The Bold Choice by the Israelites in Joshua 24:14-24
- mww
- Jul 15
- 14 min read
The bold choice was also the only rational choice.
Bible Study Ideas and Commentary for Joshua 24
The death of Joshua marks the end of an era in Israel's history, and the people would launch into that history on the best possible foundation -- the entire generation of those who survived the wilderness boldly declared their loyalty and obedience to God, following the example of their wonderful leader, Joshua. What happened next was not his fault.
As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord. (24:15)
We're in the middle of our Vacation Bible School, so my notes may be more succinct than usual . . .
When We Studied This Chapter in 2017
Here are some topics you might find useful:
famous last words
long-term consequences
the gods of Canaan
Shiloh and Shechem
warning labels
Getting Started: Things to Think About
Your Family History
What do you know about your family's history? Where (or from whom) did you learn it? In what way is that information important to you?
This week's focal passage begins in Joshua 24:14, but it's based on everything previously said in chapter 24: a reminder of where the people of Israel came from. It's pretty easy for us to see the importance of them knowing their "national history", but how about for us knowing our personal "family history"?
Related Idea: What You Want Your Kids and Grandkids to Know
Another way to approach this topic is to ask about what knowledge you want to make sure you pass down to your own kids and grandkids. What of your family history do you want your descendants to know and why? (And really, the why is just as important for this discussion as the what.)
My grandpa told me many times (many times) about annually driving to Billy Graham's HQ to deliver a donation from his workplace. It was important to him that I knew that, and now it's important to me that I remember it. What are the stories that you want to share with your kids and grandkids?
What Are You Grateful for?
In this week's passage, the people recall all of the wonderful blessings God has given them and commit to serving Him alone in thanksgiving.
What are the blessings you have in your life? To whom (or what) do you give the most thanksgiving for them? Here's my twist for this topic: we all should know that every blessing we have ultimately comes from God. There should be no debate about that. But God often uses people or institutions as channels of those blessings. Like your family, your country, your workplace, etc. To what and to whom are you thankful, and how do you demonstrate your thanksgiving?
The point should be obvious -- if we are willing to show our thanksgiving to people and things in our lives who have blessed us (and we should be), how much more willing should we be to live thankfully to God, the ultimate source of these blessings!
This Week's Big Idea: Gods at War
Identifying and Conquering the Idols that Control Our Hearts (by Kyle Idleman)
This book came out in 2013 (!), but it's based on this week's passage, and I still think it has a really useful list of the things we're talking about in this week's Bible study.
This is the challenge Joshua gave the people:
Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord.
Yes, Joshua meant that literally -- and I will talk a little about those gods below -- but every "god" in the ancient world represented something, and I think that's worth talking about as a group.
Idleman sees 4 options offered by Joshua: the people could worship . . .
the gods (God) of their fathers (but not making it a personal choice)
the gods of their past -- the religions they were taught in Egypt
the gods of their neighbors -- the religions practiced in the Promised Land
the One True God
They could not choose not to worship. Everybody worships something.
His book focuses on the "gods of our culture". It's a good list.
The god of food. For some people, in a crisis, they turn to "comfort food".
The god of sex. Some people are obsessed with physical, sexual pleasure.
The god of entertainment. This includes sports, celebrities, video games, etc.
The god of success. Some people want to "climb the ladder" at any cost.
The god of money. Some people put their hope in their wealth.
The god of achievement/busyness. It's tough for them to "be still".
The god of romance. Some people would give anything for "Mr. Right".
The god of family. This is often hidden under the guise of "love".
The god of "me". Some people would rather sit on the throne of their own life.
There are lots of things we might add to this list. Like politics -- putting your faith in your country or government. Or like health -- prioritizing your own health to extreme ends. Or even like science -- believing a "scientist" above believing the Word of God.
In my experience, the hardest part of this discussion is getting group members to admit that whatever thing they've most prioritized in their life (that isn't God) is an idol. We have to work to take care of our family, right? We want our family to be happy, right? We want to leave a mark on our world, right? These things are good, right?
That's one of Idleman's points. These "gods" are just as baked into our culture as the Egyptian pantheon was baked into it. We can't not eat. We can't not have a phone. We can't not contribute to society. Our challenge is learning to slot those priorities below our first and chief commitment to God Almighty.
The goal of this topic would be for group members to identify those things that are crowding out God. What changes do they need to make in their life right now to "get rid of those idols" or reprioritize those things below God?
Bonus Big Idea: The Gods of Egypt
I don't think it's worth a lot of your limited time to study a dead religion, but this simple graphic might help demonstrate why Idleman's approach really is useful.
Historically, Egypt had thousands of gods (like India does today). There was a god for everything. But a few gods pop up on most lists --
Bastet -- the goddess of protection, music, and fertility/children -- i.e., like today's idols of comfort, family, or entertainment
Osiris -- the god of fertility/food, and judgment -- i.e., like today's idols of food, or politics
Isis -- the goddess of life and health -- i.e., like today's idols of . . . life and health
Thoth -- the god of wisdom and knowledge -- like today's idols of science and achievement.
Again, whatever concept you can think of, Egypt had some kind of god for it. So I think that Idleman's book is well in line with Joshua's charge to the people.
How Does Idolatry Happen for Ancient Jews?
If you're like me, you'll wonder why there was any possibility those Jews would follow false gods. After all, they had seen the miracle at the Jordan River and the miracle at Jericho. They had lived for years on miracle manna. Why would they then start worshiping a false god?
Follow me on this one.
Just like Egypt had been around for thousands of years, the Canaanites also had centuries of cultural development under their belt. They built cities, they developed agriculture, they had impressive systems of writing and trade and commerce, they had law codes and military advances. They had lots of things that a fledgling culture might find desirable. But in order to get it for themselves, the Israelites would inevitably absorb the religious parts of those cultures. (And sex. Lots of sex in those cultures and religions. Sex sells.)
And that's what happens to Christians today.
"Those people look like they have it all together." "Those people look like they're having lots of fun." "Those people talk like they have all the answers." So . . . "I want to be more like those people." Which becomes "I want what those people want." Do you see how that could happen to us?
Final Big Idea: The God of the Easy A
I've been watching this development from afar. If you're in education, this is nothing new:
The lede for the article is right in line with this week's Bible passage:
The videos are all over social media, making students an irresistible offer: Go ahead and let A.I. do your homework — with the latest technology, you won’t get caught.
That's exactly the sort of thing Joshua warned the people about -- everybody around you will be doing it, and it will sound like a good idea. What's the harm?
I think Idleman would put this in his book if he released an updated version today.
Where We Are in Joshua
Last week, I pointed out that we only had two lessons for the final 17 chapters of Joshua. That's not a huge deal -- most of the chapters are related to the battles Joshua led and the physical division of the land among the tribes.
Chapters 23 and 24 are Joshua's final words. They're not long, and I recommend reading them entirely. Chapter 23 is his personal farewell, and chapter 24 is his leading the people to renew their covenant with God.
23:6-7 helps my "Gods at War" illustration --
Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left 7 and so that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not call on the names of their gods or make an oath to them; do not serve them or bow in worship to them.
The people are going to be tempted by the lifestyles of their neighbors. The best to resist that temptation is to stay away from those neighbors completely.
[Aside: you can see how this connects to my illustration of the "idols" we are tempted to worship in our culture. But . . . we can't make a "clean break" with our neighbors today, right? We live in a country that is filled with non-Christians. So, how do we "not associate" with our neighbors in the way Joshua warns?]
A key point of chapter 23 is that the work of conquest is not complete. Joshua did his part -- he led the people to conquer a "beachhead" in the Promised Land. But now his time is up, and they will have to finish the work without him. According to 24:29, Joshua died at 110, which means twenty-five years have passed since the Israelites first entered the Promised Land. (Yes, I'm also wondering what they did all that time. Couldn't they have finished the work? No, we don't have an answer for that.)
Part 1: Everyone's Choice (Joshua 24:14-18)
14 “Therefore, fear the Lord and worship him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord. 15 But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.”
16 The people replied, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! 17 For the Lord our God brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we traveled through. 18 The Lord drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will worship the Lord, because he is our God.”
This is a covenant renewal ceremony, and it follows a standard pattern:
Reciting the history of the relationship (24:1-13)
The pledge of the people to be faithful (24:14-24)
including the demands and the response and
blessings and curses
The summary of the covenant (24:25-28)
This event happened at Shechem, which isn't listed in the towns conquered. God probably picked this place because this is where He first made His promise to Abraham (Gen 12:6-7). Verse 1 might mean that they had brought the ark here for this occasion. But the people knew that they were in the presence of God and that everything they said was heard by God.
"Therefore" points us to the previous verses. The people should honor this covenant because God has proven Himself faithful. (He has also demonstrated His willingness and ability to punish the people when they violate the covenant!)
It's always useful to remind your group what "fear" means in this context.
Basically, Joshua called on the people to mean what they said. God is not impressed by lip service. And this is the brilliance of Joshua's charge: it's a genuine choice. Every person present that day had their own choice to make. But to Joshua, there was no real choice. One choice led to curses and death. One choice led to blessings and life.
Is that a difficult choice? This is the basis for the Puritan classics like "The Pilgrim's Progress" and everything that was associated with it.
Joshua makes it so beautifully simple: I know what I'm choosing for myself and my family; what will you choose?
If you need to, remind your group of the things we studied in the book of Exodus. God had done (frankly) an absurd amount for His people; they would have been completely lost without Him. (And that's the point, but I digress.) This wasn't a distant tyrant demanding unearned allegiance; this was the God who had rescued them and sustained them and demonstrated that He knew better for them than they knew for themselves.
And the response was exactly what it should have been. Does that surprise you? We have the rest of the Bible and its opinion of the Jews as a "stiffnecked people". But, clearly, it was not always that way.
Aside: the emphasis of the Amorites is interesting. They had a particularly immoral culture that emphasized sex. And sure enough, it would probe too tempting to many Jewish men. If you didn't use the "Gods at War" illustration already, you might do it here, with this "idol of sex" as your first entry on the list.
Part 2: Everyone's Warning (Joshua 24:19-24)
19 But Joshua told the people, “You will not be able to worship the Lord, because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions and sins. 20 If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, he will turn against you, harm you, and completely destroy you, after he has been good to you.” 21 “No!” the people answered Joshua. “We will worship the Lord.” 22 Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship the Lord.” “We are witnesses,” they said. 23 “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 So the people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.”
This . . . might be unexpected. After building the people up to this dramatic declaration of commitment, he then pulls the rug out with this "you don't mean it".
Why do you think Joshua did that?
Like everything else Jshua did, this was brilliant. It accomplished his goal, which was to get them to think about it and lean into their commitment. "We're not just saying it!"
Salvation Tie-in. There's a deeper meaning to Joshua's words that I want everyone to catch: he spoke literal truth. Could the people keep themselves from committing any sin? Of course not. Even setting aside what will happen in the later generations in Judges, this generation would not 100% follow the Lord with their whole heart. No one can! That's why Jesus came! This is one of the groups I think Paul was talking about when he said that God "set aside" the transgressions of His people until Jesus paid for them on the cross. I believe that this generation will be in heaven because they would have trusted in Jesus had God revealed that part of His plan of salvation to them.
So, what does it mean that "God will not forgive your transgressions"? You have to realize that the "if" that starts verse 20 is embedded in verse 19. "If you abandon the Lord, He will not forgive your transgressions."
Why is it important for us to know that God's forgiveness is conditional? Or perhaps the better question: what is God's condition?
In Joshua's day, it was keeping the covenant. What is it for us today? It's allowing Jesus to keep the covenant on our behalf by trusting Jesus as our Savior and Lord. I recently suggested the topic of whether unconfessed sins could be forgiven. The answer is yes -- our sins (in total) are forgiven when we come to Jesus for salvation. (In my group, we had a wonderful discussion realizing that the true value of confessing sins individually and specifically to God is for us, for us to partner with the Holy Spirit in rooting sin out of our life and also for us to know which people around us we need to seek forgiveness from in order to maintain healthy relationships with the people God has placed in our lives.)
But God is not Santa Claus. Hell is real. Anyone who does not come to Jesus for salvation will be separated from God for all eternity and being completely destroyed as warned here by Joshua.
It was important for Joshua to remind the people that this covenant with God had "teeth" -- there would be real consequences for violating it.
And all of this dramatic, unexpected talk from Joshua had the desired effect. The people reiterated their commitment. On this day, these were not empty words -- these were heartfelt declarations. The people of Israel were now the children of God.
Obviously, this is a great time for you to challenge your group about their personal commitment to God. Create a series of setbacks and challenges to present, like
you lose your job
you lose your house
you get cancer
They need to be serious. They need to be unpleasant. Your goal would be to challenge your group's commitment to God, just like Joshua did in this week's passage. Our desire as church leaders is for everyone in our churches to know in their heart that they are committed to God and that nothing will get in the way of that commitment. That way, when the hard times come, they've already made up their minds.
David Lambert just preached a sermon at our church on Habakkuk 3 --
17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, 18 yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
That's the attitude we all want to have as Christians.
Note that Joshua made clear the people understood the import of their words. They made this promise that everybody could hear. In that, it's a bit like a wedding -- "in front of God and these witnesses, do you so vow . . .?" And that should only make sense; both of these are covenant ceremonies.
What "foreign gods" do you need to get rid of from your life?
Where do you need to step up in your worship and obedience of God?
Closing Thoughts: The Rest of Chapter 24
We don't get a third retelling of the law here, so this means that Joshua copied the law given to Moses. We have no indication in the Bible that God made a separate covenant with Joshua. Acknowledging the forgetfulness of the people, Joshua left both a copy of the law and a stone monument to remind the people of what happened there. [Note the oak in verse 26 -- there was also an oak there when God met Abraham.]
And then Joshua died, and eventually so did his high priest Eleazar. That would be the end of the generation that came out of Egypt. Note that he is also called "the servant of the Lord" just like Moses, but also note that Moses lived 10 years longer, which detail might have been included to keep Moses a notch above Joshua.
The most important detail is verse 31 -- under Joshua's leadership, the people of Israel stayed true to the Lord. There is not much higher praise that can be said about a leader.
I am tempted to say, "BUT . . . look what happened after Joshua died. Doesn't that stick on his record?" The answer has to be no -- the choice of the next generation was not Joshua's fault.
Finally, note that with the death of Joshua, this era of central leadership came to an end for Israel. God appointed Joshua to succeed Moses, but no one is appointed to succeed Joshua. Thus we enter the era of the Judges, and the era of the Judges would be the preparation for the era of the Kings. And all of those things would make it clear that people desperately need a Savior. It took the greatest leaders in history -- Moses and Joshua -- to stabilize the people for one lifetime. That's just not sustainable.
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