In our study of Joshua chapter twenty three, we look at the fact that our strength is in our relationship with God and any dilution in that relationship has consequences.
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A long time afterwards, when ADONAI had given Isra'el rest from all their surrounding enemies, and Y'hoshua was old, with age taking its toll, Y'hoshua summoned all Isra'el - their leaders, heads, judges and officials - and said to them, "I am old; age is taking its toll. You have seen everything that ADONAI your God has done to all these nations because of you, for it is ADONAI your God who has fought on your behalf. Here, I have allotted to you land for inheritance according to your tribes between the Yarden and the Great Sea to the west; it includes the land of the nations I have destroyed and the nations which remain ADONAI your God will thrust them out ahead of you and drive them out of your sight, so that you will possess their land, as ADONAI your God told you.
We see that Y'hoshua has grown old and that he knew the end of his earthly life was near so he called the leaders of Israel together and addressed them. We see that he testifies concerning God's faithfulness and reminds the leaders of how God went to war on their behalf to keep the promises that were made to Avraham. We see that this remembering what God has done is reassuring and Y'hoshua tells the leaders that God will continue to fight on their behalf to fulfill His promises.
"Therefore be very firm about keeping and doing everything written in the book of the Torah of Moshe and not turning aside from it either to the right or to the left. Then you won't become like those nations remaining among you. Don't even mention the name of their gods, let alone have people swear by them, serve them or worship them; but cling to ADONAI your God, as you have done to this day.
The word that is translated here as firm actually speaks of strength in the Hebrew text and Y'hoshua reminds the leaders that their strength as a nation comes through doing what is written in the Torah. He goes on to say that by being unswerving when it comes to the Torah will keep them from idolatry. We often hear the phrase "as Christians we are not under the Law of Moshe" which is true in that the Law of Moshe is not going to be the basis for our final judgement. That basis is faith in Yeshua Messiah but the Law of Moshe is still relevant to our lives as Christians to keep us from falling into idolatry.
This is why ADONAI has driven out great, strong nations ahead of you; and it explains why no one has prevailed against you to this day, why one man of you has chased a thousand - it is because ADONAI your God has fought on your behalf, as he said to you. "Therefore take great care to love ADONAI your God.
Y'hoshua reminds the leaders that it is Israel's relationship with the Lord that is the basis for their strength. He goes on to tell them to guard their soul by loving the Lord and loving the Lord is demonstrated through the keeping of His word. In John 14:15, Yeshua equated our love for Him with keeping His commands and His commands are consistent with the Torah.
Otherwise, if you retreat and cling to the remnant of these other nations remaining among you, if you make marriages with them and have children with them and they with you, know for certain that ADONAI your God will stop driving out these nations from your sight. Instead, they will become a snare and a trap for you, whipping your sides and pricking your eyes, until you perish from this good land which ADONAI your God has given you.
Y'hoshua goes on to prophesy of what will happen when there is dilution within the community of witnesses. He speaks of mixing with those that are not members of the community and the fact that their strength will be taken from them unto the point of death. The "good land" speaks of the will of God and we see that this dilution will cause us to be out of the will of God.
"Today I am going the way of all the earth. Therefore consider in all your heart and being that not one of all the good things ADONAI your God said concerning you has failed to happen; it has all come to pass; nothing of it has failed. Nevertheless, just as all the good things ADONAI your God promised you have come upon you, likewise ADONAI will bring upon you all the bad things too, until he has destroyed you from this good land which ADONAI your God has given you. When you violate the covenant of ADONAI your God, which he ordered you to obey, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then the anger of ADONAI will blaze up against you; and you will perish quickly from the good land which he has given you!"
Y'hoshua warns the leaders that, just as all of the good things that God promised have come about, all of the bad things will also happen when Israel turns their back on the Lord. The same thing is true for us who are in Yeshua; if we turn our backs on the will of God, then, bad things will happen in this life.
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