Joshua 23:1-16
More Perils in the Land
Review: The Conquest of the Land, The Division of the Land, The Perils in the Land…
Separation, riches, hear say, assuming, accusing, misunderstanding, perceptions
The perils of falling away…Why? The old war horses are passing away. Keep the work going!!
The sun is setting on that generation…will the next generation pickup the flag.
Joshua is going the way of all the earth…God’s Word never passes away.
Two final accounts…a reminder (past blessings) and a warning (future cursing or chastisement)
The choice is ours…make no mistake…no exceptions.
Our motive should be gratitude…v.6, 8, 11…common sense also.
…a charge and a covenant.
v.1-5 The Peril of Complacency
Taking the rest for granted…v.1
Freedom is not free John 8:32 the truth set you free, 36 Christ hath set you free, Rom 6:22 sin
Peace had to fought for…
Taking the victories for granted…v.3
Forgetting who gave the victories…
Taking the promises for granted…v.4-5
The blessings were contingent upon obedience
Failing to finish the job and drive them out…v.5
Laodicean Christianity…lukewarmness…
v.6-7 The Peril of Compromise
It take courage to live for God today…more and more as you see the day approaching Heb 13:7
Same message he received in Chapter 1
Turning aside from the Word of God…v.6… therefrom
Right hand or left
Turning unto other gods… apostasy…BMW, lake house, bass boat, activities, entertainment, amusement
Getting comfortable with the world…v.7
v.8-The Peril of Commitment…v.8
v.8 Cleave unto the LORD…Mat 10:38 love anything more than me…not worthy of me.
Leave and cleave principle…Gen 2
No longer do people strive to serve the Lord, win the lost and live holy, consecrated lives to the glory of God…service and sacrifice passé …self-indulgence in vogue.
To God’s Word
To God’s work
To God’s will
v.10 Forgetting your source…the promises…Lev 26:3, 7-9 put ten thousand to flight
The forces arrayed against us are formidable, but “the LORD…fighteth for you”
v.11 Love the LORD your God…
v.12 Cleave unto…these nations … (the world) fall away
Go back…backsliding
Failing to keep separate from the world…v.12
Make marriages with them… 2Cor 6:14-17
Worldly fellowship…partnership… James 4: Adulterers and adulteresses…friend of world
v.13 Know of a certainty…defeat, snares, traps, scourges, thorns…perish off the land…Num 33:55
v.14-16 The Peril of Transgressing The Covenant
Failing to remember all the that God has promised and done.
Condition…obedience
Motive…gratitude borne out of love
Failing to heed the warnings of the consequences…v.13-16
Face the consequences…God is faithful…He fulfills his promises…positive and negative!
Ruined by sin…Garden of Eden…the Promised Land…Churches…Countless Families and lives.
Sin deceives…sin denied…sin permeates…sin kills “the wages of sin” is death.
v.24:1 Where delivered…Shechem Gerizim and Ebal Josh 8…Abraham, Jacob, etc.