“I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.”
~ Joshua 24:12
Hi James and Ellen,
Have you ever been to a funeral of an old guy or gal who died who you knew really well? If you knew an old guy or gal really well who died, did you sense a strong lost feeling because of how special and important that the guy or gal was being to you through the role that he or she was playing in the development of your emotional and spiritual underpinning? If you knew an old guy or gal really well who died who had always been a part of your lives, did you sense a sudden feeling of a sad emptiness in your lives? When your grandmaa and grandpaa were living in Bolivia – where they were for twelve years missionaries on the South America Mission field missionary team, your grandmaa and grandpaa went to a couple of velorios. A velorio is like a wake or vigil for a guy, gal or kid right after the guy, gal or kid dies when guys, gals and kids can spend time with the immediate family of the deceased guy, gal or kid. The deceased guy, gal or kid may be viewed one last time during the wake or vigil as he or she lies in an open casket and condolences can be said to the family of the deceased guy, gal or kid. If a guy, gal or kid dies in a Latin America country – such as Bolivia, and if he or she has a Catholic Church belief tradition, candles are lit and placed around the casket. Guys and gals who have adopted the Catholic Church beliefs use lit candles to symbolize prayers that are being made for the deceased guy, gal or kid who is presumed to be in a place of torment that is called purgatory where this guy, gal or kid will his or her their sins expunged so that he or she will end up in heaven. There is more sadness and angst – per what your grandmaa and your grandpaa witnessed in Bolivia, among the guys and gals who are at a velorio for an old guy or gal who died than for a baby or young kid who died. When your grandmaa asked a Bolivian gal one day why it seemed to be the case that there was more grief and anguish at a velorio when an old guy or gal died than when a baby or young kid died, the gal told your grandmaa that it was always sadder for them when an old guy or gal died because he or she was leaving behind a lifetime of memories than it was when a baby or young kid died who was not leaving behind many memories.
Joshua 24 is the record of Joshua’s last days on planet Earth. Joshua was 110 years old when he died. Joshua was at least 20 years older than any other guy – other than Caleb if Caleb was still alive, in any of the Israelite people group tribal clans when Joshua called a special assembly to be held in the town of Shechem – which was where Joshua had settled. Joshua began the special meeting – that he had called in the town of Shechem to meet with elders, leaders, judges and officials from each one of the Israelite people group tribal clans, by first presenting himself and every guy before God. Joshua then gave a brief overview to the Israelite people group tribal clans’ elders, leaders, judges and officials of the history of their existence – beginning with Abraham’s dad, Abraham, and Abraham’s family and ending with they being Abraham’s descendants living in the same land area where Abraham had once lived when Abraham moved from beyond the River – which was the land area that is now Iraq, that God gave them to always to have to live in as their very own land if . . . in his oration that Joshus gave to elders, leaders, judges and officials from his people group tribal clans, Joshua in verse 12 reminded his people group tribal clans’ elders, leaders, judges and officials what God’s role had been in the removal of the enemy people groups of guys, gals and kids – such as the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Girgashites and Jebusites people groups guys, gals and kids, from the land area that He gave them to always to have to live in as their very own land if . . . “I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.” Joshua wanted his people group guys and gals to never forget that they did not have to prepare the soil to plant crops as the soil had already been tilled, build cities in which to live in as cities had already been built and plant vineyards and olive groves as vineyards and olives groves had already been planted in the land that He gave them to always have to live in as their very own land if . . .
Joshua ended his talk to the Israelite people group’s tribal clans’ elders, leaders, judges and officials with an appeal to completely destroy all the manmade rock, clay, metal and wood idol gods that their dads had worshipped and to worship only God. Elders, leaders, judges and officials from the Israelite people group tribal clans who went to the town of Shechem to be there for Joshua’s final gathering said that they would completely destroy the false handmade gods that their dads had worshipped and that they would worship only God. Joshua reminded the guys that God had performed great signs – which they had seen, that He had protected them on their exodus to where they were now living, that He was a holy and jealous God and that He would not forgive their rebellious spirit and sin actions is which they would become involved. When the Israelite people group tribal clans’ elders, leaders, judges and officials who were in the town of Shechem heard Joshua say this, they assured Joshua that they would always serve God. Joshua would use what his Israelite people group compatriots said about always worshipping only God to have them be a witness to each other that they would never forsake God. Joshua’s death left a spiritual leadership vacuum among the Israelite people group guys and gals that opened up the opportunity for Satan to compel them to do what they vowed that they would never do – which was to turn away from God to worship Satan infused gods.
Joshua 24 (940)