True Servant of the Lord
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, mercy and faithfulness have met in You, justice and peace have embraced. How very great You are.
Read Joshua 24:16–33
[16] Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! [17] It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. [18] And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God.” [19] Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. [20] If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.” [21] But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the LORD.” [22] Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.” “Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied. [23] “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” [24] And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.” [25] On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. [26] And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. [27] “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.” [28] Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance. [29] After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. [30] And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. [31] Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel. [32] And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants. [33] And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.
Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
It is easier to start with energy and purpose than to finish strongly. God’s approval is on those who end well.
Think Further
After stating the stipulations of the covenant that was being renewed at Shechem, Joshua vowed that he and his household would faithfully serve the Lord (15). The people then promised likewise. They acknowledged what was declared in the covenant—that God did everything to bless them—and concluded, “We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God” (18). Sensing their superficiality and insincerity, Joshua reminded them of the consequences of disobedience (19,20). The people, perhaps offended, replied, “No! We will serve the Lord” (21). Joshua then urged them to throw away the false gods and yield their hearts to God (23). For the third time, the people reiterated that they will serve and obey the Lord (24). The covenant was then recorded and another stone memorial was set up (25–27) to serve as a witness against the people if they broke the covenant.
Joshua died at the age of 110. He had been faithful to God and did all that God had commanded. For the first time, he is called “the servant of the Lord” in recognition of his service (29). It was the same for Moses (Deut. 34:5). A lifetime of faithful service is rewarded with the words “servant of the Lord.” Jesus taught that faithful servants will be greeted by the Master with the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21,23).
The text records that Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and his elders (31). This speaks well of Joshua but it is also a sad note on Israel. Their faithfulness was limited (cf. Judg. 2:18,19). They feared human leaders more than God and turned to human shepherds more than to the Divine Shepherd. Let us not live on second-hand knowledge of the Lord.
Apply
Assess your faithfulness to God by remembering his directions and your promises to him. Can it be said, when your life ends, that you were a servant of the Lord? Why or why not?
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that in all seasons of my life, I will be faithful and true to You.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.