MARCH 11
Joshua is commonly thought of as a great soldier, but our
reading today depicts him as a good shepherd who has a loving
concern for his sheep.
In chapter 23 Joshua calls all the leaders together,
probably at Shiloh, for his farewell address to them. He wanted to
instill in them a sincere devotion to the Lord. In his message he
reviewed the past, reminding them of the wonders of the Lord, from
the crossing of Jordan to that present day. Note how he gives God
all the glory for what has been accomplished. The Lord fought all
the battles; Joshua only divided the land!
Lastly, Joshua reminds the leaders of their present
responsibilities as the people of God. What God would do for the
people depended on what His people did for Him. Joshua’s main
concern was that Israel be a separated people and not mingle with
the heathen nations.
Following Joshua’s message to the leaders, he calls all the
people together at Shechem for a final appeal to them before his
death. He is concerned that they might lapse into idolatry because
of the influence of the heathen nations around them. They were
already prone to worship idols, and Joshua knew that idolatry would
cause them to forfeit their inheritance. He encourages them to
devote their all to the Lord, by reminding them of God’s past
goodness, of his own faithfulness, of the danger of discipline if
they are disobedient, and of the covenant God had made with Israel
at Mt. Sinai.