Rescued from Idolatry

The final chapter of the book of Joshua finds Joshua again addressing the leaders of Israel at yet another assembly of the entire nation. At a previous gathering in chapter 23, he spoke as if his death were imminent: “ ‘Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth’ ” (23:14a). Matthew Henry speculates that God may have extended his life, whereupon “he summons them together again, that he might try what more he could do to engage them for God.” This time, however, he will not deliver a mere exhortation. Instead, like Moses before his death (Deut. 32:46), he will forcefully remind the people of God’s covenant with them and call them to recommit themselves to it.

As before, Joshua calls together all the tribes, but his focus again is on the leaders. But this gathering occurs at Shechem, closer to Joshua’s home than Shiloh, where the previous assembly likely occurred. Shechem also is significant as the first place in Canaan where Abraham built an altar to worship God (Gen. 12:5–7), and that relates to the topic Joshua wishes to address. Also, whereas Joshua previously spoke prophetically about Israel’s tendency toward idolatry, on this occasion he speaks as a true prophet, saying, “ ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel.’ ” This time, the people are to hear not just the words of a wise, experienced elder statesman; they are to hear from God Himself.

Joshua begins with a review of Israel’s history, the history of God’s mercies that underlie the covenant. He begins with Abraham’s father Terah and notes that Terah, Abraham, and Abraham’s brother Nahor lived far from Canaan and far from God. They were, in fact, idolaters. But God changed all that. He took Abraham from Ur to Canaan, making a covenant with him to be his God. He multiplied Abraham into a nation, delivered them from Egypt, gave them victory over the Amorites, sovereignly caused Balaam to bless the Israelites rather than curse them, gave them victory at Jericho and over all the Canaanites, and blessed them with lands and cities, vineyards and olive groves.

Joshua plainly wants his hearers to remember that, but for God, they still would be idolatrous pagans eking out a life in a foreign land. In tomorrow’s study, using some of the most stirring words in all of Scripture, he will call his people to respond to God’s goodness.