We have finally arrived at the very last verses of the Book
of Joshua. From this wonderful book we have learned that victory in the
Christian life comes by faith, not by fighting, or by feelings. We were taught
many lessons that reminded us that when we seek the LORD in His Word and
prayer, and put Him first, He will make us prosperous and give us good success
(Joshua 1:8). But we also saw that when we neglect to seek God’s wisdom and
will in our decisions, we will encounter defeat, disaster, and death. And the
consequences of these choices will follow us for generations to come.
In Joshua 23:14, Joshua said, "Behold, this day I
am going the way of all the earth.” Joshua
is giving his final words to the nation before he dies reminding them how the
LORD has kept His promises and now, they need to keep their promise to love the
LORD and obey and serve Him. They must put away all the idols of the false gods
of both Egypt and Canaan.
The book closes with three burials of three great leaders
of Israel. Joshua died at the age of 110 and was buried in his own inheritance.
Eleazer the high priest (Num. 20:28) died and was also buried in Ephraim, near
Shiloh, where his son Phinehas had property. The bones of Joseph were buried in
Shechem in the plot of ground Jacob had bought from Hamor (Gen. 33:19). Shechem
became an important city for Ephraim and Manasseh, who were the two sons of
Joseph. Thus, it was fitting that their great ancestor be buried there. (See
Gen. 50:25; Ex. 13:19; Heb. 11:22.)
Moses had named Joshua as his successor, but it's
significant that God didn't tell Joshua to appoint a successor. The elders who
had served with Joshua guided the nation after his death, but then the people
went astray and began to disobey the Lord and worship the false gods of the
Canaanites (Judg. 2:6-15). Why didn't the next generation know the Lord and
what He had done for Israel? Because the people of Joshua's generation failed
to keep their promise and teach their children and grandchildren to fear and
serve the Lord.
God kept His promise and chastened His people, first by
bringing other nations into the land (Judges 2:14-19), and then by taking the
Jews out of their land. First into captivity in the Northern Kingdom to Assyria
and later in the Southern Kingdom to Babylon. But one day the Lord will
regather His people Israel and establish them in their land (Isa. 11-12; 51-52;
Ezek. 36:24). Then "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the
glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14).
On one occasion, David said to his friend Jonathan, “There
is but a step between me and death” (1 Samuel 20:3). As we reflect upon the
death of these three great leaders of Israel in these closing verses of Joshua,
we need to remember that we are only one breath and one heartbeat from
eternity. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that “It is appointed for a man once to die
and after this the judgement.” It doesn’t
matter who we are, whether we are poor or rich, or famous or unknown, we will
all face death one day.
Scripture teaches that all believers will appear before the
Judgement Seat of Christ and will give an account of how we lived our lives
(Romans 14:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:13-16; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11). One day, all unbelievers
will stand before the “Great White Throne” of God (Revelation 20:11-15).
Yes, one day we will all “go the way of all the earth”
and after that stand before a holy God. Are you prepared for “that” day?
God bless!
