(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Joshua 24:1–14, “And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 1But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. 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.”
Joshua was old and knew that he would die soon. He summoned all the responsible leaders, at every level in Israel, and gave them his parting speech. He started by doing a quick summary of Israel’s history. Anyone with any kind of faith will find that this is an important procedure to follow, whether personally or collectively. There is no use having any faith at all if you don’t really understand why you believe what you believe. This is as true for atheists and agnostics as much as for people who believe in gods or God as well. For if you don’t really know why you believe what you believe then you are a fool. There is no use trying to brow beat another person into believing the same way as you believe if you are not really certain yourself. If you are certain then you will just present the truth, as you see it and let the truth convince anyone who is listening. Joshua explained how the Lord called Abraham and promised Canaan to Isaac’s descendants and Seir to Esau’s descendants, both the promised son and son born through Abraham and Sarah’s crisis in hope were blessed by the Lord. Joshua reminded them of everything that had happened until their present time and then encouraged them to fear the Lord and server Him. They were not expected to believe the Lord without context but in the context of His persistent and unchanging love.
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