Written ~ 09-13-2023
Joshua 24:14-15
“Fear the LORD and serve Him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”
Let’s bring ourselves back to the days of Joshua. Moses has died, and now Joshua is stepping into the leadership role. He has been given the task to lead the people of Israel into the land promised to them by God. If you were to read through the Book of Joshua, you’ll find many battles the people of Israel would have to overcome so they could possess the land. As they went to war with the nations inhabiting their promised land, the LORD would go before them and drive those nations out, so the Israelites could move in. Each of the 12 tribes of Judah would get their allotment of land and begin to settle into their paradise. In Chapters 23 and 24, Joshua is addressing the people of Israel, he is reminding them of everything the LORD has done for them, he’s making sure they stay committed to the LORD their God. Joshua 23:6-7 says,
“Be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. Make sure you do not associate with other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them, or serve them or worship them. Rather, cling tightly to the LORD your God as you have done until now.”
After Joshua died at the age of 110, the people still followed the example he had set and they followed the examples set by the leaders who had served alongside him, eventually those elders passed away. Then in the Book of Judges we read about a disturbing turn of events, here’s what Judges 2:10-15 says,
“After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel. The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight… They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. They abandoned the LORD… This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel, so He handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as He had warned. And the people were in great distress.”
How does the life of Joshua, the leaders who stood beside him, and the lives of the Israelites compare to us today? You may think these Scriptures as being so long ago that we couldn’t possibly relate to them now. But I believe the Scriptures, the Old Testament, were given to us as an example of what to do and what not to do. If you were to read through the Old Testament Books ~ Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy ~ you will find stories of beloved followers of the LORD, you will find disobedience, you will find discipline and repentance. But look closely, who do you find at the very center of every single page? The LORD God Almighty. It is the very same for us today. Our stories may look a little different, but each of us have battles from within that we struggle with, our priorities can sometimes get a little wishy-washy, we may even turn to disobedience as our only defense.
I want you to think about your own life. Did you have a Godly example growing up? Someone who tried their best to lead you towards the LORD. Have we become a generation who has forgotten all we learned from our parents, our grandparents? Have we chosen to follow the “idols” of the world. Have we decided the LORD isn’t who we want to follow and serve. When you really think about it, we’re not so different from the people of Israel who looked to Joshua for guidance. He urged them to read the Scriptures, to follow every instruction. He warned them not to turn their backs on the LORD. He encouraged them to remember what the LORD had done for them. He challenged them to make their choice. Serve the LORD alone or turn away and serve the gods of the world. It would seem the choice would be an easy one if you have a background, at any level, of knowing the LORD. The people of Israel were very enthusiastic in their response to Joshua. In verses 24:16-28 they are stating a very strong reply, “We would never abandon the LORD and serve other gods.” “So, we too, will serve the LORD, for He alone is our God.” Joshua asked again with a warning if they were sure, they responded, “We will serve the LORD!”
With the many temptations the world tries to offer, the pressure of our peers to do what they are doing, the state of our hearts which might be confused and easily led astray, won’t you instead make a choice to follow the LORD? Let’s change our generation and the ones to follow, to a generation who serves the LORD, loves Him wholeheartedly, to be a generation who steps out of the comfort zone of the world and begin to walk in the LIGHT of the LORD. Be prepared, if your choice is to serve the “idols” of the world, the discipline of the LORD will follow. Joshua gave this warning to the people of Israel, verses 24:19-20 says,
“If you are not able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you abandon the Lord and serve other gods, He will turn against you and destroy you, even though He has been so good to you.”
With that kind of warning, it is important to examine our hearts. It is with great significance that we evaluate our lives and how we live them. We are sinners and we are in great need of a Savior to help us through this battlefield called life. You might say, “But I’m doing good! I have no complaints!” Beware, even with that response, the LORD is waiting for you to choose. To be completely clear… What is that choice?
Serving the LORD wholeheartedly, worshipping Him alone, loving Him above all else. ~OR~
Abandoning and disobeying the Word of the LORD. Serving the idols of the world by refusing to serve the LORD.
There isn’t a middle ground, this is an “either/or” type of decision. My prayer is, that if you are reading these words today, that you are considering your life. You are searching for something you didn’t know you were missing. It maybe you heard about the LORD when you were younger but haven’t paid any mind to it until now… Make the decision to follow Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Make the decision to turn from your disobedience and your rebellion and put your trust in the God who made you and loves you so very much. By simply turning your heart to the LORD, admitting you are a sinner in need of forgiveness, and accepting Him as your Savior, your precious life will be forever cherished in the arms of the LORD. Your Father in Heaven will be there in your time of need, He will be there to comfort you and guide you through life’s messy situations. Then, the words of Joshua will be true of your life!
“As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”
~AMEN~