Joshua 23

(Joshua 23:6-8)

6 Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left,

7 and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them,

8 but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.

 

According to God’s promise, God will let the new generation go into Canaan. They experienced the dry land of the Jordan River (Joshua 3) defeated the Canaanite nations (Joshua 6-12). Looking back, we can know that these all are miracles made by God. If God didn’t be the marshal of the Israel people. People were slaves to Egyptians. Who has the faith to pass through the terrible weather wilderness? Who have the confidence to beat those Anakim, who was much taller than them and protected the cities of Canaan? Who can take the responsibility to take care of Israelites and lead them to the land of Canaan?

(Joshua 23:14) "Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed

                                                           

God is justice and loves people. He will protect his sheep but only if his sheep follow him.

When Moses and Joshua were leaders, when they inheritance positions from other people they have been told repeatedly, "You should be careful and follow God’s words".

When the people were in Egypt, God already commands Moses that they cannot worship idols as Canalise did. They need to follow God’s words and God will help them to beat the enemy. (Exodus 23:22-33)

Before Moses died, he told Joshua that he needs to be alerted and follow the decrees and laws. Because this is related to the life you will live longer by God’s guidance. (Deuteronomy 32:44-47)

 

Finally, before Joshua died, he told the people that they shouldn’t worship other gods, don’t be associate with Canalise and follow God and love God with all their heart and not walk sideways. (Joshua 23:6-8)

God will only protect the sheep who follow His command. Smart sheep will listen to the shepherd, it wouldn’t walk sideways. Listen to the shepherd’s instruction can never go wrong. If a sheep follows its shepherd, they will always be food and water although they might be some difficulty if it listens to the shepherd’s voice, it will finally find a restful waterside.

Joshua was once timid, so God once told him confidently: Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua:1 6-9) So at this moment, Joshua decided to stand up! Because he experiences God’s love and learns from his teacher Moses how God lead the people to get out of the wilderness. Follow God forever and not walk sideways. The only way to save your life is to be baptized and enter the sheepfold. Learn from Moses and Joshua that you need to listen to a shepherd, follow God’s instruction, and love God with all your heart.

(Psalm 91:14-16) 14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."

 Translated by 余姿瑩

The Unity in The Witness Altar(Joshua 22)

27 but that it may be a witness between you and us and our generations after us, that we may perform the service of the Lord before Him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your descendants may not say to our descendants in time to come, "You have no part in the Lord." '28 Therefore we said that it will be, when they say this to us or our generations in time to come, that we may say, 'Here is the replica of the altar of the Lord which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between you and us.'(Joshua 22:27-28)

When God's people finish seven years of war, the two-and-a-half-tribe people went back to the East of Jordan River. Because they already have inherent there. An altar was erected, which looked tall. (Joshua,22:10) After the other people at the west of Jordan river hear this, they gather at Shiloh ready to attack. During this tense moment, nine-and-a-half tribes sent a delegation headed by the priest Phineha. They first went to the east side of the Jordan river to persuade and understand what they want to do. After knowing their purpose, understanding that they aren't going to abandon the True God and worship another God. The alter is proof to their descendant that all the people who live on either west or east side of the Jordan river are a family as they are all Abraham's descendants. The delegation thinks this is a beautiful thing to do and told the other tribes. This resolves the crisis of the brothers. The people named this alter the Altar, Ed.

(Deuteronomy 12:13-14)

13 Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see;

14 but in the place which the Lord chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

God once commanded the elect in Deuteronomy, that they need to sacrifice at God's chosen place. Why is it so troublesome? This is because whenever there's a God's festival, the people need to come from where they live to listen to God's command and maintain the same model of worship. This is to avoid the people to worship the other God. God has only chosen one place to teach the Truth which is to help their descendant to use worship God the same way. This is also why when the people who live on the west side of the Jordan river became angry when they hear the people who live on the east side of the Jordan river wants to build an altar for themselves. This is to keep the same way of worship.

(2 Corinthians 11:4) For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it!

(2 Corinthians 12:18) I urged Titus and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

During the apostle era, they were only one church. A lot of apostles went to another place to establish this True Jesus Church. They will use this area's name to call the church. The church at Ephesus was called Ephesus church, the church at Galatians region was called Galatians church. As they all are True Jesus Church, they need to follow the same instruction. By receiving the promised Holy Spirt baptism this became God's church. During that era, churches in the Corinth region hear someone preached another Jesus to them which from their point of view that is called another Jesus and another gospel. From this, we can know that Jesus preached by the apostle's gospel was the only Truth. From the Bible’s perspective, we can see that all True Jesus church is preaching one Truth. We cannot build an altar in another place and worship God in our way. This is the unity that God has shown on the altar of witness.

Friends, do you believe in God? We should preach the same truth as the apostles.  God's church is indivisible, there is only one. Just like the place chosen by God to worship God, they are only one way. The world gives us the reason that we need to be diverse, worship God as we please. Just like the altar's event. People who believe in God must see the truth inside the altar. Let’s preaching together, believe in the truth that apostles are preaching. We need to come back to this only place that we can preach to God, receive one Truth, one flock, and one shepherd.

(John 10:16) And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Translated by Nicole

 

Levite's Inheritance(Joshua 21)

All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty-eight cities with their common-lands (Joshua 21:41)

    God blessed Levites, Although Levities were separate around tribes, they received the cities and common lands as commanded by the Lord, they received forty-eight cities, Only the tribe of Judah (Joshua 20-62) and the tribe of Manasheh receive more cities than Levites (Joshua 29-30), Levites should be grateful as they did not deserve such grace from the Lord.

    "Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. (Numbers 18:21)

    How can Levities receive this much inheritance? This is because Israelites dedicate tithes to Levites. If the people appreciate holy workers, then the Levites will work harder for God. Which will create a positive cycle and will help the people to have more faith in God. God chosen Levites instead of first-born Israelites. Although they were separated between tribes. God will rewarded people who work for Him. They seem to have no inheritance but behind this is countless grace and rich inheritance.

    (Mark 10:29-30) So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life.

    Due to the gospel, we have to leave things behind that we want to do on Earth, this seems to be a sacrifice but it is a blessing. This is a test from God on our faith. We don't need to broke our relationship with our family because we need to preach the gospel. But if we are willing to put the gospel on our priority list, knowing that nothing is more important than God. God's grace will bless us from our current life to eternal life.

    Sometimes we have to make a decision in our religion. There is a man in the bible called Peter. Before he met God, he was a fisher. One night when he couldn’t catch fish all night, he listened to God's instructions. He moved the boat to a deeper place, put down the net, and fishing. As he believed Jesus, he dropped down the net and fish, what he got was two boats of fish. Knowing that he is like a sinner, if there’s no God then there is no meaning in our life. Jesus call Peter and promised him that he will be a fisher of men so Peter left all things and followed God.

    From a person’s perspective, if they aren't life how could they have time to follow religion? But from God's perspective if they are not religious then they are no life because religion is life. Maybe we can't foreseen eternal life now but if we don't seize the time to know God then we will lose more grace. If we are willing to sacrifice our life and follow God then God will bless us. This is because God is our inheritance.

    (Joshua 13:33) But to the tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as He had said to them.

Translated by Nicole