“Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve”

Joshua 7-24 

 

 This was one of my favorite post’s so far. It has really touched my heart and strengthened my testimony. This post is very special and I hope that something I said touches your heart and helps you. Thank you for reading! :)

Joshua 10:12-14. Did the sun really stand still in the heavens?

 It may seem contradictory that the sun would stand still in the heavens, but the sun was actually moving like normal, it was the Earth that had stopped. The reason the Lord stopped the rotation of the earth was to lengthen the day for his work, bringing victory to Israel.

 The Lord can do anything; He is all-powerful and mighty. God could move the mountains if he wanted to. The Lord flooded the earth to cleanse it of the wicked during the time of Noah. The Lord parted the Red Sea for Moses and those he was leading to freedom. Before that, He had those 12 plagues that aided and made it possible for Moses and the Israelites to escape from captivity. When Jesus Christ was crucified, the Lord had there be no light for a couple days. When Christ comes again there will be many great signs in the heavens and on the Earth below; we will see the moon turn to blood, we will see the sun be darkened, the stars will fall from the sky, and much more. The Lord can do anything. He made us; his children and He made this Earth with Jesus. Those who don’t believe that God can do anything should look around them and see all the magnificent things he has created and then read our history of what he has done for the righteous and what he has done to the wicked.

I know that God can do anything. We need to have faith in him and his teachings. I know that God knows everything; he knows the why and the how. I know that the only way that I can truly become like him and live with him again someday is by trusting in him and loving him with everything I have. I know that the Lord can stop the rotation of the Earth if he needed to.

Read the chapter summaries of Joshua 7-22. Make two lists—one that identifies Israel’s successes and another that identifies Israel’s failures.

             Successes-

Joshua ambushes, and takes Ai, then slays its inhabitants. Then he builds an alter in Mount Ebal. Joshua makes the Gibeonites servents to Israel. Israel defeats the Amorites and their allies. The Lord fought for Israel. Joshua and Israel conquer the whole land and destroy many cities and nations. They (the children of Israel) are given their inheritances. A tabernacle is set up at Shiloh.

            Failures-

Defeated by the people of Ai. The Lord casts stones from heaven upon them.

Read Joshua 23-24 and the Institute Student Manual commentary for Joshua 24:1-28, “Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve” (pg. 242). What do you think was the major theme of Joshua’s final address to his people? Based on the lists you created from Joshua 7-22, write a paragraph that explains why Joshua chose to deliver his final address on this particular topic.

           

Joshua starts off telling this people that all they have is because of the Lord, their God. He then tells them that these lots they have inherited are to be an inheritance for their tribes and the Lord will expel their enemies so they can posses the land the Lord had promised them. Joshua then goes on to tell them to be courageous and to keep the commandments. He tells them to turn not away from the Lord. He tells them to not worship false Gods and to cleave unto the Lord as they have done until this day. Joshua tells them to take heed unto themselves and to love the Lord. He teaches them to trust in the Lord to help them and to bless them. He teaches them that if they turn from God then God will destroy them or punish them. Joshua teaches them to make and keep their covenants with the Lord. He teaches them that the Lord has blessed Israel.

The major these and the most important thing that Joshua teaches them is to choose the Lord and to serve him only. In Joshua 24:15 he says, “serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; …but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” If you do not chose to serve the Lord and choose to serve another god “… then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you…” (Joshua 24:20)

 I believe that Joshua chose to deliver his final address on choosing to follow the Lord and only him because these people had so much to be grateful for and they seen the tremendous blessings that come from choosing the Lord and only him. When you look at the journey the Israelites went through you see that when you choose to serve the Lord and only him, that you will always ‘win’ and that you will be blessed. You see through this story how much the Lord loves his people and wants to be there with us, to help us, and to bless us.

We need to make the conscious choice to serve the Lord only. There are examples all around us, in the scriptures and those around us that testify that when we choose to serve the Lord and him only, He will bless us and he will look after us. When we make that choice to serve Him and him only we are on our way to true joy and happiness. The following is a quote from the Institute manual regarding this principle of, “ Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve.”

“I think what we need to learn are the true principles that shall lead us to peace, to wealth and happiness in this world, and glory and exaltation in the world to come. And that if we can learn these principles, and receive them in good and honest hearts, and teach them as our faith, and practice them in our lives, we shall show our manhood, our independence and our agency as creditably before the angels and the Gods, as any wicked man can, in refusing the good and cleaving to the evil, exhibit his before the devil and his angels.”

I just want to bear my testimony and to testify that I know this principle is true. I see it all around me. This scripture is so powerful and is more powerful when you study the journal of the Israelites. I know that when we choose the Lord to follow and seek his guidance, love, and forgiveness that we will be eternally happy. We will be blessed beyond any degree we imagined. I know that God will always be on our side, to fight with us if needed, to comfort us, to counsel with when making hard and life-changing decisions. I know that God is alive and is constantly with us. I know that he loves each and everyone of us. I know that He listens to our prayers, both spoken and thought. Put your trust in Him, let him help you, and let him take away your worries, your pains, and your sins. He is there for us and if we choose to follow and serve Him only, I know that he will bless us tremendously. I love my Heavenly Father and I love my brother Jesus Christ, and I love his gospel and his church.