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Do you remember the day that your life changed, when you were converted, when your testimony sprang forth and your life began to change. Do you remember the times in your life when you were finally able to stay on the path, or come back to the path, even when the chips were down? I remember that time for me, like it was yesterday. The transformation didn't happen the day I was baptized, or when I was confirmed a member of the church and given the holy ghost by the laying on of hands, it had been going on for months even years before I came to that point. I can see now that the Lord had been preparing me for my trials and service, as I had begun to make a transformation before they came. I was being molded and shaped overtime and when the chips fell I was able to stay on the path and hold up; and when I was called to serve, I was able to seek the Lord and magnify to the best of my ability. That's the way it was with Joshua from the Old Testament.
The book of Joshua portrays the effects that people's needs and challenges have upon their courage and faith. It shows the value of having a strong, inspired, faithful leader over a nation. When calling Joshua to be a prophet, the Lord counseled him to “be strong and of a good courage” (Joshua 1:6). Joshua allowed the Lord to mold him becoming strong as he allowed God to shape his character. Similarly, as we allow God to shape our character, we can become strong and accomplish the things the Lord wants us to do. Thus our study of Joshua can teach us invaluable lessons in learning how to accomplish so great a goal.
Who was Joshua
His book is far from complete in the details and provides only limited insights into the personality of Joshua, but it does illustrate how ably he led Israel after Moses. It also testifies how he and his generation followed the Lord. More importantly, this book shows the heart and hand of the Lord in settling his chosen children in a promised land.
The book of Joshua recounts Israel's preparations to enter the promised land (Josh. 1-4). It covers the conquest as it proceeded westward, southward, and northward, and then the conquest was consolidated (Josh. 5-12). It describes the allocation of areas to each tribe and the responsibilities each tribe bore (Josh. 13-22). It reports Joshua's farewell and his charge to Israel to be true to God in keeping all their covenants with Him (Josh. 23-24).
During the Israelites’ 40-year sojourn in the wilderness, Moses had given them God’s law, acted as God’s spokesman, and served as their guide. He was the only leader an entire generation of Israelites had known. But the Lord took him at the end of their sojourn—just when they faced a great test. Remembering his promises to Israel, the Lord raised up a new leader, Joshua, who ably directed the conquest and settlement of the promised land.
The book of Joshua recounts Israel's preparations to enter the promised land (Josh. 1-4). It covers the conquest as it proceeded westward, southward, and northward, and then the conquest was consolidated (Josh. 5-12). It describes the allocation of areas to each tribe and the responsibilities each tribe bore (Josh. 13-22). It reports Joshua's farewell and his charge to Israel to be true to God in keeping all their covenants with Him (Josh. 23-24).
During the Israelites’ 40-year sojourn in the wilderness, Moses had given them God’s law, acted as God’s spokesman, and served as their guide. He was the only leader an entire generation of Israelites had known. But the Lord took him at the end of their sojourn—just when they faced a great test. Remembering his promises to Israel, the Lord raised up a new leader, Joshua, who ably directed the conquest and settlement of the promised land.
Joshua was the able successor to Moses. Joshua, is the prophet who led the children of Israel
in their conquest of the promised land. In
DEUTERONOMY 34:1-6. Moses leaves the people
and is buried by the Lord and in DEUTERONOMY 34:9. Joshua assumes the prophetic calling to lead Israel. The book named after him was not
necessarily written by him, but it was about him and his role in the
conquest and settlement of Canaan. Some of his sayings and records are
in the book, indicating either a writing close to Joshua's time or the
availability of written records from that time period.
He was the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim he was first called Oshea or Hoshea. Moses changed his name into Yehoshua or Joshua, meaning "he shall save or the salvation of Jehovah." In the original Hebrew both Joshua and Jesus were the same name.
He served faithfully with Moses going up onto the mount and waiting for Moses forty days. Among the twelve men sent to spy out the land of Canaan only he
and Caleb brought back a favorable report. Joshua and Caleb were the only ones of the generation over twenty years old
to survive the forty years in the wilderness because "they
wholly followed the Lord" (Numbers 32:11-12).
Joshua was a prophet and a revelator, and he led his people by divine
direction. He took no honor to himself. He knew that the entire
migration of Israel was the Lord's doing and that he himself was simply
as Moses had been—and instrument through whom the Lord worked.
1. The Lord calls Joshua Joshua 1
In reading Joshua 1 we find that the Lord calls Joshua to succeed Moses and commands him to be strong, have courage, study the scriptures, and keep the commandments. Joshua also prepares the Israelites to possess the land that the Lord has promised them.
What challenges do you think Joshua faced when the Lord called him to succeed Moses in leading the Israelites? He was to lead Israel in the conquest and settlement of Canaan, which was a mighty undertaking and Moses had some mighty big shoes to fill. He was taking the place of a great leader.
What assurance did the Lord give Joshua as he prepared to enter the promised land? Joshua 1:5
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
How can this assurance help us in new callings or challenges? HE will be with us and will not fail us in any task he has asked us to do.
How has the Lord helped you in such circumstances?
What command did the Lord repeat three times in Joshua 1:6–9?
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
What did the Lord say Joshua would need courage and strength to do? Joshua 1:7. Although Joshua would need courage to fight many military battles, he
would also need moral courage or the courage to do what is right.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
What challenges do we face today that require strength and moral courage?
What examples of moral courage have you observed?
What did the Lord tell Joshua to do to “have good success”? Joshua 1:8 The book of the law is the scriptures study and obey the law.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Why do you think scripture study would have been important for Joshua to
succeed in his calling? You can't teach the law if you don't know, understand, and have a testimony of the law.
How does regular scripture study help us? It teaches, builds testimony, gives guidance and strength, it helps to give us courage and understanding.
2. The Israelites cross the Jordan River on dry ground; through their faith, Jericho is destroyed Joshua 3–4 and 6
In Joshua 3–4; 6.
The Israelites cross the Jordan River on dry ground and place 12 stones
as a memorial of their crossing. Through the Israelites’ faith, Jericho
is destroyed.
When the Israelites needed to cross the Jordan River, its banks were overflowing. It was vital that the people come to realize that God did
speak through Joshua and performed miracles through him as he had done
through Moses.
How did the Lord show the children of Israel that he was with Joshua just as he had been with Moses? Joshua 3:7–8, 14–17; 4:14.
7 ¶ And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
The ark of the covenant was a portable altar that contained sacred
writings, including Moses’ writings and the tablets containing the Ten Commandments.
14 ¶ And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
14 ¶ And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
14 ¶ On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
As Moses was magnified by the Lord in the eyes of Israel when God parted the Red Sea, so Joshua was magnified in the same way through the parting of the Jordan River. In both instances Israel passed through the water into a newness of life. This passage may have been what Paul had in mind when he spoke of Israel’s baptism “in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:2; see also vv. 1, 3–4). In each instance the passage represented a new covenant agreement. Israel passed over the River Jordan on the first day of the Passover (see Joshua 3:17; 4:19; compare Exodus 12:3). (Old Testament Student Manual)
As Moses was magnified by the Lord in the eyes of Israel when God parted the Red Sea, so Joshua was magnified in the same way through the parting of the Jordan River. In both instances Israel passed through the water into a newness of life. This passage may have been what Paul had in mind when he spoke of Israel’s baptism “in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:2; see also vv. 1, 3–4). In each instance the passage represented a new covenant agreement. Israel passed over the River Jordan on the first day of the Passover (see Joshua 3:17; 4:19; compare Exodus 12:3). (Old Testament Student Manual)
How does the Lord show us that he directs and inspires the living prophet as he did past prophets?
What did the priests who carried the ark have to do before the waters of the Jordan River stopped? Joshua 3:13–17. They had to step into the overflowing river while carrying the ark.
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
14 ¶ And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
Elder Boyd K. Packer said:
“Shortly after I was called as a
General Authority, I went to Elder Harold B. Lee for counsel. He
listened very carefully to my problem and suggested that I see President
David O. McKay. President McKay counseled me as to the direction I
should go. I was very willing to be obedient but saw no way possible for
me to do as he counseled me to do.
“I returned to Elder Lee and
told him that I saw no way to move in the direction I was counseled to
go. He said, ‘The trouble with you is you want to see the end from the
beginning.’ I replied that I would like to see at least a step or two
ahead. Then came the lesson of a lifetime: ‘You must learn to walk to
the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness; then the
light will appear and show the way before you’” (“The Edge of the
Light,” BYU Today, Mar. 1991, 22–23)
Why did Israel set up a memorial of 12 stones after crossing the Jordan River? Joshua 4:1–9
It was to be a testimony of the Lord’s power to future generations,
reminding them that the Lord would bless them just as he had their
fathers.
1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,
2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
Biblical peoples were very fond of symbolic acts to commemorate great events. In order to memorialize God’s blessing in parting the waters of the Jordan River, Joshua commanded that twelve stones be taken from the riverbed and placed where all the people could see them: “These stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever” (v. 7). In later years, when their children would ask the meaning of the stones, Israel could rehearse the story of God’s miracle; thus, the stones would serve as a visible reminder of God’s power. (Old Testament Student Manual)
Biblical peoples were very fond of symbolic acts to commemorate great events. In order to memorialize God’s blessing in parting the waters of the Jordan River, Joshua commanded that twelve stones be taken from the riverbed and placed where all the people could see them: “These stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever” (v. 7). In later years, when their children would ask the meaning of the stones, Israel could rehearse the story of God’s miracle; thus, the stones would serve as a visible reminder of God’s power. (Old Testament Student Manual)
What personal memorials remind you of God’s power in your life? The sacrament; pictures of Christ, temples, and prophets; the scriptures; and spiritual experiences recorded in journals...
How can these memorials bless the lives of others? Joshua 4:21–24.
21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.
The Lord will answer prayers, give blessings, give revelation, and perform wonderful works for each new generation. What are your experiences that remind you of God’s power and love? Record your thoughts in your journal!
The fall of Jericho Joshua 6
Jericho was delivered by the Lord into Joshua's hand. Josh. 6:2 Instructions for the city's conquest were that the hosts of Israel march around Jericho
in silence, once each day for six days, with only the seven priests
blowing their trumpets. On the seventh day, they were to go around the
city seven times and then amid the trumpet blasts give forth with a
tumultuous shout, with this shout the walls of Jericho fell and were destroyed. Israel was to go in and destroy all the inhabitants. Joshua commanded that only Rahab and those in her house were to live (Joshua
6:17) and that all wealth was to go into the treasury of the Lord (Joshua
6:19).
Why was the destruction of Jericho necessary? The
Almighty is a God of love, charity, and mercy, all of which he extends
to those who serve him. But the extreme wickedness of the Canaanites was
so revolting to the Lord that he could tolerate it no more. Their cup
of iniquity was full. Nephi tells us that they "had rejected every
word of God." (1 Ne. 17:35.) Hence the Lord used the Israelites to destroy them from before his face. They were like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
What caused the walls of Jericho to fall? Hebrews 11:30
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
The "miracle of Jericho" (as with all God's miracles) was through
natural means. Whatever caused the walls to fall, the Israelites acted
in faith as they marched around the city, and they recognized God's hand
in this event.
Men have argued this question for ages. Did the marching feet, the blaring trumpets, and the final shout weaken the walls in some way so that they tumbled in accordance with natural law? Or was some other principle in operation? Did the Lord simply, at a convenient point in time, level the walls by His power? Elder James E. Talmage discussed this question in these words: “May we not believe that when Israel encompassed Jericho, the captain of the Lord’s host and his heavenly train were there, and that before their super-mortal agency, sustained by the faith and obedience of the human army, the walls were leveled? “Some of the latest and highest achievements of man in the utilization of natural forces approach the conditions of spiritual operations. To count the ticking of a watch thousands of miles away; to speak in but an ordinary tone and be heard across the continent; to signal from one hemisphere and be understood on the other though oceans roll and roar between; to bring the lightning into our homes and make it serve as fire and torch; to navigate the air and to travel beneath the ocean surface; to make chemical and atomic energies obey our will—are not these miracles? The possibility of such would not have been received with credence before their actual accomplishment. Nevertheless, these and all other miracles are accomplished through the operation of the laws of nature, which are the laws of God.” (Talmage, Articles of Faith, pp. 222–23.) (Old Testament Student Manual)
Why was the Israelites’ behavior an act of faith?
Who were the only inhabitants of Jericho who were saved? Joshua 6:17, 22–25; see also Joshua 2:1–15.
17 ¶ And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord.
25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Rahab may not have been a harlot. The Hebrew word used for harlot is zonah, which is from the same root as mazon meaning "food." A more correct translation might be to call her a "woman of zonah
or 'food'," that is, a "woman innkeeper." Ancient inns often did
provide harlots. However, just because a woman operated a tavern or inn
did not necessarily mean she was a prostitute. (See Adam Clarke, Clarke's Bible Commentary [New York: Abingdon Press, n.d.] 2:11.)
Joshua's
spies would have gone to Rahab's place for lodging and in order to
mingle with other travelers while gathering information on the city and
the morale of its inhabitants. She was impressed with them and their
religion, and thereafter lived a righteous life. New Testament writers
later praised her faith and good works. (See Heb. 11:31; James 2:25.)
Some Christians even identify the Rahab of Christ's ancestry with this same woman (see Matt. 1:5), and Jewish rabbinical tradition has her as the ancestress of eight prophets and priests, including Jeremiah. (Megillah 14b.)
What can we learn from the saving of Rahab and her family? That Rahab’s faith in Jehovah was sincere is supported by the fact that both Paul and James cited her as an example of faith Hebrews 11:31; James 2:5
3. The consequences of an individual’s sins on other people Joshua 7.
In Joshua 7. Israel is defeated by the people of Ai—Joshua complains to the Lord—Achan and his household are destroyed because he disobeyed the Lord by taking the spoils of Jericho.
We find in Joshua 7:1–13. a law of righteousness had been violated, and things that were accursed had been introduced into the camp of the covenant people; this transgression interposed resistance to the current of divine help, and until the people had sanctified themselves the power was not renewed unto them” (Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 105; see also Joshua 7:10–13.)
3. The consequences of an individual’s sins on other people Joshua 7.
In Joshua 7. Israel is defeated by the people of Ai—Joshua complains to the Lord—Achan and his household are destroyed because he disobeyed the Lord by taking the spoils of Jericho.
We find in Joshua 7:1–13. a law of righteousness had been violated, and things that were accursed had been introduced into the camp of the covenant people; this transgression interposed resistance to the current of divine help, and until the people had sanctified themselves the power was not renewed unto them” (Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 105; see also Joshua 7:10–13.)
Because of Achan’s disobedience, the Israelites were defeated by the people of Ai Joshua 7:1–5
1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
What had Achan done to cause this? Joshua 7:20–21. He had brought the Lord’s disapproval on Israel by disobeying him in taking clothing and money from Jericho
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
What do the effects of Achan’s sin suggest about how our individual sins can affect other people? One person’s actions can affect others: An accident caused by a drunken driver can affect the lives of the innocent people who are injured. A person who disrupts a Sunday School class makes it difficult for others to concentrate and feel the Spirit. A person who commits sexual sins or does not live the Word of Wisdom brings pain and suffering to others. A spouse who is unfaithful can break up a family and cause great pain to innocent family members. Individual Church members who do not follow the Lord may hold back the Church as a whole from receiving the Lord’s blessings.
Elder James E. Faust said: “Private choices are not private; they all have public consequences. … Our society is the sum total of what millions of individuals do in their private lives. That sum total of private behavior has worldwide public consequences of enormous magnitude. There are no completely private choices” (Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 101; or Ensign, May 1987, 80).
4. Joshua and his people covenant to serve the Lord Joshua 23 and 24:14–31Toward the end of his life, Joshua reminded the Israelites what God had done for them. Joshua also counseled them about avoiding traps and snares.
What are some things we must do to avoid being caught in a trap? Stay aware pray for protection, then live the commandments...
In his final counsel, Joshua exhorted Israel to “cleave unto the Lord” rather than “cleave unto the remnant of [the Canaanite] nations” in this instance, the word cleave means to glue or join together. Joshua 23:8, 12
8 But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.
12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
How can we “cleave unto the Lord” rather than cleave to the world? Allow ourselves to be consumed with the Lord, do those things which will bring him near and keep him near.
How would cleaving to the Canaanite nations be a snare and a trap to the Israelites?
The thirty-one Canaanite city-states destroyed by Joshua in his day were not all that the Lord intended to purge from Israel (see Numbers 23:4–5). Since men tend to adopt the values or habits of those with whom they associate, it was imperative that all idolatrous nations in Canaan be destroyed. Joshua warned Israel of three things in the event that some heathen nations, including those that surrounded them, were allowed to remain: (1) beware of social intercourse with them (see Joshua 23:7), (2) refrain from worshiping their false gods (see vv. 7–11), and (3) avoid intermarriages with them (see v. 12). Otherwise, “snares and traps,” “scourges,” and “thorns” awaited Israel (v. 13). (Old Testament Student Manual)
What are some of the snares and traps of the world that we face today?
What important counsel did Joshua give at the end of his life? Joshua 24:14–15
14 ¶ Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Near the end of his life Joshua called his people together for a final blessing and warning, very much as Moses had done. Such messages should be considered very significant, for what a prophet says as he approaches death seems to be an effort on his part to rid his garments of the blood of the people by placing the full responsibility for their conduct squarely upon their shoulders (see Jacob 1:19). Joshua showed Israel exactly what God had miraculously done for them in the past and challenged them to choose whom they would serve.
Elder Erastus Snow, commenting on the feeling some have that being obedient to God somehow limits their agency, gave an interesting insight on choosing to follow God:
“If good and evil is placed before us, does not the person who chooses the good and refuses the evil exhibit his agency and manhood as much as the man who chooses the evil and refuses the good? or is the independence of manhood all on the side of the evil-doer? I leave you to answer this question in your own mind. To me, I think the angels and saints and all good people have exercised their agency by choosing the good and refusing the evil; and in doing so they not only exhibit their independence and manhood as much, but show a much higher and greater nobility of character and disposition; and I leave the future to determine who are wise in the choice of their freedom and independence.\
“Joshua said to ancient Israel: ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve; if the Lord be God, serve him; if Baal, serve him. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ I think what we need to learn are the true principles that shall lead us to peace, to wealth and happiness in this world, and glory and exaltation in the world to come. And that if we can learn these principles, and receive them in good and honest hearts, and teach them as our faith, and practice them in our lives, we shall show our manhood, our independence and our agency as creditably before the angels and the Gods, as any wicked man can, in refusing the good and cleaving to the evil, exhibit his before the devil and his angels.” (In Journal of Discourses, 19:180–81.) (Old Testament Student Manual)
Whom did Joshua and Israel covenant to serve? Joshua 24:15–18, 21–25, 31
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;
17 For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
18 And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.
21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord.
22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.
24 And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
31 And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.
Why can’t a person serve the true God and worldly gods at the same time?
Why is it important to choose today to serve the Lord? How can we show that we have chosen to serve him?
Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: “Joshua reminds us of the importance of making decisions promptly: ‘Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ (Joshua 24:15). Not tomorrow, not when we get ready, not when it is convenient—but ‘this day,’ straightway, choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to follow will always be out in front of us with His Spirit and influence setting the pace. He has charted and marked the course, opened the gates, and shown the way. He has invited us to come unto Him, and the best time to enjoy His companionship is straightway. We can best get on the course and stay on the course by doing as Jesus did—make a total commitment to do the will of His Father” (Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 41; or Ensign, May 1983, 30–31)
Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: “Joshua reminds us of the importance of making decisions promptly: ‘Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ (Joshua 24:15). Not tomorrow, not when we get ready, not when it is convenient—but ‘this day,’ straightway, choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to follow will always be out in front of us with His Spirit and influence setting the pace. He has charted and marked the course, opened the gates, and shown the way. He has invited us to come unto Him, and the best time to enjoy His companionship is straightway. We can best get on the course and stay on the course by doing as Jesus did—make a total commitment to do the will of His Father” (Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 41; or Ensign, May 1983, 30–31)
Conclusion
Joshua’s final counsel to the Israelites included the same charge that the Lord had given when calling him to be a prophet—to be strong and to have courage (Joshua 23:1–6). The charge applies as much today as it did then because we are all engaged in the important spiritual battle between good and evil.
Elder Ezra Taft Benson said that two principles are essential for security and peace: “First, trust in God; and second, a determination to keep the commandments, to serve the Lord, to do that which is right. … The Lord has made it very clear in the revelations that even though times become perilous, even though we be surrounded by temptation and sin, even though there be a feeling of insecurity, even though men’s hearts may fail them and anxiety fill their souls, if we only trust in God and keep his commandments we need have no fear” (Conference Report, Oct. 1950, 146).
Resources:
Old Testament Student Manual
Ensign
Conference Reports
Articles of Faith Talmage
The Edge of the Light BYU Today
Unlocking the Old Testament Victor Ludlow
Joshua Man of Faith Mark E Peterson
Studies in Scripture Robert L Millet
Latter-day Saint commentary of the Old Testament Ellis Rammusen
