At the end of his life, Joshua stands before the Israelites to deliver a farewell address. Things have gone well under his leadership. Now Joshua uses his final speech to review all that God has done and to remind the people of their obligations under the covenant with God.
Joshua continually emphasizes that God is the sole source of their success: "The Lord gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build" (24:13). God first called out Abraham and blessed him with descendants, then delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and finally carried them all across the desert. Now, in Joshua's own lifetime, God has fulfilled one more promise of the covenant by giving them the promised land.
Joshua also challenges his listeners in the stirring climax of his speech. All the people present swear their allegiance to God, the God who has kept his covenant with them. Joshua solemnly ratifies the covenant and sends the people away, then quietly prepares to die.
The book of Joshua ends with an act of deep symbolism: The Israelites finally bury the remains of Joseph (24:32). For well over four centuries those remains had been preserved in Egypt, waiting for the day when the Israelites would return to their promised land. For 40 years the tribes have carried Joseph's bones during their desert wanderings. Now, at last, Abraham's descendants have come home, and even the dead can rest in peace.
Life Question: What does it truly mean to "serve the Lord?"
.This is probably one of the most often quoted passages from the Bible; however, its brevity is a bit deceiving. As Mike C. preached this morning in church, the ultimate commandment is to serve God alone. Yet, the temptation to wrap our lives up into "other gods" like money, fame, and careers can be all too easy...the only problem is that none of these things will lead us to salvation. I absolutely love the lyrics to the tune that we played this morning: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." Now that's a challenge for us all to work towards.
1 comment:
The Bible uses this term frequently but we often have a different understanding it's meaning. Many of the early disciples referred to themselves as bond-slaves (servants) of the Lord Jesus Christ. This has more to do with ownership than a few individual acts of service. The most difficult thing for me is to go about my choices/actions in a given day with this being the heart and soul of my life. The crucified life is to be lived in the constant presence of the One who loved me and died for me.
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