Joshua
23:15-16a But just as all the good things that the
Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord
will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off
this good land that the Lord your God has given you, if you transgress the
covenant of the Lord your God,
Despite Israel’s triumphs, she had
one nagging problem. Her enemies remained in the land God had given her. She
has the land. That battle is over. The final task is to confront the remaining
enemy, temptation.
Israel saw the hand of God
fulfilling his promises, but constantly placing a new task before his people.
This time the task is not in military terms but rather in terms of obedience.
The enemy within can only be routed by trusting in God and obeying Him alone.
The foreign people living among them
serve many gods. Israel served one God, Yahweh. Avoiding contact and social
interchange with these people would ensure their devotion to the one, true God.
Avoiding them meant they would also avoid the temptation to act and to believe
as they did.
Israel’s uniqueness is in this fact.
God’s claim to absolute allegiance of his people proves the unique nature of
Israel. This view of the world sets them apart from the other nations. The
nations had multiple gods with one or two gods serving over the rest. Israel’s
God, Yahweh, claimed to fulfill all the functions for which other nations
needed a multitude of gods.
God does not force himself upon Israel. But when
they ignore his claims, his covenant and his faithfulness, then they will find
God’s punishment. God refuses to drive
out all the people Israel had conquered.
In leaving some to
live among Israel, God gives Israel the opportunity to display her love and
commitment to Him freely. God has already done his part to deserve and receive
our love.