Under Gods command

Under Gods Command

Joshua 23:6-13 – “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or sewer by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have until now. The LORD has driven out before great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the LORD your God. But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whip on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you.

Joshua knew the nation’s weak spots. Before dying, he called the people together and gave commands to help them where they were most likely to slip:
1. follow all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses without turning aside
2. don’t associate with the pagan nations or worship their gods
3. don’t intermarry with the pagan nations.
These temptations were right in their back-yard. Our associations and relationships can be temptations to us as well. It’s wise to identify our weak spots before we break down. Then we can develop strategies to overcome these temptations instead of being overcome by them.

Under Gods Command
 Proverbs 23:17-18- Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

How easy it is to envy those who get ahead unhampered by Christian responsibility or God’s laws. For a time they do seem to get ahead without paying any attention to what God wants. But to those who follow him, God promises a hope and a wonderful future even if we don’t achieve it in this life.

Under Gods Command

Joshua 22:5 – But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.

Here Joshua briefly restated the central message Moses gave the people in Deuteronomy: Obedience should be based on love for God. Although the Israelites had completed their military responsibility, Joshua reminded them of their spiritual responsibility. Sometimes we think so much about what we are to do that we neglect thinking about who we are to be. If we know we are God’s children, we will love him and joyfully serve him. We must not let daily service take away from our love for God.

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 21:03 – To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”

Sacrifices and offerings are not bribes to make God over-look our character faults. We can’t exchange good behavior in one area for bad behavior in another. If our personal and business dealings are not characterized by justice, no amount of generosity when the offering plate is passed will make up for it.

Under Gods Command

Joshua 22:1-4 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gradates and the half-tribe of Manasseh and said to them, “You have done all the Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. For a long time now-to this very day-you have not deserted your brothers but have carried out the mission the LORD your God gave you. Now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan.

Before the conquest had begun, these tribes were given land on the east side of the Jordan River. But before they could settle down, they had to first promise to help the other tribes conquer the land on the west side (Numbers 32:20-22). They had patiently and diligently carried out their promised duties. Joshua commended them for doing just that. At last they were permitted to return to their families and build their cities. Follow-through is vital in God’s work. Beware of the temptation to quit early and leave God’s work undone.