Joshua 13:1ff; 23, 24:14-16
Introduction
: Today is my final instalment from my series Book of Joshua.
Just as chapter One described Moses’ passing and God’s commissioning Joshua to be strong and of good courage, we fast forward to chapter 13.
13:1, ‘When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the Lord told him, “you are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over”’.
Transition and Re-Distribution
Context
: It’s time. Time to move on. Time to pass the baton. Time to redistribute. Time for the next Joshua generation to emerge!
Times up!
Application
: At some point, we will all transition; life, leadership, inheritance, responsibilities, purpose.
There were three stages to Joshua’s career:
(1) Conquers
(2) Distributes
(3) Bids farewell
Application
: I hope/trust that that doesn’t seem over-simplistic or glebe. This did take many years, many trials, many obstacles and a lot of faith.
All of long to hear one day,
‘Well done thou good and faithful servant
…’
Transition
: It’s really chapter 23 that my greater focus will be in this morning’s message.
At the end of his life, Joshua gathers all the tribes together one last time to hear his farewell speech.
Application
: The torch is being passed but not before both a warning and an admonition.
Joshua reminds them that
:
Joshua challenges them
:
Promises Re-visited
: 23:14-16
BUT
23:15-16
‘But just as all the good things God promised concerning you; all have come to pass for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the bad things, until he has destroyed you for this good land that the Lord your God has given you. If you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he enjoined on you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land that he has given to you.’
Transition
: Chapter 24 – Renewing of Covenant
24:14-18 – Read
4
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
15
But if serving the LORD seems 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 the LORD.”
16
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!
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