Come Not Among These Nations - Joshua 23:7

In the book of Joshua, we learned how Joshua was old, and he told the people of Israel, “Be you therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that you turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse seven of the book of Joshua, “Joshua” said, “come not among these nations”, where we read, 

That you come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:

The verse reads, “That you come not among these nations, these that remain among you;” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “that you come not” which means “so you, the people of Israel, do not enter or draw near” “among these nations” or “in the midst and middle of the pagan and Gentile people groups”, “these that remain among you” which means “the pagan and Gentile people groups who continue and in the midst and middle of you, the people of Israel”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” told the people of Israel not to enter or come near to the midst of the Gentile pagan people groups who continued to live around them. 

The verse goes on to say, “neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “neither make mention” which means “no and not in any way remember, recall or call to mind” “of the name of their gods” or “pertaining to the reputation, fame or glory belonging to their, the pagan Gentile nations’, deities”, “nor cause to swear by them” which means “no and not in any manner adjure, take an oath or charge through them, the pagan Gentile nations”, “neither serve them” or “no and not in any way to work or labor for them, the pagan Gentile nations’ deities”, “nor bow yourselves unto them” which means “no and not in any way prostrate, make obeisance or give worship to them, the pagan Gentile nations’s deities”. Joshua or the writer shared how the people of Israel were not to speak of the deities of the pagan Gentile nations; they were not to labor on their behalf nor make an oath by them or worship them. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Joshua continued to give instructions to the people of Israel even while he was about to depart from the earth. He warned them not to mingle with the people of the foreign nations, and they were not to speak of, take oaths by, labor for or make obeisance to them. In other words, they were to separate themselves from these pagan nations and their gods. God wants us to separate ourselves from the ways and gods of the world, and this is accomplished when we receive His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days as our personal “Savior and Lord”. When we yield to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and give us the ability to resist the world, it’s influence and it’s gods that will draw us away from Him. (See John 3:16: 16:13; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 6:17)

Next time Joshua says, “cleave unto the LORD your God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".