Vital Decision • Joshua 24:14-24
By Roland L. McMillan
Near the end of his life, Joshua gathered all Israel at Shechem. The first time God had promised the land to Abraham’s descendants was at Shechem (Genesis 12:6–7). Abraham had built an altar there and so had Jacob. Possession of the land was still a promise during the days of Abraham and Jacob. Now, the time of the conquest was ending, and the days of the judges would soon begin. So, Joshua gathered Israel for one last time and rehearsed what God had done. The stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Esau flowed into the stories of Egypt, Moses, Aaron, and the Red Sea. The wilderness years, Balaam, and the Jordan River set the stage for the conquest of the Promised Land. They presented themselves before God where their ancestors built altars to God with God’s promise now fulfilled.
With those mighty acts of God in the background, the lesson passage begins in verse 14. Joshua gave a clear invitation to serve the Lord. “Serve” is the emphasis of this passage because the word appears fourteen times between verses 14 and 24. To this point, Joshua 24 has been quite positive, but the invitation to serve God reveals a surprise. A pattern of idolatry existed and had existed for a long time. There was idolatry among their ancestors on the other side of the Euphrates River, during slavery in Egypt, and now where the Amorites used to live in the Promised Land itself. The idols had to go. The people had to choose. Being neutral was not possible. Either serve the Lord or serve something else. Joshua made his position clear. He announced his commitment, along with his household, to serve the Lord. Joshua had a lifelong record of steady faithfulness, and he announced his allegiance once again.
The response from the people was clear and positive. They would serve the Lord. The people summarized some of what God had done for them in Joshua 24:17–18, adding their voices to the summary in Joshua 24:2–13. Their enthusiasm and their history matched their commitment to serve the Lord. Then comes another wrinkle in the story. In verses 19–20, Joshua basically said, “Y’all can’t do it.” This is one of the most surprising passages in the Old Testament. Joshua said they were not able to serve the Lord. He observed that God is holy and jealous. Joshua said that God would not forgive their sins. If the people turned to other gods, then there would be a disaster.
Why would Joshua say such things? Joshua’s answer emphasizes the exclusive nature of serving the one true God. Verse 19 is a signal to everyone that this is serious business. God is holy. His holiness and our sinfulness do not mesh. God is jealous. He will not tolerate any competition for the loyalty of his people. Like a faithful marriage partner, he will not share the loyalty of his people. Exodus 34:7 and Numbers 14:18 reveal that God is forgiving but also reveal grave consequences for sin. Joshua emphasizes the consequences here. Eventually, in line with Deuteronomy, constant rebellion led to exile for the nation, not forgiveness. Serving God happens on God’s terms and not on human terms. The one true God is different than those other “gods.” Someone may be able to serve several of the others at once, but not the real One. When you serve the real God, he is the only one. With a better understanding of their commitment, the people readily and willingly agreed to serve God. Joshua challenged them to throw away their idols and they repeated their commitment.
Most of the book of Joshua is about possessing the promised land. The focus in this passage is serving God alone. This gathering happened thousands of years ago, but the key truths of this passage are alive today. Human nature has not changed. The choice the people had then is the same choice people have today. Either we serve God, or we serve something else. God’s nature has not changed. He is holy and he is jealous. He does not share the loyalty of his people with the gods of materialism, convenience, comfort, control, status, and self. Today we know God through Jesus, and we know forgiveness through his cross and resurrection. Today the Holy Spirit relates to us personally. While the story in the Bible has moved on from the days of Joshua, God still requires faithfulness from his people.
McMillan is senior pastor of Roseland Park Baptist Church, Picayune.
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