Joshua 23:1

JOSHUA'S PERSONAL FAREWELL

How natural it is that this wonderful book should be concluded with the personal farewell of the great commander who had led Israel in all of the great battles that delivered the Promised Land to the children of Israel. This was the way in which Moses concluded his Five Books, and we are not surprised that Joshua elected to close his in the same manner.

"And it came to pass after many days, when Jehovah had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, and Joshua was old and well stricken in years; that Joshua called for all Israel and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and well stricken in years: and ye have seen all that Jehovah your God hath done unto all those nations because of you; for Jehovah your God, he it is that fought for you."

As a fitting prologue to what Joshua would say, these verses call attention to the displacement of the Canaanites in order for the Chosen People to possess the land. Appropriately, Joshua reminded them that it had not been the Israelites who had won all of those battles; it was the work of God. "He it is that fought for you!" How easy it is for men, or nations, to forget the special blessings of God which entered into their success and prosperity. The later history of Israel proved that they needed this exhortation.