C. Israel's second renewal of the covenant 24:1-28

"Joshua did not merely settle for a series of public admonitions in order to guide Israel after his death. The twenty-fourth chapter describes a formal covenant renewal enacted at the site of Shechem for the purpose of getting a binding commitment on the part of the people of Israel to the written Word of God."²⁰⁸

The structure of this covenant renewal speech is similar to the typical Hittite suzerainty treaty. It includes a preamble (vv. 1-2a), historical prologue (vv. 2b-13), stipulations for the vassals with the consequences of disobedience (vv. 14-24), and the writing of the agreement (vv. 25-28).

"Joshua 24 completes the book by giving the theological definition of the people of God. Here we suddenly find highly loaded theological language, defining God and the God-man relationship. This makes the chapter one of the most important chapters in the OT for biblical theologians."²⁰⁹

 1. Preamble 24:1

Shechem was a strategic location for this important ceremony. Joshua called on the Israelites to renew formally their commitment to the Mosaic Covenant at the site that was very motivating to them to do so.

"If you were to put Plymouth Rock and Yorktown and Lexington and Independence Hall together, you would not have what Shechem is to Israel."²¹⁰

At Shechem God had first appeared to Abraham when he had entered the land and promised to give him the land of Canaan. In response to that promise Abraham built his first altar to Yahweh in the land there (Gen. 12:7). Jacob buried his idols at Shechem after returning to the Promised Land from Paddan-aram. He made this his home and built an altar to Yahweh there (Gen. 33:19-20; 35:1-4).

"As Jacob selected Shechem for the sanctification of his house, because this place was already consecrated by Abraham as a sanctuary of God, so Joshua chose the same place for the renewal of the covenant, because this act involved a practical renunciation on the part of Israel of all idolatry."²¹¹

At Shechem the same generation of Israelites that Joshua now addressed had pledged itself to the Mosaic Covenant shortly after it had entered the land (8:30-35). They had also built an altar there.

"For the Christian, regular presentation before God in worship is an essential feature of a life of faith (Heb. 10:25)."²¹²

 2. Historical prologue 24:2-13

Joshua introduced what follows as the words of Yahweh, Israel's God (v. 2).

Then he reviewed God's great acts on behalf of His people going back to the call of Abraham in Mesopotamia.

The "River"(v. 2) is the Euphrates. Abraham's family members were idolaters in Mesopotamia. We can safely assume that Abraham was too. God's call of Abraham was pure grace. There was nothing in Abraham that resulted in God choosing him for special blessing. Joshua probably mentioned Nahor because Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel descended from him. Two of the nations that had come out of Abraham were Israel and Edom (v. 4).

The Exodus was a second great proof of God's grace to Israel (vv. 5-7). The provision of Moses and Aaron as well as the sending of the plagues were special gifts then. Israel's deliverance from Egypt and her preservation in the wilderness were also highlights of God's faithfulness during this period of Israel's history.

God's third great act for Israel was the Israelites' victory over the Amorites east of the Jordan (vv. 8-10). God also frustrated Moab's hostility by turning Balaam's oracles into blessings.

The fourth divine provision was the crossing of the Jordan River and the consequent victory over the Canaanites (vv. 11-13). God routed Israel's enemies for her by using various hornet-like terrors (v. 12; cf. Exod. 23:28; Deut. 7:20).

In this section of verses (vv. 2-13) God said 17 times "I"did such and such for you. The emphasis is clearly on God's great acts for Israel.

 3. Covenant stipulations 24:14-24

On the basis of God's great acts for them (v. 14) Joshua appealed to the Israelites to commit themselves to Him anew. Though Israel was not guilty of idolatry at this stage in her history as she was later, this sin existed in the nation to some degree (cf. Lev. 17:7).

Joshua's offer to choose the God or gods they would serve (v. 15) was not, of course, an encouragement to consider the idols as an equally acceptable option. It was simply an oratorical device (i.e., polarization) to help the Israelites distinguish their choices and to make the right alternative more obvious. As a true leader Joshua announced his commitment and in so doing encouraged the people to follow his example.

"So we find throughout the entire book of Joshua an emphasis on choice--choice that makes a tremendous difference in history, for individuals, for groups, for future generations."²¹³

The people responded by committing themselves to Yahweh (vv. 16-18). They would join Joshua in serving the Lord. Joshua did not want the people to make a superficial decision, however.

"The great need of most Christians is to learn that in themselves they simply cannotbe the people God wants them to be."²¹⁴

Therefore Joshua reminded them of the difficulties involved in following the Lord (vv. 19-20). They would "not be able to serve the Lord"(v. 19) in their own strength simply by determining to do so (cf. Exod. 19:8). They had to remember that their God was holy and jealous (i.e., allowing no rival god in His peoples' affections). He would "not forgive your transgressions or your sins"(v. 19).

"When does God not spare (forgive)? (1) When transgression and sin is wilfully committed, and when (2) forgiveness would, as He foresees, lead to no amendment."²¹⁵

The people confirmed their earlier decision (v. 21), and Joshua reminded them that they were witnesses against themselves in the renewal of this covenant (v. 22). They would condemn themselves by their own testimony if they forsook the Lord.

Joshua then repeated his command to put away all idols, physical and mental, and to turn their hearts to follow Yahweh exclusively (v. 23). Again the Israelites committed themselves to follow the Lord faithfully (v. 24).

 4. Provisions for the preservation of the covenant 24:25-28

The covenant that Joshua made with the people on this day was not a new one but a renewal of the Mosaic Covenant made for the first time at Mt. Sinai (v. 25). The Israelites renewed this covenant from time to time after God first gave it (cf. 8:30-35). The "statute"Joshua made was the written commitment of the people to obey the law (v. 26). The "ordinance"(right) was the record of the blessings Israel would enjoy as the fruits of her obedience.

The "book of the law of God"(v. 26) was the document in which Joshua wrote the record of this renewal of the covenant. He evidently placed it with the record of the covenant itself. The "large stone"(v. 26) he erected became a permanent memorial of the renewal of the covenant undertaken this day (cf. Gen. 28:18; Deut. 27:2). Joshua set the stone up under the oak that was the same tree as, or one that represented, the oak under which Abraham had built his altar and worshipped Yahweh. Jacob had buried his idols under an oak tree in Shechem, perhaps the same one (Gen. 12:7; 35:2-4). "The sanctuary"(v. 26) was this holy place, not the tabernacle that was then at Shiloh.

The stone had not literally heard all that had taken place that day (v. 27), but it would remain in the same place from then on as a silent witness to the proceedings. Joshua here rhetorically ascribed human characteristics to the stone (i.e., personification) to reinforce the seriousness of the commitment the Israelites had made to Yahweh. He then dismissed the nation (v. 28).

This ceremony was very important to the Israelites because in it the whole nation reaffirmed its commitment to Yahweh as her God and to His covenant as her law. Israel prepared to begin another phase of her national existence without a God-appointed leader such as Moses and Joshua had been. It was important that she remember the faithfulness of her God and rededicate herself to exclusive allegiance to Him. Each tribe was to proceed now to exterminate the Canaanites in its area trusting in Yahweh and obeying His covenant. God would raise up local leaders (judges) as He saw the need for these to provide special leadership in difficult situations. Committed as the Israelites were to their God at this time there was no reason they should fail to possess and experience all that God had promised them in the years ahead.