West Chester, Pennsylvania
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| Joshua’s Last Advice
The book of Joshua closes with two important speeches given by Joshua at the end of his life. Here, Joshua imparts the wisdom of his life and warns Israel of the road ahead. He encourages Israel to be steadfast and loyal to “all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not be mixed with these nations left here among you” (Jos 23:6), i.e., lest Israel call upon the pagan gods of these nations and intermarry with the pagans. Joshua warns them that although Israel now dwells in the land, they dwell there with the remnant of the nations they defeated (Jos 23:12). Their fidelity to God is key to their security, for if they abandon God, he will in turn no longer protect them, and they will fall into the hands of their enemies. Then their p 126 enemies will be “a snare and a trap for you, a scourge on your sides, and thorns in your eye till you perish from off this good land which the L ORD your God has given you” (Jos 23:13). Israel, like Adam, is warned that “thorns” await rebellion against God and his law. Adam found his dominion of the land hindered by thorn and thistle; so, too, Israel finds its dominion challenged by the thorn of the pagan nations, a fitting chastisement for disobedience. Joshua concludes his warnings with a reminder of the covenant promises of Deuteronomy (Dt 28). Joshua observes that God has been faithful to all his promises and blessed their covenant obedience. But God’s covenant curses will likewise come true if Israel abandons God and serves false gods. Back to Shechem Joshua delivers his final speech in Shechem, which is no accident, for it was here that Jacob gave a similar speech, instructing his wives and family to put away the idols they had taken from their father’s house and to bury these idols under an oak tree in Shechem (Gn 35:1–4). Joshua appeals to this sacred family memory, much like an American president might appeal for courage by speaking from Valley Forge or Gettysburg. The key word—repeated almost to the point of monotony in the speech—is “serve.” This word should be very familiar from the Exodus story, where “serve,” avad in Hebrew, could mean either “work” or “worship.” Joshua exhorts Israel to keep the charge given to them at Sinai—serving the Lord their God. He issues the resounding challenge: Now therefore fear the L ORD , and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods which your father served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the L ORD . And if you be unwilling to serve the L ORD , choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the L ORD . (Jos 24:14–15) Early in the conquest, after the victories against Jericho and Ai (Jos 8), Joshua administered the covenant ceremony outlined in Deuteronomy, bringing the new p 127 generation leaving the wilderness into a solemn covenant with God. Now, at the end of his life, Joshua again renews the covenant and initiates the next generation into the covenant life of Israel. A CT 2: J UDGES Israel’s Cycle of Sin As Judges opens, the angel of the Lord has led Israel away from Gilgal (the place where they have lingered far too long, failing to settle the land). Here God rebukes them for their idolatry. The people weep and sacrifice to God, acknowledging their sin, and as a result, their new camp is called Bochim (“weeping”). Why the lingering and sin? Following Joshua’s generation, “there arose another generation after them, who did not know the L ORD or the work which he had done for Israel” (Jgs 2:10). Just as Pharaoh did not know Joseph or the Lord, this new generation did not know the Lord and his works. Joshua’s generation, even though they often fell short, fought the war and established a new life in the land, striving to be faithful to the Lord. But they failed at one vital thing: catechizing their children. And the results were devastating. tải về 6.33 Mb. Chia sẻ với bạn bè của bạn:
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