Joshua 23 is to the of the nation
Joshua is about years old, (v.1) in the Land
(v.5)
There has been , (v.1) but there is still
God will do , but I have to do
God plus one is a (vv.6-10)
(v.16)
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)
The Results of Backsliding:
1. There will be (v.13)
…know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you…
– Joshua 23:13 (NASB)
2. There will be (v.13)
…but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you. – Joshua 23:13 (NASB95)
3. There will be (v.16)
“When you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you.” – Joshua 23:16 (NASB95)
Three things to keep us from defeat:
1. to the Word (v.6)
“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…” – Joshua 23:6 (NASB95)
2. from the World (v.7)
For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain with you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you… – Joshua 23:12 (NASB)
Law of Life: We like the people we associate with
3. for the Lord (v.11)
Love for the Lord is revealed by a
“So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God.” – Joshua 23:11 (NASB95)
Joshua 24 is to the
…Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel… – Joshua 24:2 (KJV)
Key Word: Serve means to Him, Him, and only Him (vv.14-20)
(v.19) Why were they not able to serve the Lord?
They dabbled with idols because they lost their of God
“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.” – Joshua 24:14 (NASB95)
Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them? “Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols… – Ezekiel 14:1-4 (NKJV)
After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. – Judges 2:10 (NIV)