Title The Last Words (Joshua 23:1-16)
Contents A few years ago, a jumbo jet of Japan Airlines crashed, killing about 540 people. These notes were found among the items left behind by the people on the plane. “...it is now 6:30. The plane is rocking and falling in a hurry... I think it's all over now. Honey, please be well...” “Everyone, get along and help Mom. I am very sad now. I don't think it will ever survive. I don't know why...the cabin is full of smoke. The plane starts going down.” Also, the last message to my wife was left in my airsick pocket. “…Please take care of the child… 6:30” Another note was written on the back of the document, “Live strong. And good luck to the two children. It is said that there was a message left saying, “Honey.”
We want to live a healthy life every day, but one day we have to go “the path that everyone goes”. What kind of words do you think you will leave on those last days?
Joshua chapters 23 and 24 are Joshua's sermons. In Joshua 23:1, it is written, “After a long time after the Lord had destroyed all the enemies of Israel and gave them rest, Joshua grew old and grew old.” And in verse 14, we learn that this sermon is Joshua's last sermon, a testamentary sermon, from the words, "Behold, I am going the way of the whole world today." In chapter 23, 23:2, 'Joshua summoned all Israel, their elders, chiefs, judges, and officers, and said to them,' It can be seen from Joshua's sermon to the leaders of Israel, As you can see from the words 'Joshua said to all the people', this is a sermon addressed to all the people. Chapters 23 and 24 have different audiences, but in that they are Joshua's last sermons, they should be understood in the same context. Today, in Joshua chapter 23, we would like to share the grace of God by looking at the last lesson that Joshua, a warrior of faith, left to the leaders of the people.
1. Get close to the LORD your God.
Joshua, who lived with Moses in the wilderness and led the Israelites across the Jordan River to conquer Canaan after Moses died, must have wanted to say a lot. The most important of them must have been left to the leader of the people. That's the lesson in verse 8, "But get close to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day." Joshua experienced the blessings of being close to God throughout his life. They testify that it is the grace of God that they have lived until now. And verse 11 says, “Love the LORD your God.”
Joshua experienced that God gave the following blessings when he became close to God and loved Him. (1) In verse 10, He gave the power to “cast out thousands by one man.” (2) Verse 3 says, “You have seen all that the Lord God has done for you in all these nations, but the Lord your God has fought for you.” (3) He is the one who allowed the people of Israel to conquer “from the Jordan to the great sea from the setting sun” in verse 4 and acquire the land. Having clearly experienced this fact, Joshua sternly tells us to get closer to God in his last sermon.
2. Beware of God's wrath.
The point of Joshua's second sermon to the leaders of the people is that if we break God's commandments, God's wrath will come. Verse 7 says, “You shall not call on their names, you shall not swear by them, and you shall not serve them and bow down to them.”
Verse 16 says, “If you break the covenant that the LORD your God has commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the wrath of the LORD will come upon you, and you will quickly perish from the good land that he has given you.” Verse 13 says, “They will become a snare to you, a trap, a whip in your side, and a thorn in your eyes, and you will eventually perish from this beautiful land the LORD your God has given you.”
This wrath of Jehovah is the result of Joshua's experience in his life. Therefore, Joshua makes this important point again in the sermon of the will.
3. There is not a single word about Joshua's own merits.
After Moses died, Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River, conquered the land of Canaan, and gave the land to the people. Considering his merits, it is worth mentioning his own merits in the end. In 1 Samuel 15:12, it is recorded that Saul “built a monument for himself.” However, Joshua's last sermon does not mention any of his merits. This clearly shows that Joshua's life had been lived entirely by God's grace. The most important thing in Joshua's life was to love God, not to care for the human Joshua.
I pray that all of you who are preparing for ‘the way of the whole world’ (Joshua 23:14) while always remembering the last lesson Joshua left behind, I pray for you.