Josué 24

Josué 24

Spurgeon - JOSHUA knew that the people who surrounded him, while ostensibly serving Jehovah, were, many of them, secretly worshipping the ancient idols of their Mesopotamian fathers—those seraphim which were once hidden in Rachel’s tent and were never quite purged from Jacob’s family. Some of them, also, harbored the Egyptian emblems. And some had even fallen into the worship of the gods of the people whom they had displaced and were setting up the images of Baalim in their homes. The people were nominally worshippers of Jehovah, but in reality, many of them had turned aside unto strange gods. Never, in their best days, had the children of Israel been quite divorced from idols, for, as Stephen said of them, even in the wilderness they took up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of their god Remphan, figures which they made to worship (Acts 7:43). Now, being a thorough-going, decided, down-right man, Joshua could not endure double-mindedness and therefore, he pushed the people to decision, urging them to serve the Lord with sincerity and, if they did so, to put away altogether all their graven images. He demanded from them a determination for one thing or the other. He shut them up to a present choice between the true God and the idols, and gave them no rest in their halfheartedness. Anticipating the cry of Elijah on Carmel, he demanded, in effect, “How long will you waiver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.” Joshua, like his friend Caleb, “remained loyal to the LORD” (Dt 1:36). He might have taken for his motto the word “thorough”; he belonged to Jehovah, heart and soul and mind and strength. As the successor of Moses and the type of the Lord Jesus, he put on zeal as a cloak and girded himself with fidelity as a garment; his appointed duty was fulfilled with martial strictness and unswerving steadiness; he had a single eye and a firm hand; he was strong and of good courage, and the Lord was with him. It was no idle boast when the old warrior and prince in Israel said, “As for me and my family, we will worship the LORD.”(Decision) And serve the LORD - God wanted their whole hearts before service. Do not serve idols but the true and living God. Related Resources: Who was Moloch/Molech/Molek? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about child sacrifice? | GotQuestions.org Sincerity (without blemish, perfect, integrity) (08549) tamim from the verb tamam = to be complete, entire or whole (literal sense in Lev 3:9, Ezek 15:5), refers to a action which is completed) has both physical (sacrificial animal without defect - Nu 29:2, 8, 13, 17, etc) and spiritual (blameless, devout, upright) significance. Tamim has the idea of completeness or wholeness and deals primarily with a state of moral or ceremonial purity (e.g., animal sacrifices - 51x tamim refers to unblemished animals - Passover lamb in Ex 12:5 picturing of course Christ sinless perfection - 1Cor 5:7, "knew no sin" = 2Cor 5:21). Tamim is used in Dt 18:13 in the charge to Israel that “You shall be blameless (tamim) before the LORD your God." The Septuagint translates tamim in Joshua 24:14 with euthutes which literally means straightness and figuratively refers to the quality of life characterized by honesty, integrity, justice, righteousness, uprightness. Truth (faithfulness, faithfully) (0571) 'emeth from the verb aman = to confirm, support, believe, be faithful) is a feminine noun meaning truth, faithfulness, that which gives complete reliability. The first use fittingly describes Jehovah's faithfulness (Ge 24:27, cp Ge 32:10, Ps 30:9, Neh 9:33, Ps 54:5, Ps 91:4) Who is described as the "God of truth" (Ps 31:5) Jacob asks Joseph to deal with him in faithfulness (Ge 47:29) In Ge 42:16 Joseph tests the brothers to see if their words are truth. God told Moses to select men of truth to be judges which He characterized as those who hate dishonest gain (Ex 18:21). Jehovah revealed Himself to Moses as "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth." Put away (repeated in Joshua 24:23) (turn aside, depart, remove, take away)(05493) sur) basically means to change direction, to turn away, to go away, to desert, to quit, to keep far away, to stop, to take away, to remove, to be removed, to make depart. Literally of turning aside or departing from the road a person is traveling (Jdg 18:3, 15) or departing from a road or path by turning aside from the original course (Ex 3:3). Used figuratively, sur has to do with the moral direction someone is taking as when turning from the right road (cf "do not turn to the right or the left"). Israel turned aside from the way of their ancestors walked (Jdg. 2:17) and away from God's commands (Mal 3:7). Israel's leaders exhorted them not to turn aside from the right way (Dt. 17:20; Josh 23:6; 1Sa 12:20, 21). To stay on course is to turn neither to the right or to the left (Dt. 2:27; 5:32: Joshua 1:7+; 2 Ki 22:2). Strong's has this note for sur- ) to turn aside, depart 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn aside, turn in unto 1a2) to depart, depart from way, avoid 1a3) to be removed 1a4) to come to an end 1b) (Polel) to turn aside 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose 1c2) to put aside, leave undone, retract, reject, abolish 1d) (Hophal) to be taken away, be removed GEORGE BUSH Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 24 Now therefore fear the Lord, &c. The address of Joshua to Israel has thus far been occupied with a recital of the leading events of their national history, events going to show, in the most striking manner, the interposition of the divine hand in their behalf. He would thus lay a foundation for that deep sense of obligation and obedience, which he aims in the remainder of his discourse to impress upon their minds. From this point, therefore, he begins a practical application of the various facts be had before enumerated, turning the whole into a powerful appeal to the consciences and the hearts of his hearers. Serve him in sincerity and in truth. In uprightness, in integrity; not in pretence and outward semblance only, but in reality and in truth. Do not serve or worship other gods in private, while in public, in the eyes of men, you maintain the form of the worship of the true God. Put away the gods which your fathers served, &c. From the general character of this generation, as evinced by their conduct, and from the commendation bestowed upon them by Joshua,Joshua 23:8, it is difficult to conceive that the positive practice of idolatry was now fairly chargeable upon them. If the secret sin of Achan, in stealing certain forbidden articles at the siege of Jericho, brought such fearful tokens of wrath upon the congregation, have we not reason to suppose that the act of paying divine honors to idols, however hidden from human observation, would have incurred, at least, an equal measure of divine indignation. And if such a sin were actually prevalent among them, how is it to be accounted for that Joshua had not warned them against it before? But perhaps the words of Joshua, in just construction, do not necessarily force upon us such a sense. The phrase, ‘Put away the gods,’ &c., may mean simply, keep away, renounce, repudiate, have nothing to do with, being equivalent to a charge to preserve themselves pure from a contagion to which they were peculiarly liable. We prefer, therefore, to understand the expression of a vigorous and determined purpose of mind to which the speaker exhorts the chosen people, while at the same time we cannot deny that there may have been in solitary instances some lingering relics of actual idolatry which Joshua would effectually extinguish by this solemn mandate. But that the offence was now prevalent to any considerable extent among the people, we have no idea. Not but that there was sufficient corruption in their natures for such a propensity to live and act upon, but the tenor of the narrative does not, we conceive, justify the supposition in respect to them at this time. We are warranted, however, in drawing from Joshua’s words the practical inference, that God requires the heart in his worship, without which there is no acceptable service; and that that is still an idol, to which our affections cleave more than they do to God himself. In Egypt. This fact is nowhere else expressly asserted respecting the Israelites in Egypt, although Ezek. 23:3, 8, and Acts 7:42, 43, go strongly in confirmation of Joshua’s words. Considering the idolatrous tendencies of human nature, it is not surprising that they should have suffered themselves to become infected with an evil so everywhere rife around them, and it was, perhaps, in part owing to this that their sufferings were so aggravated and embittered in that ‘house of bondage.’ James Smith - CONSECRATION AND SERVICE Joshua 24:14–28 “How scant and measur’d are our gifts, Each on the other duty shifts; Upon ourselves we lavish spend, And paltry nothings His cause send. What cost it Him to save thy soul, Ere thou on Him thy sins didst roll?” It has been said that “Entire consecration embraces three things—being, doing, and suffering. We must be willing to be, to do, and to suffer all that God requires. It covers body, soul, and spirit. These are to be used when, where, and as God requires, and only as He requires. Must be made deliberately for all time coming, without any reserve, and in reliance upon divine strength. This is a faithful and true witness. Here is— I. A Call to Decision. “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve” (v. 15). Ye cannot serve two masters. To halt between the opinions of self and God is to tarry upon the plain of destruction, like Lot’s wife (Luke 16:13). “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves, His servants ye are?” (Rom. 6:16). Yielding to sin makes us the servants of sin. Yielding to God makes us the servants of God. II. A Noble Determination. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (v. 15). The Lord in some way will publicly acknowledge those who, in the fear of God, command their children and their households (Gen. 18:19). But let this be an individual decision, “As for me.” “What wilt Thou have me to do?” Every man shall give an account of himself to God. To serve the Lord implies making Him your Master. Not I, but Christ. One is your Master. Who is He? Self or Christ? III. A Stirring Reflection. The people answered and said, “The Lord our God, He it is that brought us out of Egypt, … and did those great signs, … and preserved us all the way, … and drove out the Amorites, … therefore will we serve the Lord” (vv. 16–18). Their calling to mind the past goodness of God led them to a definite surrender of themselves to Him. Shall the memory of Christ’s sufferings and victory for us not constrain us to yield ourselves in loyal service to Him? “Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies and your spirits which are His.” IV. A Solemn Declaration. Joshua said, “Ye cannot serve the Lord, for He is an holy God; He is a jealous God” (v. 19). It is an easy thing to say that we will serve the Lord, but it is a very different thing to put it into daily practice (see Matt. 26:33–35). The service of God is an holy service, and only holy ones can render it (Lev. 19:2). “Who shall be able to stand before this holy Lord God?” (1 Sam. 6:20). Those cleansed by the blood and filled with the Spirit. Ye cannot serve God if Mammon or self has any authority over you, for He is a jealous God, jealous because He is Love (1 John 4:8). V. A Decided Affirmation. “Nay, but we will serve the Lord. We are witnesses” (vv. 21, 22). They were witnesses against themselves that they had chosen the Lord to serve Him. Peter and the rest of the disciples affirmed that they would rather die than deny their Lord, but they all forsook Him, and fled when danger appeared. Self-confidence is ever the arm of flesh that fails. A strong will may be a blessing or a snare. All depends on whether the strength is merely human or divine. Be strong and very courageous (Josh. 1:7). VI. An Indispensable Condition. “Now therefore put away the strange gods, and incline your heart,” etc. (v. 23). If the Lord is to be served every other usurping god must be put away, and the whole heart inclined leaning only upon the Lord. Everything that takes the place the Lord alone should have in our hearts is a strange god to Him; that with which He can have no fellowship. Service must always be associated with holiness. Work for God is to be the fruit of personal consecration to God. David would not offer to God what cost him nothing (2 Sa 24:24). The ministry of the Son of Man was to give His life (Matt. 20:28). So should we first give our own selves to the Lord. “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God” (2 Cor. 8:5). Joshua 24:15 "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." NET Joshua 24:15 If you have no desire to worship the LORD, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the LORD!" BGT Joshua 24:15 εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀρέσκει ὑμῖν λατρεύειν κυρίῳ ἕλεσθε ὑμῖν ἑαυτοῖς σήμερον τίνι λατρεύσητε εἴτε τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν τοῖς ἐν τῷ πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ εἴτε τοῖς θεοῖς τῶν Αμορραίων ἐν οἷς ὑμεῖς κατοικεῖτε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἡ οἰκία μου λατρεύσομεν κυρίῳ ὅτι ἅγιός ἐστιν NLT Joshua 24:15 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." ESV Joshua 24:15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." NIV Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." YLT Joshua 24:15 and if wrong in your eyes to serve Jehovah -- choose for you to-day whom ye do serve; -- whether the gods whom your fathers served, which are beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorite in whose land ye are dwelling; and I and my house -- we serve Jehovah.' LXE Joshua 24:15 But if it seem not good to you to serve the Lord, choose to yourselves this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods of your fathers that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, among whom ye dwell upon their land: but I and my house will serve the Lord, for he is holy. CSB Joshua 24:15 But if it doesn't please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh." NKJ Joshua 24:15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." NRS Joshua 24:15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." NAB Joshua 24:15 If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." NJB Joshua 24:15 But if serving Yahweh seems a bad thing to you, today you must make up your minds whom you do mean to serve, whether the gods whom your ancestors served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now living. As regards my family and me, we shall serve Yahweh.' GWN Joshua 24:15 But if you don't want to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve the LORD." BHT Joshua 24:15 wü´im ra` Bü|`ênêkem la`áböd ´et-yhwh(´ädönäy) BaHárû läkem hayyôm ´et-mî ta`ábödûn ´ìm ´et-´élöhîm ´ášer-`äbdû ´ábôtêkem ´ášer (Bü`ëber) [më`ëºber] hannähär wü´im ´et-´élöhê hä´émörî ´ášer ´aTTem yöšbîm Bü´arcäm wü´änökî ûbêtî na`áböd ´et-yhwh(´ädönäy) choose: Ru 1:15-16 1Ki 18:21 Eze 20:39 Joh 6:67 whether the gods: Jos 24:14 or the gods: Ex 23:24,32,33 Ex 34:15 De 13:7 Dt 29:18 Jdg 6:10 as for me: Ge 18:19 Ps 101:2 Ps 119:106,111,112 Joh 6:68 Ac 11:23 Joshua 24 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Joshua Portrait of the Man God Uses Related Passages: Ruth 1:15-16 Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 1 Kings 18:21 Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. John 6:67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” :68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. Exodus 23:24 “You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their sacred pillars in pieces. Exodus 23:32 “You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. 33 “They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” Exodus 34:13-15 “But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim 14–for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God– 15otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice, Deuteronomy 13:6-7 “If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, 7of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end), Deuteronomy 29:18 so that there will not be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; that there will not be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood. Judges 6:10 and I said to you, “I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.”’” Psalm 119:112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, even to the end. IT IS YOUR CHOICE: SERVE THE LORD If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve (abad) the LORD - NET = "If you have no desire to worship the LORD" It was "D-Day" for Israel - Decision Day. Who would they choose to serve? Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve (abad) : whether the gods which your fathers served (abad) which were beyond the (Euphrates) River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living - NLT = "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?" THOUGHT - While choose is a command, God will not force them (or us) to make the right choice. He always leaves the choice to our will - will I walk His way or my way? His way is the highway of holiness, while my way is the road to ruin! Beware. Be wise, beloved and you will be blessed! Spurgeon -.Joshua demanded from them a determination for one thing or the other, and cried, “If it seems evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites among whom you dwell.” He shut them up to a present choice between the true God and the idols and gave them no rest in their halfheartedness. Anticipating the cry of Elijah upon Carmel, he demanded, in effect, “How long halt you between two opinions? If God is God, serve Him, but if Baal is God, serve him.” He demanded a decision and rightly so. Can either earth or heaven be quiet while such a matter is in suspense? To compel them to assert their decision, he declared his own. A man’s own personal example is eloquent beyond the power of words. Hear the grand old man. He cries, “You may hesitate, but my mind is made up once and for all. Judge you as you will, my verdict is already given and my children agree with me—as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah. We have no reverence for the demons of Canaan or the myths of Egypt, who could not preserve their own worshippers—our hearts are loyal to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who brought us up out of Egypt and gave us this land for a heritage. So far as myself and my sons and my daughters are concerned, the die is cast and Jehovah alone will we serve.” This clear avowal on the part of Joshua was not a trick of eloquence or a resolve made for the first time in order to influence his audience—he had so lived that his declaration carried weight with all who heard it, else it had been idle to have uttered it. He had always been a man of firm steps and determined mind. ....Each age had its man whose heart was fixed, trusting in the Lord, to serve as a landmark for weaker saints to steer by, and a rock against which the tumult of the people raged in vain(Decision) but (striking term of contrast) as for me and my house, we will serve (abad) the LORD - Joshua now substantiates his previous words of exhortation with his words of affirmation of loyalty to Yahweh, which would have been a powerful example to the people who greatly respected their commander over the past 25+ years. The head of the house will influence those under his influence. Scripture never mentions Joshua's wife or children but presumably he had a family for here he says my house. Maranatha Chorus - As For Me and My House (The Family Prayer Song) We see an echo in Jesus' words "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.." (Mt 6:24+) Believer's Study Bible - Joshua was not inviting, but demanding that Israel serve the Lord. The choice he laid before them only existed if they refused his demand. The issue was whether to obey or to choose. If they refused to obey the Lord, they had to choose which pagan god to serve. Our contemporary pluralistic society presents us with a confusing display of values, goals, and life-styles. It is not a godless society, but a society full of gods pleading for our attention. The issue is whether to obey our mighty and loving Creator, or to be lost in a hellbound madhouse of confusion. Henry