And Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods. And Joshua said to all the peopleThis phrase sets the scene for a significant moment of communal gathering and instruction. Joshua, as the leader of Israel, addresses the entire assembly, emphasizing the importance of unity and collective memory. The Hebrew root for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) often implies not just speaking, but declaring or proclaiming, indicating the weight of the message. Historically, this moment is pivotal as it occurs at Shechem, a place of covenant renewal, underscoring the continuity of God's promises from Abraham to the present. This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says
Here, Joshua speaks as a prophet, delivering a divine message. The use of "LORD" (יהוה, YHWH) is the covenant name of God, reminding the Israelites of His eternal and unchanging nature. "The God of Israel" reinforces the special relationship between God and His chosen people. This phrase serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His active role in the history of Israel, calling them to remember their identity and purpose. Long ago your fathers
This phrase invites the Israelites to reflect on their ancestral history. The term "fathers" (אָבוֹת, avot) refers to the patriarchs, the foundational figures of their faith. By invoking their forefathers, Joshua connects the present generation to the past, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan and the importance of learning from history. including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor
Terah is mentioned to highlight the origins of the patriarchal lineage. Terah's inclusion is significant because it acknowledges the family's initial idolatry, setting the stage for Abraham's call and the transformative journey of faith. This reference serves as a reminder of God's grace in choosing Abraham and establishing a covenant with him, despite his background. lived beyond the Euphrates
This geographical reference to the Euphrates River situates the narrative in a broader historical and cultural context. The phrase "beyond the Euphrates" (בְּעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר, b'ever hanahar) indicates the region of Mesopotamia, known for its polytheistic practices. It underscores the distance, both physical and spiritual, that Abraham's family traveled to follow God's call. and worshiped other gods
This phrase acknowledges the idolatrous practices of Abraham's ancestors. The Hebrew word for "worshiped" (עָבַד, avad) implies service and devotion, highlighting the contrast between serving false gods and serving the true God. This acknowledgment of past idolatry serves as a powerful reminder of God's redemptive work in calling Abraham out of a pagan environment to establish a monotheistic faith centered on the one true God. Persons / Places / Events 1. JoshuaThe leader of Israel after Moses, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. In this chapter, he is addressing the people of Israel, reminding them of their history and covenant with God. 2. The LORD, the God of IsraelThe one true God who chose Israel as His people and delivered them from Egypt. He is reminding them of their past and His faithfulness. 3. TerahThe father of Abraham and Nahor, who lived beyond the Euphrates River. He is mentioned here to highlight the idolatrous background from which God called Abraham. 4. AbrahamThe patriarch of the Israelites, called by God to leave his homeland and follow Him. His journey marks the beginning of God's covenant with Israel. 5. Euphrates RiverA significant geographical marker, representing the region where Terah and his family lived before God called Abraham. It symbolizes the transition from idolatry to faith in the one true God. Teaching Points The Call from Idolatry to FaithJust as God called Abraham from a background of idolatry, He calls us to leave behind anything that takes His place in our lives. We must examine our hearts for modern-day idols. Remembering Our Spiritual HeritageUnderstanding where we come from spiritually helps us appreciate God's grace and faithfulness. Reflect on your spiritual journey and God's work in your life. The Importance of LeadershipJoshua's role as a leader reminds us of the importance of godly leadership in guiding others to remember and follow God's commands. God's Sovereignty and FaithfulnessGod's choice of Abraham and His faithfulness to Israel demonstrate His sovereign plan and faithfulness. Trust in God's plan for your life, even when it requires leaving the familiar. Covenant RelationshipThe reminder of Israel's history underscores the importance of maintaining a covenant relationship with God, characterized by faithfulness and obedience. Bible Study Questions 1. How does understanding the idolatrous background of Abraham's family help us appreciate God's call to him and to us today? 2. In what ways can we identify and remove modern-day idols from our lives, following the example of Abraham's obedience? 3. How does Joshua's leadership in reminding Israel of their history inspire us to be leaders in our own communities? 4. Reflect on a time when you had to leave something familiar to follow God's call. How did that experience strengthen your faith? 5. How can we ensure that we are living in a covenant relationship with God, characterized by faithfulness and obedience, in our daily lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 11:27-32Provides the genealogy and background of Terah, Abraham, and Nahor, setting the stage for God's call to Abraham. Genesis 12:1-3Describes God's call to Abraham to leave his country and follow Him, marking the beginning of the covenant relationship. Exodus 20:2-3The first of the Ten Commandments, where God commands Israel to have no other gods, reflecting the call to leave idolatry. Hebrews 11:8-10Highlights Abraham's faith in leaving his homeland, emphasizing the importance of faith and obedience. People Aaron, Amorites, Balaam, Balak, Beor, Canaanites, Egyptians, Eleazar, Esau, Girgashite, Girgashites, Hamor, Hittites, Hivite, Hivites, Isaac, Israelites, Jacob, Jebusites, Joseph, Joshua, Nachor, Nahor, Nun, Perizzites, Phinehas, Seir, Serah, Terah, ZipporPlaces Canaan, Egypt, Euphrates River, Gaash, Gibeah, Jericho, Jordan River, Moab, Red Sea, Seir, Shechem, Timnath-serahTopics Ago, Ancient, Beyond, Dwelt, Euphra'tes, Fathers, Flood, Forefathers, Gods, Including, Joshua, Nachor, Nahor, Namely, Past, River, Says, Serve, Served, Terah, Thus, Worshiped, WorshippingDictionary of Bible Themes Joshua 24:2 4963 past, the
8769 idolatry, in OT Joshua 24:2-3 5076 Abraham, life of
5078 Abraham, significance
8129 guidance, examples Library February the Tenth Registering a Verdict
"The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey." --JOSHUA xxiv. 22-28. Here was a definite decision. Our peril is that we spend our life in wavering and we never decide. We are like a jury which is always hearing evidence and never gives a verdict. We do much thinking, but we never make up our minds. We let our eyes wander over many things, but we make no choice. Life has no crisis, no culmination. Now people who never decide spend their days in hoping to do so. But this kind of life …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling YearA Summary of Israel's Faithlessness and God's Patience
'And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. 2. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? 3. Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee.
Subdivision B. At Jacob's Well, and at Sychar. ^D John IV. 5-42. ^d 5 So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 and Jacob's well was there. [Commentators long made the mistake of supposing that Shechem, now called Nablous, was the town here called Sychar. Sheckem lies a mile and a half west of Jacob's well, while the real Sychar, now called 'Askar, lies scarcely half a mile north of the well. It was a small town, loosely called …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Meditations for Household Piety.
1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from him his counsel: "For," saith God, "I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The Promise to the Patriarchs.
A great epoch is, in Genesis, ushered in with the history of the time of the Patriarchs. Luther says: "This is the third period in which Holy Scripture begins the history of the Church with a new family." In a befitting manner, the representation is opened in Gen. xii. 1-3 by an account of the first revelation of God, given to Abraham at Haran, in which the way is opened up for all that follows, and in which the dispensations of God are brought before us in a rapid survey. Abraham is to forsake …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12). In our last chapter we considered at some length the much debated and difficult question of the human will. We have shown that the will of the natural man is neither Sovereign nor free but, instead, a servant and slave. We have argued that a right conception of the sinner's will-its servitude-is essential to a just estimate of his depravity and ruin. The utter corruption and degradation of human nature is something which …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God And for Your Fearlessness against them Hold this Sure Sign -- Whenever There Is...
43. And for your fearlessness against them hold this sure sign--whenever there is any apparition, be not prostrate with fear, but whatsoever it be, first boldly ask, Who art thou? And from whence comest thou? And if it should be a vision of holy ones they will assure you, and change your fear into joy. But if the vision should be from the devil, immediately it becomes feeble, beholding your firm purpose of mind. For merely to ask, Who art thou [1083] ? and whence comest thou? is a proof of coolness. …
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above.
That the Lord gave special token of his approbation of the exercise of Covenanting, it belongs to this place to show. His approval of the duty was seen when he unfolded the promises of the Everlasting Covenant to his people, while they endeavoured to perform it; and his approval thereof is continually seen in his fulfilment to them of these promises. The special manifestations of his regard, made to them while attending to the service before him, belonged to one or other, or both, of those exhibitions …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting The First Commandment
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' Exod 20: 3. Why is the commandment in the second person singular, Thou? Why does not God say, You shall have no other gods? Because the commandment concerns every one, and God would have each one take it as spoken to him by name. Though we are forward to take privileges to ourselves, yet we are apt to shift off duties from ourselves to others; therefore the commandment is in the second person, Thou and Thou, that every one may know that it is spoken to him, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making "The Carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not Subject to the Law of God, Neither Indeed Can Be. So Then they that Are
Rom. viii. s 7, 8.--"The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." It is not the least of man's evils, that he knows not how evil he is, therefore the Searcher of the heart of man gives the most perfect account of it, Jer. xvii. 12. "The heart is deceitful above all things," as well as "desperately wicked," two things superlative and excessive in it, bordering upon an infiniteness, such …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Gen. xxxi. 11
Of no less importance and significance is the passage Gen. xxxi. 11 seq. According to ver. 11, the Angel of God, [Hebrew: mlaK halhiM] appears toJacob in a dream. In ver. 13, the same person calls himself the God of Bethel, with reference to the event recorded in chap. xxviii. 11-22. It cannot be supposed that in chap xxviii. the mediation of a common angel took place, who, however, had not been expressly mentioned; for Jehovah is there contrasted with the angels. In ver. 12, we read: "And behold …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Manner of Covenanting.
Previous to an examination of the manner of engaging in the exercise of Covenanting, the consideration of God's procedure towards his people while performing the service seems to claim regard. Of the manner in which the great Supreme as God acts, as well as of Himself, our knowledge is limited. Yet though even of the effects on creatures of His doings we know little, we have reason to rejoice that, in His word He has informed us, and in His providence illustrated by that word, he has given us to …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Joshua 24:2 NIVJoshua 24:2 NLTJoshua 24:2 ESVJoshua 24:2 NASBJoshua 24:2 KJV
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