Joshua and the Elders (Joshua 23)

We have come to the conclusion of the book of Joshua. It began "after the death of Moses" when Joshua is commissioned by God to lead the people into the land: "Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you." It ends with the death of Joshua, after God fulfilled all that he had promised.

In chapters 1-5 we heard of the crossing of the Jordan, how God brought his people into the Land of Promise.

In chapters 6-12 we heard of the conquest of the land, how God went before Israel–through Joshua –a nd delivered their enemies into their hands.

In chapters 13-21 we heard of the division of the inheritance, how God gave to each tribe an inheritance in the land.

Joshua ends, then, with two stories. The first, a story of how Israel nearly went to war against the eastern tribes, because they built an altar. But the altar, it turned out, was innocent – an altar of witness, to remind Israel that the LORD, he is God.

Now we come to the final story–the conclusion of the book of Joshua. There are two gatherings recounted in Joshua 23-24.

But these two gatherings are interrelated. First, Joshua summons the elders and judges of Israel...