'Choose you this day whom ye will serve'
In his October 1982 general conference address, Elder Howard W. Hunter spoke of Joshua's success as a spiritual leader and military commander.
He recounted how Joshua, as successor to Moses, led the children of Israel across the Jordan into the promised land and, when called upon by the Lord to do so, led them into victorious battles against their enemies.Near the end of his life, Joshua called Israel together and recounted how they had been victorious because God had fought for them. He then urged the children of Israel to make a commitment, which he had made for himself and for his family:
"Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh. 24:15.)
Elder Hunter said, "Here was a great statement of full commitment of a man of God; of a prophet to the desires of the Lord; of Joshua the man to his God, who had many times previously blessed his obedience. He was telling the Israelites that regardless of how they decided, he would do what he knew was right.
"He was saying that his decision to serve the Lord was independent of whatever they decided; that their actions would not affect his; that his commitment to do the Lord's will would not be altered by anything they or anyone else would do. Joshua was firmly in control of his actions and had his eyes fixed on the commandments of the Lord. He was committed to obedience."
Elder Hunter surmised that the Lord loves, more than anything else, an unwavering determination to obey His counsel. "Surely the experiences of the great prophets of the Old Testament have been recorded to help us understand the importance of choosing the path of strict obedience," said Elder Hunter.
"We have examples from the scriptures of how we should consider and evaluate the commandments of the Lord. If we choose to react like Joshua . . . our response will be, simply, to go and do the thing that the Lord has commanded.
"There is good reason to make our decision now to serve the Lord. . . . We should decide now, in the light of morning, how we will act when the darkness of night and when the storms of temptation arrive."
(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.
Information compiled by Gerry Avant
Sources: Articles of Faith, by Elder James E. Talmage; Joshua, Man of Faith, by Elder Mark E. Petersen; John A. Dickson's Bible Commentary and Dictionary; and October 1982 general conference report.
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