No Matter What They Decide

Prior to Joshua’s death, he gathered the people of Israel together. He reminded them once again of all the great and mighty things God had done for them and their fathers. Joshua rehearsed how God took, gave, sent, plagued, brought, put, destroyed, and delivered for them in over 17 instances (Joshua 24:3-13).

In all the remembrances of the great helps God had performed for His people, the leader remembered all the failures of His people. He told them how they continued to backslide from God and repeatedly had to be rescued from the consequences of their poor choices. Many of the rescues God performed were because the people had not learned their lesson yet and still were of two opinions.

Sometimes they served God and sometimes they served the losing side and its false gods. Trying to live for God was a constant struggle for them. Their minds were not completely made up yet, or they would not have had made the same mistakes time after time.

No matter the loyalty of Israel to God, it was not a hard decision for Joshua. His mind was already made up. He had, a long time previously, decided who His God was, and that he would be faithful in obedience. It was no longer a struggle for him whom he would serve when he said: “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 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 flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15

Israel’s leader used interesting terms in describing many of the people’s desire not to serve God. He used: “… if it seem evil”. This wording indicated that some of the people thought that serving their creator and protector was physically, socially, or morally bad for them. This thinking is not unlike the thoughts today by many. Too many think serving God and obeying his commands as recorded in the Bible are unprofitable to them because:

• They will miss all the fun, if they follow God’s commands. Sin is only “fun” for a short time: “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” Hebrews 11:25. Sin never gives true joy; only temporary satisfaction.

• They do not know that there is a price tag for sin. No one gets away with sin. Sin always does damage and only gives short-lived satisfaction. (Hebrews 11:25) . “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverb 28:13 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

• His way is not the world’s way. By following His way they will appear strange and different from others. They will not fit in. Yes, God’s way is different. Yes, you will not fit in if you are obedient to God; but why do you want to be like the losing side anyway? God’s way is always better. He has raised trillions upon trillions of children and His ways are the best. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

• They only see the now, and forget the eternal. There is life after death. There is an eternity in either Heaven or Hell. What sense is there in missing an eternity in heaven for temporal satisfaction in a relatively short time here on earth. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36

The world’s excuses for not serving God are not much different than those of yesteryear. The excuses come from the same rebellious and disobedient heart. However, no matter the time, the answer to God can be the same as Joshua’s: “… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15. We can always be different and do right!