Israel are now in possession of their inheritance; Joshua, old and stricken with age, is ready to go the way of all the earth. When the outward props of divine order in the assembly are taken from us, and those who are to the front in the fight are no more, everything is apparently gone; but in reality to faith there is no lack. "The Lord your God," said Joshua, "he it is that fighteth for you." (Josh. 23:3, 103And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you. (Joshua 23:3)
10One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. (Joshua 23:10).) Leaders may depart; and it is a blessed thing to consider the end of their conversation, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Yes, nothing is lacking where there is faith; and where it is wanting everything decays, as happened with Israel and the church.
Henceforth, if the people were to maintain themselves at the height of their privileges, they must realize in their own souls, and in their entire lives, that power of the Spirit which led them on to victory in the person of Joshua. "Be strong and of a good courage," He had said to Joshua in Josh. 1:66Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. (Joshua 1:6), "for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them." There lay the power for victory, and now Joshua says to the people: "Be ye therefore very courageous." (Josh. 23:66Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; (Joshua 23:6).) This is realization in the soul.
Now how will this spiritual strength show itself in the people? In obedience to the written word, "to keep"—and this is inseparable from practice—"and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses." To obey thus, the people had not only the power of God's Spirit with them, but they had before their eyes a man, Joshua, on whom the same things had been enjoined, who had followed to the end in the pathway of obedience, and who could say with Paul: "I have kept the faith." But we, dear readers, have before us the true Joshua, the perfect model, the author and finisher of faith.
Notice too, how Joshua, like Paul, has a full sense of the changes which his departure would bring about. It would be the introduction of a new order of things. Decline would surely set in, as they both knew, but like a thread through a labyrinth, an infallible guide, they commend the word of God: "I commend you to God and to the word of his grace." (Acts 20:3232And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32).)
Ah! it is the word which is able to build us up, and to give us an inheritance, but above all to sanctify us. It was from neglect of it that Israel sunk by degrees to the level of the idolatrous nations and their abominations. See in Josh. 23:77That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: (Joshua 23:7) how imperceptible, and at the same time slippery, is the downward path; first they come amongst these nations, forgetful of separation from the world; then they make mention of the name of their gods; we become familiarized with the ruling principles of the world; then we cause to swear by them; it seems natural that others should acknowledge them; then we serve them, and finally bow down ourselves to them; a downward path truly!
But there are other means of retaining their blessings besides obedience to the word, and to these Joshua directs their attention. The second is "cleaving to the Lord" (Josh. 23:88But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day. (Joshua 23:8)); the heart and affections must be set on the Person of Christ. Do you often think, beloved, of that verse in Psa. 63? "My soul followeth hard after thee, thy right hand upholdeth me." Do we not feel—there is a heart which has given itself wholly to the Lord, and is able to tell Him so? for these are not experiences which one would display before the world. It is a soul captivated by the beauty of its object, entirely surrendered to Christ, and discovering a power in Him to lift it above every difficulty, and preserve it from all danger. "Thy right hand upholdeth me." It is the same in our chapter (Josh. 23:9, 109For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. 10One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. (Joshua 23:9‑10)); in cleaving to Him, the people experience the strength of Jehovah. Oh! may we in our troublous days realize more of this close cleaving of soul to Christ; may we have hearts that seek and desire naught save Himself, which do not make a show before the world of their feelings or of their consecration to God, which do not say, "I am rich and have need of nothing," but which say to Christ in the silence of His own presence, and in accents which His ear alone can hear: "I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me," and also on account of Thy matchless beauty; oh, inimitable Pattern, some traits of whom, however feeble, I would fain reproduce! "My soul followeth hard after Thee."
Thirdly we find vigilance. "Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God." (Josh. 23:1111Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God. (Joshua 23:11).) We have to be watchful over our hearts, so as not to tolerate the ofttimes subtle entrance of lusts which weaken our affections for the Lord, and by means of which He is replaced by objects unworthy of being compared to Him, and which oblige Him to judge us. (Josh. 23:16-22.) "Flee also youthful lusts," says the apostle. "Be ye sober, and watch."