Faithful God, faithful people

American Politics – People are polarized. some say it’s a no brainer as to who to vote for, some say it’s difficult. today we’re looking at a decision that is a not brainer for the Israelites. A choice that Joshua is leading up to as he addresses Israel in chapter 23 and 24.

there were 2 things that He wanted Israel to know and consider regarding God’s faithfulness.

Last week we looked at the first thing, which was that Israel needed to look at what the LORD had done for them.

Today we’re going to be looking at the second thing which is what God will do if Israel are unfaithful.

Not only has God made promises to bless Israel, He has also made promises to basically unbless them if they choose to go their own way.

Israel need to remember that they are in a covenant with God. And the covenant that they are in with God is on God’s terms. God has set the conditions of the agreement.

So this means that Israel still need to do their part. This is a relationship. Something is required of them, we’ll see that what God requires of Israel is faithfulness.  

So remember here in chapter 23 and 24 you’ve got these 2 addresses that Joshua gives to Israel. Chapter 23 seems to be Joshua’s words and chapter 24 seems to be God’s words.

In chapter 23 Joshua summons everybody together and starts talking. Chapter 24 we are told that Israel presented themselves before God. And then Joshua starts the address by saying, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says”

Both speeches drew attention to what God had done, to the fact that God had been faithful.

That God’s hand was at work in all of these things.

So in chapter 23 there’s all that mention of what God has done.

How he has fought for Israel and all of the great things He has done.

But interwoven into all of that is how Israel are to respond.

verse 4 and 5:

4 Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.

So, remember what God has done. God has conquered nations.He has done this for your sake. Look at the vast expanse of land over which this has happened Between the Jordan and the Mediterranean sea. As God has promised, He has done.  

But then it’s followed by verses 6-7.

6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.7 Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them.8 But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now.

In other words, God has done all of this for you. And this is what God asks in return.

Be very strong. Keep obeying God’s commandments. Don’t get sucked into the culture of these other nations. In other words, don’t lose your identity as the People of God. And the big danger is that you can start worshiping their gods. Hold fast to the Lord Your God as You have done until now.

God is asking the same of us..You have been redeemed by God. Just like the Israelites you need to be strong / obey God’s commands/ not get sucked into the culture around us /keep and find your identity in being a child of God / and one of the big dangers you face is worshipping other idols. So many things that want that no. 1 spot in our lives, that should belong to God. These idols could take on various forms

And we need to realize that that is something that God doesn’t tolerate. If we worship other idols. If we allow things to take priority over God and His purposes. Then we are being unfaithful.

God has been so faithful to us, God has been so faithful to Israel. The least we can do in response to him is respond with faithfulness. Worship God as the one true God. Worship Him and Him alone.

verses 9 and 10:

9 “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you.10 One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised.

Again looking at what the Lord has done. He’s driven out great and powerful nations. No one can withstand you, because of what the Lord Has done.  One of you can take on a thousand, because the LORD fights for you.  And God is a faithful fighter, because he fought for you as he promised.

And here’s the response in vs 11: So be very careful to love the LORD your God.

It was something that Moses had commanded the Israelites, back in Deuteronomy chapter 6.

Moses said to the Israelites: “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”

Joshua goes on to describe a scenario that won’t be well received by the LORD their God.

This picture that he paints is one of the obvious signs that would show that Israel don’t love the Lord their God as they should. That they’re not being careful to love the Lord their God.

These are the consequences.

Vs 12-16

12 ‘But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, 13 then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.14 ‘Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. 15 But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. 16 If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.’

2 things we need to be clear on.

The first thing is that there is nothing you or I could do to earn our salvation. You can’t rescue yourself from the wrath of God. Only God can rescue you, only God can save you, could have done something about your sin, brought you out of that bondage, done something about your salvation. And he’s done that through Jesus.

Just the same as Israel when they were stuck in Egypt. They couldn’t rescue themselves.

They were in bondage, they were in slavery. God had to work in a miraculous way to bring them out. So you see the Exodus. And you see the events leading up to the Exodus, the plagues and the Passover.

And as we’ve looked at at length, Israel are in the position they’re in because of what God’s done. It’s been God’s hand that has worked and delivered Israel into the position they’re in.

and it’s the same with your salvation. You can’t take the credit . It’s all God’s work.

God has rescued you and saved you.

But my point is that we need to be clear that we can’t earn our salvation.

It’s all God’s work. The fact that you are saved is by the grace of God, because there’s nothing that makes you deserve it. which means, anything good that is required of you. Your salvation has to start with being rescued by God. By God’s work and God’s efforts alone through the death of His Son.

The second thing we need to understand. Once we’re saved, as Christians, we’re not in this unconditional relationship with God. There is something that is required of us. We have to play our part in this covenant relationship with God. and what is required of us?  Faithfulness. that’s what was asked of Israel and that’s what is asked of us.

Joshua  23vs15

15 But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. 

Again, Joshua is saying: “You’ve seen what God has done.” You’ve seen how He is a God who keeps His promises. You’ve benefitted from those promises that God has kept. That’s why you are where you are now.

BUT .vs 15) just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. 

16 If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.’

Joshua 24:

This speech or the address which is actually the words of God is mainly about what God has done.

Then you get to verse 14.

It’s no longer God’s words, it’s Joshua’s words.

14 ‘Now fear theLordand serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshipped beyond the River Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve theLord.15 But if serving theLordseems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve theLord.’

Can you see here the offer that they can’t refuse. What does Joshua say here in verse 14?

Fear the Lord and serve him with all FAITHFULNESS!

which means: throw away the gods your ancestors worshipped. ie. be faithful. That’s what this relationship requires – faithfulness. God has been faithful from His side. The least you can do is be faithful from your side. The least you can do is not have God just as a convenience.

NO! God demands everything / loyalty / that we serve and worship Him and Him alone / that we don’t worship any other gods / he stays on the throne / That He takes that no.1 spot.

Isn’t God being a bit extreme. Surely he should be fine with everybody just getting on with their own lives. Everybody making their own decisions. Everybody worshipping who they want to worship. It won’t hurt anyone.

God’s rightful position is number 1 place. Therefore it is wrong, it is an injustice if anything or anyone takes that place. eg. If someone says NZ are no. 1 in the world for rugby.

Because they’re not.

The principle here with God remains the same. God is God. God is the true God.

God is the ruler of the world. and God needs to be recognized as such. It would be wrong to put anyone or anything else in that position.

So fear the Lord, and serve Him with faithfulness. But if serving the Lord is undesirable to you.

If you don’t want to serve the Lord. If you don’t to follow the sovereign God who controls all. if you don’t want to follow the God who has done so much for you. Then choose who you’re going to serve. The gods of the Euphrates / the gods of the Amorites.

In other words, there is no other option. Because how useless are those gods. They haven’t helped anybody. Joshua, makes it clear. I’m sticking with this amazing God who has brought us to this point.

“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!”

As for me and my house, we’re going to put God in the no.1 spot.

As for me and my house, we will worship Him and him alone.

As for me and my house: We’re going to let God tell us what to do.

We’re going to serve Him and His purposes.

So what Joshua is saying here is How can I not serve the Lord? How can I not be faithful to this faithful God.

Thankfully Israel follow in Joshua’s footsteps. Joshua warns them again what will happen if they are unfaithful. Israel make a covenant at Shechem to show their intention to be faithful to God, and you can go and read the rest of the chapter to see what happens.

But what about you? Can you say with Joshua that you will serve the LORD? that you’ll put God in the no.1 spot? You’ll worship Him and Him alone. That you’re not going to let any idol get in the way of God being in the no. 1 spot.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Home Group questions 18 October 2020

• What is the main point of the 2 speeches that you see in Joshua 23 and 24 vs 1-12?
• What warnings are given to Israel in chapters 23 and 24?
• Why can we describe Joshua 24 vs 14-15 as an offer that Israel can’t refuse?
• How can we observe what God has done for us?
• How can we avoid getting sucked into the culture and losing our identity as God’s people and worshiping other idols?