Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 14 - Tuesday
Free to Serve
Joshua’s farewell address in Joshua 24 reaches its emotional and spiritual climax when he places a clear choice before Israel: whom will you serve? After rehearsing God’s saving acts—from Abraham’s call to the conquest of Canaan—Joshua refuses to let Israel drift into a casual or inherited faith. He presses them toward a deliberate decision.
Israel’s Response (Josh. 24:16–18)
The people answer with confidence and passion: “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.” They ground their commitment in memory. God brought them out of Egypt, protected them through the wilderness, and drove out their enemies. Their response is orthodox and heartfelt. They know the right answer, and they can articulate the right reasons. Gratitude fuels their pledge: because of what the Lord has done, they declare, “We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”
At first glance, this seems like the ideal outcome of Joshua’s appeal. The leader calls; the people respond affirmatively. Yet Joshua does something unexpected.
Joshua’s Sobering Reaction (Josh. 24:19–21)
Rather than celebrating immediately, Joshua warns them: “You are not able to serve the Lord.” This is not cynicism or manipulation; it is pastoral realism. Joshua understands both the holiness of God and the weakness of the human heart. The Lord is “a holy God” and “a jealous God”—not jealous in a petty sense, but zealously committed to covenant faithfulness. Halfhearted loyalty will not survive in the presence of such holiness.
Joshua’s reaction underscores a crucial truth: the decision to serve God is a serious one. Words spoken lightly will eventually collapse under pressure. Joshua presses the people to count the cost, because covenant loyalty cannot be sustained by enthusiasm alone. If Israel treats their pledge casually, their very confession will stand as a witness against them.
A Free and Personal Decision
Equally important is how this decision is made. Joshua does not impose obedience, even though he is Israel’s leader and spiritual elder. Earlier he had said, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Josh. 24:15). Faithfulness cannot be coerced. Even the most faithful leader cannot choose for the people. Israel must decide for themselves whether they will serve the Lord.
This principle remains vital. Genuine service to God must arise from personal conviction, not pressure from authority, tradition, or community expectations. God seeks willing servants, not compelled compliance.
Not Human Strength, but Saving Relationship
Joshua’s warning also exposes another danger: the illusion that humans can serve God in their own strength. Israel’s history already testified otherwise. Their failures in the wilderness showed that law-keeping alone, detached from trust and dependence, leads to rebellion.
Serving God is not a mechanical adherence to covenant stipulations; it flows from a living relationship with the saving Lord. This is why the covenant begins not with commands but with grace. In Exodus 20:1–2 and Deuteronomy 5:6–7, God introduces the law by reminding Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Obedience follows redemption; it does not create it. Relationship precedes requirement.
When obedience is reduced to routine, faith becomes fragile. But when service flows from gratitude for salvation, loyalty deepens and endurance grows.
How This Pertains to Us
Joshua’s challenge confronts us with searching questions. Have we chosen to serve the Lord personally, or are we relying on borrowed faith—from family, church culture, or past decisions? Do we underestimate the seriousness of our commitment, assuming that good intentions are enough? And do we try to serve God in our own strength, rather than through daily dependence on His grace?
The warning is clear: casual faith will not withstand temptation, suffering, or cultural pressure. We must not confuse familiarity with faithfulness, or religious activity with genuine devotion. Like Israel, we are free to choose—but once we choose, we are called to wholehearted allegiance.
At the same time, there is encouragement. The God who calls us to serve Him is the God who first saves us. He does not ask for self-generated righteousness but invites us into a relationship sustained by His grace and power.
Prayer
Lord God, You are holy and faithful, and You have saved us by Your grace. Guard us from making careless promises or relying on our own strength. Help us to choose You freely and serve You sincerely, not out of habit or pressure, but out of love and gratitude. Teach us to live each day in dependence on You, remembering what You have done for us. Renew our commitment, deepen our relationship with You, and keep our hearts faithful to the end. Amen.
More: You Were There!- Sabbath School Lesson 13 - The Lessons of Faith from Joshua
Sabbath School Quarterly Online: The Lessons of Faith from Joshua
See Next Quarter's Lesson Here: Christ in Philippians and Colossians
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