Love and Serve God

December 9, 2018 Background Scripture: Exodus 20:1 – 11; Joshua 24 Lesson Passage: Joshua 24:1 – 3a, 13 – 15, 21 – 24 God gave Israel the Law which defined holiness and provided the divine guidelines for obedient behavior. The Law was given to Israel by God through Moses. The Law described a form of outward righteousness that was to become the standard for Israel. It was delivered to them shortly after their deliverance out of Egypt. Over forty years after receiving the Law, Joshua reminded the nation of Israel of the righteous requirement they had to serve God. Joshua shared with the leaders of Israel his personal commitment to serve God along with his personal commitment to see to it that all of his household (family and servants) would do so as well. The people responded to Joshua that they would also serve the Lord because He is their God. Joshua challenged them and told them they would not be able to serve God because they would transgress His law and serve foreign gods and God would not forgive them for doing so. Joshua pointed out that they had foreign gods among them even at that time. Joshua spoke of those foreign gods as being connected with the Chaldeans—whose land Abraham and his father had been called out of by God. The people insisted to Joshua that they would indeed serve God. Joshua accepted their statement as a testimony against them to be used if they transgressed the Law of God in the future. Then he admonished them to demonstrate the sincerity of their commitment by putting away the foreign gods from among them and inclining their hearts toward God. As God’s leader, Joshua was not deceived by the empty commitments that were made by the leaders of Israel. Joshua was aware that even at the time their verbal commitments were being made, they had idol gods among them. As long as this was the case, their devotion towards God would be compromised. No matter what declaration they might make publicly, their private actions would still be governed by their hearts. If they kept those idols among them, they would worship them. Joshua sternly warned them that God is a jealous God. God does not accept divided loyalty with people going between Him and idols. Joshua reminded Israel’s leaders of the history of God’s relationship with their ancestors. God had blessed their families for many generations and this was enough to prove His goodness and mercy. God, alone, deserved their complete devotion. Only through complete devotion to God would they be able to serve Him. As long as someone is seeking or clinging to idols, it is enough to show that they do not believe God is sufficient for them. To remove all idol gods from one’s life, is to rely totally on God and Him alone. This is an absolute requirement if one is going to serve God. One cannot serve God and be in love with idols. In order to wholeheartedly love and serve God, one has to completely reject idols. That was Joshua’s charge to Israel and the wisdom of it is still relevant today. Robert C. Hudson November 9, 2018