Yahweh is our God!

Read or hear the story from Joshua 24:14-18.

Joshua is standing on a hill at Shechem, addressing the twelve tribes of Israel. Read his words loud enough for thousands of folks to hear.

What have been the steps in your journey with God?
Click here to add your response and/or read others' responses.

At the end of Joshua, the land has been:

    entered

    conquered

    distributed

Joshua gathers all the people to recite what God has done for them (Joshua 24:1-13).

Learn more about this part
of the Shechem covenant story.

The people know the story and they tell it back to Joshua (Joshua 24:17):

ENSLAVED by Egypt	FREED through the sea	PROTECTED in the wilderness	GIVEN the land

GRACE
GOD DID IT ALL FOR ISRAEL
ISRAEL DIDN'T DO ANYTHING
GRACE

But...(a little traveling music please)

Israel is expected

to notice what has happened

to pledge loyalty to Yahweh.

When have you made primary choices about life commitments?
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Chapter 24 of the book of Joshua is about the unification of twelve tribes into a new political unit called an amphyctiony. As we observe from American history, loose political confederations are unstable. Yet the twelve tribes of Israel remained bonded together for 200 years before a new kind of political arrangement was organized (a monarchy--the story beginning with Samuel, Saul, and David).

Remembering together the story of God's gracious acts in a ritualized worship setting kept the people bonded together. The story becomes common ground. In the Christian tradition, the special remembering of Communion rituals and biblical stories does the same thing.

In Old Testament understanding,

a choice of commitment to God

meant a choice of commitment to justice

--especially for poor, oppressed, or vulnerable people.

These are organizations seeking justice for such persons:

Read the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church

What one step will you take toward justice?
Click here to add your response and/or read others' responses.

What do you think?
Is injustice an accurate way of understanding the other gods which need to be rejected?

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The Joshua Website is a resource from: The Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church Women's Division E-mail Women's Division Website General Board of Global Ministries Website In cooperation with the Network of Biblical Storytellers Network of Biblical Storytellers E-mail Network of Biblical Storytellers Webpage Created by the Joshua Project Team who would appreciate your feedback.