March 5th

March 5th -- Joshua 23 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%2023&version=NLT)

Joshua's Final Words to Israel.

So after many peaceful years for Israel, Joshua is then very old. He speaks his final words to Israel. His main points are:
-God has fought for them
-the land alloted WILL be theirs, just like God promised
-Be careful to follow what Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction (because breaking those laws breaks the covenant, and things like the incident with Achan will happen)
-Don't associate with the people still in this land (as they were unbelievers or believed in false gods and then would risk that spreading through Israel)
-remember that if they turn away from God, punishment will follow as promised
-Soon he will die but they need to keep believing and trusting and having faith and following God (run-on whoops) even without him around to tell them to

Really, to me, this comes across as a reminder of the covenant and it's laws. It's like when Moses first explained it to the people and then again before they crossed into their land. It's a reminder of all the things God had said, and that God always keeps his word, so every part of it - good and bad / blessing and punishment - is true. It seems more like Joshua is just giving one final attempt to ensure that Israel shall keep prospering even after his death - he wants them to do well in future as they are like his own people now since he took over for Moses. It kind of makes me think of a father-son relationship  -  there needs to be a certain strictness, but everything is done out of love to keep the child out of harm as much as possible.

Well, that shall be all! God bless! Shalom!