CHOOSE WHOM YOU WILL SERVE
Key verse: 14
NIV
14 “Now fear the Lord(A) and serve him with all faithfulness.(B) Throw away the gods(C) your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt,(D) 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,(E) in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,(F) we will serve the Lord.”(G)
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake(H) the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery,(I) and performed those great signs(J) before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the Lord drove out(K) before us all the nations,(L) including the Amorites, who lived in the land.(M) We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.(N)”
19 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God;(O) he is a jealous God.(P) He will not forgive(Q) your rebellion(R) and your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord(S) and serve foreign gods, he will turn(T) and bring disaster(U) on you and make an end of you,(V) after he has been good to you.”
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
22 Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses(W) against yourselves that you have chosen(X) to serve the Lord.”
“Yes, we are witnesses,(Y)” they replied.
23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods(Z) that are among you and yield your hearts(AA) to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”(AB)
25 On that day Joshua made a covenant(AC) for the people, and there at Shechem(AD) he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.(AE) 26 And Joshua recorded(AF) these things in the Book of the Law of God.(AG) Then he took a large stone(AH) and set it up there under the oak(AI) near the holy place of the Lord.
27 “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone(AJ) will be a witness(AK) against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue(AL) to your God.”(AM)
28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.(AN)
Cross references
- Joshua 24:14 : 1Sa 12:14; Job 23:15; Ps 19:9; 119:120
- Joshua 24:14 : Dt 10:12; 18:13; 1Sa 12:24; 2Co 1:12
- Joshua 24:14 : ver 23; S Ge 31:19; Ex 12:12; 18:11; 20:3; Nu 25:2; Dt 11:28; Jdg 10:16; Ru 1:15; Isa 55:7
- Joshua 24:14 : Eze 23:3
- Joshua 24:15 : Jdg 6:10; Ru 1:15
- Joshua 24:15 : S Ge 35:2
- Joshua 24:15 : Ru 1:16; 2:12; 1Ki 18:21; Da 3:18
- Joshua 24:16 : Jos 22:29
- Joshua 24:17 : Jdg 6:8
- Joshua 24:17 : S Ex 10:1
- Joshua 24:18 : S Ex 23:31
- Joshua 24:18 : S Dt 33:27
- Joshua 24:18 : Ac 7:45
- Joshua 24:18 : S Ge 28:21
- Joshua 24:19 : S Lev 11:44; S 20:26
- Joshua 24:19 : S Ex 20:5
- Joshua 24:19 : S Ex 34:7
- Joshua 24:19 : S Ex 23:21
- Joshua 24:20 : 1Ch 28:9, 20; 2Ch 24:18
- Joshua 24:20 : Ac 7:42
- Joshua 24:20 : 1Sa 12:25; Hos 13:11
- Joshua 24:20 : Jos 23:15
- Joshua 24:22 : ver 27; Ru 4:10; Isa 8:2; 43:10; 44:8; Jer 42:5; Mal 2:14
- Joshua 24:22 : Ps 119:30, 173
- Joshua 24:22 : S Dt 25:9
- Joshua 24:23 : S ver 14
- Joshua 24:23 : 1Ki 8:58; Ps 119:36; 141:4; Jer 31:33
- Joshua 24:24 : Ex 19:8; Jer 42:6
- Joshua 24:25 : S Ex 24:8
- Joshua 24:25 : S Jos 17:7
- Joshua 24:25 : Ex 15:25
- Joshua 24:26 : S Dt 17:18
- Joshua 24:26 : S Dt 28:61; S 31:24
- Joshua 24:26 : S Ge 28:18; S Dt 27:2
- Joshua 24:26 : S Ge 12:6; S Jdg 4:11
- Joshua 24:27 : S Ge 28:18; Hab 2:11
- Joshua 24:27 : S ver 22; S Ge 21:30; S Jos 22:27
- Joshua 24:27 : S Jos 7:11
- Joshua 24:27 : S Nu 11:20; S Pr 30:9
- Joshua 24:28 : Jdg 21:23, 24
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Choose Whom You Will Serve
14 (A)“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. (B)Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 (C)And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, (D)choose this day whom you will serve, whether (E)the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or (F)the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. (G)But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
19 But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is (H)a holy God. He is (I)a jealous God; (J)he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 (K)If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then (L)he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that (M)you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then (N)put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” 25 So Joshua (O)made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place (P)statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua (Q)wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And (R)he took a large stone and set it up there (S)under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, (T)this stone shall be a witness against us, for (U)it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua (V)sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.
Read full chapterCross references
- Joshua 24:14 : Deut. 10:12; 1 Sam. 12:24
- Joshua 24:14 : ver. 2, 23
- Joshua 24:15 : 1 Kgs. 18:21; Ezek. 20:39
- Joshua 24:15 : ver. 22
- Joshua 24:15 : [See ver. 14 above]; ver. 2, 23
- Joshua 24:15 : Ex. 23:24, 32, 33; 34:15; Deut. 13:7; 29:18; Judg. 6:10
- Joshua 24:15 : Gen. 18:19
- Joshua 24:19 : Lev. 19:2; 1 Sam. 6:20; Ps. 99:5, 9; Isa. 5:16
- Joshua 24:19 : Ex. 20:5; Nah. 1:2
- Joshua 24:19 : Ex. 23:21
- Joshua 24:20 : [1 Chr. 28:9; 2 Chr. 15:2; Ezra 8:22; Isa. 1:28; 65:11, 12; Jer. 17:13]
- Joshua 24:20 : ch. 23:15; Isa. 63:10; [Acts 7:42]
- Joshua 24:22 : ver. 15
- Joshua 24:23 : ver. 14; Judg. 10:16; 1 Sam. 7:3
- Joshua 24:25 : 2 Kgs. 11:17; 2 Chr. 23:16; Neh. 9:38
- Joshua 24:25 : Ex. 15:25
- Joshua 24:26 : Deut. 31:24
- Joshua 24:26 : [ch. 4:3; Gen. 28:18]
- Joshua 24:26 : Gen. 35:4; Judg. 9:6
- Joshua 24:27 : ch. 22:27, 28, 34; Gen. 31:48, 52; Deut. 31:19, 21, 26
- Joshua 24:27 : [Deut. 32:1]
- Joshua 24:28 : Judg. 2:6
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
How would the people of Israel respond to the grace of God? How would their lives be changed? By accepting God’s gift of salvation, we commit ourselves to living as his holy and redeemed people. Joshua says, “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.” We put aside the false gods of this world and worship the true and living God. We serve him in sincerity with all our hearts by making his honor and glory our one passion and desire. We serve him in faithfulness by obeying his word as the absolute authority in our lives. He is our God and we are his people. Serving him is the choice that we make each and every day.
The people of Israel confessed everything the LORD had done for them and promised to serve him as their God. However, in verse 19, Joshua says, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God.” They should have realized that they were not able to serve God with their own strength. Salvation is by the power of God and so is sanctification. We need God’s help to obey his commands and live lives that honor him. We must be fully surrendered and dependent on Him. Joshua set up a large stone by the sanctuary of the LORD as a witness to the commitment they made. Then, every man went to his inheritance.
Prayer: Father, give us strength to serve you.
One Word: Choose the LORD your God!
