Joshua 23 marks the beginning of Joshua’s farewell address. He is “old, advanced in years” (1). He summons all Israel, their elders, heads, judges, and officers, to challenge and admonish them (2ff). He reviews all God had done to allow Israel to conquer Canaan (3-5). He wanted them to appreciate what God had given them. After reviewing their blessings, Joshua warns them to persevere going forward. There was another battle to fight, and that was a future apostasy. So, Joshua directs their attention to what they needed to do to fight that part of themselves that fall away from the Lord.
They would have to conquer complacency. He tells them to be firm (6), to keep and do all the Law (6), cling to the Lord (8), and take diligent heed (11). There could be no half-hearted following! They had to stay “all in.”
They would have to conquer compromise. They could not turn to the right or the left or associate with the nations surrounding them (6-7). They could not make these people’s gods their gods (7) or their women their spouses or friends (12). Failure to conquer compromise would carry grave consequences (16)!
They would have to conquer callousness. In the face of God’s promises and threats (14-15), they needed to keep their hearts soft to His Word. Instead, he wanted them to examine their hearts and souls and remain convicted (14)! Hardness of heart is spiritually fatal.
Perhaps the most formidable foe to my own faithfulness is me. Satan’s influence is certainly strong (1 John 5:19), but I must internalize James’ warning, too. ” Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (Js. 1:13-15).
If I don’t conquer the desire for sin, I set in motion something ultimately lethal for myself. Tragically, Israel would not conquer themselves. They would become complacent, callous compromisers. And what God warned would happen did happen.
The comfort for us is that their outcome doesn’t have to be ours. We can look back on these events and learn from them. “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:11-13)!
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