Tag: jos24

What a contrast!

Wow! The start of the book of Judges couldn’t be more opposite from the ending of the book of Joshua! Notice what Israel said to Joshua in Joshua chapter 24.

The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. For the LORD our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. It was the Lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the LORD, for he alone is our God.” (Joshua 24:16–18, NLT)

The generation speaking here in Joshua couldn’t and wouldn’t forget all the LORD their God had done for them.

Now, notice the following from the book of Judges.

After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. (Judges 2:10–13, NLT)

After Joshua and the elders who outlived him had all died, the following generation thought the LORD God was not worth acknowledgment. While they enjoyed the blessing of living in a land God gave them, they were fascinated by and worshipped the gods of the people around them. Really!?

These gods that Israel went after couldn’t part a drop of water, a Red Sea, or a Jordan River! These gods couldn’t conquer an ant hill, let alone the land of Canaan! What, then, are these gods capable of? They can become as thorns in the side—and thorns they became! These are the gods for which Israel abandoned the LORD God. Wow!

There is a caution here for us as believers. Like Israel, how easily and quickly our hearts can turn away from God towards that which is not worth acknowledging! It is easy to remember less and less where God found us, the pit of sin and misery from which he lifted us up, and the rock upon which he set us. It is easy to become fascinated with the sophistication of this world and ashamed of the simplicity and power of the gospel. Thorns and distress quickly spring up because of compromise with the enemy!

How do we overcome this tendency for our hearts to turn away from God? The remedy is simple: it is the practice of remembering and being grateful to God for what Jesus has done for us! And what has He done for us that only He alone could do?

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. (1 Peter 2:24–25, NLT)

Oh, where would we be without God? What a contrast our lives would be! Let us love Him, the Great Shepherd of our souls!

Thank you for joining with me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Judges 1:1-2:23.

Thoughtfully!

Today’s reading marks the end of the book of Joshua, the end of Joshua the man, and the end of a unique era. What an era it has been! Victory, the possession of land, towns, vineyards, and the fulfillment of every good promise God made to Israel!

And I sent terror ahead of you…It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them. (Joshua 24:12–13, NLT)

What an era! Yet, past blessings do not guarantee future blessings. As Joshua nears the end of his life, he echoes Moses’ concerns from a previous era. The danger is that though they possess the land, not all enemies with their gods have been driven out from among them. So what does Joshua say to the people in his farewell address?

So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left….cling tightly to the LORD your God as you have done until now….be very careful to love the LORD your God. (Joshua 23:6–11, NLT)

This morning, the phrase that stood out to me was, “…be very careful to love the LORD your God.” Each day, Israel would need to be filled with care to follow what Moses had written and cling to the LORD, loving only Him. Loving God is not automatic; it is an active, intentional work—and anything intentional for God, especially love, will be challenged by the enemy.

As believers, our day and time are really no different. Our enemies, the flesh, the world, and the devil all actively challenge our love for God. In fact, speaking of a time that will come, the Bible says sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12, NLT) Yes, we, too, must be careful to love God as Israel was to be careful. So how do we do this?

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. (Ephesians 5:15–17, NLT)

Being careful to love God means being thoughtfully obedient to God. As we refresh our minds by remembering His ultimate act of love, dying for us on the cross, God’s goodness will fill us with care to love Him! How often do we take the time to think about what God did for us by offering up His Son?

As believers, let us rejoice in our God, who has vanquished our enemies through His cross! Let us never tire of this new life He has given us! Let us carefully and thoughtfully walk in His light so our love for Him may abound!

Thank you for joining with me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Joshua 22:1-24:33.