Topical Bible: Israel: Joshua's Exhortation Immediately Before his Death

◄ Israel: Joshua's Exhortation Immediately Before his Death ►

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Joshua, the successor of Moses and the leader who brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, delivered a poignant exhortation to the people of Israel shortly before his death. This address is recorded in the Book of Joshua, chapters 23 and 24, and serves as a significant moment in Israel's history, emphasizing covenant faithfulness and the importance of obedience to God.

Context and Setting

After years of conquest and settlement in Canaan, Joshua, now advanced in age, gathered all Israel, including the elders, leaders, judges, and officers, at Shechem. This location held historical significance as a place where God had appeared to Abraham and where Jacob had settled. Joshua's address was both a farewell speech and a covenant renewal ceremony, urging the Israelites to remain faithful to the LORD.

Key Themes and Content

1. Remembrance of God's Faithfulness: Joshua began by reminding the Israelites of the LORD's mighty acts on their behalf. He recounted how God had fought for them, driving out great and powerful nations (Joshua 23:3: "You have seen all that the LORD your God has done for you against all these nations, for it was the LORD your God who fought for you.").

2. Call to Obedience and Separation: Joshua exhorted the people to adhere strictly to the Law of Moses and to avoid associating with the remaining pagan nations. He warned against intermarriage and idolatry, emphasizing the need for Israel to remain distinct and devoted to God (Joshua 23:6-7: "Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you...").

3. Warning Against Apostasy: Joshua issued a stern warning about the consequences of turning away from God. He cautioned that if Israel served other gods, the LORD's anger would burn against them, leading to their destruction (Joshua 23:15-16: "But just as every good word which the LORD your God has spoken to you has come to pass, so the LORD will bring upon you every bad thing, until He has destroyed you from this good land that the LORD your God has given you, if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God...").

4. Renewal of the Covenant: In chapter 24, Joshua gathered the tribes at Shechem and recounted the history of God's dealings with Israel, from the time of Abraham to their present day. He challenged the people to choose whom they would serve, famously declaring, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).

5. Israel's Response and Covenant Commitment: The people responded affirmatively, pledging to serve the LORD and reject foreign gods. Joshua then made a covenant with the people, setting up a stone as a witness to their commitment (Joshua 24:24-27: "And the people said to Joshua, 'We will serve the LORD our God and obey His voice.' So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and established for them a statute and ordinance in Shechem...").

Significance

Joshua's exhortation underscores the centrality of covenant faithfulness in Israel's relationship with God. It highlights the importance of remembering God's past acts, adhering to His commandments, and the dangers of idolatry and assimilation with surrounding cultures. This moment in Israel's history serves as a powerful reminder of the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience, themes that resonate throughout the biblical narrative.

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Joshua 23:1
And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
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Library

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day ...
... therefore that Moses gave them, and that Joshua gave them ... glorious, so that the children
of Israel could not ... Jews, when he treateth of Christ before them, and ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/questions about the nature and.htm

Justification by an Imputed Righteousness;
... that it is us that suffered, for the exhortation is to ... how he found justifying
righteousness; for it was that which Israel sought and ... 'Now Joshua was clothed ...
/.../justification by an imputed righteousness.htm