Choose Whom You Will Serve

Joshua 24

14 a "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in b sincerity and in truth, and c put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of 1 the River and d in Egypt. Serve the LORD! 15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, e choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether f the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of 2 the River, or g the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. h But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

16 So the people answered and said: "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; 17 "for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went and among all the people through whom we passed. 18 "And the LORD drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. i We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God."

19 But Joshua said to the people, j "You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a k holy God. He is l a jealous God; m He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20 n "If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, o then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD!" 22 So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that p you have chosen the LORD for yourselves, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses!" 23 "Now therefore," he said, q "put away the foreign gods which are among you, and r incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel." 24 And the people s said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!" 25 So Joshua t made 3 a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance u in Shechem. 26 Then Joshua v wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took w a large stone, and x set it up there y under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be z a witness to us, for a it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God." 28 So b Joshua let the people depart, each to his own inheritance.

  1. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 10:12
    And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
    Deuteronomy 10:13
    And to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?
    1 Samuel 12:24
    Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
  2. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 1:12
    For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
  3. Cross References
    Joshua 24:2
    And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.
    Joshua 24:23
    "Now therefore," he said, "put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel."
    Ezekiel 20:18
    But I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
  4. Cross References
    Ezekiel 20:7
    "Then I said to them, 'Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'
    Ezekiel 20:8
    "But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, 'I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.'
  5. Cross References
    Ruth 1:15
    And she said, "Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.
    1 Kings 18:21
    And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.
  6. Cross References
    Joshua 24:2
    And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and they served other gods.
    Ezekiel 20:39
    As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve every one of you his idols - and hereafter - if you will not obey Me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols.
  7. Cross References
    Exodus 23:24
    You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.
    Exodus 23:32
    You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 18:19
    "For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him."
    Psalms 101:2
    I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
    1 Timothy 3:4
    One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
    1 Timothy 3:5
    (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?).
  9. Cross References
    Psalms 116:16
    O LORD, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds.
  10. Cross References
    Matthew 6:24
    No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
  11. Cross References
    Leviticus 11:44
    For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
    Leviticus 11:45
    For I am the LORD who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
    1 Samuel 6:20
    And the men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall it go up from us?
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 20:5
    You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 23:21
    Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.
  14. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 28:9
    As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of you...
    Ezra 8:22
    For I was ashamed to request of the king an esc...
    Isaiah 1:28
    The destruction of transgressors and of sinners...
    Isaiah 63:10
    But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; ...
    Isaiah 65:11
    But you are those who forsake the LORD, Who for...
    Isaiah 65:12
    Therefore I will number you for the sword, And ...
    Jeremiah 17:13
    O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You...
  15. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 4:24 - 26
    For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
    Joshua 23:15
    Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all the good things have come upon you which the LORD your God promised you, so the LORD will bring upon you all harmful things, until He has destroyed you from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 119:173
    Let Your hand become my help, For I have chosen Your precepts.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 35:2
    And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.
    Joshua 24:14
    Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
    Judges 10:15
    And the children of Israel said to the LORD, "We have sinned! Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day, we pray.
    Judges 10:16
    So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.
    1 Samuel 7:3
    Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.
  18. Cross References
    1 Kings 8:57
    May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us.
    1 Kings 8:58
    That He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers.
    Psalms 119:36
    Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.
    Psalms 141:4
    Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
  19. Cross References
    Exodus 19:8
    Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.
    Exodus 24:3
    So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD has said we will do.
    Exodus 24:7
    Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.
    Deuteronomy 5:24 - 27
    And you said: 'Surely the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 15:25
    So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them.
  21. Cross References
    Joshua 24:1
    Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
  22. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:24
    So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished.
  23. Cross References
    Judges 9:6
    And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 28:18
    Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
  25. Cross References
    Genesis 35:4
    So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.
  26. Cross References
    Genesis 31:48
    And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore its name was called Galeed.
  27. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:1
    Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
  28. Cross References
    Judges 2:6
    And when Joshua had dismissed the people, the children of Israel went each to his own inheritance to possess the land.
    Judges 2:7
    So the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD which He had done for Israel.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Next Book Next Book