Dr. Paul Manuel—2013
What does it mean to serve someone? A common setting for service is in a marriage relationship, as one spouse serves the needs of the other. It is an opportunity to demonstrate one party's love and devotion.
The book of Joshua deals with events after the death of Moses, as God's people are about to enter the Promised Land. The book falls neatly into two parts. Chapters 1-12 describe Israel's conquest of Canaan, and chapters 13-24 describe Israel's settlement of Canaan, as the people divide the land among the twelve tribes. From the Plains of Moab east of Canaan, Israelite forces under Joshua's command cross the Jordan River, attacking the fortified cities of Jericho then Ai.
The first battle is a complete success, as the walls of Jericho fall. Only Rahab and her family survive, because she had sheltered the Israelite reconnaissance patrol. The second encounter requires two attempts, because Achan's sin at Jericho, stealing what properly belongs to the Lord, causes God to withdraw His support for the initial attack against Ai. After the judgment of Achan, Joshua does well against the Canaanites. Following a number of further battles, the Israelites control much of central hill country and change to focus of their efforts from conquest to settlement.
Please turn to chapter 24, where Joshua summons the elders of the people to renew their covenant with the LORD (so also Woudstra 1981:340). Joshua reviews briefly the nation's past, recalling how God took Abraham from a family that "worshiped other gods" (v. 2), so that he and his descendants could know the true God. Joshua recounts God's redemption of Israel from Egypt and His provision for the nation in the wilderness. Then, in v. 14, we read...
I. Joshua's Exhortation (Josh 24:14)
Joshua's influence is limited, though, and...
So it is with you. As you have contact with people, even those who claim to be Christians but who are not living as they should, you must recognize the limit of your influence. Depending on how well you know them, how much they trust and value what you have to say, the effect of your words will vary.7 In any case, you can call people to serve the LORD, but you cannot compel them. It is their decision.
Simply calling people to service, however, may not be enough. They may dismiss it as too big an issue to face, because there are so many other things going on in their lives. It is easier to put off this decision until those other matters settle down or sort themselves out.
The people of Israel have been very busy with the conquest and settlement, and the job is by no means complete. There are still Canaanite enclaves resistant to Israel's presence in the land. The daily provision of manna ceased when they entered Canaan, so the people have to secure and develop new food sources. The families remained on the other side of the Jordan River when Israelite forces crossed into Canaan. Now that Israel has established a strong foothold in the land, the women and children are coming, intent upon having a settled existence at last, after more than forty years on the move and in temporary quarters. With all this to manage, much of it demanding immediate attention, the religious issue Joshua raises may not have been uppermost in their minds and was probably not very clearly focused. So...
II. Joshua's Explanation (Josh 24:15a-b)
...brings the matter into sharp relief, relating precisely what they have to consider. Look at...
So it may be with you. Is there someone you know and trust, someone whose experience with God and faith in God you respect, someone like Joshua who can offer you the benefit of his perspective? ...Cultivate that relationship.
On the other hand, do you function in that capacity for someone else, providing perspective on a problem? Like Joshua, though, there may be limit to what you can advise, because you can clarify for people their options, but you cannot choose for them. It is their decision.8
Having called Israel to serve the LORD and having clarified the alternatives, there is little more Joshua can do. He can neither compel them nor choose for them. All that remains is to lead them with...
III. Joshua's Example (Josh 24:15c)
My father had that portion of v. 15 on a plastic sign by the front door of our home as long as I can remember.
We never talked about it as I was growing up; it was just there. One Christmas, Linda cross-stitched the verse for him, which he hung in its place, obviously pleased. Dad did not talk much about his faith, but he did live it all his life. Some parents send their children to church; he took us...every week, and because it was important to him, it became important for us.
How does the head of a household motivate his family to serve the LORD? Scripture indicates two ways that he can accomplish this, through good leadership and good administration.
Joshua uses what is probably his last opportunity to address the nation as the occasion to call on the Israelites to serve the LORD and to clarify for them their options. Conscious of the fact that he cannot compel them or choose for them, Joshua commends to them his own example as well as the example of his house. No matter what anyone else decides, he and his family will serve the LORD.
Tradition holds that Joshua was about 85 years old in this chapter (Geden 1915:1750), which would mean that Israelites had 25 more years (cf. v. 29) to witness the good effect of his words. We read in v. 31 that...
A woman accompanied her husband to the doctor's office for his checkup. Afterwards, the doctor took the man's wife aside and said, "Unless you do the following things, your husband will surely die." The doctor went on to say, "Every morning make sure you serve him a good, healthy breakfast. Pack a lunch for him each day that is a well balanced meal. When he arrives home at night, feed him a good, hot supper. Don't overburden him with any stressful conversation, and don't ask him to perform any chores. Keep the house spotless and clean, so he doesn't get exposed to any threatening germs." On the way home, the husband asked his wife what the doctor had said. She replied, "He said...you're going to die."A common setting for service is in a marriage relationship, as one spouse serves the needs of the other. Another common setting is in a person's relationship with the Lord, such as Joshua describes in the book that bears his name, where Serving God [is] A Household Affair.
The book of Joshua deals with events after the death of Moses, as God's people are about to enter the Promised Land. The book falls neatly into two parts. Chapters 1-12 describe Israel's conquest of Canaan, and chapters 13-24 describe Israel's settlement of Canaan, as the people divide the land among the twelve tribes. From the Plains of Moab east of Canaan, Israelite forces under Joshua's command cross the Jordan River, attacking the fortified cities of Jericho then Ai.
The first battle is a complete success, as the walls of Jericho fall. Only Rahab and her family survive, because she had sheltered the Israelite reconnaissance patrol. The second encounter requires two attempts, because Achan's sin at Jericho, stealing what properly belongs to the Lord, causes God to withdraw His support for the initial attack against Ai. After the judgment of Achan, Joshua does well against the Canaanites. Following a number of further battles, the Israelites control much of central hill country and change to focus of their efforts from conquest to settlement.
Please turn to chapter 24, where Joshua summons the elders of the people to renew their covenant with the LORD (so also Woudstra 1981:340). Joshua reviews briefly the nation's past, recalling how God took Abraham from a family that "worshiped other gods" (v. 2), so that he and his descendants could know the true God. Joshua recounts God's redemption of Israel from Egypt and His provision for the nation in the wilderness. Then, in v. 14, we read...
I. Joshua's Exhortation (Josh 24:14)
Josh 24:14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.Joshua exhorts the people to make a break with their idolatrous past, and...
A. He calls on the Israelites to serve the LORD.We rarely consider the religious orientation of Abraham's parentage, yet v. 2 of this chapter suggests that his father did not worship the true God.1 Abraham may, in fact, have been the first in his family to break with idolatry. That break did not, however, preclude later flirtations with idolatry by his descendants:
- Rachel's family had idols, which she stole when she left her father's house;2
- Aaron made a golden calf for the people at Mt. Sinai;3
- Many Israelites worshiped Moabite gods in the wilderness;4 and
- The numerous prohibitions God issues against such pagan practices suggest that idolatry was a chronic problem in Israel.5
Joshua's influence is limited, though, and...
B. He recognizes that he cannot compel them.Whatever exhortation he might issue, the people will go their own way. He also knows that the Israelites are not all of the same mind, that, as with any large group, the extent of each individual's commitment is different. In other words, they are not all convinced devotion and loyalty to God need to be exclusive. After all, the Canaanite gods are not that demanding, so why should the LORD be? Joshua recognizes the limited influence he has over the Israelites.6 No matter how much he cajoles, it is their decision.
So it is with you. As you have contact with people, even those who claim to be Christians but who are not living as they should, you must recognize the limit of your influence. Depending on how well you know them, how much they trust and value what you have to say, the effect of your words will vary.7 In any case, you can call people to serve the LORD, but you cannot compel them. It is their decision.
Simply calling people to service, however, may not be enough. They may dismiss it as too big an issue to face, because there are so many other things going on in their lives. It is easier to put off this decision until those other matters settle down or sort themselves out.
The people of Israel have been very busy with the conquest and settlement, and the job is by no means complete. There are still Canaanite enclaves resistant to Israel's presence in the land. The daily provision of manna ceased when they entered Canaan, so the people have to secure and develop new food sources. The families remained on the other side of the Jordan River when Israelite forces crossed into Canaan. Now that Israel has established a strong foothold in the land, the women and children are coming, intent upon having a settled existence at last, after more than forty years on the move and in temporary quarters. With all this to manage, much of it demanding immediate attention, the religious issue Joshua raises may not have been uppermost in their minds and was probably not very clearly focused. So...
II. Joshua's Explanation (Josh 24:15a-b)
...brings the matter into sharp relief, relating precisely what they have to consider. Look at...
Josh 24:15a-b But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.Joshua realizes that he can give the people direction in the decision-making process, and...
A. He clarifies for the Israelites their options.
- Option #1: They can serve the gods of their ancestors.
- Option #2: They can serve the gods of their enemies.
- Option #3: They can serve the God of their redemption.
B. He recognizes that he cannot choose for them.Once again, Joshua knows his limitations. He can help them sort through the issues and reduce the number of options; he can even stress the immediacy of this matter; but he cannot choose for them. It is their decision.
So it may be with you. Is there someone you know and trust, someone whose experience with God and faith in God you respect, someone like Joshua who can offer you the benefit of his perspective? ...Cultivate that relationship.
On the other hand, do you function in that capacity for someone else, providing perspective on a problem? Like Joshua, though, there may be limit to what you can advise, because you can clarify for people their options, but you cannot choose for them. It is their decision.8
Having called Israel to serve the LORD and having clarified the alternatives, there is little more Joshua can do. He can neither compel them nor choose for them. All that remains is to lead them with...
III. Joshua's Example (Josh 24:15c)
Josh 24:15c But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.?Part of the respect Joshua has among the people sterns from his unwavering commitment to God throughout his life. He served God's previous spokesman, his predecessor Moses, with distinction.9 As part of the original reconnaissance team that investigated the Promised Land, he was one of the few to trust the Lord rather than fear the Canaanites. As a result, he received God's commendation as well as His protection and, later, His support.10 Joshua has a reputation for having "followed the LORD wholeheartedly" (Num 32:12). He has demonstrated a humble dependence on God and a concern for promoting God's word among the people.11 Joshua made mistakes. He failed to consult God when the Gibeonite emissaries deceptively made a treaty with Israel.12 Nevertheless, Joshua's devotion to the LORD has been firm, and...
A. He commends to the Israelites his example of serving God....Moreover...
B. He commits his household as a model of service.The impression we get from Joshua's statement is that his family is as loyal to God as he is, and that he is citing their example along with his own as what the Israelites should emulate.13 Unfortunately, the Bible says little about Joshua's family.14 Therefore, we can evaluate his own life in this matter but cannot verify the devotion of his family. We can only assume that, as much as he was able, Joshua conducted the affairs of his clan as he conducted his own, and that he saw to the loyalty of its members so they were as committed to God as he was.
My father had that portion of v. 15 on a plastic sign by the front door of our home as long as I can remember.
As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
We never talked about it as I was growing up; it was just there. One Christmas, Linda cross-stitched the verse for him, which he hung in its place, obviously pleased. Dad did not talk much about his faith, but he did live it all his life. Some parents send their children to church; he took us...every week, and because it was important to him, it became important for us.
How does the head of a household motivate his family to serve the LORD? Scripture indicates two ways that he can accomplish this, through good leadership and good administration.
- First, the head of a household must lead the family in the right direction, making good decisions because of the profound impact they can have on others. There is a concept theologians call "corporate solidarity," which refers to the way the actions of an individual can affect the group of which he is a part.
- A positive example of corporate solidarity was Rahab's decision to help the Israelite spies. In so doing, she preserved not only her own life but the lives of her entire family, when everyone else in Jericho perished.15
- A negative example of corporate solidarity was Achan's decision to keep for himself some of the spoil from Jericho, contrary to God's command. In so doing, he condemned himself and his entire family to death.16
The point is that we must not view our actions as isolated, affecting only us. What we do almost always has repercussions on other people, usually on those closest to us and, especially, on our family.17 Hence, God expects the head of a household to make good decisions—to lead the family in the right direction, most importantly in serving the Lord.18
- Second, the head of a household must administer the family in the right way, exerting an influence at home that discourages sin and encourages righteousness.19
- Jacob demonstrates good management when he exhorts his household to get rid of "the foreign gods" some members of the family had kept.20
- In a church, it is a requirement for both elders and deacons (as well as for young widows) that they manage their families well and that their children show proper respect.21
- Parents are, thus, responsible for the children living in their house,22 which includes their training to prepare them for life as adults.23 (The Book of Proverbs is especially helpful in this regard, because it contains instructions for children as well as for their parents.)24
The head of a household must not just see to the material needs of the family but guide the course a family takes. This is not a democratic process but neither is it entirely dictatorial, for the goal is to promote a righteousness that ultimately comes from within each member. God expects the head of a household to manage it well—to administer the family in the right way.Good leadership and good administration give the head of a household credibility and respect, which are qualities that can help motivate a family to serve God.25 This enables you to have an impact on others. You can commend to people your example of serving God, and you can conduct your household as a model of service.
Joshua uses what is probably his last opportunity to address the nation as the occasion to call on the Israelites to serve the LORD and to clarify for them their options. Conscious of the fact that he cannot compel them or choose for them, Joshua commends to them his own example as well as the example of his house. No matter what anyone else decides, he and his family will serve the LORD.
Tradition holds that Joshua was about 85 years old in this chapter (Geden 1915:1750), which would mean that Israelites had 25 more years (cf. v. 29) to witness the good effect of his words. We read in v. 31 that...
Josh 24:31 Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel.Your testimony may not have that prolonged or profound an impact, but you can still live as Joshua did, demonstrating that Serving God [is] A Household Affair.
For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.
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Jim Skaggs