Joshua is not offering Israel a choice. Really, he is giving them an option which is a “non-option.”
Ever since the “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” in Genesis 2:9, humanity has been faced with the option between good and evil, or life and death. Despite all of God’s good and gracious provision, humanity has consistently chosen the path that leads into slavery to sin and idols. Nevertheless, in spite of this, God Himself committed to setting humanity free from slavery through the Messiah/Zerah promise (Genesis 3:15).
In anticipation of God’s greatest deliverance through the Messiah, He foreshadowed this fulfilled promise in Israel’s rescue from Egypt (see Joshua 24:14). If this text sounds familiar, it is because Deuteronomy 30 is nearly the same. In light of the Exodus story, God performed great signs and wonders in Egypt to get Israel to the Promised Land through Deuteronomy to Joshua and has reminded them in our text of Egypt and all the Lord did to get them to the place where they are in our text for today. Is there now really any other god they would want to worship or any other path they would want to take? Joshua is not offering Israel a choice. Really, he is giving them an option which is a “non-option.” This means, in light of all God has done, where else are they going to go? But even though Israel would now choose “God,” and by extension “life” as we know the rest of the story, they would still sin. Like the son in Jesus’ parable in Matthew 21:28-32, Israel said they would obey the Lord, but would then turn back to disobedience later.
No amount of our sinful volition will ever choose God rightly. No act of our will can save us. Instead, ever since the creation and in light of our sin, God planned to send His only begotten Son as the new Adam and greater Joshua (1 Corinthians 15:45; Hebrews 4:8) and also as all of Israel in one person to choose what we will not and cannot. Because of our sin, Jesus chose to do His Father’s will. This has opened up to us the way of everlasting life. He accomplished this by hanging on the cursed tree of Calvary where His vicarious atonement reverses the curse and does what we cannot. He conquered the forces of evil and brought the reign and rule of God here among us. Adam and Eve could not do it at the tree in the garden and were cast out into the wilderness in sin. Israel could also not do it in the wilderness or the Promised Land because, even though they would choose God, eventually their sinful nature was incapable of keeping that promise.
We are fully aware we cannot do it as well “by our own reason or strength” (see the Explanation of the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed in Luther’s Small Catechism). But what humanity was incapable of doing on its own, God did by sending Jesus Christ to take our humanity into Himself for us! In Baptism, we cross that Jordan (like Israel did with Joshua) into a promised land of faith. By grace, the Holy Spirit creates and keeps these promises throughout the life we have with God in Word and Sacrament. In light of all God has done for us in Christ, is there any other idol worth worshipping? Is there any other way to salvation? It really is a non-option, is it not? Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through” Him, as it says in John 14:6.
In light of all God has done for us in Christ, is there any other idol worth worshipping? Is there any other way to salvation?
Here we have Joshua as a leader of Israel who is at the end of his career. This is why he is dealing with the topic of choice. He is thinking about succession and the future. The stronger point homiletically though is that we have One greater than Joshua to take us into the promises of God, the greatest Joshua whose name is Jesus. Instead of us choosing salvation even in light of all God has done for us, which we would certainly fail at accomplishing, God Himself chose Jesus to accomplish this for us. That God chose Jesus to accomplish this can be found anywhere in the New Testament. Specifically, though, for the sake of the sermon, we see it clearest in Jesus’ baptism (John 1:29-34). Notice how the heavens and the earth bore witness (from the skies came the dove to rest on Jesus as He was in the water) that Jesus is the one who will fulfill the Law for us and fulfills all the promises of God for us which is life and salvation. Now, because of God’s gracious choosing in Christ, Jesus has in-turn chosen us as He says in John 15:16. Not in the waters of the Jordan, but in the waters of our baptism God calls us in Christ which connects us to Jesus’ death and resurrection (Romans 6:1-11).
I once heard Pastor Dan Weber, whom I consider to be a great preacher, make use of this “non-option” choosing in the form of an analogy. His text was Joshua 24, which means we are using his illustration for our preparation to preach on the same text. He used an analogy because he took the concept from the text, and it landed in the common life of the hearers; whether personally embodied as a reference or overheard as a general truism. He tells the true story of a time when he was child and decided to run away. Burnt by some offense to his great will by his parents, he packed up his meager provisions and announced his departure. What shocked him to the core was the fact that his parents did not seem to care at all. In fact, they told him, “Goodbye.” This was not the reaction he was expecting. He had surely thought that they would be sad or even a little upset and maybe even perhaps beg him to stay, which would, of course, satisfy his ego that they needed him, and they were wrong to force him away like this. But they simply acted as if they did not care. He inched toward the door calling their bluff. They did not budge. Perhaps, he even turned the handle noisily to try and signal his imminent departure. They were not phased. He said, “Okay, I’m going now. Aren’t you going to miss me? Don’t you care I’m leaving?” All his parent said in response was, “Where are you going to go?” That question shot a hole straight through his entire scheme! He was done for. His plan was sunk, because he knew the truth of it was, he had no idea where he was going to go. He had no real plan! He would be alone, abandoned, destitute, and surely crawling back home like the son in Jesus’ parable from Luke 15. He knew there was nowhere else for him to go. They were it and, like it or not, they had been so good to him. His choice was a non-choice. He had nothing without their love and provision. It was even them who had given him life and the bag he had packed and the contents therein. All he could do is repent, unpack, and live under their gracious rule as God’s good gift to them.
This analogy helps to highlight the point of our text from Joshua. God had given the Israelites a choice which was a “non-choice.” Where else were they going to go? So, the analogy helps land the sermon for the hearers. Because this is the case, I suggest using a Thematic Structure for the sermon called the “Analogy” structure. In this type of arrangement:
“The sermon introduces hearers to a theological topic by moving from the known to the unknown. The sermon is based upon an act of comparison as the preacher compares a topic that is familiar to the hearers but of secondary importance (in other words, the analogy or secondary topic) to the topic of primary importance that might be unfamiliar to the hearers (which will be the main topic of the sermon). By doing this, the preacher moves from the familiar to the unfamiliar and allows the analogy to shed light on the theological topic.”[1]
God had given the Israelites a choice which was a “non-choice.” Where else were they going to go?
For example, an attempted runaway learns his option is really a “non-option” (the topic of secondary importance that is familiar to the hearers) in the same way God presents Israel with the choice between life and death, which is also really a “non-option” (the topic of primary importance that is unfamiliar to the hearers).
The key to doing this structure well is:
“The secondary topic needs to (1) be familiar to the hearers so the preacher is not forced to explain two topics at once and the secondary topic might serve as a mnemonic device, (2) be of a different nature than the main topic so that it incites interest for the hearers in the comparison, and (3) have a positive effect so the hearers are not offended by the comparison. Also, the preacher needs to be aware that all analogies break down and thereby prevent his hearers from falling into confusion, either by clarifying for them the limits of the analogy or avoiding development which would lead toward that error.”[2]
This story from Dan Weber could be a helpful analogy of how Joshua is posing a similar option in this sermon structure. Where else was Israel going to go? Who else were they going to serve? There really was no other option for them. Trust in the God who saves. Live under His reign and rule by faith in His promises. This is something we see so clearly in Christ who is our life and salvation. The key to handling all of the “choosing” language without synergism is to hold out that in the Garden we had a choice which we messed up. So, then God made a choice to enact a plan that we see foreshadowed in the Exodus story. Consequently, in light of His deliverance (in Exodus) God holds before Israel the choice in our text again. They correctly chose Him but were unable to keep that promise (even in Joshua and the rest of the Old Testament) because of our sinful condition. Therefore, God chose Jesus to fulfill the obligation of the Law in our place for everyone. It is important to acknowledge how, given the option, we would not choose this salvation rightly either, our will is miserably corrupted by sin. However, now that salvation is in Christ and in light of all of this (curse of Eden’s tree/salvation from Calvary’s tree) Jesus chose us in baptism (Israel crossed the Jordan into promised land/we pass through baptism into the promises of God in Christ, that includes salvation; see Romans 6:1-11), which is how we live and are blessed in Him.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
Text Week-A treasury of resources from various traditions to help you preach Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
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[1] https://concordiatheology.org/sermon-structs/thematic/analogy/
[2] https://concordiatheology.org/sermon-structs/thematic/analogy/
