Joshua as the leader of the Israelites, when he was about to die, wanted Israel to remember all of the wonderful things God had done. Joshua wanted the Israelites to remember these key historical episodes. So, Joshua had shared a message from the Lord, as a reviews of Israel’s history, that recounted all God had done for them. Joshua reminded them that they lived in the wilderness for a long time (Joshua 24:7 “ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season”). Then Joshua continues and said (Joshua 24:13 “And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.”). Then in order to remind Israel of the provision of God, Joshua set up a large stone (Joshua 24:26 “And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.” After a challenging times and scarcity, the Israelites with their families now lives in a different place and enjoys fruit trees in a spacious yard. It reminds these Israelites of the goodness of God. The Israel should thank God for how God has provided in the past, and for what God will do in the future. But we should ask God what He wants us to do. Then trust God.

Remembering God’s provision for yesterday gives hope and strength for today.

In Genesis 15, God promised Abraham that He would give his descendants possession of a great stretch of land included that land that initially belonged or occupied by others nations. This is the geographical portion of the Abrahamic Covenant served as the historical basis for Israel’s eventual settlement of the land. Several hundred years later, under the leadership of Joshua, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham, and Israelites took possession of the Promised land. This promised served as a crucial part of God’s plan for His chosen people and the eventual birthplace of the Messiah.

In our passage, Joshua reminds the Israelites that it was not by their own military might that they did to possess the land, but it was God who gave them the promised land. As a result of God’s goodness and God’s faithfulness and God’s provision including the God’s power in defeating the armies of the other nations, hence, Joshua reminded them to fear and serve the Lord with all sincerity and truth.

We have to talk about Joshua challenging God’s people to future obedience.

There were four challenges that Joshua gave to Israel:

I – CHALLENGE TO FEAR GOD – v.14a

Joshua 24:14a "Now therefore fear the Lord,”

Israel and even the Believers of God need to reverence and fear God and need to stand in awe of God.

Many people today who claim they are Christian somehow lost reverence and fear of God. We do not find reverence for God in their lives.

Since God has done such great, wonderful and good things it is reasonable enough that Israelites must sensible enough to fear the Lord and His goodness, to fear the Lord for His goodness, which means to worship God both internally and externally in the God’s grace and fear in performing their everyday duty to please and give glory to God.

God require Israel to fear the Lord their God.

Deuteronomy 10:12 “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,”

Joshua address Israel with a recital of the events of Israel history, and the review of the events is to show how God’s hand intervene for the sake of God’s people and settlement of God’s promise to Abraham. Thus, Joshua lay a deep foundation so Israelites would have a sense of gratitude, obligation and obedience, which Joshua purposely to impress the minds of the people of God.

Joshua appeals to the consciences and hearts of all the Israelites who are listening to these challenges.

II – CHALLENGE TO SERVE GOD – v.14b

Joshua 24:14b "and serve him in sincerity and in truth:”

Israel and even the Believers of God need to serve God.

We should not miss the statement here of Joshua. Joshua warns the Israelites that we must serve God in sincerity and truth not in any way we want or think. Our service must be exclusively dedicated to God and must be perform in truth in order for our service to be acceptable to God. No one can serve God and live a lie.

That godly fear led to godly activity, and that is to serve God in sincerity and in truth. It means serving God without hypocrisy.

Contrary to hypocrisy is to serve acceptably. How can we have a service acceptable to God?

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The word “serve” in Hebrew verb “abad” is a keyword occurring 19 times in Joshua 24.

The phrase “serve him in sincerity and in truth” means serve God in uprightness, in integrity, not in pretense and outward semblance only, but in reality, and in truth. Do not serve or worship other gods in private, while in public, in the eyes of men, you maintain the form of the worship of the true God. But it’s not acceptable to God.

The word “sincerity” (without blemish, perfect, integrity) in Greek “tamim” from the verb “tamam” means to be complete, entire or whole, has both physical (sacrificial animal without defect (Numbers 29:2,8,13,17) and spiritual significance (blameless, devout, upright). Tanim is used in in the charge to Israel that “you shall be blameless (tanim) before the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 18:13 “Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.”).

The word “truth” (faithfulness, faithfully) in Hebrew “emeth” from the verb “aman” means to confirm, to support, to believe, be faithful. “emeth” is a feminine noun, meaning truth, faithfulness that which gives complete reliability. The first use of “emeth” fittingly describes Jehovah’s “faithfulness” (Genesis 24:27; Genesis 32:10; Psalm 30:9, Nehemiah 9:33, Psalm 54:5, Psalm 91:4) Who is described as the God of truth (Psalm 31:5 “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”).

Israel already worshipped God with words and deeds, so it seems there was no gross idolatry existing among them. However, their heart was not given completely and undividedly to the Lord, but still clung to the foreign gods, which their fathers had worshipped beyond the river and in Egypt. That is why Israel needed to put away false gods and must worship Jehovah with entire and sincere heart.

III– CHALLENGE TO PUT AWAY FALSE GODS – v.14c

Joshua 24:14c "and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.”

Israel and even the Believers of God need to put away false gods.

God had brought Abraham out of idolatry and God did not want Israel to get back in idolatry. God challenges the people of God, Israelites to always keep their focus and worship on Jehovah and worship to Him.

Notice the words in our text “put away” in Hebrew “sur.” Repeated in Joshua 23:6 during Joshua farewell address to Israel. “Sur” basically means to change direction, to turn aside, to turn away, to go away, to desert, to quit, to keep far away, to stop, to take away, to remove, to be removed, to make depart.

Joshua 23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous (be strong – “chazaq”) to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses (in a Word – obey), that (purpose) ye turn not aside (put away - “sur”) there from to the right hand or to the left;

According to the challenges declared by Joshua, we not only learn that the Israelites still retained some relics of idolatry, but to what God these Israelites were attached:

1. The gods whom their father worshipped on the other side of the flood (river of Euphrates). The gods of the Chaldeans, fire, light, the sun, etc.

2. The gods of the Egyptians. Apis, Anubis, serpents, vegetables, etc.

3. The gods of the Amorites, Moabites, Canaanites, etc. Baal-peor, Astarte, etc.

Notice again the words ““and put away the gods which your fathers served” According to the character of this generation, evidently by their conduct, and based from the commendation bestowed upon them by Joshua, it is difficult to conceive that the positive practice of idolatry was now fairly chargeable upon them.

Achan committed secret sin by stealing certain forbidden articles as the siege of Jericho, brought such fearful God’s wrath upon the congregation, we have no reason to suppose that act of paying divine honors to idols. However, hidden from human observation, would have incurred, at least, an equal measure of divine indignation. Covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5 “covetousness, which is idolatry:”). An idol of the heart is something we hold in high regard or treasure more than God. It could be a job, a person, an activity, an idea, a thing, or even ourselves. In the Bible, there are warnings against having idols in our hearts. For instance, Colossians 3:5 advises us to put to death earthly desires and covetousness, which is considered idolatry. Similarly, Ezekiel 14:3 speaks of those who have taken idols into their hearts, setting stumbling blocks before themselves (Ezekiel 14:3 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?”). So, it’s essential to examine our hearts and ensure that we prioritize God above all else.

Notice the words “in Egypt.” Because of idolatrous tendencies of human nature, it is not surprising that these Israelites suffered themselves to become infected with an evil so everywhere around them, and it was part to this that their sufferings were so aggravated in that house of bondage while in Egypt.

IV – CHALLENGE TO MAKE A CONCRETE INDIVIDUAL CHOICE – v.15

Joshua 24:15 “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Israel and even the Believes of God need to individually make a clear and loyalty choice.

Joshua ended his review of Israel history by saying Israelites needed to make a choice as to whether they wanted to serve God or idols.

Joshua challenge Israel to make a choice, then Joshua told them that for him and for his family, he chose to serve the Lord, because the Lord had done so many wonderful things for him and for the nation of Israel.

Interestingly, we see here that Joshua does not try to beg and emotionally manipulate or dictate the Israelites whom they should choose. Joshua challenges the Israel to simply make a choice whom they should serve based on the past history of Israel how the True and Living God has done wonderful good things to the nation of Israel.

Centuries later, Elijah gave basically the same challenge to God’s people (I Kings 18:21 “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”).

In the New Testament, the Apostle John gave about the same challenge to the people of God (I John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”). That is straightforward solid decision.

In spite of all the goodness and wonderful things that God has done, we leave us all with the same challenge that Joshua gave to Israel when he says “Choose you this day whom ye will serve:”

Joshua could not endure double-mindedness and therefore, Joshua pushed the people, urging them to decide to serve the Lord in sincerity and challenge the people to put away altogether all their graven images. Joshua demanded from these Israelites to determine for one thing or the other. Joshua shut these people to a present choice between the true God and the idols, and Joshua gave them no rest in their half-heartedness.

Joshua like his friend Caleb, “remained loyal to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 1:36 “Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the Lord.”).

As the successor of Moses and the type of the Lord Jesus, Joshua put on zeal as a cloak and girded himself with fidelity as a garment, his appointed duty was fulfilled with strictness and unswerving steadiness, he had a single eye and a firm hand; Joshua was strong and of good courage, and the Lord was with him (Joshua 1:6-9 “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. ⁷Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. ⁸This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. ⁹Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”). It was no idle boast when the old warrior and prince in Israel said, "As for me and my family we will worship the Lord."

Joshua now substantiates his previous words of exhortation with his words of affirmation of loyalty to Jehovah, which would have been a powerful example to the people who greatly respected their commander over the past 25+ years. The head of the house will influence those under his influence. Scripture never mentions Joshua's wife or children but presumably he had a family for here he says my house.

It should be our earnest aim to unite our families, our wives, children, and servants, those that come under our special care and influence, with us in every godly resolution and labor. Heads of families should feel not only anxiety, but deep responsibility, in respect to those thus entrusted to their charge. Those that lead and rule in other things should be first in the service of God and go before in every good work.

The challenge to future obedience is clear and may the choice of Joshua, our choice, “As for me and my family we will worship the Lord.”