We continue on with our study of some experiences of O.T. characters. We are currently studying the life of Joshua: A Faithful Warrior. In the last article we learned about “Victory at Jericho” (Josh. 6:1-27) as the Israelites began their assault on the Canaanites in their quest to subdue and take possession of the land that God had given them. But, sadly, immediately after that miraculous victory, the Israelites suffer a crushing and humiliating defeat from a seemingly insignificant enemy, Ai.

The subject of this study is: God’s anger against, and judgement of, sin. What we learn in this study is that God does not tolerate sin amongst his people. God is a thoroughly holy God, separate from evil. God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil (Hab. 1:13). That’s why our approach to God as believers is only on the basis of the mediation of his beloved Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who did not commit sin and no deceit was found in his mouth…(who) himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness (1 Pet. 2:22-24). Only on the basis of Christ’s redeeming, cleansing work on the cross can we draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water (Heb. 10:21-22).

Let’s try to identify the theological principles in this passage. First note that…

I. Pride Comes Before A Fall Into Sin (7:1-5)

Barely have the Israelites victoriously demolished Jericho than warning bells are sounded: The Israelites, however, were unfaithful regarding the things set apart to the Lord. Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart, and the Lord’s anger burned against the Israelites (7:1).

This first verse sets the tone for what is about to happen in the rest of the chapter. Trouble for Israel is brewing because of one person’s sin. Even as the Israelites waged war against the city of Jericho, sin was at work in Achan, who stole for himself some of the things that were to be set apart for the Lord, things that Israel had been expressly told not to take for themselves (cf. 6:17-19).

Here at the outset, we learn two important factors that help us understand the rest of the chapter. First, Achan’s sin is named and is attributed to the Israelites as a whole – they “were unfaithful” even though it was Achan’s individual sin. We will examine this in more detail later in our study. Second, unlike the report of the men who spied out Jericho, the spies whom Joshua sent to Ai came back and gave him some fatal and false advice: “³ Don’t send all the people, but send about two thousand or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, don’t wear out all our people there.” ^4a So about three thousand men went up there (7:3-4a).

The tone has subtly changed. Unlike before at Jericho, the spies do not report everything that had happened to them (2:23), nor do they express their conviction that “the Lord has handed over the entire land to us” (2:24). No, now, without any mention of the Lord in all of this, they confidently state that Joshua does not need to send all the Israelite troops to attack Ai, because they are “so few.” In other words, “Don’t weary all our people, Joshua, with such an easy target. They are sitting ducks. We can overcome this place with only two or three thousand men.” Also, this differs from the attack on Jericho in that, noticeably, Joshua receives no communication from the Lord to take this action (cf. 6:2). Confidence in God has been replaced by confidence in self. As Proverbs 16:18 says, Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. The truth is that, from the moment they belittled Ai, they were defeated by their pride.

Sadly, Joshua follows their advice: ^4b So about three thousand men went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. ⁵ The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them and chased them from outside the city gate to the quarries, striking them down on the descent. As a result, the people lost heart (7:4b-5). As we know from 7:1, Israel’s defeat is due to sin in the congregation. Sin in the congregation is so often demonstrated in self-confidence. And self-confidence leads to lack of dependence on the Lord. That’s the pattern that happened among the Israelites in this story> And it’s a pattern that is repeated so often in our churches, para-church ministries, and mission agencies today. What starts out with utter confidence in the leading of God and dependence upon God to provide the resources needed for the ministry soon changes into self-confidence and lack of prayerful dependence.

No wonder that the Lord’s anger burned against Israel (7:1). God knew what had happened with Achan and the presence of sin among the congregation, not to mention their self-confidence and absence of communication with Him. Because God was not honored among them, he withdrew his power and they are resoundingly defeated by “so few” people in Ai. This reminds me of the story of the feeding of the five thousand in John 6:1-15. Faced with only five barley loaves and two fish to feed such a vast crowd, Andrew says to Jesus, “But what are they for so many?” (Jn. 6:9). Little did he know who Jesus was and what He could do with so few resources. And little did Joshua and the Israelites know what God could do with “so few” people at Ai. Their defeat at Ai was the first indicator, surely, that something was drastically wrong. Something had radically changed since their victory at Jericho.

We see this so often, don’t we? Confidence in God that turns into confidence in self. Perhaps it’s a pastor who leads a church through a tremendous period of growth, such that the church exerts huge influence across its community and perhaps around the world. Over time the identity of the church and the pastor become blurred and soon it becomes the pastor’s church. The freshness and vigor of God’s call becomes the success of the pastor. And as his reputation, influence, and power grow, so does his self-confidence. Then, sadly, one day you find out that he has engaged in sexual immorality or some other sin. He is stripped of his credentials as a pastor and fades from view – no longer usable by God; another gifted minister of the gospel robbed from active service by self-confidence and pride. Here in Canada, a number of years ago, there was an evangelist by the name of Charles Templeton, who became very well know, even partnered at times with Billy Graham and co-founded the international ministry called Youth for Christ. Sadly, he became cynical about the gospel message that he had once so dearly loved and so powerfully proclaimed. Eventually he declared himself an agnostic and, later, an atheist. Or, perhaps it’s a youth pastor who participates in an inappropriate relationship with a girl in the youth group and eventually runs off with her and divorces his wife. How many times has Satan robbed the church of gifted pastors through self-confidence and pride.

It’s the little Ai’s that can so easily defeat us, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards (Song of Solomon 2:15), little faults of character or unjudged sins that eventually overpower us. Satan is so clever at tripping us up. Indeed, ministers of the gospel (as well as Christians in general) are prime targets for Satan’s attacks. Satan does not want us doing what we do. No wonder that the apostle Paul warns us about this and urges us to protect ourselves with God’s armor: ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. ¹³ For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. ¹⁴ Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, ¹⁵ and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:11-16). Notice Paul describes these spiritual attacks as the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:11), the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16).

We are engaged in all-out spiritual war. Our enemy is not human armies but “spiritual forces in the heavens.” Satan and his fallen angels know our points of vulnerability, spiritual weakness, temptation. It’s the temptation when you’re away from home on a business trip, alone in a hotel room at nights, where pornographic films are readily available and openly advertised. It’s the physical attraction of another woman in the office where you work that, when left unchecked, can lead to illicit relations and, potentially, disastrous consequences for your marriage and family and church. That’s what can happen when you take your eyes of the Lord and give in to your own desires, when you give up dependence on the Lord and replace it with confidence in self.

Well, so much for the self-confidence of the spies in our passage whose assessment of the enemy at Ai and their advice to Joshua were just so wrong. So much for their argument that there was no need to “wear out all our people” in attacking such a feeble few (7:3). The consequence of this fatal perspective was that the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them (the Israelites) and chased them from outside the city gate to the quarries, striking them down on the descent. As a result, the people lost heart (7:5). Instead of victory, they were chased away and thirty-six Israelite men died. No wonder the people became discouraged! Their recent success in defeating Jericho is still fresh in their memories, puffing them up with confidence. Then to be defeated by so few men at Ai is humiliating. Immediately, courage is replaced by fear and discouragement.

Pride so often comes before a fall into sin. And…

II. Sin Causes Anguish Before God (7:6-9)

Undoubtedly, Joshua and all Israel thought they were unstoppable after the great victory at Jericho. But instead, great victory is followed by humiliating defeat at Ai. Understandably, Joshua and the elders are distraught about this, as indicated by putting dust on their heads (7:6). And Joshua cries out to the Lord: “⁷ Oh, Lord God,” Joshua said, “why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan! ⁸ What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? ⁹ When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will you do about your great name?” (7:7-9)

You can understand why Joshua seems mystified by what has happened. Hence, his question #1: “Why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction?” (7:7a). Joshua begs God to reveal why this has happened. Why would God bring them across the Jordan river into Canaan, the land that he had promised them, only to let them be defeated by the Amorites? But, before we question God’s motives, before we ask God the “why” question, surely we should first consider what God has done in the past and what he requires of us in the present. Had Joshua carefully considered the facts of their recent history – that God had just miraculously brought the Israelites across the Jordan, and miraculously enabled them to defeat Jericho - perhaps that might have caused him to consider that there was something going on here of which he was unaware. There is more to this than meets the eye. Joshua’s question of God is the same as the repeated question of the Israelites in the wilderness: Had God brought them out of Egypt into the wilderness to let them die? The rhetorical answer is: Of course not! And now, had God brought them across the Jordan into Canaan to let them die? The rhetorical answer is: Of course not! “If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan” (7:7b) he opines. If they had known that this would happen, it would have been better for them to have stayed on the east side of Jordan.

I suppose, in such a situation as this, it’s human nature to say “if only.” Regrets about past decisions surface very quickly when we face defeat. Past actions which we thought were so right and were, in fact, ordered by God, soon take on a whole different perspective when things don’t work out as we expected. We are so prone to hanker after the “good old days.” When things go wrong we long for the past and the familiar and shy away from the future and the unfamiliar, even though the past might have been filled with life-threatening thirst and hunger and the future filled with life-giving nourishment (milk and honey).

Question #2: “What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies?” (7:8). Joshua is at a loss for words to explain what has happened. Israel had not simply been defeated – that would have been bad enough. They had actually turned their back and run away from their enemy. This turn of events is inexplicable based on their recent history and God’s promises. Joshua’s fear is that “When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth” (7:9a). Joshua’s concern now turns to Israel’s future prospects. He fears that, when this news spreads throughout Canaan, the Canaanites will take advantage of Israel’s current state of weakness and cowardice and, potentially, destroy them completely. Initially, he seems only to be concerned about the humiliation brought on Israel and the threat of their annihilation. But then his attention turns to how this would impact God’s reputation.

Question #3: “Then what will you do about your great name?” (7:9). Joshua turns from the “why” question to a “what” question, from Israel’s humiliation to its impact on God’s reputation. Joshua rightly infers that Israel’s defeat would be interpreted by the Canaanites as Yahweh’s defeat, which would bring dishonor on His “great name.” It’s bad enough that when the Canaanites hear about Israel’s defeat they will “wipe out our name from the earth,” but the consequences for God’s name are even greater. “Then what will you do about your great name?” How will God defend his honor in the light of what has happened? What will God do to protect and restore his reputation? After all, He won a mighty victory at Jericho but now His people have been utterly defeated at Ai.

Thankfully, Joshua does not rationalize the outcome of the defeat. He doesn’t surmise that they underestimated the number of troops required, or that only thirty-six men died, or that it could have been much worse, or that they would just send more men against Ai the next time. No, from his prayer, it is evident that he not only has concerns for Israel’s reputation and future but more importantly he has concerns for God’s reputation. Thankfully, Joshua is a godly man who in the face of defeat turns immediately to the Lord. Sad that such a godly man who is used so powerfully by God does not consult the Lord before engaging with Ai as they did.

Joshua’s last question is so relevant for God’s people today. Whenever there is sin among the people of God that becomes publicly known, the Lord’s name is dishonored. There is a direct link between what Christians and churches do and say and what the world thinks and says about our God. When Christians act immorally or unjustly, God’s name is tarnished before the world. When Christians adopt worldly ways, God’s name is dishonored before the world. No wonder, when commenting on the death of Saul and Jonathan, David laments: “Do not tell it in Gath, don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate” (2 Sam. 1:20). Dealing with sin in the assembly is one thing – it’s a paramount obligation - but publishing it before the world brings God’s name into disrepute.

So then, we have learned thus far that (1) pride comes before a fall into sin (7:1-5); and (2) sin causes anguish before God (7:6-9). Now…

III. One Person’s Sin Affects The Whole Congregation (7:10-15)

¹⁰ The Lord then said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen facedown? ^11a Israel has sinned” (7:10-11a). That’s why Israel has been defeated and humiliated. Just as God had warned them, this act has brought “trouble” upon Israel (6:18). That’s why they have no power against their enemy. Achan’s sin is attributed by God to the whole congregation of Israel. “They have violated my covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put those things with their own belongings” (7:11b). This is a premeditated violation of God’s covenant with them that they must not take any of the things in Jericho that were set apart for destruction or for the Lord’s treasury (6:17-19, 24). This violation involved theft, deceit, and concealment. “This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction” (7:12a) The people themselves have become what the inhabitants and contents of Jericho were – “set apart for destruction.” They fled before the men of Ai because they are doomed for destruction by virtue of their violation of God’s covenant. For that reason, God says, “I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you what is set apart” (7:12b).

God does not turn a blind eye to sin. God does not minimize, trivialize, or ignore sin. Sin among God’s people denigrates God’s name and holiness. If the congregation does not judge sin in their midst, then God will. God punishes unconfessed sin. But, thanks be to God, there is a way of escape, there is an “unless.” God will remove his presence from them “unless you remove from among you what is set apart.” If judgement is enacted by the congregation on the guilty party and the things that were stolen and hidden are removed from their midst, then God will be gracious. By God’s grace, today, because of Calvary, If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the righteous one (1 Jn. 2:1).

Some people say that the God of the O.T. is vindictive, that the O.T. is about God’s law and not God’s grace. But that is not true. Here we see an example where God is gracious. Despite punishing the Israelites by causing their defeat, God gives them the chance to put things right. “You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove what is set apart” (7:13). In order to do this, the people must be examined tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family, man by man until they discover who is responsible for this (7:14). And when they discover who is responsible, “The one who is caught with the things set apart must be burned, along with everything he has, because he has violated the Lord’s covenant and committed an outrage in Israel” (7:15).

All Israel has sinned, but one person is guilty. One person’s sin contaminates the whole congregation. What had been done in secret by one person for his own personal gain must be exposed and judged by the congregation as a whole in order for them to be cleared of this sin and made holy before the Lord. The congregation cannot stand against the attacks of the enemy until sin is expunged.

There is a principle that the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household ( 1 Pet. 4:17). Sin must be dealt with among God’s people – it cannot be ignored, cannot be swept under the rug. Remember, our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). Do you want to know why so many churches today are so ineffective in their testimony? Do you want to know why so many Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians in their behavior, lifestyle, priorities, relationships, and morality? In many cases it’s because of unjudged sin in their individual lives which taints the congregation as a whole. We are not islands to ourselves. How we live and what we do impacts the entire church and Christian community. Sin in one person’s life spreads like yeast which leavens the whole batch of dough (Gal. 5:9).

So far we have discovered wonderful principles from this O.T. narrative that are directly applicable to the Christian life. First, pride comes before a fall into sin (7:1-5). Second, sin causes anguish before God (7:6-9). Third, one person’s sin affects the whole congregation (7:10-15). And then…

IV. Certain Sins Can Easily Ensnare Us (7:20-23)

After carrying out the Lord’s instruction for discovering the person responsible for this calamity, Achan is identified (7:20-21). Immediately, he confesses, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel” (7:20a). In his confession, Achan clearly describes what he did (7:20b) that led to this downfall. First, he was attracted by what he saw – “I saw a beautiful cloak from Babylon, five pounds of silver, and a bar of gold weighing a pound and a quarter” (7:21a). The sight of this bounty, which was to be set apart either for destruction or for the Lord’s treasury, ignited in him this overwhelming lust of the eyes (1 Jn. 2:16). So powerful was it, that he ignored Joshua’s warning to “keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction” (6:18).

Second, Achan “coveted them” (7:21b). What he saw with his eyes led to covetousness in his heart. Covetousness can be such a powerful influence in our lives - that desire for things that you do not have but which you really want; that urge for more things. So powerful was this covetousness in Achan that he could not resist taking the forbidden things. The writer of the book of Hebrews urges us to lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us (Heb. 12:1). For Achan that ensnaring sin apparently was the beautiful, expensive Babylonian cloak and the silver and gold.

Third, Achan “took them” (7:21c). What his eyes saw, his heart lusted after, and he took them. A good principle to remember when we find ourselves in this type of situation is this: “Be sure your sin will catch up with you” (Num. 32:23). This is a relevant and practical warning to remember. The apostle John reminds us that everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world (1 Jn. 2:16).

Four, Achan hid them. “You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the silver under the cloak” (7:21d). You may try to hide your sins, but remember, all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account (Heb. 4:13). There is nothing you can do or say or think that is concealed from God. Other people may not find out, but God knows. That’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? If you find yourself in Achan’s position, try first to remember that there is One who is observing you - He knows all about you and takes account of everything.

So you see, Achan’s action was all the result of covetousness. When it says “I took them,” Achan really means “I stole them.” These items were not Achan’s to take – they were under the ban. You can see what impact the covetousness of one man had on the entire congregation. One man’s sin became the sin of all. Israel was one community, not just a lot of individuals with common roots and a communal lifestyle. In the western world, I think we have trouble understanding this concept of congregational oneness. But that’s what our church relationship is meant to be. One people of God, joined together inseparably through Christ. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope at your calling – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all (Eph. 4:4-6).

Of course, the antidote to covetousness is contentment (Phil 4:11). Wanting more and more possessions robs us of our joy in Christ. Contentment, for a Christian, is being satisfied with what God gives us, living within our means, and using those things for his glory. The apostle Paul’s perspective is worthy of note: ⁶ Godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. ⁸ If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. ⁹ But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. ¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Tim. 6:6-12).

Finally…

V. Sin Must Be Removed From The Congregation (7:24-26)

God’s judgement is swift. Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had and brought them up to the Valley of Achor (7:24). This is congregational judgement in action. This is the congregation taking corporate responsibility for judging Achan’s sin and cleansing the congregation. At the Valley of Achor (“Valley of Trouble”) they stoned Achan and his family to death, burned their bodies, and covered them with stones (7:25). It appears that Achan’s family must have been complicit somehow in what he did because it is a biblical principle that children are not required to be punished for their parents’ sins and vice versa: Fathers are not to be put to death for their children, and children are not to be put to death for their fathers; each person will be put to death for his own sin (Deut. 24:16).

Finally, over Achan they heaped a large pile of rocks (7:26a). Undoubtedly this pile of rocks would serve as a constant warning to everyone, a constant reminder of the consequences of sin. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger (7:26b). God’s burning anger at the beginning of the chapter (7:1) is assuaged by the corporate judgement of sin at the end of the chapter (7:24-26). Fellowship with God is restored. The spiritual rot caused by sin has been exposed, judged, and removed.

As in Israel, so in our churches today. Sin must be removed from the congregation in order for God’s presence to be among us, for his holiness to be maintained among us, and for his name to be honored among us. Again, Paul’s instruction governs us: Remove the evil person from among you (1 Cor. 5:13).

Final Remarks

This account reminds us of the principle set out in James 1:15 that after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. We see this amply illustrated for us in the story of Achan and the defeat at Ai. The Bible is clear: The wages of sin is death, but… (thanks be to God, because of the atoning work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross)…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:23).

The structure of this O.T. narrative sets out the sequence of what happens when someone falls into sin and what the congregation has to do about it, as follows:

1. Pride comes before a fall into sin (7:1-5).

2. Sin causes anguish before God (7:6-9).

3. One person’s sin affects the whole congregation (7:10-15).

4. Certain sins can easily ensnare us (7:20-23).

5. Sin must be removed from the congregation (7:24-26).

May we take heed to the events recorded for us in Joshua 7 – they are very instructive and relevant for us today. Remember that whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures (Rom. 15:4). Through this study, may we be quick to judge our sin (personal and corporate) in order to maintain fellowship with God. Let us avail ourselves of the access we have through Christ in one Spirit to the Father (Eph. 2:18). Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need (Heb. 2:16). May we be alert to the presence of sin and take swift and appropriate action to deal with it so that it does not affect the glory of the Lord’s name.

None of us likes to be deceived. We teach our children not to lie and we administer punishment if they do. And yet, lying and disobedience have been present since the fall of the human race. Satan lied to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - they were deceived and disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit. Then, they lied to God, by making false excuses – Adam said, I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid (Gen. 3:10). No, the reason why he was afraid and hid from God was because he feared the consequences of having sinned against God, by which act of disobedience his eyes were opened to know good and evil. Thus, the human race was plunged into sin, and ever since then lying and disobedience have characterized and plagued our existence. In our chapter, we will see how the Gibeonites resorted to lying in order, so they thought, to protect themselves from attack as the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land.

Our subject in this study is “the consequences of failing to seek God before we act.” As we will see, such action may lead us into a conflict of ethics. The primary theological principle that emerges from this study is that seeking God’s mind before making commitments is imperative to avoid conflict and disobedience.

The narrative opens with a coalition of kings against Israel (9:1-2). The news of Israel’s victory at Ai (chapter 8) spread throughout the region, just as it had earlier at Jericho (2:10-13) and at the crossing of the Jordan (5:1). Previously, Rahab had told the spies that when they heard what the Lord had done for Israel at the Red Sea and how they had utterly destroyed the two Amorite kings, they lost heart (2:10-11). Similarly, when the Amorite kings heard how the Lord had dried up the water of the Jordan they lost heart and their courage failed because of the Israelites (5:1). In both cases, what they “heard” about the Lord’s power exercised on Israel’s behalf generated in them “fear.” Such is not the case, however, in our passage among the kings who were west of the Jordan in the hill country, in the Judean foothills, and all along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea toward Lebanon – the Hethites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Instead, when they heard about Jericho and Ai…they formed a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel (9:1-2). What they heard did not generate fear in them but emboldened them to form a coalition to fight against Israel.

So, what changed? Why no fear now? Because Israel had been defeated at Ai. That’s what changed. Now their enemies knew that the Israelites were not invincible due, as we know, to the debilitating effect of sin in their midst. As we noted before in our study of the defeat at Ai (chapter 7), one person’s sin can have devastating effects on the entire congregation. In the case of Achan’s sin, it caused a delay in Israel’s possession of the land and, instead of fear, generated courage in a coalition of their opponents. If Achan had not sinned, none of this would have happened. In fact, all their enemies might well have capitulated, as Rahab had done earlier and as the Gibeonites do in our chapter. As someone else has pointed out, as with Adam and Eve in the garden, so with Israel in the Promised Land – one sin had long term consequences (Richard S. Hess, “Joshua: An Introduction & Commentary,” 175-176).

The Gibeonite treaty with Joshua follows similar patterns to previous experiences:

1. Rahab’s agreement with the spies in Joshua 2 preceded Israel’s attack against, and defeat of, Jericho in Joshua 6, just as the Gibeonites’ treaty with Israel in Joshua 9 precedes the wars of Joshua 10. In both cases, deliverance is preceded by the confession of God’s power and salvation for Israel.

2. The Gibeonite deception follows Israel’s covenant renewal (8:30-35), just as Achan’s sin followed the Israel’s consecration to God in circumcision (5:2ff) and the Passover celebration (5:10-12).

Notice these theological principles…

I. When You Act Without God’s Direction, You Can Easily Be Deceived (9:3-15)

The deception enacted - a treaty by trickery (9:4-5). Like the kings of the Hethites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, the Gibeonites also heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai (9:3). But unlike the allied kings, the Gibeonites chose a vastly different response. Rather than risk direct combat, which would undoubtedly lead to their defeat, the Gibeonites chose to trick Israel into making a peace treaty with them.

The Gibeonite deception was not motivated by any threat or loss of life by an Israelite attack - it was purely an act of self-defense and self preservation by way of a well-thought-out trick. In that sense the Gibeonites were shrewd in a prudent way, just like the business manager in Luke 16, who sought to deceive his boss for his own benefit. Somehow the Gibeonites knew that God had promised Israel that he would drive out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (Ex. 34:11). And they also knew that He had warned Israel to not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land that you are going to enter; otherwise, they will become a snare to you (Ex. 34:12). Moses repeats this instruction in Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (cf. Deut. 20:15-18).

Thus, the Gibeonites knew that without a peace treaty they would die as Israel took possession of the land. And evidently, since Gibeon was not far from Jericho or Ai, the Gibeonites must have reasoned that, in order to enter into a peace treaty and protect themselves from Israel’s attack, they would have to pretend to come from a distant land, a land beyond the borders of the Promised Land, a land with which Israel was permitted to make a peace treaty. Hence, their elaborate ruse to deceive Israel as to where they came from.

In order to make their fictional story about being from a far away country appear authentic, they gathered provisions and took worn out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly (9:4-5). Everything about their appearance, their clothes, and even their moldy food gave the appearance that they had been travelling for a long time.

The Gibeonite plea (9:6-13). When they meet with Joshua, (1) they profess to be from a distant land (9:6a); (2) they petition for a peace treaty (9:6b); and (3) they pledge to be Israel’s servants (9:8). Understandably Joshua and the men of Israel are skeptical of this story, challenging them: Perhaps you live among us. How can we make a treaty with you? ...Who are you and where do you come from? (9:7-8). But the Gibeonites persist by repeating their earlier pleas, adding that their reason for coming such a distance to make this treaty with Israel is because of the reputation of the Lord your God. For we have heard of his fame and all that he did in Egypt and all that he did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan (9:9-10a). For this reason, their people had sent them (9:10b) to meet with the Israelites and gain their agreement, pleading: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us (9:11).

No doubt the report they had heard about the power of the God of Israel was the driving force behind this whole drama. No doubt their fear of being attacked and possibly annihilated drove them to carry out this deception. Clearly, as on previous occasions, the reputation of Yahweh preceded the Israelites as they move into Canaan.

The Gibeonites’ confession parallels in some respects that of Rahab with the spies (2:10) in that (1) they had heard of Israel’s victories in Egypt and at the Jordan; (2) they confessed that Israel’s successes are due to the Lord your God (9:9). The Israelites, on the other hand, made no such confession about their God. Instead, they took some of the (Gibeonites’) provisions, but did not seek the Lord’s decision (9:14). They failed to ask for divine guidance, just as they failed to do so at Ai (7:3-4). They relied on their own intuition, their own self-confident abilities. Even for a decision as far-reaching as this, they didn’t stop to seek God.

This should be a powerful lesson to us. Though we are not commissioned by God to physically attack enemies in order to take vacant possession of a geographical area for God’s people, nonetheless we frequently face important, perhaps even life-changing, decisions for which we need God’s wisdom and guidance. This decision of the Israelites was not a simple or inconsequential everyday situation. Furthermore, they had explicit instructions from God through Moses to not make such a treaty (Ex. 34:12, 15). Without wisdom from God, they fell into a trap which would prove difficult to remedy.

In order to bolster their claim to be from a distant land, the Gibeonites describe again the “evidence” by repeating what they had already stated in 9:4-5 – this bread of ours was warm when we took it from our houses as food on the day we left to come to you; but see, it is now dry and crumbly. These wineskins were new when we filled them; but see, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals of ours are worn out from the extremely long journey (9:12-13). All this, of course, was a bald-faced lie in order to manipulate the Israelites into protecting them by a peace treaty!

From our perspective, the words of Hamlet spoken about Lady Macbeth come to mind: “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.” Surely, their description of the details about why they came and how far they travelled was a bit over the top. Surely, their explanation should have raised some questions about its truth. But when we are not in sync with God, we can be so easily deceived. We need the wisdom that comes from above, James writes as he draws a distinct contrast between earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom (James 3:13-18). There is no substitute for wisdom that comes from above. We need both the power of God and the wisdom of God which is found in Christ alone (1 Cor. 1:23-24).

The peace treaty finalized (9:14-15). Despite God’s prohibition through Moses against making a treaty with the inhabitants of the land, Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them (9:15b). The peace treaty is finalized.

The first theological principle, then, that we learn in this episode is that “When You Act Without God’s Direction, You Can Easily Be Deceived” (9:3-15). Second…

II. When You Act Without God’s Direction, You May Face An Ethical Dilemma (9:16-25)

The deception exposed (9:16-18). Deception will ultimately be exposed. No one can lie indefinitely without being caught. In this case, three days after making the treaty with them (the Israelites), they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them (9:16). They were not from a distant land at all. They lived nearby, which meant that, according to God’s instructions, they had to drive them out of the land. What a shock for the Israelites to discover that they had been tricked! (This reminds us of how the Israelites themselves had tricked Ai with an ambush - 8:14, 20-21). So, the Israelites chased them to Gibeon and reached them on the third day (9:17).

So, what should they do now? How could they obey God and at the same time be true to their treaty? They had made an agreement based on a false premise and without God’s direction. This conflict of ethics is the direct consequence of failing to seek God before they acted; it is the ethical dilemma that can result from not seeking or following God’s guidance and wisdom.

True to their oath, the Israelites did not attack them… Then the whole community grumbled against the leaders (9:18). Unwise actions by leadership without God’s direction can cause conflict and complaints among God’s people. Grumbling seems to have been a common response of the Israelites when their leaders did not act as they thought they should. In this case, they certainly had justification for their complaint – not against God or Joshua but against the leaders as a group. But it’s always easy to complain after the fact and it’s always easy to complain about decisions made by others. Armchair quarterbacks are always around to give their opinion and to criticize. Nonetheless, the leaders had acted unwisely, perhaps we could say rashly, and in their own self-confidence. God’s thoughts on the matter did not even enter into their thinking when they made the treaty with the Gibeonites.

The irony is that Israel didn’t need to make a treaty with them. They weren’t under any obligation to do so. Moreover, surely you would think that before doing so they would have checked out the Gibeonites’ story. Certainly, the reason for their seeking a peace treaty was reasonable enough, for the reputation of the God of Israel and the victories of the Israelites had preceded them. That part of their story made sense. But would it have been sensible to at least verify their story as to where they came from before entering into this peace treaty? Should it not have seemed strange to the Israelite leadership for unknown people to come to them seeking a peace treaty without anything more than a made-up story? It wasn’t as though Israel had attacked them and they sought to prevent annihilation by seeking peace. No, this was an unprovoked unverified attempt to prevent Israel from taking possession of the land in accordance with God’s instructions.

The deception evaluated (9:19-21). By not consulting God, they now faced an ethical dilemma – namely, to punish the Gibeonites for their deception or to remain true to their treaty. What should they do? Under the circumstances, the Israelite leaders did the only thing they could: We have sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them (9:19). The treaty was unconditional; they must keep their word, erroneous or unwise as it was. This is how we will treat them: we will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them (9:19-20). To this the community agreed, Let them live (9:21a). As someone else has said, they must “live as faithfully as they could within the twisted situation” (Dale Ralph Davis, Joshua, 81).

But just because the Gibeonites had a peace treaty with Israel did not mean that there would be no consequences for their deceit in obtaining it. Thus, the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had promised (9:21b). Their lives would be spared, and they would be slaves. But the matter did not rest there. The deception exposed and evaluated is followed by…

The deception examined (9:22-25). Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? Therefore, you are cursed and will always be slaves – woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God (9:22-23). Their explanation is that they deceived the Israelites because they knew what the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you. We greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this (9:24). The Gibeonites did what they did because of what they knew – that God had commanded them to destroy all the inhabitants of the land. And what they knew generated in them fear.

It’s ironic, isn’t it, that the Gibeonites acted on what they knew (albeit deceptively), whereas the Israelites did not. The Israelites knew that God had commanded them not to enter into a treaty with the inhabitants of the land and yet they did so anyway.

Both knowledge and fear are powerful motivators. Knowledge is power, they say. In this case, the Gibeonites’ knowledge was power in that it motivated them to action, to do something to prevent or avoid the inevitable destruction that they knew was coming. But that knowledge also generated fear. Put together, it is easy to understand why the Gibeonites acted so deceitfully. Deceit is never morally right, but when faced with the loss of life one wonders what you would do. Again, like the business manager in Luke 16, they acted shrewdly to make their future secure.

No wonder the Gibeonites said, Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever you think is right (9:25). To be in your hands really indicates that they are throwing themselves on Israel’s mercy. Do whatever you think is right is an acknowledgement that Israel is the superior power with the authority to grant justice and mercy. This is unconditional surrender, complete dependence on Joshua’s grace and truthfulness.

The first theological principle, then, that we learn in this episode is that “When You Act Without God’s Direction, You Can Easily Be Deceived” (9:3-15). The second is that “When You Act Without God’s Direction, You May Face An Ethical Dilemma” (9:16-25). The third is…

III. When You Act Without God’s Direction, You Need A Redemptive Solution (9:26-27)

With the support of the community and based on what he and the elders had decided, Joshua did what was right under the circumstances. He was caught in an ethical dilemma between his obligation to the Gibeonites and his obligation to God. Now he acts with the wisdom that comes from above. First, he rescued (the Gibeonites) from the Israelites, and they did not kill them (9:26). Joshua lives up to the meaning of his name: “Salvation.” He is their redeemer and protector from the wrath if Israel. This is a huge demonstration of mercy. Their lives were spared for what otherwise could have been disastrous.

Second, on that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers – as they are today – for the community and for the Lord’s altar at the place he would choose (9:27). Though they are consigned to a life of servitude and drudgery, their lives are spared. That in itself would have been enough, but there’s more. In an even greater act of undeserved mercy and favor the Gibeonites joined the Israelite covenant community of faith by serving not only the community but also the Lord’s altar. Granted their position was at the lowest level of servanthood – woodcutters and water carriers - but they participated in the sacrificial worship of the God of Israel by serving at His altar. They were brought into the sphere of spiritual blessing, brought near to the Lord. This was true redemption for those who otherwise deserved to die.

The consequences for Israel and Gibeon could have been far worse. God is very gracious to them. Failure to seek God is different than outright rebellion against God. For that they would have suffered a far worse punishment. But God metes out to us the consequences of our sins and failures with justice and fairness. And that justice and fairness is also meted out by the Israelites to the Gibeonites. A life of servitude and drudgery is far better than annihilation. They recognized the fidelity of Joshua and the Israelite leaders to the covenant they had made with them.

Final Remarks

Israel’s failure to seek the Lord before entering into their treaty with Gibeon follows the same pattern as their failure to seek the Lord when they attacked Ai with only two or three thousand men because, so the spies reported, the people of Ai are so few (7:3). Indeed, they were few. But that didn’t mean they could attack them without seeking God’s direction and power, which they completely failed to do. What they forgot is that without God’s direction and power they were utterly weak, even before just a few. We can’t imagine how much the sin of self-confidence, like Israel’s at Ai, can affect our subsequent lives. It just seems that our own pride so often gets in the way of our dependence on, and trust in, God.

Interestingly, the alliance of the kings (9:1-2) didn’t seem to cause Israel any alarm. In fact, there is no record of this alliance actually fighting Israel, but there will be other alliances later that will do battle with them (chapters 10 and 11). In both instances, in pure grace, God speaks, assuring Joshua to not be afraid of them for He will give him victory over them (10:7 and 11:6). No, it wasn’t the outright threat of war by the kings that caused Israel’s failure and consequent ethical dilemma. Rather, they failed to consult the Lord and were duped by a simple, naïve, poorly executed deception.

Clearly, they had not learned their lesson, for the Gibeonites did not come to protect themselves by military might, but to protect themselves by deception. As at Ai, Israel did not seek the Lord’s counsel (9:14), nor did they consider the clear instructions they had received previously from the Lord (Ex. 34:11-12) and from Moses (Deut. 7:1-2) about destroying the nations in the Promised Land and not making any treaties with them.

So, Israel’s fault here was both a sin of commission (disobedience to God) and a sin of omission (failure to seek God’s direction), both of which exposed their utter weakness. But in spite of this, God is gracious. Israel does not suffer defeat as they did at Ai, but they suffer the humiliation resulting from a very simple deception – one that could have so easily been avoided.

Do you not find in your own life, that you do the same thing? Sometimes we just don’t stop to think about what we are doing and what its consequences might be. Sometimes we fail to seek the Lord in prayer or his word and we plunge ahead with a course of action based solely on or own judgement (or lack thereof). Then there comes a point at which God in his grace prompts us by the Holy Spirit as to why things did not go well, reminding us that we relied on our own understanding rather than on trusting in the Lord with all our heart (Prov. 3:5-6). How much and how often do we need to learn that lesson! But time and time again we neglect the Lord and trust our own self-confidence.

Remember the theological principles we have derived from this narrative:

I. When you act without God’s direction, you can easily be deceived (9:3-15).

II. When you act without God’s direction, you may face an ethical dilemma (9:16-25).

III. When you act without God’s direction, you need a redemptive solution (9:26-27).

Despite their failure here, Joshua and the leaders of Israel found a redemptive solution, one that (1) permitted them to act with integrity in keeping their oath to the Gibeonites; (2) allowed them to punish Gibeon for their deception; and yet (3) provided a way for Gibeon, by sheer grace, to participate in the service and worship of God, as well as their service to the Israelites. That’s brilliant, isn’t it? Only God could do that.

Remember our thesis, our sermon-in-a-sentence: Seeking God’s mind before making commitments is imperative to avoid conflict and disobedience. As we study these wonderful narratives about O.T. characters, may we apply the principles we learn from them to our own lives. God’s word never grows old or out of date, for, as the Scripture says, whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Rom. 15:4).

We can learn much from the last words of friends, family members, and influential leaders. Sometimes a person’s last words review their life, or reminiscence about their experiences, or repair relationships, or give the next generation wisdom as to how to live. Last words can either affirm the person’s faith or reveal the lack of faith. A Christian friend of mine died recently. Shortly before he died another friend asked him about his faith in the light of his health condition and impending death. He replied: “I am either a man of faith, or I am not. And I am a man of faith.” I thought that was a profound testimony to his faith at the end of his life, after having followed the Lord for many years.

It is incumbent on us to pay attention to those who have learned much from their experience and from their relationship with God over their lifetime. As with other last words (e. g. Jacob, Moses), these last words of Joshua demand our attention. As an old man now, Joshua’s memory is full of the experiences and lessons that he had learned over the course of his lifetime and, specifically, during his period of leadership.

Many years have passed since the Israelites first entered Canaan under Joshua’s leadership, during which time they had eliminated or subdued their enemies such that they now had rest from all their enemies (23:1). In view of his advanced age, Joshua summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers and said to them, “I am old, advanced in age” (23:2) and he passes on to them his last words of wisdom and warning. In his last words, Joshua reminisces about God’s faithfulness and challenges Israel to remain loyal to God and obedient to His word, failing which they would face dire consequences. The structure of these last two chapters of the book of Joshua is as follows:

1. A reminder (chapter 23). Joshua reminds the Israelites of God’s covenant faithfulness to them in the past and counsels them about the future.

2. An exhortation (chapter 24). Here, Joshua reviews God’s faithfulness to his people and calls them to a renewed commitment to their covenant relationship with Him.

In these two chapters, the abiding theological principle is that just as God is absolutely faithful to us, so must we be to Him if we want to continue to enjoy his blessings.

I. A Reminder About Covenant Faithfulness (Josh. 23:3-11)

Faithfulness to God is a prerequisite for blessing. In this case, it is a prerequisite for the Israelites to take full possession of the land. Persistence in faithfulness to God is the issue here. The question is, “Will the Israelites keep on being faithful to God, especially after Joshua, their leader, is no longer with them? Will they complete their task of possessing the land?”

This speech divides itself into two parts…

Part 1: A Reminder About Continued Obedience And Loyalty To God (23:3-8).

A. Remember God’s covenant faithfulness (23:3-5). First, as to the past, all their successes were due to God alone. Israel’s possession of the land to date was a gift from God: “You have seen for yourselves everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your account, because it was the Lord your God who was fighting for you” (23:3). Though Joshua had faithfully led their military campaigns and “destroyed” the nations west of the Jordan (23:4), nonetheless, their successes could only be attributed to “the Lord your God who was fighting for you.”

Just as everything they had experienced, achieved, and now possessed was due to God’s gracious gift to them in fulfillment of his promise to Abraham, so for us everything that we have and are is from God (1 Chron. 29:10-19; James 1:17; 2 Corinthians 9:10–11; Rom. 11:36). We need to acknowledge this on a regular basis and govern ourselves accordingly.

Second, as to the future, the Lord God will continue to help them take possession of the land. God himself will enable them to drive out their enemies “so that you can take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you” (23:5). Just as in the past, so in the future, they could only accomplish their God-given purpose of dispossessing the land of their enemies through the Lord’s power and according to his promises.

Sometimes, I think, we forget this when we make plans for our own future. We can only secure success in achieving certain goals as long as those goals are from the Lord and we conduct ourselves in submission to him, recognizing his sovereignty over every aspect of our lives. We need to remember that a person’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps (Prov. 16:9). We may make plans for the future (and that is right and proper), but those plans must always be subject to the Lord’s determination of each step we take.

These two reminders of God’s faithfulness in the past and the future are followed by a warning…

B. Remember God’s covenant requirements (23:6-8). In order to remain faithful to God and avoid his judgement, Joshua urges the Israelites, first, to obey God’s word (23:6-7). “Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or the left” (23:6). Obedience to God’s word is the foundation of faithfulness to God.

Second, to be loyal to the Lord your God (23:7-8). Stated in negative terms, this means in practice: “Do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not call on the names of their gods or make an oath to them; do not serve them or bow in worship to them” (23:7). Faithfulness to God demands exclusive obedience to, and worship of, him. There can be no contamination with the gods of the Canaanites. Our God is a jealous God and demands our absolute and exclusive worship, loyalty, and obedience (24:19).

From a N.T. perspective, the apostle Paul says the same thing: Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols?... Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you (2 Cor. 6:14-17). Separation from the world is evidence of our love for God, our obedience to God, and our loyalty to God.

Stated in positive terms (instead of negative as in v. 7), this means, “Instead, be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this day” (23:8). Today, most people do not think in terms of loyalty – neither to their employer, to their wife and family, to the church, nor to God. Loyalty is an undervalued characteristic. For the people of God, loyalty to God is of paramount importance. This means being steadfast in our allegiance to God, holding on to Him, being joined inseparably to Him. Our God brooks no divided affections from his people.

Thus, Joshua’s primary message here for the Israelites is a reminder about continued obedience and loyalty to God. These are the foundations for faithfulness to God and are the primary substance of Joshua’s final words to the Israelites.

Part 2: A Reminder About Covenant Faithfulness To God (23:9-16).

A. A reminder about their successes to date (23:9-10). Joshua reminds them of two reasons for their success so far in taking possession of the land. First, “the Lord has driven out great and powerful nations before you” (23:9a). They could not have done it on their own, as the defeat at Ai proves (ch. 7). When Israel failed to consult the Lord and acted in independence and arrogance, they failed miserably. The people who previously had miraculously defeated the city of Jericho were unable to defeat even the small town of Ai. Why? Because they left God out of their plans.

We can only defeat the enemy of our souls if we depend upon the Lord. He alone can drive away wicked opponents who are far more powerful than we ourselves.

Second, “no one is able to stand against you to this day…because the Lord your God was fighting for you as he promised” (23:9b-10). It wasn’t simply that they won certain battles. It was that no opposing army, no matter how big or strong, was able to stand up against them. Why? Because of the Lord’s power and his faithfulness to them. They had invaded Canaan in the confidence that God was on their side in accordance with his promise to Moses (Deut. 31:6-8) and to Joshua himself (Josh. 1:5). Indeed, God’s power was made so great and so evident that “one of you routed a thousand because the Lord your God was fighting for you, as he promised” (23:10). With God on their side, each person was able to accomplish far more than they could otherwise achieve. Thus, Joshua is really encouraging them that, as in the past so in the future, God would be with them, enabling them to finish the task of driving out their enemies.

As Christians, we also have the assurance from God’s word that he will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). He is fighting for us on our side such that no enemy can defeat us, for he has given us spiritual armor for our protection and power in withstanding the schemes and fiery arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:11, 16). Indeed, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom. 8:37).

B. A warning about their relationship to Yahweh (23:11-16). First, pay attention to your spiritual life. “Diligently watch yourselves! Love the Lord your God!” (23:11). Here is a much-needed warning, for the Israelites (and for us) about faithfulness to Yahweh. To preserve their relationship with Yahweh, they must pay attention to their spiritual lives.

Don’t become comfortable based on your past successes. Don’t think that past successes are a guarantee of future successes. No, we need to constantly pay attention to ourselves in the sense of examining and being aware of our relationship with God (our spirituality), our desires, our thoughts, our diligence in the work of the Lord. Don’t become distracted by secular activities. Be like a good soldier who does not get entangled with civilian life but always seeks to please his commanding officer (2 Tim. 2:4).

The apostle Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesian elders follows the same pattern: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers” (Acts 20:28). The idolatry of Ephesus could easily have become a distraction and an enticement to them. To withstand such temptations, the elders needed to pay careful attention to their personal relationship with the Lord and with the people over whom God had called them to be overseers.

Again, Paul exhorted Timothy, ¹² Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching. ¹⁴ Don’t neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. ¹⁵ Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. ¹⁶ Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Tim. 1:4:12-16). This matter of paying attention to yourself has nothing to do with self-centredness or self-promotion. Rather, this is a spiritual matter about guarding your heart, your mind, your relationships, and your desires such that you are focussed on serving the Lord with diligence and faithfulness. Don’t lose focus. Don’t drift away from the Lord. Be diligent in maintaining holiness of life so that your communion with God is not broken. Your connectedness with God is of paramount importance if you are going to remain faithful to him.

This also follows the same pattern as Jesus’ teaching: “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). Whole-hearted devotion to serving and following Jesus is required, in order to guard yourself against unfaithfulness to God, disloyalty to Jesus, and forgetfulness of your calling.

So, first, pay attention to your spiritual life…

Second, be aware of God’s judgement (23:12-16). Unfaithfulness to God incurs the threat of His punishment. “¹² If you ever turn away and become loyal to the rest of these nations remaining among you, and if you intermarry or associate with them and they with you, ¹³ know for certain that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out before you” (23:12-13a). If the Israelites fail to love and obey God exclusively (cf. 23:6-8), if they turn away from God and become loyal to the nations around them, then God will no longer “drive out these nations before you.” On the contrary, the nations would “become a snare and a trap for you, a sharp stick for your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God has given you” (23:13b). Such would be the consequence if they became like the nations around them and turned their back on God. They would only have themselves to blame if they were disloyal to God and became integrated into the pagan life and people of Canaan.

Indeed, any punishment they may face in the future would not be because of any failure on God’s part to keep and fulfill his promises to them concerning their possession of the land, for throughout their history God has remained utterly faithful to his word: “¹⁴ I am now going the way of the whole earth, and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord you God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed” (23:14). They would never be able to point the finger at God and accuse him of failing them.

Here’s the bottom line of Joshua’s closing argument in this section: “¹⁵ Since every good thing the Lord your God promised you has come about, so he will bring on you every bad thing until he has annihilated you from this good land the Lord your God has given you. ¹⁶ If you break the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow in worship to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly disappear from this good land he has given you” (23:15-16). A strong warning from Joshua! If Israel broke the covenant and worshipped other gods, they would lose their inheritance in the land. Not only would they face defeat and expulsion from the land by the nations, but they would face annihilation by God himself such that “you will quickly disappear from this good land he has given you.” Remember, just as obedience brings “good things” (i.e. blessings), so disobedience brings “bad things” (i.e. punishment).

Again, this follows the same pattern as Jesus’ teaching: “For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). There is abundant instruction and warning in the Scriptures about the consequences of unfaithfulness to God.

So, in Joshua’s farewell address, first we find a reminder about covenant faithfulness to God. Second…

II. An Exhortation To Covenant Renewal (Josh 24:1-28)

A. Israel’s Covenant History Reviewed (24:1-13). Joshua communicates to all Israel “what the Lord, the God of Israel, says” (24:2). What follows is a truncated recounting of what God did for the Israelites throughout their history to date, starting with (1) the call of Abraham and his descendants (24:2-3); (2) the sending of Moses and Aaron to lead them out of captivity in Egypt (24:4-10); and (3) the conquest of Canaan (24:11-13).

The story appropriately begins with God’s choice of their pagan-worshipping ancestors from Mesopotamia from where God sovereignly led Abraham to Canaan where He “multiplied his descendants” (24:2-3). The story quickly progresses to Abraham’s descendants – Isaac, Jacob, and Esau (24:3b-4) - with Esau receiving his land possession in Seir while Jacob and his sons “went down to Egypt” (24:4) in the days when Joseph was prime minister there.

The text says nothing about their long years of slavery but focuses on what God did to deliver them from Egypt. God sent to them Moses and Aaron under whose leadership He “defeated Egypt” (24:5) and brought the Israelites out by way of the Red Sea, with the Egyptians in hot pursuit (24:6). In response to the Israelites’ cry, He delivered them from the Egyptians at the Red Sea by (1) the cover of darkness, and (2) drowning the Egyptians in the Red Sea (24:7a).

In addition, nothing is said about their wilderness wanderings, except that they “lived in the wilderness a long time” (24:7b). While this historical review concerns previous generations, nonetheless, the repetition of “you” and “your” indicates the personal identification of the present generation with their people of the past. Also, it implies that some of the present generation may have been survivors of the wilderness wanderings (Num. 14:29-33), in which case they may have had personal memory of that event.

The story moves on to what God did on their behalf before crossing the Jordan (24:8-10). As to the Amorites, “I handed them over to you. You possessed their land, and I annihilated them before you” (24:8). As to Balak the king of Moab, God “rescued” them from him by turning Balaam from cursing them to blessing them (24:9-10; cf. Num. 22:10-12).

Now the story moves on to what God did for them after crossing the Jordan (24:11-13). Jericho’s citizens - along with the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hethites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites – all “fought against you, but I (God) handed them over to you” (24:11), just as He had promised. “I sent hornets ahead of you, and they drove out the two Amorite kings before you. It was not by your sword or bow” (24:12). There is some debate amongst scholars as to whether these “hornets” were literal wasps (cf. Ex. 23:28-30; Deut. 7:17-21) or a metaphor for the terror that the nations experienced when confronted by the Israelites (cf. Josh. 2:9-11, 24; 5:1). Since God used other insects like gnats and flies and locusts to plague Pharaoh and the Egyptians, it seems to me that there is no reason to interpret these hornets as anything but literal insects.

In any event, what is clear is that the entire process of bringing them to the Promised Land, and everything they now had, is all attributed to God. “I gave you a land you did not labor for, and cities you did not build, though you live in them; you are eating from the vineyards and olive groves you did not plant” (24:13). Their possession of Canaan and the defeat of their enemies was all God’s work. It was not by the power of their swords or bows, but God’s power. On their own, their weapons would have been useless. It was not by their own labor by which they possessed the land where they built cities to live in and farmed vineyards and olive groves for fruit. The emphasis is completely on God – his power, his provision – just as He promised (Deut. 6:10-11).

God is faithful to his word which never fails. Let us remember this essential principle: Everything we have and are is all a gift from God – our salvation, our spiritual gifts, our possessions, our daily food, our jobs, our families, our successes, our blessings.

B. Israel’s Covenant with God Renewed (24:14-28). First, Joshua calls the Israelites to worship the Lord exclusively (24:14-18). “Therefore” – on the basis of all that God has done for you and his faithfulness to you throughout your history - “fear the Lord and worship / serve him in sincerity and truth (24:14a). Joshua’s challenge to the Israelites is, first, to “fear the Lord.” Solomon’s counsel is that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7).

A true “fear” of the Lord is our response to him out of the awareness of who he is - his power and his holiness, which are so far beyond us and are so demanding of us that we “fear” him. We “fear” him, not in the sense of being afraid of eternal condemnation (for we are secure in Christ), but out of a sense of our finiteness, frailty, and fallenness in comparison to his divine sovereignty, absolute supremacy, and utter sinlessness. He is the mighty God who created us and who holds the world in his hand. He is above all and through all and in all (Eph. 4:6). This surely should cause us to fear him in the sense that He is the Creator, we are his creatures; He is the one to be worshipped and we are his worshippers. This is not the fear of a scared puppy, but the fear of disobeying him, of dishonoring him, of disappointing him, and of incurring his discipline. Anyone who divides their affections between the one true God and the pagan gods simply does not “fear” the Lord.

The outcome of true fear of the Lord is to “worship him in sincerity and truth.” This is to worship and serve him in total devotion and utter transparency – no hidden or ulterior motives but complete commitment. The practical expression of such devotion is to “get rid of the gods of your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship the Lord” (24:14b). The choice is theirs: “If it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship – the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living?” (24:15a). There is an urgency to this choice – “today.” Don’t put it off since we do not know what tomorrow may bring forth (Prov. 27:1).

The alternative to worshipping and serving the Lord is to worship the pagan gods of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Canaan. Every human being worships someone or something. Which will it be? Evidently, the worship of pagan gods had been a protracted practice among the Israelites from the time of Abraham up to the present. Otherwise, Joshua would not have needed to call them to fidelity to the one true God. They needed once and for all to rid themselves of false worship and commit themselves to the God of Israel exclusively. The choice for Joshua and his household was clear and unequivocal, as he had demonstrated throughout his lifetime: “As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord” (24:15b).

How appropriate and relevant is this for us today? In similar fashion, in the light of God’s goodness to us the apostle Paul calls us, just as Joshua called the Israelites, to an exclusive, life-transforming commitment to God: ¹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. ² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:1-2).

In response to Joshua’s call, the Israelites respond with a vow of commitment (24:16-18). The earlier review of their history caused them to remember what God had done for them. They recognized the faithfulness of God in delivering them from slavery, performing miracles, providing for their needs, leading them through the wilderness, enabling them to take possession of the Promised Land, and protecting them from their enemies. Hence, their commitment: “¹⁶ We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! ¹⁷ For the Lord our God brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, and performed these great signs before our eyes. He also protected us all along the way we went and among all the peoples whose lands we traveled through. ¹⁸ The Lord drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. We too will worship the Lord, because he is our God” (24:16-18).

Second, Joshua challenges the Israelites with a warning (24:19-21). Having put the charge and the choice to them, Joshua now articulates the challenge – can they live up to their commitment, particularly given their history of fickleness? “¹⁹ You will not be able to worship the Lord, because he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions and sins. ²⁰ If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, he will turn against you, harm you, and completely destroy you, after he has been good to you” (24:19-20). It seems that Joshua wants to shock them into realizing the seriousness of their commitment by reminding them of God’s holiness and his exclusive, jealous claims on them. This kind of commitment to God cannot be made lightly. God’s holiness bars any defilement in his presence (cf. Lev. 19:2) and God’s jealousy for his people bars any competition from other gods. It is all or nothing. Devotion to God demands separation from any defilement, whether in behavior, thought, or association. Their choice, therefore, is very serious. They cannot presume on God’s grace, even though they (and we) know from experience that God is a forgiving God. I think Joshua is trying to tell them that there is no room for nominal religion, just as there is no room today for “nominal Christianity” (i.e. profession without reality).

In this case, the people affirmed their pledge of allegiance to the Lord: “No!” the people answered Joshua. “We will worship the Lord” (24:21).

Lastly, the renewed covenant is finalized (24:22-28). By denying Joshua’s warning and affirming their pledge of allegiance, the people witnessed against themselves: ²² Joshua then told the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you yourselves have chosen to worship the Lord.” “We are witnesses,” they said (24:22). They would be responsible for their decision. They could never claim that Joshua talked them into it. Nor could they ever claim that they didn’t know the consequences. Thus, the renewed covenant was ratified by the people.

But words are not enough. Their commitment requires appropriate action that confirms a change of heart. “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel” (24:23). Evidently, even as they made this commitment, there were still “foreign gods” among them that needed to be destroyed. So the people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him” (24:24). The two go together – worship and obedience. There can be no true worship without obedience.

Thus, the covenant was finalized and Joshua made a binding covenant for the people to worship, serve, and obey the Lord, drawing up its terms in a statue and ordinance: ²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people at Shechem and established a statute and ordinance for them (24:25). Furthermore, the agreement was documented and memorialized: ²⁶ Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God; he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak at the sanctuary of the Lord. ²⁷ And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.” ²⁸ Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance (24:26-28). The stone would be a permanent, public marker, reminding them of their covenant with God and God’s faithfulness to them.

Final Remarks

Remember our thesis statement for this study: Just as God is absolutely faithful to us, so must we be to Him if we want to continue to enjoy his blessings. The book of Joshua closes in the last two chapters with a vivid reminder of this principle and a warning if it is not obeyed.

Fittingly, the book concludes with a memorial to Joshua’s legacy. First, Joshua’s history and accomplishments. Joshua was, first and foremost, the LORD’s servant (24:29). He was God’s spokesperson, appointed by God to be Moses’ substitute and successor. He was God’s servant, who, as a faithful warrior, led Israel in taking possession of their land (ch. 6-12). He was God’s servant, who faithfully assigned the land inheritances to the various tribes and clans according to Moses’ instructions (ch. 13-21). He was God’s servant, who faithfully reminded Israel about covenant faithfulness (23:3-11) – God’s faithfulness to them and their faithfulness to God – and faithfully exhorted and induced them to renew their covenant commitment (24:1-28).

There is an air of finality here: ²⁹ After these things, the Lord’s servant, Joshua son of Nun, died at the age of 110. ³⁰ They buried him in his allotted territory at Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash (24:29-30). The assignment of the territories is complete (24:28), including, at the last, Joshua’s own inheritance in the hill country of Ephraim (24:30).

Second, Israel’s continued dedication to the Lord. Clearly, the author is trying to convey to us that Joshua’s testimony lived on among the Israelites long after his death: Israel worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua and who had experienced all the works the Lord had done for Israel (24:31). Israel served the Lord all Joshua’s days and the days of his successors. Clearly, they carried out their renewed commitment to the Lord (24:24). Considering Israel’s many failures, it is noteworthy how the book ends on such a positive note. They continued to worship God based on their experience and knowledge of what God had done for them under Joshua’s leadership. Joshua’s godly influence carried on among his elders and the people. What a legacy!

Third, the Israelites faithfully fulfilled Joseph’s dying request (see Gen. 50:25-26). Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the parcel of land Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver. It was an inheritance for Joseph’s descendants (24:32). In this way we see that the story and development of the covenant people of God which began in Genesis comes full circle and conclusion in Joshua.

Finally, the record of the burial of Eleazar. Eleazar son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim (24:33). The last recorded allotment of land is assigned to Eleazar, the high priest, who played such a leading and important role in the life of Israel.

What giants of faith God has recorded in his word! They had their failures, after all they were human. But the permanent and final testimony to Joshua is full of praise for who he was and what he did among the Israelites. May his example and legacy influence us to courageously fight on through the battles we face in this world, until that great and glorious day when ¹⁶ the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words (1 Thess. 4:16-18).

Leading a small group using the Bible Teacher’s Guide can be done in various ways. One format is the “study group” model, where each member prepares and shares in the teaching. This appendix will cover tips for facilitating a weekly study group.

1. Each week the members of the study group read through a selected chapter of the guide, answer the reflection questions (see Appendix 2), and come prepared to share in the group.
2. Prior to each meeting, a different member is selected to lead the group and share his answer to Question 1 of the reflection questions, which is a short summary of the chapter read. This section of the gathering could last from five to fifteen minutes. This way, each member can develop his ability to teach and will be motivated to study harder during the week. Or, each week the same person could share the summary.
3. After the summary has been given, the leader for that week facilitates discussion of the remaining reflection questions and selected questions from the chapter.
4. After discussion, the group shares prayer requests and members pray for one another.

The strength of the study group is that the members are required to prepare their responses before the meeting, allowing for easier discussion. Another is that each member has the opportunity to further develop his ministry skills through teaching. These are distinct advantages.

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