2Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.
3But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac,
4and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.
5"‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.
6When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea.
7But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.
- P146
12I 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.
13So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’
- P147
Joshua assembles all the tribes at Shechem. He recounts what the Lord didfor them: calling Abraham, leading Israel from Egypt, parting the sea, givingthem victory over their enemies, and giving them land, cities, and vineyardsthey did not labor for. Joshua emphasizes the Lord‘s faithfulness, remindingthe people of His fulfilled promises throughout their history. - P147
Israel has become a great nation, and as their leaders gather after having accomplished some amazing feats in battle, Joshua gives them a history lesson on their humble beginnings, from the days of Abraham. Israel was not born a nation; they were made into one by their God. The history of Israel is not the story of an extraordinary man and his accomplishments; it is the story of what an extraordinary God worked through ordinary people. This is not only the story of Israel; this is our story. From the beginning, our story has been the doing of our God. - P148
He knit us in the womb, and He authored our faith so that we would know Him and walk with Him. - P148
Israel‘s deliverance was nothing short of miraculous. The very hands ofGod protected them against Egypt, including at the parting of the RedSea. When they entered the promised land, the Lord gave into their handsnations greater and better equipped than they. The account recited by Josh-ua is the story of a slave who became a son. Israel is in bondage no more;they are adopted as God‘s nation, and treated as such. - P148
Our salvation storyis nothing short of miraculous as well. While we were enemies of God, theHoly Spirit awakened our dead hearts so that we would believe in the gospelof Jesus Christ. The Father drew our hearts to Him so that faith would bebirthed. Our conversion is wholly His work. - P148
The above scenario is no exaggeration when it comes to what our God hasdone for us. In the work of our salvation, God did it all. He sent His Son todie for our sins. He then sent us the Holy Spirit to revive our dead hearts sothat we would believe in the work of the Son. The Holy Spirit then dwellsin our hearts and transforms us little by little to look more like the Son. Andwhen we fail, the same Spirit redirects our attention back to the work of theSon, giving us strength to press on. And when this race is over, we will crossthat finish line to fall into the arms of the Father who had been carryingus all along, and He will say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" - P149
Father, as I consider all that I have gone through, all that is in front of me, and even my future hopes and aspirations, I see Your hand. All that I have has been from You. I thank you for Your grace and mercy in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P149
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