YEAR 2, WEEK 25, Day 3, Wednesday, 18 June 2025

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Joshua+23

Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 18 June 2025:

Joshua 23:1–2 — A long time afterward, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years.”

Joshua, like Moses before him, delivers a farewell address near the end of his life. After years of war and victory, he speaks to a nation at rest. But peace is not the same as permanence. Joshua’s speech is both a reminder and a warning—because spiritual vigilance is most needed when external conflict ceases. This parallels Paul’s farewell to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:17–38, where he likewise warns the church leaders to guard themselves and the flock once he is gone. Leadership may age and pass on, but the covenant must be remembered.

Joshua 23:3–5 — “And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you…. The Lord your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.”

Joshua roots his exhortation in God’s past faithfulness and future promises. He reminds the people that it was not their strength but the Lord who fought for them. Now, even as they move forward, God’s covenant faithfulness remains their only security. Christians today must likewise recall God’s victories in their lives and trust that He will finish what He started (Phil. 1:6). We focus neither on the past nor the future, but rather on today, making the most of every opportunity to obey and glorify God in every matter as we walk with Him and increasingly become like Him. Our trust and gratitude in God’s past (and continual) grace and future promises is our high-octane fuel for present obedience.

• Philippians 3:13-14 — Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Joshua 23:6–8 — “Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses… that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you…. But you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day.”

The call to strength now focuses not on conquering enemies but on keeping the Word of God. Strength is redefined as obedience, and faithfulness is pictured not as national dominance but spiritual separation from idolatry. The verb “cling” (Hebrew: dabaq) is the same used in Genesis 2:24 for a husband cleaving to his wife. This is covenant intimacy. For believers, the command to “cling” to God is mirrored in Jesus’ call to abide in Him (John 15:4–5). Faithfulness requires both conviction and closeness.

Joshua 23:9–11 — “For the Lord has driven out before you great and strong nations…. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you…. Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.”

Physical power is no match for spiritual power. The power of God makes all other power meaningless. The logic is compelling: if God is the one fighting, your greatest responsibility is not military preparation but spiritual devotion. Loving God is presented as a deliberate act of obedience, not an emotional response. This aligns with Jesus’ words in John 14:15—“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Love for God is never passive; it fuels strength, obedience, and unity.

Your relationship with God is your strength and your purpose. Be very careful not to let sin get between you and God.

Joshua 23:12–13 — “But if you turn back, and cling to the remnant of these nations… know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you… they shall be a snare and a trap for you…”

Now comes the solemn warning: if Israel clings to idols and pagan cultures instead of the Lord, the consequence will not be neutral. Idolatry will lead to entrapment, downfall, and loss of inheritance. Sin is never static—it entangles and enslaves. The apostle Paul echoes this warning in 2 Corinthians 6:14–18, calling the church to spiritual separation from worldliness. We must cling to Christ, or we will find ourselves ensnared by substitutes.

Joshua 23:14–16 — “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the Lord your God has given you, if you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.”

Joshua ends on a serious note: the faithfulness of God works both ways. Just as God’s promises of blessing were sure, so are His promises of judgment. God’s covenant is not arbitrary or partial—He is faithful to His Word in mercy and in justice. This tension is resolved in the gospel, where Christ bears the covenant curse so we might receive the blessing (Gal. 3:13–14). But the principle remains: God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7). Real love demands real faithfulness.

Joshua’s dying wish was that none of his people would fall away from the Lord.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 18 June 2025: Joshua 23 is a final warning not to let rest become relaxation from righteousness. The war may be over, but the temptation to compromise is ever present. Joshua calls Israel to cling to God—not just during crisis, but in times of comfort and success. Identify what you’re most tempted to “cling to” instead of God—security, approval, ease, entertainment, etc. Replace that with a conscious act of devotion: prayer, Scripture, or confession. Meditate on John 15:4–5 and renew your commitment to abide in Christ, not just believe in Him.

Joshua 23:11 – “Be very careful… to love the LORD your God.” (Joshua 23:11)

Pray: “Lord, help me cling to You today. Don’t let me forget Your past faithfulness or neglect Your present commands. Teach me to love You with strength, to obey You with joy, and to resist every temptation to compromise. Keep me faithful not just in battle, but in blessing. May my heart never drift, and may my life testify that You alone are worthy of my deepest love. In Jesus’ name, amen.”