25On that day Joshua made a c...

25On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.

26And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.

27"See!" he said to all the people. "This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God."

- P154

29After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten.

30And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

- P154

31Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

- P155

Joshua establishes a covenant with the tribes of Israel. A covenant is a spiritually binding agreement between two parties. It is a means of regulating a relationship that expresses commitment, mutual understanding, and promise. The essence of this particular covenant is that the people agree to serve and obey God rather than idols. - P156

While we see several covenants throughout biblical history, believers today live in the final one that Jesus Christ initiated. Referred to as the new covenant, it is the promise that God will forgive sin through Jesus and restore those who forsake their sins and turn toward Him. - P156

Let us affirm the covenant we have with Christ by continually receiving God’s Word into our hearts and seeking a deeper personal relationship with Him.
- P156

In the last scene of this book, we see that both Joshua and Eleazar the priestpass away and are buried, and we are reminded of how faithful the peoplewere to God under Joshua‘s leadership. While the passage is devoid of anyemotional language, we can feel both the weight of the memorial event andthe encouragement of seeing the faithfulness of God and the faithful obedi-ence of His people. This reminds us of another death, that of Jesus Christ,
and we remember His faithfulness to us.  - P156

Now, we have the opportunityto respond with faithful obedience to Him. Let us not be idle but moveforward in serving Him and working to build up His kingdom. - P156

ofI am reminded of the closing scene of Joshua‘s life. After many yearsleading Israel and following God into the promised land, Joshua gave hisfinal talk: "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... but asfor me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15),
Today is December 31, 2025. Like Wooden‘s players and Joshua‘s people,
we stand in the middle of a transition. The year is ending and a new seasonlies ahead. We can take this opportunity to remember God‘s faithfulnessthis year. We can write out who He has been for us and what He has done.
We can ask ourselves once again whom we will serve and recommit our-selves and our households to serving the Lord. - P156

Dear God, thank you for the covenant we have with Christ. As this year comes to an end, I want to commit to continue serving You and building up Your kingdom. Guide me to be a blessing to You and to the people around me this coming year. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen. - P157

사자와 나귀가 시체를 지키고 있는 장면 13:28 같...

사자와 나귀가 시체를 지키고 있는 장면 13:28 같은일부 세부 사항은 공상적으로 보일 수 있지만, 우리의 선호나 종교적편견과는 달리 나쁜 일이 실제로 선한 이들에게 일어난다는 현실주의적 주장이 강하게 깔려 있다. 요컨대 성서 내러티브는 인간 경험의복잡성을 부정하는 뻔한 말을 거부하므로, 하나의 직선을 따라 전개되지 않는 도덕적 상상력을 불러일으킨다. - P334

소국 유다의 야망에 유리하게 작용했다. 앗수르는 최종 붕괴 주전 612년를 향해 가고 있었고 바벨론의 해는 아직 떠오르지 않았으므로, 일시적인 권력 공백기가 발생했다. 북왕국 이스라엘은 한 세기 전에 멸망했고, 요시야는 한때 다윗 왕국이었던 영토의 일부를 회복할 수 있었다. 이러한 상황에서 신명기 역사가들은 이스라엘과 유다 왕권의 굴곡진 역사를 복된 결말로 이끈 것처럼 보이는 요시야‘에게 ‘문학적기념비를 세웠다. 하지만 유다의 정치적 행운은 오래가지 못했다.
요시야가 파라오 느고의 손에 전사하고, 왕하 23:29 약 20년 후에는 예루살렘의 함락과 함께 다윗 왕조가 멸망한다. 그 이후에는 비극적인 결말을 가진 새로운 역사가 필요했다. 무명의 ‘유다에서 온 하나님의사람‘ 이야기는 그런 사건들의 결과로 더욱 깊은 울림을 얻게 된다. - P337

16Then the people answered, ˝...

16Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!

17It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.

18And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God."

- P150

19Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.

- P150

14
"Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. - P150

23"Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel."

24And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the Lord our God and obey him."
- P151

Joshua urges Israel to fear and serve the Lord. He challenges them to choosewhom they will serve and declares that he and his household will serve theLord. The people respond that they will serve the Lord, recalling His deliver-ance and protection. Joshua warns of the consequences of forsaking the Lord,
and the people affirm their commitment to serve Him. - P151

As Joshua continues his final speech to the tribes of Israel, he reaffirms the people’s covenant with God and calls them to choose whom they will serve: God or the competing idols in the region. Joshua understands the temptations they face, but regardless of what each person decides, Joshua proclaims that he and his family will serve the one true God who has been faithful to Israel since the very beginning. - P152

Like Joshua, let our households set the example for others in choosing the Lord, faithfully serving the One who has been faithful to us. - P152

May we remember how God saved each of us and remain committed to Him, refusing to abandon the One who will never abandon us. - P152

As Joshua speaks with the people about their commitment to God, hemakes a shocking statement: Israel is not able to serve God, and He willnot forgive their rebellion and sins. At first glance, this negative declarationseems to contradict Joshua‘sa few versesing God solely by their owonate call to the people justprior. However, the message is clear: The Israelites are not capable of obey-will, and they will not be forgiven when theyallow their sins to persist and grow.  - P152

We are blessed because we can seek thedivine grace of forgiveness that is extended through the righteousness ofChrist. Let us recognize the holiness and jealousy of God, and repent of ourhabitual sins, determined to tolerate them no more. - P152

Heavenly Father, You are holy and rightfully jealous as no idol is worthy of competing with You for my love. I now reject all idols and repent of my persistent sins. I desire to live in Your holiness. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P153

[오늘의 한문장] 히브리 성서를 열다

그는 금송아지 형상 두 개를 만들어 하나는 벧엘에,
하나는 단의 성소에 두고 "이스라엘아, 이는 너희를 애굽 땅에서 인도하여 올린 너희의 신들이라" 12:28고 선언했다. 여로보암은 이 금송아지를 예배 대상이 아니라, 예루살렘 성전 뜰에 설치된 거대한 청동
‘바다‘를 받치고 있던 청동 황소처럼 신성한 힘의 상징으로 생각했을가능성이 높다. 그러나 예루살렘 성전만이 유일한 합법적 제사 장소라는 확고한 신념을 가진 신명기 역사가들은 그를 인정하지 않았다.
그들의 평가에 따르면 여로보암은 모든 왕실 우상숭배의 원흉이며,
그의 우상숭배는 결국 약 2세기 후 북왕국의 멸망을 초래했다. 따라서 유다에서 온 하나님의 사람은 왕과 그 미래에 맞선다. - P333

2Joshua said to all the peopl...

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