How does Joshua 24:26 connect with Deuteronomy's emphasis on remembering God's laws? Verse in Focus “Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was near the sanctuary of the LORD.” (Joshua 24:26) Linking Joshua 24:26 to Deuteronomy’s Call to Remember • Deuteronomy stresses remembering and recording God’s words so they will never be forgotten (Deuteronomy 4:9; 6:6–9; 11:18–20). • Joshua 24:26 shows Joshua obeying that charge by: – Writing the covenant terms “in the Book of the Law of God,” expanding the very scroll Moses had penned. – Erecting a visible stone witness, echoing Deuteronomy 27:2-3, where Israel was instructed to write the law on stones at Shechem—the same location where Joshua stands. • The action links the generations: Moses wrote and commanded remembrance; Joshua writes again so the command endures. The Written Witness: Stone and Scroll Written memorials are central in Deuteronomy: • Scroll: Moses finished writing “this book of the law” and placed it beside the ark “as a witness against you” (Deuteronomy 31:24-26). • Stone: Laws inscribed on plaster-coated stones at Mount Ebal were to be “very clearly” written (Deuteronomy 27:8). Joshua mirrors both: • Scroll witness—Joshua adds fresh covenant commitments to the existing book. • Stone witness—he sets up a “large stone” by the sanctuary, making the covenant physically inescapable. Echoes of Deuteronomy in Joshua Deuteronomy " Joshua 24 ----------------------------------------------------------"------------------------------------------------ Write the law “so that you may fear the LORD” (31:13) " Joshua writes to secure Israel’s reverence. Stone memorial at Shechem (27:4-8) " Stone raised at the same site under the oak. Future generations must hear (6:20-25) " Stone will “be a witness against us” (24:27). Blessing tied to obedience (28:1-14) " Covenant renewal demands wholehearted loyalty. Covenant Renewal: Then and Now Joshua 24:26 is not a quaint historical footnote; it completes the Deuteronomic pattern: • A written, objective standard confirms God’s unchanging word. • A public, tangible reminder prevents silent drift into idolatry. • Generational continuity is safeguarded so “you, your children and grandchildren” keep the covenant (Deuteronomy 4:9). Living Application • Treasure the written Word—Scripture itself is the “stone” that confronts every generation. • Keep visible reminders—placing verses in homes or landmarks in church life follows the Deuteronomic-Joshua pattern. • Pass it on—like Joshua expanding Moses’ book, believers today guard, teach, and transmit the same inspired text “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). |
    |