There was still more work to do to remove what remained of the previous inhabitants of the land, but that work was for a future time. In the meantime, they had to protect themselves from the influence those people might have on them. They weren’t to associate with the remaining people, nor to even mention the names of their gods. That meant that they shouldn’t discuss their gods with those people or seek to know so much as what names they called their gods. Ignorance, it seems, was expected to minimize the tempting influence. Are there some things that we New Testament people are better off not associating with and not knowing anything about in the culture surrounding us?
In order to avoid temptation they were given the following instruction, which we can apply to our own victory over temptation.
- Don’t associate with those people. The New Testament people of God are instructed not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
- Don’t even mention the names of their gods. New Testament people of God are given the work of “destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and … taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:5)
- “Be very firm to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left.” (Joshua 23:6) That’s strict adherence. New Testament people of God are not given commands, and yet, the standards Jesus set for us, in the Sermon on the Mount, for example, surpass the commandments given in the Law. We have been given few commands because His intention under the new covenant is to put His spirit in us and move us to follow His decrees, (Ezekiel 36:27) to transform us from the inside.
- “Cling to the Lord your God.” (v. 23:8) If one is clinging to God, there is nothing left of a grip with which to grasp anything else.
- “Take diligent heed to love the Lord your God.” (v. 23:11) This is another reason He doesn’t impose many commands on His New Testament people: He wants our focus to be on intimate relationship with Him. If we are truly seeking Him, we will be doing what we know He wants us to do even though we are not bound by commands.
- “Fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth.” (v. 24:14) Postmodern culture makes sincerity and truth rare indeed.
Joshua was under the impression that they had been clinging to God, when, as we saw yesterday, their actions and characters would indicate otherwise. Further, in verses 24:14 and 23 he indicated that they had other gods in their midst. How is that clinging to God? Like the Israelites, we can be deceived in accepting less than God wants to do in us and thinking the lesser work for which we’ve settled is a good work, or at least a good enough work. Have you been deceived into accepting less than God’s plan for His New Testament people, and thinking that it’s good enough so that you don’t have to seek to go deeper with God? Will that be rewarded with a “Well done, good and faithful servant,” or a “Depart from me; I never knew you” from Jesus?
Having settled in the Promised Land, they renewed their covenant with God, agreeing to serve and obey Him as their part in that relationship. They kept their word for about a generation.
So ends our first book of history. We will see in the book of Judges that the nation did not continue to serve and obey God, and the fruit of that failure.