Joshua 23

Joshua strongly encouraged Israel’s leaders to be faithful.

The leaders of Israel witnessed God's actions for them and against their enemies. During the lives of these leaders who lived longer than Joshua, Israel remained faithful to God (Judges 2:7).

The Israelites had not yet conquered some of the land Joshua assigned to the tribes. Israel took possession of the land slowly for several reasons:

• There was an ecological reason. God said that the people should not drive out all the inhabitants at once, so that wild animals would not increase too quickly (see Exodus 23:29–30).

• There was also a military reason. Israel did not yet have enough strength or technology to defeat some groups, especially those with iron chariots (see Judges 1:19).

• There was also a theological reason. God allowed some Canaanite groups to remain in the land to test Israel’s faithfulness and obedience (see Judges 2:20–3:4).

However, Israel did not remain faithful. Instead of driving out the remaining Canaanites, the Israelites lived among them and adopted some of their practices. This brought strong temptations that led Israel away from loyalty to the Lord. Joshua warned the people that this danger was real and serious (see Joshua 23:15–16).

Before Israel crossed the Jordan River to take the land of Canaan, Joshua had followed one guiding principle. He was careful to obey everything that Moses had written and not turn away from it.

Now, as Joshua prepared to die, he passed these same instructions on to the leaders who would come after him. He urged them to lead Israel by obeying God’s instruction with the same care and faithfulness.

You must not call on … swear by them… serve … bow down to them: These four actions show increasing involvement in worship of false gods.

To hold fast or commit to God would weaken the temptation to follow false gods. The same verb describes a man "united to his wife" (Genesis 2:24). It also describes how Ruth "clung" to Naomi (Ruth 1:14).

Examples of strong and powerful enemies included the Anakim, a group of very tall warriors, and the city of Hazor, which was a major military center in northern Canaan (11:10, 21–22).

God fights for you: God fought for the Israelites earlier (for example, 10:11–14). He would keep fighting for them in the future.

watch yourselves carefully, that you love: In Scripture, love is an act of the will and a matter of intention. Feelings and attraction may follow, but they are not the core of love.

Because love is chosen, God can command people to love. However, love cannot be forced or controlled by pressure or fear.

Joshua warned God's people not to marry their neighbors who worshiped many gods. Such close relationships could lead the Israelites to be unfaithful to God (Deuteronomy 7:3–4). However, people from Canaan who wanted to worship the Lord and join God's people were welcome (Joshua 6:25; Ruth 4:10). Race, language, and ethnic group did not affect God's rule against marrying non-Israelites. It was a matter of remaining loyal to the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 6:14–15).

Apostasy (turning away from the true God) leads to destruction.

Because God is holy, Joshua could speak with confidence about God’s promises and about the good land God had given the people. God does not change in his holy character, even when his people change.

The rebellion of God’s people does not harm God’s holiness. However, rebellion does bring destruction on those who choose it.

God will no longer drive out: If Israel associated with the remaining people of Canaan, God would allow the people of Canaan to remain in the land. God ultimately gives people what they desire.

God had blessed the Israelites, but he would also judge them if they turned away from him. Joshua’s warning about apostasy was prophetic.

Israel did turn away from the Lord. As a result, God did not drive out the remaining Canaanites (Judges 2:20–23).