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Joshua on Leadership
Pass on the Baton


Joshua 24:1-7 (Monday)
“Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. "`Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the LORD for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the desert for a long time.” (NIV)
1) Verse 1 seems to particularly single out the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel. Why? (Romans 2:21-24; Romans 13:1-6; Titus 3:1 and James 3:1)
2) Well, I hope you realize from reading this passage that our “forefathers” can be idol-worshipping pagans like Terah and God can still single us out to be used for His glory. We are really without excuse in that department! As the Israelites will later hear from God, it all comes down to our personal choice! Whom will we follow? Thank God, for us, Abraham, his son Isaac and Isaac’s son, Jacob chose to follow the LORD God!
3) Yes, God wanted to remind the Israelites that He was and is the God of their fathers. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their fathers who had entered into a faith covenant with Jehovah God—choosing to believe God--period! One reason God wanted to remind the Israelites of this binding covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was that He wanted them to know that He remembered! Why is it important that God remember His promises to us, when we so often forget or ignore our promises to Him?
4) Another very important thing I want you to notice in this passage is that our circumstances in this life have nothing at all to do with our being blessed or cursed by God. Esau, who despised his birthright as first-born son (he sold it to Jacob for a bowl of hot stew), lived in relative ease and plenty in the hill country of Seir, yet it is written that God hated Esau! Jacob and his sons experienced extreme famine in their homeland and through an unbelievable set of circumstances escaped to the land of Egypt, finding relief from the famine. They, too, lived in relative peace until a new ruthless and heartless Pharaoh arose. Then, they were forcibly kept in exile, subjected to cruel slavery—for four hundred years! Still, it was Jacob and his sons who experienced God’s favor and to whom was the promise given! Who can understand the ways of God!
a) It is hard for us to fathom, but God receives glory through our difficulties, and yes, our pain and suffering. One important reason, I believe, is that the Israelites, and, oh, yes, the church today has to know the God we are following! If God is about anything at all—He’s all about relationship! It is sad to admit, but this is one area we usually don’t pursue on our own! So, it is God Who takes the initiative to introduce Himself to us!
i) Remember, Egypt had many gods—one for whatever situation you might find yourself in or whatever need you might have. While in Egypt, the Israelites had fallen into idol worship—trusting and following after false gods. God wanted the Israelites and He wants the church body today to know Him—the One True God. He wants us to know His character, His ways! Perhaps the greatest way He reveals Himself to us humans is by delivering us and setting us free! Believe me, when God has parted your sea, or calmed your raging waters, you are not likely to ever, ever forget it!
ii) Yes, God received glory by delivering the Israelites, but perhaps even more so with the Egyptians. God did so by putting to naught their false gods and philosophies! When all was said and done, even Pharaoh knew there was only One True Living God! Glory to God, indeed!
Joshua 24:8-13 (Tuesday)
“I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand. "`Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you--also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.” (NIV)
1) Monday was about deliverance. Today, we have stepped out of Egypt (sin) and are setting out to conquer the promises God has set before us in this, our promise land! Like we studied recently, this requires a little more effort on our part! We have to take possession! God has given the land to you, has placed your enemies in your hand—have you taken possession? Why or why not?
2) Now we are children of God! We cannot be cursed! How did God respond to Balaam’s trying to curse Israel? Pretty comical! I would have loved to have seen that false prophet trying to speak curses, but only blessings coming forth from his lips! It’s the same thing for you and me! God has a plan and a future for you—not harm—good! (Jeremiah 29:11) Oh, child! Walk in it! Will there be giants? Oh, most probably, but remember they have been given into your hands! Possess!
3) I love the uniqueness of God! Oh, that reveals His character, too! I think He has a better sense of humor than we (me) give Him credit for and one thing is for sure, God is never, ever boring! I hope you have noticed that very rarely does God do the same work twice (I guess you can see that in nature, too. No two fingerprints alike, no two snowflakes alike, DNA, etc.) Anyway, sending hornets! The Israelites didn’t even have to lift a bow! Have you ever had a situation that you thought you were going to have to go to battle and when the time came, it was already settled? No words needed? No explanations? That’s walking in the favor and blessing of God! Don’t you love it that our God goes before us, paving the way, clearing our paths?
4) When God sent the Israelites into the promise land, the fortified towns were already there. Homes, vineyards, wells—all the necessities and luxuries of life. When there battle was over—rest, comfort, fruitfulness! Can you think of any way(s) we can compare that to our Christian lives today?
Joshua 24:14-22 (Wednesday)
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God." Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD." Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes, we are witnesses," they replied.” (NIV)
1) Boy, those idols I want to through away seem to have a death grip on me! It’s like their stuck with super glue or something! Can anybody relate?
2) Once we are on this side of the cross, it is hard to imagine the Lord being undesirable to anyone. We forget He was once undesirable to us! What were some of the reasons, or excuses someone might use to avoid choosing Christ?
3) Choosing Christ is a conscientious and deliberate decision and it is a matter of our will! It’s either my will or God’s will. We have to choose!
4) Joshua actually seems to be discouraging the Israelites even before they make an actual choice! “You are not able to serve the Lord!” And, again, “You are witnesses against yourselves.” Why did he utter these words? What had he experienced and seen in the Israelites to lead him to utter such words? More, what did he know about God and salvation that the Israelites did not?
5) The Israelites had operated in their flesh and unbelief over and over again! They professed God, but when the going got tough, they repeatedly wanted to return to their bondage to Egypt. Also, when confronted by their sin, they tried to right matters in their own strength. What warning does 1 Corinthians 10:12 hold for each and every one of us?
6) So if we can’t stand in our own strength and our own effort, how on earth can choosing to follow Christ make a difference in our lives and save us from ourselves (2 Corinthians 1:21, 24)?
Joshua 24:23-27 (Thursday)
“Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey him." On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. And 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 near the holy place of the LORD. "See!" he said to all the people. "This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.” (NIV)
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Joshua 24:28-33 (Friday)
“Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel. And Joseph's bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph's descendants. And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.” (NIV)
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