Joshua 23:1 says, And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. Several years after God had given peace to Israel, Joshua was old and age was beginning to catch up with him. No matter how successful we are in doing God's work, age will eventually slow us down, some more quickly than others. Verse two states, And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: Joshua gathered all the other leaders of Israel together and told them that he was old and stricken with years. He knew that the could not lead them forever, and he was preparing them for that. Whether we are a leader or a follower in God's kingdom, we must realize that we will not live on this earth forever, and we must be prepared for new leadership to come in to do God's work. Verse three adds, And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you. Joshua reminded them of all that they had done through the leadership and power of God. Joshua did not take the credit, but gave it to the people and more importantly to God Who had impowered them. We must not attempt to take the credit for what God is doing today, but must give the credit to all Christians who are working under the power and leadership of God. We like Joshua will not be here forever, so we must be teaching others to take our place under God's leadership and power. Verse four declares, Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. Joshua said that he had divided the land between them by lot, or according to God's will. Today, if we are followers of Christ, He will gives us different blessings according to His will, but even then they are temporary. The things God blesses us with here on earth like all things will eventually pass away. Verse five adds, And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. Joshua said that God, and not Joshua himself, would drive out all their enemies. When one earthly Christian leader gets old and can no longer serve today, we need to realize that it is God Who is in charge and brings success and peace and not a particular person. Verse six warns, Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; Joshua called on the people of Israel to remain true to the teachings of the laws of God that had been give to them by Moses. It was not Moses' law, but God's law. They were warned to not turn away from God's law in any way. We are still to follow God's law today, even though we are saved by the grace of God, as they really were in Joshua's day. Verse seven adds, That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: Joshua reminded the people of Israel that that they were not to intermingle with the rest of the world and begin to give credit to their gods. We today, though we are to be in the world physically, must always be separate from the world spiritually. We cannot allow any other god to come into our lives and still effectively serve and worship God. Verse eight continues, But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. Joshua told them to stay close to God as they had one so far. We too must continue to stay close to God. as we always are when we first accept Christ as our Savior and Lord. Verse nine declares, For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. Joshua said that when God was with them that no one had been able to stand before them. It was not the power of the people, but the power of God that made them successful, just as it is for us today. Then verse ten adds, One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. Joshua sad that one man of Israel would chase a thousand under the leadership and power of God. We need to realize this today. No matter how powerful the people who oppose God may seem, they cannot stand before the power of God. If we as his followers truly believe this, then we never have a reason to fear the forces of evil in the world.
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