Choose This Day
(Joshua 24:1-33)
Remember Who Brought You Out
Joshua gathers the people at Shechem, sacred ground where covenant history runs deep. Before calling them to decide anything, he reminds them of what God has already done. Over and over the Lord speaks in the first person. I gave. I sent it. I brought it. Israel did not rescue themselves. They were relocated by grace. They were taken from the domain of other gods and placed into a promised inheritance. Covenant renewal begins with remembering grace. Before there is responsibility, there is rescue. Before obedience, there is deliverance. The story of God’s faithfulness becomes the foundation for every future decision. If we forget who brought us out, we will struggle to stay loyal to where He has placed us.
Put Away the Rival Gods
Joshua then presses the issue. Put away the foreign gods. This command comes after conquest, after victory, after settlement. That means idols can survive even in redeemed spaces. The battle is no longer about geography but about allegiance. Foreign gods may not look like statues, but they demand loyalty just the same. Comfort, security, control, identity, approval. These rivals relocate easily into the human heart. Joshua is not calling for moral improvement. He is calling for decisive renunciation. You dethrone idols in your life by enthroning Jesus. The cross is the triumph over every competing power. Covenant loyalty requires repentance. You cannot cling to the Lord while holding onto what competes with Him.
You Are Not Able
Joshua shocks the people when they confidently declare their commitment. You are not able to serve the Lord. His words expose a deeper truth. Human resolve is not enough. External victories are easier than internal transformation. Israel conquered cities, but their hearts still needed renewal. Covenant faithfulness demands more than determination. It requires a changed heart. This is where Joshua points beyond himself. A greater Joshua is needed. One who not only commands loyalty but creates it. Jesus fulfills what Joshua demands. Through Him, hearts are made new. Through Him, allegiance becomes possible. Apart from Him, we cannot remain faithful.
Choose This Day
The covenant is renewed. A stone is set as a witness. A generation passes. The land is settled, but the deeper question remains. Will the people remain loyal to their King? Joshua’s challenge echoes across time. Choose this day whom you will serve. This is not casual affiliation or cultural Christianity. It is covenant allegiance to the One who defeated the powers and rolled away the stone. We are always one generation away from forgetting. That is why discipleship matters. That is why worship matters. That is why remembrance matters. The book of Joshua ends with a choice. Not about land, but about loyalty. Not about territory, but about worship. The greater Joshua has secured the victory. The question is whether we will live in it.
— Aaron Dininny
Executive Director of Multiply