Joshua 23:6-13 – The Careful Obedience of the LORD’s People

The bulk of chapter 23 concerns the careful obedience of the LORD’s people. Joshua addresses their leaders (v2) as representatives of the people, so his demands are of every single Israelite.

Their standard of obedience is the Word of God (v6). The same demand is here placed on all the people as had been placed on Joshua at the beginning of his leadership (look back at 1:7-8). There is not a higher level of obedience expected from ministers or leaders than the members of the church! All God’s people owe obedience to His law.

Israel’s obedience was to take the form of separation (v7, 8). Mingling with the Canaanites would make their beliefs more easily available to Israel and their practices would soon seem more natural. Separation from sin and wickedness remains part of our obedience today. Obedient separation is often difficult and painful, but the difficulties do not undo the command. We cannot be taken out of the world but we must be kept from the evil one (John 17:15).

Joshua also set out to motivate the people to obedience: seeking to motivate Israel by the grace of God (v9, 10) and also appealing to the fear of God (v11-13). V9, 10 summarise what the LORD had done for Israel in the past. So Israel’s faithful obedience should be a response of gratitude for the LORD’s recent goodness. V11-13 warn Israel that if they turn away and cling to the other nations instead of the LORD, then He would no longer enable them to complete the conquest. Those nations would be “a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes” (v13). Just as Joshua argues from the memory of the LORD’s goodness, he also appeals to the threat of the LORD’s judgement. Both the grace of God and the fear of God should motivate the people of God to obedience.