"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." There were times when they conquered the promised land through following the Word of the Lord, and other times when they disobeyed His instructions and failed to defeat their enemies. 2 Joshua said to all the people, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. Joshua 24 is a famous text, mostly for verse 15, which is the climactic verse in the lectionary selection. He created man a self-determinate being. ", Joshua made it clear that there can be no compromise in our religion or spiritual affiliation. Joshua 24:15 - If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord , choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .' Under these particulars no doubt he comprehends all other false gods, which were served by the nations amongst whom they were, as appears from Joshua 24:15, but only mentions these, as the idols which they were in more danger of worshipping than those in Canaan; partly because those of Canaan had been now lately and palpably disgraced by their inability to preserve their worshippers from total ruin; and … 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, ( A) in whose land you are living. Belief in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's tree dictates life or death for the sinner. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."". Joshua 24:15 KJ21 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 river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell. ", Joshua was not really offering the Israelites a choice between serving God and following the lifeless gods of the Amorites, in whose land they were living. He had just reminded the assembled company of the history of the nation, from the time God took Abraham from the region beyond the Euphrates River, led him throughout the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants, to their conquest in the promised land, when the Lord gave Israel a land for which they did not labour, cities which they did not build, and provision from vineyards and olive groves they did not plant. In this verse Joshua has gathered all the … As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. The great care and pains he took to confirm the people of Israel in the true faith and worship of God, that they might, after his death, persevere therein. The Father seeks only such to worship him, as worship him in spirit and in truth. The Lord will not share His glory with another and He had already made this clear to His people in the very first command He gave to them, "I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. In order to this he called another general assembly of the heads of the congregation of Israel (v. Chapter 24 This chapter concludes the life and reign of Joshua, in which we have, I. The people were obviously impacted by Joshua's impassioned plea, because they replied as one man, "We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods.". Israel made the right choice, but it is only as we trust Him and rely on His sufficient grace through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, that we can become victorious. Joshua led the children of Israel across the Jordan and into the promised land.. to take up their promised inheritance.. And as his death drew ever closer he gave a farewell speech to the nation, which had been chosen by God to be a holy nation unto the Lord and a peculiar people unto Himself. "Take up your cross daily," Jesus told us, "and follow Me. What is known of his family? Joshua had laid down the challenge in verses 14-15 — to serve God — and the people have said they would in verses 16-18, but in verse 19, Joshua tells them, “You cannot serve the Lord!” He goes on to explain that God is holy, and jealous, and if the people forsake God, God will not forgive. The Amorites are only mentioned, because they were a principal nation, some of which dwelt on one side Jordan, and some on the other, and indeed there were of them in the several parts of the land: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord; be your choice as it may be: this was the resolution of Joshua, and so far as he knew the sense of his family, or had influence over it, could and did speak for them; and which he observes as an example set for the Israelites to follow after; he full well knowing that the examples of great personages, such as governors, supreme and subordinate, have great influence over those that are under them. 1 “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” appears in all sorts of formats from quilts and doilies to plaques in kitchens and all other sorts of Christian kitsch. It means to do what he says in a way that makes him look supremely valuable in himself. Loving Father, I begin to understand more and more that I can't be divided in my loyalty, for You alone have the words of eternal life. (g) This teaches us that if all the world would go from God, yet every one of us particularly is bound to cleave to him. Joshua was literally saying, “If it seems like serving the Lord is the wrong thing to do, then choose whom you will serve.” He then makes that bold statement that he and his house, or family, would serve the Lord. RVR60 VUL WLC LXX mGNT TR . Joshua 24:15 "Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, … Here's why. Having carefully reiterated the entire history of the nation in their ears, and having reminded them how God had brought them out of Egyptian bondage, fought for them in many battles, on both sides of the Jordan and provided all they needed to sustain life and godliness, Joshua simply stated the obvious choice, they should all make by setting an example "... Joshua 24:15 Treasury of Scripture Knowing.