Joshua 24:15
...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
We will start our study this week with Joshua 24:15 which reads; "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 Ammorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord". This is a very important scripture about the importance of serving God and not turning from His truth unto vain idols.
Since Moses was forbidden to enter when Israel passed into the promise land, the leadership of the people fell on Joshua, who was also ordained of God just as Moses had been. Joshua was also faced with similar problems as his predecessor in dealing with Israel. He was burdened with a people who were inclined toward disobedience, idolatry and wickedness, and other faults which displeases God. It seems that no matter how the Lord worked among the people, they were forever turning away and following the things of the world and flesh.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve". Israel had the same choice that Jesus gave us in Mathew 6:24 when He said that you cannot serve God and mammon. The bible also says that friendship of the world is enmity with God. I don't know about you, but to me these are very important points that the Lord is making in how to serve Him in a way that is pleasing to Him, and not to satisfy our own nature only.
"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" Let's think for a minute what Joshua is saying in this line of verse. The gods which their fathers (or ancestors) served on the other side of the flood were the gods that were in the days of Noah. The bible says that the people of that day were living it up and knew nothing until the flood overtook them. When the Lord had enough of the wickedness He destroyed all life with the flood, except for the ones in the ark--8 souls and the animals which Noah was commanded to take into the ark. All of the gods and idols were powerless to stop the wrath of almighty God. He also offered them the choice of the gods of the Ammorites. Joshua pointed out to the children of Israel that they were living in the land which they had taken from the Ammorites. Again the Ammorite gods were completely silent against the living God of Israel, who had delivered up the enemy unto Israel and gave them the land for an inheritance.
Well that winds up this section of our study on serving God. Let's not be too hard on Israel, because we have the same choice today that they had then. do we put God first in our lives as we should are do we put the things of the world first. Everyone has this decision to make; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
God Bless
David
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