Who Will You Serve?

There are different scriptures that I would call history lessons in the Word. I think one of these lessons was in Joshua 24:1-28, it was as if Joshua looked over his shoulder and saw what went on prior to what he was going to say that day to all the Israelites that were present at the time.  Joshua was a great man of faith and he served the Lord continually being faithful to his call.  For those of you who do not know this, Joshua’s name means “Yahweh is salvation,” I’m throwing that in free, I thought it quite interesting.  He was the successor to Moses and led the people in their conquest of Canaan.  He was outstanding in these qualities; faith, courage, obedience, and devotion to the law of God. I wish that could be said about all who claim to be born–again.

The book of Joshua emphasizes three very important factors; God’s faithfulness to the Israelites giving them the land of Canaan, the importance of the written law, and the holiness of God judging the Canaanites.  

Joshua was one of the 12 spies that scouted out the land of Canaan also.  He and Caleb were the only ones that brought back a good report about the land of Canaan.  Joshua had led these people faithfully for a long period of time and he knew how God had been faithful, kind and compassionate to them.  

Joshua also knew how sinful and rebellious these people could be so he stands before the people and reminds them of what the Lord had done for them helping them to possess the promised land of Canaan.  Joshua told them in Joshua 23:3, “And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all the nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has been fighting for you.”  

After this he reminds them of other things the Lord has done for them, he says in verses 6 and 7, “Be very firm then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, in order that you may not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, nor make anyone swear by them, or serve them or bow down to them.”   In other words they were to separate themselves from these people and not to learn their ways and customs and their religious practices and never to bow down to their gods.

Then Joshua warns them about the consequences if they go back and rebel against the Lord and do these despicable things.  He tells them that none of the words that God has spoken to them has failed.  Then he said these words in chapter 24:14-15, “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.  If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”  

Some people think that because these things happened in the Old Testament it has nothing to do with us today, wrong, the apostle Paul spoke of these things in the New Testament also warning the church to take heed from Israel’s history in 1^st Corinthians 10:1-13, if you have the time it would be good if you read all 13 verses I will put in verses 6-12, “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.  Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “the people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”  Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.  Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.  Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.  Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”    

Question:  are you avoiding these things or are you just straddling the fence, do you have one foot in the church and one foot in the world?  Are you like a chameleon, changing in every situation and circumstance you find yourself in?  

Question:  are the things and the people of the world more important to you than the things of the Lord?  Then you have a choice today and that is whom will you serve ~ the Lord or the world?  As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord, praise God!!  The choice is yours I hope you make the right one.  God bless and have a great day.