A Rich Unclouded Sunset

by L.C. Shattock, of Leicester, U.K. | Category: Spiritual Lessons From Joshua | Dec 1985

When as a minister to Moses Joshua stood under the shadow of Sinai, he is described as a young man (Ex. 33:11). As his life nears completion he is described as "old and well stricken in years" (Joshua 23:1). Throughout all the intervening days the story that began in faithfulness has consistently maintained its pattern of devoted service.

As his pilgrimage approached its end, Joshua twice gathered the nation together and his farewell messages are contained in chapters 23 and 24 of the book which bears his name.

On the first occasion, Joshua called for the nation representatively by their leaders, elders, heads, judges and officers. His address to them contained no self-eulogy; the references to himself are incidental only, for its main theme is the cause of God and the divine purpose which focussed upon the nation.

The awareness of his approaching decease introduces the note of urgency in the speaking of Joshua. The thrust of his exhortation to the gathered leaders bids them recollect what God has already done on their behalf; to recognize what God will do for them; and to respond in faith by steadfast obedience to the power and faithfulness that God has already shown to them. "Ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done for you", - nations have been conquered and behind the fact of victories won lies the paramount reason... "for the LORD your God, He it is that fought for you" (Joshua 23:3).

The past with its history of manifest divine power undergirds the assurance of future victory. Joshua refers to "the nations that remain" but these, like those to which he alludes as "the nations which I have cut off", are destined to be removed, for "the LORD your God, He shall thrust them out from before you". The entire land whether occupied or otherwise was Israel's inheritance from the Lord ensured by His promise "Ye shall possess their land" (Josh. 23:5).

Despite the victories of the past, human responsibility is vested in the present. Joshua, therefore, directs to the rulers of the nation three forceful exhortations. The first, "Be very courageous to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses" (Josh. 23:6). The safe-guarding of spiritual character is ensured by resolute obedience to the Word of God. Adherence to that Word is in itself a source of strength, for it fortifies conviction of the truth that it reveals.

The second of Joshua's imperative exhortations is in verse 8 of chapter 23:

"But cleave unto the LORD as ye have done unto this day". The word translated "cleave" is very forceful; it is stronger than the idea of "clinging"; it means to "adhere", literally to be "glued" in an attachment which excludes all possibility of severance. The thought in verse 8 is in contrast with the alternative possibility suggested by verse 12 where the warning to Israel is against the consequences of their cleaving to the remnants of idolatrous nations about them. The age-binding principles underlying the truths of sanctification and separation find emphasis here. Joshua's appeal to the nation's leaders was that they firmly attach themselves in willing practical obedience to the Lord and that they detach themselves from the immoral and idolatrous peoples not yet expelled from the land.

The third and supreme note was in the exortation aimed at the affections of the people. "Take good heed, therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God" (23:11). This call is at all times relevant to every single individual found among the people of God, yet especially must it be so among the elders within the holy nation. The full force of the Lord's challenge to Peter (John 21:15.17) seems to be in the truth that the response to His commands "Feed my lambs"; "Tend my sheep"; "Feed my sheep" can be given only in the power of an undivided devotion to Himself.

Thus Joshua brought to the elders of Israel a similar challenge. All the hazards of disobedience are avoided if the Lord is enthroned upon the love of His people. All the requirements to "keep and to do the law" and to "cleave unto the LORD" are fulfilled if love for Him remains strong and undiminished.

Everything else is assured if men love Jehovah. Failure to keep the law is always the outcome of failure to love the Lawgiver. Where it occurs, such failure in love is the failure for which men are responsible. That it may be avoided awakens the need to be alert to the word, "Take heed to yourselves". "Take heed" suggests that there is need for vigilance in those areas of life where love for God can be challenged and perhaps diminished. Thought and action; ambitions and affections; interests and intentions all need to be yielded to divine control. Under such control, love for God will come naturally as the fruit of the Spirit. The equivalent New Testament exhortation to that which Joshua gave is "Keep yourselves in the love of God" (Jude 21). If in spiritual living we desert discipline then devotion declines.

It is perhaps significant that Joshua delivered his final message to the nation at Shechem. Here, as well as the nation's rulers, all the tribes were gathered (Josh. 24:1). Shechem was the place where Abraham built the first altar to the Lord within the land and received from God the promise, "Unto thy seed will I give this land" (Gen. 12:6-7). Also at Shechem Jacob purchased a parcel

of ground and erected an altar and called it Ei-elohe-Israel which means God, the God of Israel (Gen. 33:18-20 RVM). The actions of the Patriarchs should have awakened in the mind of the nation the consciousness of divine purpose surrounding their existence, and their relationship to God, remembering that Jacob acknowledged Him to be the God of Israel.

We may describe Joshua's speech at Shechem as valedictory, but the words he delivered were from God. Again, as in the message previously given to the nation's rulers, Joshua brought once more a review of the wonder of divine action and power involved in their history. God speaking through His servant refers to their call in Abraham, their deliverance at the Red Sea, their preservation in the wilderness, and their inheritance in the land. The divine purpose had been surrounded by the full flow of divine power to accomplish it. Speaking through Joshua, God used phrases showing the extent of His activity in the unfolding of His purpose for Israel. Some of these phrases are - "I took your father Abraham"; "I plagued Egypt"; "I brought you into the land".

It is a sad fact that God Himself has frequently to remind His people of His unfailing goodness to them because they have developed loss of memory of His great mercies and His wonderful acts of grace.

Yet it is in the awakened memory of God's, great goodness that there is found the strength of appeal to fear Him and to serve Him in sincerity and truth. Here again, the actions which produce purity among God's people are outlined. "Fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served" (v.14). The fear of God invokes the desire to render service which is genuinely true. It excludes all false and competitive allegiance as idolatrous and an affront to His divine authority.

The Lord's challenge through Joshua allowed for no vacillation on the part of the people. "If it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve". If Israel rejected the God whose mercy had followed them throughout their history, then they were left with the choice between the gods their fathers had abandoned and those which they had found within the land. Yet this choice must be made in the face of all the wonder of what the kingship of the true God really means in blessing of love, of light, of life and liberty. Between the alternatives, choice has to be made; but that choice must be made by a comparison of the reign of Jehovah over human life with any other authority to which loyalty can be yielded. Such comparison brought Joshua to his decision - "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (v.15).

The impact of this challenge is reflected in the people's reply. "God forbid that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods". Acknowledging all that divine mercy had brought to them they declared, "Therefore we also

will serve the LORD; for He is our God".

To these words Joshua's response seems discouraging as though there was divine reluctance to accept the nation's promise to serve the Lord. Certainly his words "Ye cannot serve the LORD" tested the sincerity of the declared intent. Subsequent history would show that the assertions of faithful service to God were short lived and would die with the generation of elders who stood at Shechem with Joshua (Judges 2:6-10).

Yet as they re-affirmed their promise to reject idolatry and serve the true God, Joshua took them at their word and made a covenant with the people that day. How vital a single day can be in human experience! How solemn a thought that vows made and promises given to Him will find their reality tested in the unerring appraisal of divine scrutiny (Cp. Eccles. 5:4-5; Ps. 50:14).

'That day' and its events, the instructions, entreaties, warnings and bold responses of the people were intensely significant to Joshua, so he recorded them in the book of the law of the Lord. By the sanctuary' of God he also set up a great stone as a permanent witness to Israel of the solemn transactions of that day - "lest ye deny your God" (v.27). As when with Moses he commenced his service for God (Ex. 17:14-15), 50 at its end, this faithful soldier and administrator nears the close of his life with the keeping of factual records and the sealing of these by a permanent witness in stone.

Thus Joshua finds his place among that line of faithful men and women who regard the will and service of God as supreme in their lives. Such have found themselves nearing the end of their pilgrimage burdened with anxious exercise to urge others to faithfully maintain the continuity of divine testimony. The fervent appeals of Joshua, his admonitions, warnings and counsel to Israel find vibrant echoes in the words of Peter and of Paul, apostles of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:28-32; 2 Tim. 2:1-2; 2 Tim. 4:1-6; 2 Pet. 1:12-15).

The examples of such men challenge us to awake to the guardianship and defence of revealed truth; to maintain divine testimony in accord with the Word of God and to ensure its continuity until the Lord returns. This is no time to tolerate indifference or lethargy; spiritual warfare cries out for warriors like Joshua to fearlessly contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints and to do so in the strength of that commitment which says "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD".

L.C. Shattock, of Leicester, U.K. | Dec 1985
Spiritual Lessons From Joshua