October 4th, 2026: A Renewed Covenant | Joshua 24:18-27

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (Galatians 4: 7-9).

Ever heard of a pie crust promise - easily made, easily broken? It is called that because these are promises made in the heat of emotion.  In response to our feelings, we promise things that we intend to do. Over time, and as the emotion fades, we dismiss our promises and fall back into old patterns.  The Bible prepares us for this.  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41).

We are at the end of the book of Joshua.  It has been roughly 500 years since God made His covenant with Abraham.The chosen of God are now a nation built of 12 sons, Abraham’s descendants.  Led by Moses and then Joshua, these families have conquered and divided the land God had promised. 

And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.

 Joshua  is nearing his end.  He has lived through many events and battles. By them all,  Joshua has seen the nature of the people that were led out of Egypt.  There are many things Joshua tries to say.  The most important;  this nation must remember who they are, why they have succeeded, and whom they serve.  

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

Like Moses before him, Joshua reminds them of their covenant with God.  If they are to succeed they must remember the promise they made by their fathers and the consequences of their actions. God had asked Moses to record His words about the covenant.  Joshua no doubt, remembered the parting words of Moses.

And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death? Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.(Deuteronomy 31:22-29).  How many will continue to rebel?

The original promise makers, (those at Mount Sinai), died in the wilderness. It has been between 25-30 years since the crossing over into and  setting up residence in the Promised Land. Joshua has already declared that as for his house, they would serve the Lord.  It is time once again to renew and make a commitment.

And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord.  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

The people argue that they will not forsake the Lord (Yahweh) and will indeed serve Him.  Joshua knows that they have battled and have already grown tired of conquering.  The people of Israel have for the most part complied with the things God had asked of them; however, here and there they did not fully obey.  Some of the Canaanite  peoples were allowed to live. Cities were not wholly taken over.  False gods were allowed; compromise began.  

Our resolve suffers the same.  We grow tired of the battles.  We think a few allowances won’t hurt us.  We reason away our promises the same now and they did then.  Joshua reminds them that they are witnesses, accountable for their choices - favor if they serve God and  wrath/punishment if they do not. 

 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

 Hopefully by now you are seeing the trend. They committed to the agreement (covenant) of their fathers.  Mankind rarely can make a promise and truly keep it. Especially when a promise is made in the heat of emotion.  It isn’t long before the promise begins to crumble. We tire, we compromise, we make excuses.  

God on the other hand, NEVER breaks a promise that He makes.  His side of the agreement, at Mount Sinai, at Moses’ rededication, and here in Joshua, will not crumble or be broken. What He says, He will do. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2Peter 3:9). 

As we continue to watch the nation of Israel throughout scripture, we will see a unified story of man’s failure to keep a promise and God’s faithfulness to His promises.  The book of Judges will show us how far mankind can fall when left to his own reasonings or doing what is right in our own eyes

 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 

Today we read the words of Joshua.  We use the words of the Old Testament to bring us to the knowledge of God’s new covenant.  We are no different than the children of Israel in the wilderness in our depravity and lack of faithfulness.  Thankfully, we have a Creator that understands that better than we do and before we even think of it. 

God’s new covenant (new promise), was made in Jesus. 

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:13-17).

Even under the leadership of Joshua human nature prevailed.  As he prepares to leave earth for heaven, he places the choices in front of the people.   Paul wrote in the book of Romans: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:22-26).

In our generation we have learned to expect promises to be broken. We have become extremely skeptical. We have learned that human emotion is very fickle. While we may dismiss our actions, God pays attention. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17: 9-10).

  This was true in Joshua’s day as well. Think about yourself.  What resolutions, what promises have you made in your relationship with God? May none of your promises be made of pie crust! 

Thank you for studying with us! God bless!