Shechem was appropriate for...
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Shechem was appropriate for this meeting since it was the place where they had the first covenant after they entered the Promised Land. Now they were receiving a new covenant there where they were leaving the old idol worship behind them. They were leaving the old family traditions, which had been followed for generations. When this was done in Nepal, it often separated the people from their families as well as the idols they worshiped. Traditions are hard to break. It seems to hint in this scripture that some kept a few gods in their back pocket just in case. Rebecca brought a few family gods with her when she went to be Isaac's wife. It almost seemed to be expected.
We bought a hanging with a picture of an elephant on it, but when our seminary boys saw it they were horrified. They said it was a Hindu god. We bought it only as a decoration. They had read Joshua's warning and didn't want God's wrath on us.
There are often "hangovers" from the past and we see these in recent times where churches were built on the site of pagan worship centers. Even the day of Christ's birth and the new year were set partly because it was an old pagan traditional date. The whole history of the church is full of such compromises. Our Christmas tree is an old pagan symbol.
Abraham was called away from his native land because of the persecution he felt when he changed allegiances. Some are forced to do that in many mission fields today -- especially Muslims who convert to Christ who could face death for converting if they stay where they are.
Joshua is saying "Hey, make up your minds now!" Don't try to make compromises to your faith! Choose now! Don't wait around and risk falling back into your old paganism! He was ratifying the covenant that Moses brought down from the mountain.
If democracy had prevailed from that day, we would be worshiping a golden calf. Well, at least they called it Jehovah. Democracy was a disaster in almost the entire Bible. Remember when the "majority" voted to crucify our Lord?
In this case, Joshua wanted to bring them back to the original covenant that was made on that spot. Doesn't God lead us back almost every week? Maybe every day? We can find ourselves drifting away with every temptation. That's why we come before the Lord's altar every Sunday to ask forgiveness.
We bought a hanging with a picture of an elephant on it, but when our seminary boys saw it they were horrified. They said it was a Hindu god. We bought it only as a decoration. They had read Joshua's warning and didn't want God's wrath on us.
There are often "hangovers" from the past and we see these in recent times where churches were built on the site of pagan worship centers. Even the day of Christ's birth and the new year were set partly because it was an old pagan traditional date. The whole history of the church is full of such compromises. Our Christmas tree is an old pagan symbol.
Abraham was called away from his native land because of the persecution he felt when he changed allegiances. Some are forced to do that in many mission fields today -- especially Muslims who convert to Christ who could face death for converting if they stay where they are.
Joshua is saying "Hey, make up your minds now!" Don't try to make compromises to your faith! Choose now! Don't wait around and risk falling back into your old paganism! He was ratifying the covenant that Moses brought down from the mountain.
If democracy had prevailed from that day, we would be worshiping a golden calf. Well, at least they called it Jehovah. Democracy was a disaster in almost the entire Bible. Remember when the "majority" voted to crucify our Lord?
In this case, Joshua wanted to bring them back to the original covenant that was made on that spot. Doesn't God lead us back almost every week? Maybe every day? We can find ourselves drifting away with every temptation. That's why we come before the Lord's altar every Sunday to ask forgiveness.
