Joshua 24

Joshua 24

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The Covenant Renewal at Shechem

24 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.

“‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’

Choose Whom You Will Serve

“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

Joshua’s Death and Burial

After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being 110 years old. And they buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.

Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel.

As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.

And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.

(ESV)


Joshua 24 Commentary

In Joshua 24, Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their leaders to present themselves before God. He recounted the history of their ancestors, starting with Abraham, whom God led from beyond the Euphrates. The Lord multiplied his descendants and gave them Isaac, Jacob, and Esau. Joshua reminded them of God’s deliverance from Egypt through Moses and Aaron, the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, and their time in the wilderness.

God granted them victories over various nations, providing them land, cities, and sustenance along the journey. Joshua called the people to choose whom they would serve – either the gods of their ancestors or the Lord. The people declared their commitment to worship and obey God, acknowledging His past faithfulness. Joshua established a covenant, set up a large stone as a witness, and recorded these events in the book of the Law. After Joshua’s death at 110, Israel remained faithful throughout his lifetime and the time of the elders who followed him.

Joseph’s bones (which Israel had carried with them) were buried in Shechem, and Eleazar, Aaron’s son, was buried in Gibeah.

Joshua: A Man of God

“Pastor” Joshua gives his farewell sermon to the people, and it is solid on so many levels. Joshua encourages them to remember. Remember God’s faithfulness. Remember God’s grace. Remember God’s protection.

In the hustle and bustle of life, it’s easy to lose sight of all God has done for us. Sometimes we allow the weight of struggles or the monotony of our routine to cloud our view of His faithfulness. But as we read here in Joshua 24, there is power and encouragement in pausing to remember.

Each of us carries stories of grace – miracles woven into our journey and victories that testify to His unwavering presence. So, recall those moments. Celebrate how far He’s brought you, and let your heart be stirred to press forward. Trust that He will not falter in guiding you toward what lies ahead. His faithfulness never fades, and His promises never fail.

What stands out so beautifully about Joshua’s farewell is his humility. He doesn’t use his final moments to recount his own triumphs or accomplishments, as so many do in the pursuit of legacy. Instead, he turns the spotlight fully on God, recounting His faithfulness, power, and provision. Joshua’s life and leadership were significant, but he knew the story was not about him – it was about the God who had been with them every step of the way. His final words echo a truth we should all remember: our greatest legacy is found in pointing others to the faithfulness of God.

Choose This Day

Like any good pastor, Joshua wants to confirm that his flock will apply his message. At the time of Joshua 24, we are at least 20 years removed from the conquest of the Promised Land. It is certainly possible that some of the people had compromised and worshipped other gods. Some commentators think so, but we do not know for certain. Regardless, the challenge Joshua puts in front of them was incredibly important. It was needed then and it is still needed today.

We are called to make a choice for the Lord – a choice to believe, to follow, and to serve Him with everything. There is no room for neutrality; a decision must be made. Nor is there time for delay or hesitation. God requires a response, and truth be told, the absence of a decision is itself a decision of turning away from God. Scripture leaves no ambiguity in this matter. The decision to follow God is clear, urgent, and life-changing. This is the crossroads we all face, the call to wholeheartedly commit to the Lord or to walk away. The choice is ours, and the weight of it cannot be ignored.

Each day we make choices. Those choices are either rooted in following God and His Word or they are rooted in following ourselves and the world. Choose this day whom you will serve.

Joseph’s Bones?

It may seem strange that Joshua 24 concludes with the burial of Joseph’s bones. Back in Genesis, Joseph gave instructions about his final resting place which exemplified his faith and commitment to the Lord. Nearing death, he made his brothers vow to bury his bones in Canaan, trusting God’s promise to deliver Israel from Egypt.

“Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land he swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” [25] So Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath: “When God comes to your aid, you are to carry my bones up from here.””

Genesis 50:24-25 CSB

Though delayed by 430 years of slavery, the Israelites honored the vow during the Exodus, carrying Joseph’s remains through the wilderness for 40 years until finally burying them at Shechem under Joshua’s leadership. This act of faithfulness underscores the importance of trusting God’s promises and fulfilling spiritual commitments.

During those 430 years of slavery, the fulfillment of this oath probably felt impossible! But Joseph had faith. This is why he is listed in Hebrews 11 – the hall of faith.

“By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.”

Hebrews 11:22 CSB

As we await the final promises of God, let us live today full of faith like Joseph, anticipating a time when everything that God has said will come to fruition.

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