Joshua 24:14-28, The Legacy of Joshua

The last two chapters of Joshua are two “farewell” speeches given by Joshua, the first to the leaders of Israel (Ch. 23) and the second to the congregation of Israel gathered at Shechem (Ch. 24). 

Moses, at God’s command, appointed Joshua to lead Israel after he died.  Joshua did not appoint a national leader.  Instead, Joshua gathered the leaders and sought to encourage them to remain faithful to the LORD.  Here are just a couple of comments.

·       23:1-2: Joshua was old, advanced in age.  This was a long time after the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies round about.  This does not mean that Israel had total control of the land.  As Judges 1-2 will make clear, tribes still needed to take control of their own lands, and in the end God would permit the enemies to remain in the land to test Israel.  But it can be said Israel was the primary power in the land of Canaan.

·       23:6,8: This address reminds me of Paul’s second epistle to Timothy, which was Paul’s “farewell address.”  Both Joshua and Paul encouraged courage in keeping the word of God (23:6; 2 Tim. 2:2) and steadfastness to the LORD (23:8; 2 Tim. 1:3).  Moses had also encouraged “steadfastness” (Dt. 10:20; 11:22; 13:4).  Failure to do this would result in God no longer driving out the Canaanites (23:13). 

The final address to the congregation is a powerful message. 

·       24:1-13: Joshua begins with a great history of Israel until that day.  We are reminded that Abraham had lived on the other side of the River (the Euphrates) when he was born and where he worshiped other gods (v2).  Joshua refers to the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob; and then Moses and Aaron.  He highlights the Exodus, the plagues and Red Sea crossing, the victory over the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan, the “Balaam incident,” and then the wars against the seven nations in the land.  What a gracious God Israel has is shown in v13.

·       24:14-25: Then Joshua exhorts the people to serve the LORD and not any “gods” they might be acquainted with, such as the ones worshiped in Egypt.  You are almost certainly familiar with his words: choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (v15).  Joshua’s plea is similar to that of Moses at the end of Deuteronomy.  Both knew that Israel, in the end, would not hold fast to the LORD.  The conversation is like this:

Joshua: “Choose today whom you’ll serve.”

Israel: “We choose to serve the Lord.”

Joshua: “You can’t.”

Israel: “But we will.”

Joshua: “You are your own witnesses.”

Again, Judges will show us the outcome.  But for now, the covenant has again been renewed (v25-27).  It appears, from v28, that the sanctuary (Holy Place, where the Ark rested) was at Shechem (v26) but that may not be the case.  Certainly, it had been at Shilo and was in Shilo at the beginning of 1 Samuel.

The book concludes with the burial of three spiritual giants: Joshua on his home property, the bones of Joseph at Shechem, and Eleazar, the oldest remaining son of Aaron, on the property of Phineas (Eleazar’s son) who had been honored by God in the Balaam incident (Num. 25:6-13). 

Ariel view of Nablus (ancient Shechem); Joseph’s tomb 
is the small white dome in the center of the photo.