Keeping Faith
Joshua 24:14–27
But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
What would the people of Israel choose? Verbally the choice was clear. “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods,” they protested. “We also will serve the Lord, for he is our God” (vv. 16, 18).
True enough! But Joshua seemed to detect a note of insincerity, or at least glibness, in this predictable and ready response. He replied, “You are not able to serve the Lord” (v. 19).
The people were self-confident. “No, but we will serve the Lord” (v. 21).
“You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him,” said Joshua.
“We are witnesses,” they answered (v. 22).
“Then put away the foreign gods that are among you,” said Joshua (v. 23).
“Oh, yes,” they said. “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey” (v. 24).
More words were useless. So Joshua took the affirmation as given, drew up a covenant between the people and God, and recorded the fact that he had done so. Then he erected a large stone as a memorial. Joshua had fought the good fight. He had finished his race. He had kept the faith. Now there was laid up for him that crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, would award him on that day—and not to Joshua only, but to all who love the Lord and long for his appearing (see 2 Tim. 4:7–8).
What more can any of us do? We cannot make others’ choices for them; we cannot guarantee their future. In this case, we are told that “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel” (Josh. 24:31). But in the very next book of the Bible, in the second chapter where this very verse is repeated, we are told, “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them” (Judg. 2:10–12). That may be true in our case also. A generation from now, those who follow us may utterly forsake the Lord.
They may go after the evil gods of our materialistic culture. But we must not do it! We must say with Joshua, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.