What do you cling to? In the midst of the joyful, abundant, and peaceful times of your life what do you cling to? When you are faced with tribulation, trials, and death what do you cling to? The end of Joshua’s life has come and he is imparting final words of encouragement to the people of Israel. These words are centered on the the simple question of what will you cling to in the years to come. What will they choose to cling to?
As I read Joshua 23 I am filled with amazement at the last words of this leader of Israel. At the age of one hundred and ten Joshua knows that it is time for him to impart his closing words exhorting the sons of Israel just as Moses did throughout Deuteronomy. What can you tell a nation so that they will not fall away from the God that has brought them peace and prosperity? The words spoken throughout chapter 23 are powerful and all deserve recognition but verses 6-9 sum up Joshua’s impassioned plea, “Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them. But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. For the Lord has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.” These words are simply the truth that will befall Israel if they continue to cling to God and keep His statutes. A stark contrast and harsh reality is given to the sons of Israel in verse 12 and 13, “For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on you sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.”
What choice would you make? On paper it is simple to want to follow and serve God but in reality when the years pass by and the time of rest and peace for Israel progresses the danger to fall away from God will be at the doorstep of the descendants. This theme of abiding, resting, or clinging to is brought before Israel throughout Joshua. The people need to heed the truth of Joshua 1:8 and not let the truth of the Word of God depart from their mouth so that they may ensure the future for themselves and their descendants.
A brief review of the history of Israel is given in Joshua 24 in which it is pointed out that the natural inclination of the Israelites to fall away from God. In the midst of God’s faithfulness the tendency of the children of Israel was to turn away. This challenge is laid before the people. “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14,15 The choice is clearly laid out before the people of Israel and a choice has to be made. This choice was easy for the current generation to accept and keep because of their firsthand experience but it is the generations that follow who only know prosperity that the failure can occur easier. What choice would you make? I know that I desire to serve God with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength just as Moses commanded the Israelites to do in Deuteronomy.
I am reminded of Jesus Christ’s words to Thomas who doubted the resurrection and desired to see firsthand the nail pierced hands and the wound in his side. ‘Jesus said to [Thomas], “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” ‘ John 20:29 It was easy to see that Jesus Christ physically rose from the grave because the physical proof was present to Thomas but how much more amazing is my faith today because I believe with out seeing. This same dichotomy is placed before the descendants of Israel to keep the faith and believe in God in the midst of miraculous deliverance and the mundane routine moments of life. The God who parted the Red Sea and descended in a pillar of flame and cloud is the same God who makes the spring time blossom. God is in the simple things as well as the great and we need to recapture awe and wonder of the world around us because in the simple things the power of God is manifested.
