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Grace Bible Church

4000 E. Collins Rd.   P.O. Box #3762   Gillette, WY  82717   (307) 686-1516

 

- Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 -

 

 

 

 

“AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD”

(2014 GBC THEME)

“CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT”

Joshua 24:15-29, 1/12/14

Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming

Pastor Daryl Hilbert

 

I.        ISRAEL’S COMMITMENT

 

A.    Joshua’s Challenges (14, 15)

1.     Joshua’s first challenge is implied in the command of vs. 14, “Serve the Lord…and put away false gods.” If they were going to serve the Lord, then they must in addition put away false gods. However, if they were not going to put away false gods, then neither would they be serving the Lord. The second challenge in vs. 15 continues, “If you are not going to serve the Lord, then choose one of the false gods to serve.”

2.     Joshua’s exhortation to “choose for yourselves today whom you will serve” was in his second challenge (vs. 15). However, it was also implied in the challenge of vs. 14. It essentially boiled down to either Israel was going to serve God or they were going to serve idols. They had to make achoice between them.

B.    The Meaning of Serve the Lord

1.     The phrase “serve the Lord” contains the Hebrew word, abad, which has the Arabic root meanings of “worship and obey God” as well as the idea of “enslavement or servitude.” In regard to God, worship and obedience does not equate to divine enslavement. Rather it suggests the voluntary submission of a loving and loyal bond-slave (Ex 21:5-6 cf. Ro 1:1; 2Pe 1:1) that results in joy and liberation (Ex 4:23; 7:16; Je 2:20). However at times, the word was associated with serving other gods (Dt 7:16; 2Ki 10:18; Jos 24:15).

2.     In regard to serving the true God it encompasses multiple aspects such as: a joyful heart (Dt 28:47), sincerity and truth (Jos 24:14), reverential understanding of God (Dt 10:12; Jos 24:14), commit to Him and swear by His name (Dt 10:20), love God and obey His commands (De 11:13; 13:4; Jos 22:5), temple service (Nu 3:7), put away false gods (Jos 24:14, 16). To serve the Lord then means to love, reverence, commit to, and obey, and minister for Him supremely.

C.    The Meaning of Choose for Yourselves  

1.     The Hebrew word for “choose” is bachar and means to select or choose. It is not an arbitrary choice but involves a careful, well thought-out decision (1Sa 17:40; 1Ki 18:25; Is 1:29; Is 40:20). It is used in reference with God, especially in His election of Israel (Nu 16:5; Dt 4:47; 7:6). It is chiefly translated in the LXX with the Greek word eklegō (cf. Jos 24:22; Ac 1:2; 6:5; 1Co 1:28; Ep 1:4).

2.     In Jos 24:15 the LXX uses elesthe, an aorist middle imperative from aireō. It depicts the idea choosing for oneself between alternatives (cf. 2Th 2:13; Php 1:22). Being in the middle voice it stresses the volitional responsibility of choosing (“for yourself”). Therefore, the Lord places the moral accountability of such choices upon the individual (Ps 25:12; 119:173; Pr 1:29; 3:31).

 

II.    THE ELEMENTS OF COMMITMENT

 

A.    Immediate Commitment (Jos 24:15)

1.     [15] Israel’s decision to serve the Lord was to be an immediate commitment. They were to make it “today,” that particular day.

2.     For Israel, to wait or to procrastinate, was a decision. It was a decision not to serve the Lord but continue serving false gods. Joshua made an immediate commitment for himself and his house to serve the Lord.

3.     Though we grow in sanctification, once we know what the Word tells us to do, our commitment to serve the Lord should be immediate (Ps 119:59-60; Jn 14:15). In many cases, remaining neutral is a decision not to serve the Lord.

B.    Reasons For a Commitment (Jos 24:16-18)

1.     [16] Israel responded to Joshua saying, Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods.” Most likely they were speaking of their moral obligation (“ought”) to serve the Lord because He was God, the supreme Moral Being and Creator.

2.     [17-18] They also gave other reasons why they ought to serve the Lord. First the Lord called them, delivered them (“brought us out”), revealed Himself (“great signs”), “preserved” them, protected them, fought for them, gave them their land.

3.     The believer’s commitment is rooted in his moral obligation to his supreme Moral God, Creator, Savior, and Lord (Le 11:45; 1Pe 1:14-17). Coupled with this obligation is the fact of the Lord’s calling of him (Ro 1:6; 1Co 1:9), the Lord’s calling for him (Ep 1:18; 4:1), and the Lord’s preservation of that calling (1Th 5:24; Jude 1:24).

C.    Limitations to Commitment (Jos 24:19

1.     [19] Then Joshua states another striking and relevant statement. He said, “You will not be able to serve the LORD.” Joshua understood Israel’s sinful propensity and history toward idols.

2.     In addition, Joshua understood that Israel could not make or keep a commitment without the Lord’s divine enablement. But Joshua also understood some very pertinent facts concerning Israel (cf. Jos 24:23).

3.     Even the believer has limitations to his commitment because he still possesses the sinful nature which has a propensity for idols (Gal 5:19-20). But the believer also possess the Holy Spirit (Ep 1:13; 1Co 3:16) and a new nature (Ro 6:4; Col 3:10). These are divine enablements to be able to make a commitment to serve the Lord (2Pe 1:3). However, along with these, the believer has a volitional responsibility to make a commitment to serve the Lord (Php 2:12-13; Php 3:12-14 cf. 1Co 15:10).

D.    Consequences of Non-commitment (Jos 24:19-20)

1.     [19b] The reason that Joshua pressed Israel to commitment was because there would be consequences for non-commitment. As stated before, no commitment to serve the Lord for Israel was a commitment to serve idols. But because God is holy and jealous for His created and chosen people, He would not allow them to abandon Him without consequences. God would not excuse or forgive such abandonment.

2.     [20] If Israel served other gods, He would turn His indignation from the nations and direct it toward Israel. God had warned them numerous times about His intentions toward idolatry (Le 26:17; De 28:25, 48; Jdg 2:12-15). This would culminate in three deportations and exiles in captivity.

3.     Though the believer cannot lose his salvation, if he walks in continued sin without repentance, the Lord will bring upon him heavenly discipline. The purpose for such discipline is so that God’s children will grow in holiness (He 12:5-10). It will be the believer’s faithful commitment to the Lord that keeps him from severe heavenly discipline and further widespread consequences.

E.    Accountability with Commitment (Jos 24:21-27)

1.     [21-22] With the understanding of the brevity of commitment, the Israelites affirm their commitment to serve the Lord. Joshua then holds them accountable to the testimony of their own words. They are their own witnesses to their own verbal commitment. Israel would be accountable to their words and themselves.

2.     [23-24] Joshua demands that they “put away their foreign gods.” This demand was not only for reiteration, but also for any who had been publically or secretly harboring idols. Hence, Joshua was justified in his earlier accusation, “You will not be able to serve the LORD” (Jos 24:19). Verbal commitment must be followed by active commitment; otherwise, it is no commitment at all. Israel confirmed their obedience to the Lord’s voice.

3.     [25] Joshua made a covenant with Israel that very day. The covenant was a renewal of the covenant made at Sinai (Dt 28:69).

4.     [26] The renewal was written in the “book of the Law” (added to the book of Moses) and placed a stone under an oak tree that had spiritual significance (Ge 12: 6-7; 35:4). Now Israel’s commitment became accountable to a memorial and Scripture.

5.     In a similar way, believers are accountable not only to the Lord but to one another. No greater accountability should be found then in the church. Believers come to church not only to grow but to show that they are walking with the Lord. Could it be possible that some do not come to church faithfully because they do not desire such accountability? The accountability from the church is a strong encouragement to stimulate spiritual growth and accountability.

 

III.  CONCLUSION

 

A.    As a testimony to Joshua’s challenge and example, Judges recorded that this generation remained faithful to the Lord (Jdg 2:8-10). But as was the typical case, the next generation did know the Lord or possess the same commitment to serve Him (Jdg 2:10-11). To them, it was disagreeable to serve the Lord and therefore, they served false gods (cf. Jos 24:15).

B.    Joshua gives just cause and motivation for the believer today to possess a strong Christian commitment. It has been shown that Christian commitment needs to be well understood, immediate, sincere, faithful, accountable to the church, and dependent on the Lord. But the commitment must not only be personal, it must be passed on in the home to the next generations. Only then will we be able to say with Joshua, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.