering ourselves to God, not merely attending a service… Before worship, intentionally prepare your heart through prayer, confession, humility, and a willingness to obey God's Word.
Submit to God's Authority
Joshua's message began with: "Thus says the Lord"... God's Word is not merely advice or opinion; it carries God's authority… We are to approach Scripture expecting God to speak, and be willing to align our beliefs, attitudes, and actions with God's Word!
Learn from the Past
God repeatedly calls His people to remember His works throughout history. Both successes and failures from previous generations provide valuable lessons… Study biblical history and the experiences of mature believers to gain wisdom and avoid repeating mistakes.
Remember God's Faithfulness
The review of Israel's history highlights God's faithfulness from Abraham to the conquest of Canaan… The Lord's character remains constant through every generation. We need to regularly reflect on how God has been faithful in Scripture, church history, our own family, and our own lives…
One simple, but key point we should make is simply this – remember God's faithfulness in the past so that you can trust Him confidently in the future.
Questions to Consider in Community Group
- Why do you think people often forget important lessons from the past?
- How can remembering God's faithfulness help us face uncertainty about the future?
- Why was it important that all Israel gathered together to hear Joshua's final message?
- What are some blessings that can only be experienced when believers gather together?
- What does it mean that the people "presented themselves before God"?
- How can we prepare our hearts before attending worship or studying God's Word?
- Why is the phrase "Thus says the Lord" so significant?
- Can you share a time when submitting to God's Word changed your thinking or actions?
- Why do you think God spent so much time reminding Israel of their history?
- What stands out to you most from God's review of Israel's past?
- How does Abraham's background as an idolater highlight God's grace?
- Throughout verses 2-13, God repeatedly says, "I took," "I gave," "I sent," and "I brought." What does this reveal about God's role in Israel's history?
- Which of the five major applications from this passage challenged you the most:
- Make Corporate Worship a Priority
- Maintain a Surrendered Heart
- Submit to God's Authority
- Learn from the Past
- Remember God's Faithfulness
