August 19 2023

‘Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’

From Joshua 24:14-29, NRSV

Having reminded the leaders of Israel of all that God had done for them throughout their history as a nation, Joshua then gave the people a choice. They could either choose to serve the Lord or to serve the gods worshipped by their ancestors and those worshipped in the land in which they were now living. Their immediate response was that they wanted to serve the Lord who had done so much for them and their ancestors. Joshua did not let them off that lightly – he was mindful of their previous failings and perhaps anticipated that they would again be tempted away from their promise to the Lord. He tested them by pointing out that if they chose fidelity to the Lord, they should expect punishment for any future transgressions. The people again insisted that it was the Lord whom they wished to serve and obey. Joshua wanted there to be no mistake about the renewal of the Covenant and so had it recorded in a book. As a further reminder, he set up a large stone to stand as witness in case of any denial of God. Only then did Joshua allow the people to return to their homes.