In this message we will consider the departure of Joshua described in chapters twenty-three and twenty-four.
At the time of his departure, Joshua had a burden to charge the people of Israel not to forsake God but to remember Him in all His gracious and merciful deeds for them in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in the good land. Joshua told them that if they forsook Jehovah their God, He would no longer dispossess the nations out of their sight. As a result, the nations would become a snare and a trap to the people of Israel (23:13).
Joshua’s charge was based upon his more than seventy years’ experience with God. When Joshua was young, he was with Moses. During the forty years in the wilderness, Joshua saw what Moses did and learned of him. Then after Moses left, Joshua became the leader of the people of Israel, and he continued as the leader for about twenty-five years. During his years with Moses and his years as leader, Joshua was involved with God’s interest. He had learned that God is unique, faithful, and right in everything. He knew that if the Israelites forsook God, they surely would suffer. Therefore, he issued a warning to them, and afterward he died in peace.
Let us now consider the details concerning Joshua’s departure recorded in these chapters.
Chapter twenty-three is Joshua’s parting word to the elders, heads, judges, and officers of Israel.
Joshua reminded them of Jehovah’s faithfulness in promising them the land and in fighting for them. Joshua reminded them that they had seen all that Jehovah their God had done to all the nations because of them (v. 3). Joshua went on to say that he had allotted to them all the nations that remained as an inheritance for their tribes, as well as all the nations that he had cut off (v. 4). Then Joshua said, “Jehovah your God, He will thrust them out before you and dispossess them out of your sight; and you will possess their land, as Jehovah your God spoke to you” (v. 5).
Next, Joshua encouraged the elders, heads, judges, and officers of Israel to love Jehovah their God and to cling to Him (vv. 6-11). He charged them to be strong to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, not going unto the nations that remained with them and not making mention of the names of their gods, nor serving them, nor bowing down to them (vv. 6-7). Rather, the people of Israel were to cling to Jehovah their God, for He had dispossessed great and strong nations because of them. After speaking about this, Joshua said, “Be very careful therefore for yourselves, that you love Jehovah your God” (v. 11).
Joshua continued by warning them not to turn back and cling to the remainder of the nations, not to marry into them, and not to go among them (v. 12). Then Joshua charged them, saying, “Know for certain that Jehovah your God will no longer dispossess these nations out of your sight, but they will become a snare and a trap to you, and a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that Jehovah your God has given you” (v. 13). Joshua went on to remind them that they knew in their hearts and souls that not a word had failed of all the good things that Jehovah had spoken concerning them. All had come to pass for them. However, if they forsook Jehovah their God, just as the good things had come upon them, so would Jehovah cause all the evil things to come upon them, until He destroyed them from the good land that He had given them (vv. 14-15). If they transgressed the covenant of Jehovah and served other gods, the anger of Jehovah would burn against them, and they would perish quickly from the good land (v. 16).