The Last Words of Joshua

This chapter is based on Joshua 23 and 24. 

When the wars and conquest ended, Joshua had withdrawn to the peaceful seclusion of his home at Timnath Serah. “Now it came to pass, a long time after the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua ... called for all Israel, for their elders, for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers.” 1TC 355.2

As Joshua felt the effects of old age coming on him and realized that his work must soon close, he was deeply concerned for the future of his people. “You have seen,” he said, “all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has fought for you.” Although the Canaanites had been subdued, they still possessed quite a bit of the land promised to Israel, and Joshua urged his people not to forget the Lord’s command to drive out these idolatrous nations. 1TC 355.3

The tribes had all gone to their homes, the army had disbanded, and renewing the war looked like a difficult and doubtful plan. But Joshua declared: “The Lord your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight. So you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God promised you. Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left.” 1TC 356.1

God had faithfully fulfilled His promises to them. “You know in all your hearts and in all your souls,” he said, “that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.” 1TC 356.2

As the Lord had fulfilled His promises, so He would fulfill His threatenings. “It shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the Lord your God promised you, so the Lord will bring upon you all harmful things. ... When you have transgressed the covenant of the Lord ..., then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.” 1TC 356.3

In all His dealings with His creatures, God has held up the principles of righteousness by revealing sin in its true character—by showing that its sure result is misery and death. Unconditional pardon for sin has never been offered, and it never will be. Such pardon would fill the unfallen universe with dismay. God has faithfully pointed out the results of sin, and if these warnings were not true, how could we be sure that His promises would be fulfilled? 1TC 356.4

Before the death of Joshua the leaders and representatives of the tribes gathered together at Shechem again. No spot in all the land possessed so many sacred connections. Here were the mountains Ebal and Gerizim, the silent witnesses of those vows that they had now gathered together to renew in the presence of their dying leader. God had given them a land for which they did not work, cities that they had not built, and vineyards and oliveyards that they had not planted. Joshua reviewed the history of Israel once more, reminding them of the wonderful works of God so that everyone might have a sense of His love and mercy and might serve Him “in sincerity and in truth.” 1TC 356.5

By Joshua’s order the ark had been brought from Shiloh. This symbol of God’s presence would deepen the impression he wished to make upon the people. After presenting the goodness of God toward Israel, he called for them to choose whom they would serve. To some extent they were still worshiping idols secretly, and Joshua tried now to bring them to a decision to banish this sin from Israel. “If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord,” he said, “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” Joshua wanted to lead them to serve God not by force, but willingly. To serve Him only for the hope of reward or fear of punishment was unacceptable. Hypocrisy and mere formal worship were as offensive to God as was open apostasy. 1TC 357.1

The Importance of Right Choice

The aged leader urged the people to think about what he had explained to them. If it seemed evil to serve the Lord, the source of power, the fountain of blessing, let them that day choose whom they would serve—“the gods which your fathers served,” from whom Abraham was called out, “or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” 1TC 357.2

These last words were a sharp rebuke to Israel. The gods of the Amorites had not been able to protect their worshipers. Because of their shameful sins, that wicked nation had been destroyed, and the good land that they once possessed had been given to God’s people. How foolish for Israel to choose the gods for whose worship the Amorites had been destroyed! 1TC 357.3

“As for me and my house,” said Joshua, “we will serve the Lord.” The people felt the same holy devotion that inspired the leader’s heart, and they gave the unhesitating response, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods.” 1TC 357.4

But before they could make any permanent changes in their lives, they must feel their complete inability in themselves to obey God. While they trusted their own righteousness it was impossible for them to obtain pardon—they could not meet the claims of God’s perfect law, and it was hopeless for them to pledge themselves to serve God. Only by faith in Christ could they obtain pardon of sin and receive strength to obey God’s law. They must totally trust in the merits of the promised Savior. 1TC 358.1

With deep earnestness they once more stated their pledge of loyalty: “The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!” 1TC 358.2

“So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. ... So Joshua let the people depart, each to his own inheritance.” 1TC 358.3

His work was done. He had “wholly followed the Lord.” The most noble evidence of his character as a leader is the history of the generation that had come under the influence of his work: “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua.” 1TC 358.4