College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Joshua 24 - Introduction
A DIGEST OF CHAPTER 24
A reminder of God's blessings. Joshua began his farewell address by reminding all the children of Israel of the blessings which had been given to them by God in their past history. This was the way in which he began his final address to the elders when they gathered at Shiloh. The review here is much fuller than the review he made as is recorded in chapter twenty-three. In his final farewell address, Joshua went all the way back to the time before the call of Abraham and traced the work of God as He had blessed Israel throughout the years until the time when He gave them the Promised Land. Such a reminder was a forceful way in which to begin his final exhortation for the people to be faithful to God.
The people's choice to serve God. After he had reviewed how richly God had blessed the people, Joshua informed the thousands of Israel that he and his house were going to be faithful to the Lord. He asked them to choose whom they would serve. They could choose to serve the gods of the Amoritesthe Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusitesamong whom they dwelt; or they could serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobthe Lord, who had brought them into Canaan and given them the Promised Land. The people said they would serve the Lord.
Joshua's last days and death. One of Joshua's last acts was to erect a stone under an oak in Shechem and appoint it as a memorial of the fact that Israel had sworn to put away the foreign gods which were among them and to serve the Lord God of Israel. He also wrote his history of these events and added it to the Pentateuchthe Book of the Law of God (Joshua 24:26). When Joshua died, he was 110 years of age; and they buried him in his own inheritance, Timnath-serah, within the boundaries of the tribe of Ephraim. The final appendix to his book recorded how the people remained faithful as long as those elders who are contemporary with Joshua were among them. This time reached down to the end of the life of Eleazar, the son of Aaron who was priest in Joshua's days; and a part of Israel's faithfulness was their remembrance of the promise their forefathers had made to Joseph to bury his bones in the Promised Land. They interred his remains in the land given to the tribe of Ephraim, those who descended from Joseph's younger son.
LESSONS FOR LEARNING
1.
A man chooses his destiny. Joshua stood before the thousands of Israel and urged them to choose whom they would serve. In the earlier days, some of their ancestors had served foreign gods. This had been true when they dwelt in Mesopotamia before the call of Abraham. Some had also served pagan gods when they were in Egypt. Joshua knew that there would be a constant temptation before these people in his day to serve the gods of the Canaanites. He wanted them to reaffirm their faith in the Lord God of Israel before he came to the end of his brilliant career.
2.
A city set on a hill. Jesus said that Christians were like a candle set on a candlestick or a city set on a hill which could not be hid. He compared his followers to the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Joshua held up his own decision as an example to be followed by all of his contemporaries. He affirmed with positive conviction how he and his house were going to serve the Lord. He hoped that many would follow his leading.
3.
There is rest for the weary. The final verses of the book of Joshua record the last days and death of Joshua and also make passing reference to the reverent burial of other leaders of Israel. Joshua lived to be 110 years of age and was buried in his own property at Timnath-serah, the town which the Israelites had given him as his inheritance. This was within the borders of the territory given to the children of Ephraim, Joshua's tribe. Eleazar, the high priest during Joshua's time of leadership, also died and was given a reverent burial in the property which pertained to his son, Phinehas. This territory was also in the borders of the territory given to the tribe of Ephraim since many of the sons of Aaron had received their Levitical cities within the borders of this tribe. Joseph had urged the children of Israel to be kind to him, to carry his bones out of Egypt, and to bury them in the Promised Land (Genesis 50:25). The children of Israel had remembered this promise for over 400 years, and they gave a reverent burial to the bones of Joseph. His bones were also buried within the territory assigned to the children of Ephraim, Joseph's younger son. The parcel of ground is further identified as being a part of the land which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem (Genesis 34).
TEN QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER 24
1.
Where did all Israel gather to hear Joshua's farewell address?
2.
What mountain was Esau's possession?
3.
Over what people did Balak rule as king?
4.
By what figure did God refer to His power among the Israelites?
5.
Where did Joshua write the words of Israel's covenant to serve the Lord?
6.
What did Joshua set up as a memorial of the covenant?
7.
How old was Joshua when he died?
8.
Where were Joseph's bones buried?
9.
Where was Eleazar buried?
10.
Where was Joshua buried?