Jos 24:1 | KingComments | STEP | There is a wonderful structure in Joshua’s speech. In he presents to the people the great deeds of God. Many times we read there the word ‘I’, which refers to God. With Abraham the election of God comes to the fore. Through Moses and Aaron God shows that He is the Deliverer of the people. When He has brought the people into the land, He is the Conqueror of the enemies. rightly says: “I gave you a land.” After these words, the people are faced with the choice of who they want to serve. We are also faced with this choice, after all the blessings given to us in Christ have been recited to us. Is it a difficult choice? All the people have said that they will serve the LORD, but very soon it appears what their words are worth. The book of Judges provides the proof. What remains then? A personal choice! Can we repeat Joshua with all our heart: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” ( )? After Joshua addressed the elders in the previous chapter, he wants to address the whole people. The whole people are close to his heart. He addresses them in Shechem. This is to consider a sanctuary, for there the LORD appeared to Abraham, and there Abraham built an altar to the LORD ( ). There Jacob also built an altar ( ) and there he buried all his idols ( ). History makes clear what the value of Shechem is. It is the right place for Joshua to present the history of God’s people once again to the people. He does this by reminding the people of some great events. These events have a spiritual meaning and can be compared to Paul’s service. Paul speaks in his farewell speech about the four parts of his service: 1. “Solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” ( ); this concerns the forgiveness of sins for unbelievers when they repent toward God and believe in the Lord Jesus. 2. “To testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” ( ); this goes further than the call to repentance and is explained in the letter to the Romans. 3. The preaching of “the kingdom” ( ); this is not the kingdom of peace, but that the rejected Christ is now in heaven and reigns as Lord over all who confess Him, Whose power becomes visible in the life of the Christian. 4. The declaration of “the whole purpose of God” ( ); this is not what we find in the letter to the Romans, but in the letter to the Colossians and especially in the letter to the Ephesians, which deals with the counsel of God regarding the church. These four parts are also found in Joshua’s speech.

‏ Joshua 24:1

Introduction

There is a wonderful structure in Joshua’s speech. In Jos 24:3-13 he presents to the people the great deeds of God. Many times we read there the word ‘I’, which refers to God. With Abraham the election of God comes to the fore. Through Moses and Aaron God shows that He is the Deliverer of the people. When He has brought the people into the land, He is the Conqueror of the enemies. Jos 24:13 rightly says: “I gave you a land.”

After these words, the people are faced with the choice of who they want to serve. We are also faced with this choice, after all the blessings given to us in Christ have been recited to us. Is it a difficult choice?

All the people have said that they will serve the LORD, but very soon it appears what their words are worth. The book of Judges provides the proof. What remains then? A personal choice! Can we repeat Joshua with all our heart: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Jos 24:15b)?

Joshua Gathers All the Tribes to Shechem

After Joshua addressed the elders in the previous chapter, he wants to address the whole people. The whole people are close to his heart. He addresses them in Shechem. This is to consider a sanctuary, for there the LORD appeared to Abraham, and there Abraham built an altar to the LORD (Gen 12:6-7). There Jacob also built an altar (Gen 33:18-20) and there he buried all his idols (Gen 35:4).

History makes clear what the value of Shechem is. It is the right place for Joshua to present the history of God’s people once again to the people. He does this by reminding the people of some great events. These events have a spiritual meaning and can be compared to Paul’s service.

Paul speaks in his farewell speech about the four parts of his service:

1. “Solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21); this concerns the forgiveness of sins for unbelievers when they repent toward God and believe in the Lord Jesus.

2. “To testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24); this goes further than the call to repentance and is explained in the letter to the Romans.

3. The preaching of “the kingdom” (Acts 20:25); this is not the kingdom of peace, but that the rejected Christ is now in heaven and reigns as Lord over all who confess Him, Whose power becomes visible in the life of the Christian.

4. The declaration of “the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:27); this is not what we find in the letter to the Romans, but in the letter to the Colossians and especially in the letter to the Ephesians, which deals with the counsel of God regarding the church.

These four parts are also found in Joshua’s speech.