Study 35: Joshua 24: 1-28

This study focuses on Joshua 24, where Joshua reminds the Israelites of God's faithfulness throughout their journey and urges them to serve God wholeheartedly. Joshua recounts the history of God's deliverance, provision, and protection, emphasizing how God led their ancestors from idolatry to a covenant relationship. He challenges the people to abandon any lingering idols and fully commit to serving the Lord. Joshua makes it clear that serving God requires undivided loyalty and action, not mere words. He concludes by urging the Israelites to remember God's faithfulness and respond with a life of obedient devotion, symbolized by the act of burning the "ships" of their old ways to fully embrace God's purpose for their lives.

Sermon Outline

• Chapter 1: Introduction & Context

  • Timestamp: 00:00 – 03:13

  • Key Points: Introduction to the study of Joshua 24 and its significance as Joshua's final address to the Israelites. Acknowledges the context of the book of Joshua and the completion of their conquest of the Promised Land.

  Chapter 2: Joshua Summons the People at Shechem

  • Timestamp: 08:49 – 10:02

  • Key Points: Joshua gathers the tribes of Israel at Shechem, the same place where God first promised the land to Abraham (Genesis 12:6-7).

  • Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:1, Genesis 12:6-7

  Chapter 3: Remembering God's Faithfulness to Israel

  • Timestamp: 10:02 – 14:19

  • Key Points: Joshua recounts how God has led Israel, from their ancestors (Abraham and Terah) through Egypt and their deliverance. He emphasizes that God acted on their behalf.

  • Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:2-5

  Chapter 4: God's Provision in the Promised Land

  • Timestamp: 20:47 – 22:55

  • Key Points: Joshua reminds them that God gave them victory over their enemies, including the Amorites, and provided land and cities they did not build.

  • Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:11-13

  Chapter 5: The Call to Exclusive Loyalty

  • Timestamp: 28:25 – 30:13

  • Key Points: Joshua calls the Israelites to reject the false gods their ancestors worshipped and serve the Lord alone. Complete truth and loyalty (Hebrew "emet") are emphasized.

  • Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:14

  Chapter 6: Consequences of Divided Devotion

  • Timestamp: 30:13 – 31:30

  • Key Points: Joshua warns that a divided heart will lead to destruction, highlighting the incompatibility of serving both God and idols.

  Chapter 7: Joshua’s Famous Declaration

  • Timestamp: 33:24 – 34:36

  • Key Points: Joshua boldly declares, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," and urges the Israelites to choose who they will serve.

  • Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:15

  Chapter 8: The People's Response

  • Timestamp: 38:29 – 39:50

  • Key Points: The people affirm their desire to serve the Lord, recounting how God protected and delivered them.

  • Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:16-18

  Chapter 9: Joshua’s Challenge and Covenant

  • Timestamp: 42:29 – 44:25

  • Key Points: Joshua challenges the sincerity of the people's commitment and establishes a covenant with them. He sets up a stone as a witness to their promise.

  • Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:25-27

  Chapter 10: Final Call to Devotion – “Burn the Ships”

  • Timestamp: 46:09 – 53:33

  • Key Points: Joshua’s final words call for total commitment, urging the people to remove any idols and fully commit to serving God. The concept of "burning the ships" is used to symbolize a complete break from the past and total devotion to the Lord.

Scripture References

1. 1. Genesis 12:6-7 – God’s Promise to Abraham

   • Timestamp: 10:02 – 10:30

   • Context: Joshua assembles the people at Shechem, the place where God first promised the land to Abraham. The reference to Genesis highlights that this gathering location is historically significant as the place of promise.

   2. Joshua 24:1 – Joshua Gathers Israel at Shechem

   • Timestamp: 08:49 – 10:02

   • Context: This scripture describes how Joshua summoned the elders, leaders, and people of Israel to present themselves before God. The study emphasizes the seriousness of this assembly as being not just among people but in the presence of God.

   3. Joshua 24:2-5 – Recounting Israel’s Ancestry

   • Timestamp: 14:19 – 16:21

   • Context: Joshua reminds the Israelites of their origins, recounting how God took Abraham from idolatry and made him the father of many nations. This section emphasizes God's grace and calling, regardless of one’s background.

   4. Joshua 24:11-13 – Victory in the Promised Land

   • Timestamp: 20:47 – 22:55

   • Context: Joshua recalls how God drove out the Amorites and other enemies, providing land, cities, and vineyards to the Israelites that they did not work for. This passage underscores God's provision and grace.

   5. Joshua 24:14 – Serve the Lord with Sincerity and Truth

   • Timestamp: 28:25 – 29:33

   • Context: Joshua calls the Israelites to serve the Lord with undivided loyalty, removing all idols. The study emphasizes the Hebrew term "emet" (truth, sincerity), reinforcing the depth of commitment required to follow God.

   6. Joshua 24:15 – “As for Me and My House”

   • Timestamp: 33:24 – 34:36

   • Context: Joshua declares that he and his household will serve the Lord. This famous verse serves as a central theme in the study, urging individuals to make a personal decision to fully commit to God, regardless of what others choose.

   7. Joshua 24:16-18 – The People’s Response

   • Timestamp: 38:29 – 39:50

   • Context: The people affirm that they will serve the Lord, acknowledging how God delivered them from Egypt and protected them on their journey. The study connects this passage to the importance of collective commitment to God.

   8. Joshua 24:25-27 – Covenant and Witness

   • Timestamp: 42:29 – 43:30

   • Context: Joshua establishes a covenant with the people and sets up a stone as a witness to their promise. This scripture highlights the importance of accountability and public commitment to following God.

   9. Romans 12:1 – Present Your Bodies as a Living Sacrifice

   • Timestamp: 26:53 – 28:01

   • Context: The study briefly references Paul’s message in Romans, which calls believers to offer their lives as a living sacrifice to God. This comparison reinforces Joshua’s message that serving God is not too much to ask, considering all that God has done.

   10. Luke 16:19-31 – The Rich Man and Lazarus

   • Timestamp: 36:11 – 37:56

   • Context: The study draws an analogy between Joshua’s concern for Israel’s spiritual condition and the rich man’s concern for his brothers in Jesus’ parable. The message emphasizes the importance of understanding the gravity of one's own relationship with God.

   11. Luke 9:23 – Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus

   • Timestamp: 41:26 – 41:39

   • Context: The reference to Jesus’ call to take up the cross and follow Him is used to stress the cost of discipleship. This scripture reinforces the study’s focus on total commitment and leaving behind old ways.

   
   

Word Study

1. Emet (אֱמֶת)

• Meaning: Truth, Faithfulness, Sincerity

• Mentioned: In the study, the Hebrew word emet is connected to Joshua’s call for the Israelites to serve the Lord with “complete truth” and sincerity. Joshua emphasizes that the people must abandon false gods and serve God with wholehearted loyalty.

• Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:14 – “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth.”

• Context: The word emet carries the meaning of absolute reliability and faithfulness, qualities required for fully serving God. It suggests that the Israelites must align their lives to God’s truth, rejecting any divided loyalties or superficial devotion.

2. Sur (סוּר)

• Meaning: To Turn Away, Remove, Abolish, Cut Off

• Mentioned: The word sur is referenced when Joshua commands the Israelites to “throw away” the false gods their ancestors worshiped. The call to remove idols is a key theme in the study, where Joshua emphasizes that serving God requires completely severing ties with former allegiances.

• Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:14 – “Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates.”

• Context: The word sur implies a decisive and permanent action, often associated with physical or metaphorical cutting off. In this study, it emphasizes the severity of removing anything that compromises devotion to God, likening it to "beheading" the idols, which signals finality.

3. Shalom (שָׁלוֹם)

• Meaning: Peace, Wholeness, Completeness

• Mentioned: Though not explicitly referenced, shalom is implicitly connected to the study’s emphasis on total devotion and the relationship between the Israelites and God. The peace and wholeness that come from covenant faithfulness is a result of living fully in alignment with God’s will.

• Scripture Reference: Joshua 24:25-27 – The covenant that Joshua makes with the people leads to the establishment of peace and order in their relationship with God.

• Context: Shalom is more than the absence of conflict; it denotes completeness and soundness in one's relationship with God. Joshua’s plea for the Israelites to follow God with undivided hearts points to a life of shalom, where obedience and faithfulness lead to spiritual wholeness and peace.