< Joshua 24 >

The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him v.31Joshua 24:31XWaiting for response but thereafter they fell away into idolatry. The next generation did this despite the promise to serve the LORD only v.21.Joshua 24:21XWaiting for response Joshua emphasised to them that they had to make a choice. They could serve either the LORD or the idols of the land, but they could not serve both v.15.Joshua 24:15XWaiting for response He expressed his own determination to serve the LORD faithfully, and they concurred, saying “The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey” v.24.Joshua 24:24XWaiting for response

The Bible tells us of God’s character and informs us that he is “an holy God and a jealous God”. It is not possible in his eyes for anyone to serve him and other gods at the same time. This is emphasised throughout the scriptures and applies to us also. We should ensure we know the one true and living God and serve him alone. We may think we are in no danger of serving idols but the apostles warned the disciples of the coming apostasy and Jesus identified riches as a god that people serve naturally. Just as he said, recorded in Matthew 6:24.Matthew 6:24XWaiting for response

Joshua was Israel’s judge in the land for a period of about thirty years after which he died at the age of one hundred and ten.

When Israel came into the land they brought with them the body of Joseph which had been embalmed in Egypt after he died. Joseph had specifically requested Israel to do this, and they faithfully complied with his wish. Joseph knew that one day he would awake from the sleep of death by resurrection and, although God’s power can restore a person to life however and wherever he dies and whatever happens to his body, Joseph wished to sleep in the Promised Land and be there when the resurrection day dawns. Significantly, he was buried at Shechem where his brothers, Simeon and Levi, had “killed a man”, representing the cruelty of their descendants in killing the Lord Jesus Christ. As Joseph was typical of Jesus it was fitting that he should have been buried in this place.