The Conquest of Canaan and the Kingdom of God (15) Choose Whom You Will Serve

“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. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Jos 24:14-15)
 
Review
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the Kingdom of God. In our last two messages, we explored what kind of mindset we should have as people of God’s Kingdom by looking at the life of Caleb.
 
Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land of Canaan. Out of the twelve, ten spies came back with a negative report, saying it was impossible for Israel to conquer the land. But Joshua and Caleb gave a completely different report.
 
So, why did these twelve men, who saw the exact same land, come back with such opposite conclusions? The answer is perspective.
 
The ten spies focused on the strength of the enemy—how fortified their cities were, how tall and strong the people seemed, and how small and weak the Israelites were in comparison. Honestly, their observations weren’t entirely wrong. Compared to the nations of Canaan, Israel had no real weapons, no trained army, and no experience in warfare. They had been slaves for generations.
 
But there was something important missing from their report: God. If they had looked beyond their own strength and remembered what God had already done—how He had sent ten plagues on Egypt, split the Red Sea with His mighty hand, brought water from a rock in the desert, fed them from heaven, and guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night—they would have responded with faith and courage instead of fear.
 
That’s why Caleb’s report was so different. While the ten spies compared themselves to the people of Canaan and said, “We look like grasshoppers to them,” Caleb saw the situation through a Kingdom perspective. He remembered who God was.
 
Yes, the Israelites were weak. But Caleb knew that with God on their side, the enemies were no match for them. He even said, “We can devour them [because] the Lord is with us.” (Nm 14:9)
 
Caleb’s heart didn’t waver, even in the face of the enemy’s strength. His heart wasn’t divided or shaken by fear. His heart was fully devoted to God. His eyes were fixed on the Lord alone. The Kingdom of God belongs to those who trust in God with their whole hearts—who rely not on their own strength, but live by His power. It is given to those who keep their eyes on Him and walk by faith.
 
God saw Caleb’s heart and said this about him,
“But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” (Numbers 14:24)
 
This promise was given to Caleb on the very day he boldly stood before the people and gave his report. But the fulfillment of that promise didn’t happen right away—it took a long time.
 
The Israelites chose to believe the negative report of the ten spies rather than the one from Joshua and Caleb. As a result, they refused to enter the land God had promised to give them. Because of their disobedience and refusal to trust Him, God caused the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for 38 more years. But during all that time, Caleb never forgot God’s promise.
 
Eventually, God brought the Israelites across the Jordan River and led them into the land of Canaan. They began to conquer the cities, defeat kings, and take possession of the land. That conquest took about seven years. And throughout those years, Caleb held on to the promise God had given him.
 
Then finally, when the conquest was nearing completion and the land was being divided among the tribes of Israel, Caleb came to Joshua and said,
 
“So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly... Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.’” (Joshua 14:9, 12)
 
Here we discover the secret behind Caleb’s passion and strength, even in his old age. He kept his eyes fixed on the promise God had given him. Even though it took a long time, Caleb never doubted that God would fulfill His word. His heart remained fully devoted to the Lord, and his life stood firmly on the foundation of God's promise.
 
And in the end, just as God had promised 45 years earlier, Caleb received his inheritance. God gave him and his descendants the land He had sworn to give them.
 
This is the perspective we must have as people of the Kingdom of God. The Bible is a book of promises. Some are given personally to us, and others are shared by all believers in Christ. But one thing is certain: God is able to fulfill every single one of His promises. As Paul wrote,
 
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:20a)
 
So how should we respond to God's promises? We don’t respond with doubt just because the fulfillment seems delayed. We don’t forget about it or live as if it doesn't matter. No, we respond with faith. We say “Amen” to God’s promises. We remember them. We meditate on them. And we live anchored in those promises day by day.
 
We have been given the promise of the Kingdom of God as our inheritance. Jesus Himself promised that He is preparing a place for us and that He will return to bring us there with Him. We also have the promise of resurrection. One day, we will not be clothed in this weak, sin-prone body, but in a glorious resurrection body like that of Jesus Christ.
Right now, we may still fear death or experience sorrow and separation. But we have been promised eternal life—not just someday, but already now, in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
 
God will fulfill every one of His promises. Every promise of the Old Testament was fulfilled through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And all the promises of the New Testament will be fully accomplished when Jesus comes again. So all of God’s promises find their “Yes” in Christ. And God, who is faithful, is more than able to keep them.
 
As people of His Kingdom, our role is to keep remembering those promises, to trust in the One who made them, and to live with faith and hope until the day we fully receive what has been promised. That is the mindset we are called to have as citizens of God’s Kingdom.
 
The Conquest of Canaan and the Kingdom of God
So, over the past 15 weeks, we’ve been walking through the book of Joshua, learning what it means to live as people of God’s Kingdom. Through this journey, we’ve discovered the kind of heart and mindset we need in order to truly follow God and build His Kingdom here on earth.
 
The mission to establish God’s Kingdom in the land of Canaan began with Joshua’s deep trust in God. The people of Israel crossed the Jordan River during flood season, witnessing the power of God firsthand. When God commanded them to be circumcised right before facing the city of Jericho, they learned to trust Him even when the timing didn’t make sense. Through their obedience, they experienced God's protection.
 
We also learned from God's command, “Take off your sandals,” which was given to Joshua through the commander of the Lord. That moment reminded us that living as God’s people means surrendering our rights to Him—not just our time and money, but even our right to choose where we live, to hold on to our relationships, and to claim our very lives.
 
Through the battle of Jericho, we saw that victory belongs to the Lord. Through the defeat at Ai, we learned the importance of fully depending on God and staying away from sin. And finally, through Caleb’s testimony, we saw the beauty of having an undivided heart for God and of remembering and trusting in His promises no matter how long it takes.
 
These are not just stories from ancient history. These are essential lessons for us today.
 
Just as the Israelites were called to establish God's Kingdom in the land of Canaan according to His Word and His ways, we too are called to bring the Kingdom of God into this broken and sinful world through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
So, how can we bring the Kingdom to the world? By placing our full trust in God. By obeying His commands completely, surrendering our rights to Him, loving Him with our whole hearts, and holding fast to His promises with unshakable faith. That is when the Kingdom of God is built through our lives.
 
This is the message of the book of Joshua: Live as people of the Kingdom with a clear purpose and perspective. Walk by faith. Obey fully. Surrender completely. Trust wholeheartedly. Then, we will see God's Kingdom come wherever we are.
 
Joshua’s Final Sermon
Now, as we come to the end of the book of Joshua, we arrive at Joshua’s final words as the second leader of Israel.
 
A lot of time had passed since the conquest of Canaan and the division of the land. Now Joshua was old, and he knew that his time was coming to an end. However, the conquest of the land was not yet complete. The Israelites had received their allotted portions, but they had not completely driven out the nations living in the land. So God told Joshua to have the Israelites take possession of the land.
 
This is from Joshua 13.
“When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, ‘You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over... I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.’” (Joshua 13:1, 7)
 
However, the Israelites hesitated to obey God’s command to drive out the nations and take possession of the land. It might have been because they had already conquered much of the land, or perhaps they wanted to avoid more war. Whatever the case might have been, they did not fully obey God’s command to take the land, and as a result, they ended up living among other nations who did not serve God.
 
This is repeatedly seen throughout the latter part of the book of Joshua.
 
"Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah." (Joshua 15:63)
 
"They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim." (Joshua 16:10)
 
"Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region." (Joshua 17:12)
 
This is the context of Joshua’s sermon that we read today. The conquest of the land of Canaan was quite successful. The Israelites had conquered many cities, driven out many kings and nations, and taken possession of the land.
 
However, there were still lingering concerns. Other nations were still living in the land of Canaan, and this was because the Israelites had not fully obeyed God’s command to take possession of the land. We will see in the next book, Judges, just how serious and tragic this failure turned out to be.
 
This is why Joshua wanted to give his final words of exhortation and warning to the people of Israel and their leaders before his death. Joshua’s final words speak powerfully about what it means to live as people of the kingdom of God.
 
1) Remember God
Joshua begins with a reminder of all that God has done.
 
“You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you.” (Joshua 23:3)
 
Joshua’s first message is this: Don’t forget who brought you here. Israel didn’t get to the promised land because they were strong. They crossed the Jordan, marched around Jericho and went through battles. Sometimes they stumbled and fell, but when they turned back to God, He picked them up. Through every high and low, one thing stayed the same: the Lord was with them. He fought for them. He carried them. So Joshua is saying, “Don’t let success cause you to forget the Source.”
 
As Kingdom people, we need this same reminder. We are not here by our own strength. Our salvation, our victories, our growth—all of it is because of the grace and power of God. He is the One who has brought us this far. To live faithfully as God’s Kingdom people, we must regularly remember His faithfulness. Forgetting leads to faithlessness. But remembering leads to worship, obedience, and trust.
 
2) Be careful to Obey
Second, Joshua said, “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.” (Jos 23:6)
 
This is the word God gave to Joshua when He first called him. God told Joshua, who was struggling with fear and pressure, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.." (Joshua 1:6)
 
Joshua lived his whole life treasuring this word in his heart. He experienced the power of this promise. When he did not rely on anything else but meditated on God’s word day and night and sought to live according to it, he experienced how that word made him strong and courageous. Now, he encouraged the people with the same words.
 
In the Kingdom of God, strength is not about physical power or human willpower. It comes from a deep reliance on God and His Word. That was what Joshua wanted the people to know and experience as well.
 
There are many paths in this world, and many temptations as well. In the midst of these countless paths and temptations, we sometimes stray and stumble. That is why we must guard our hearts by meditating on the unchanging, eternal word of God and living in obedience to it. When we do that, we will not be shaken. When our lives are deeply rooted in God’s word, no matter what temptations or trials come our way, we will stand firm in His word and be victorious wherever we are.
 
3) Warning against Compromise
Third, Joshua gave a clear warning. He said,
 
“Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them.” (Jos 23:7)
 
Joshua knew the temptation that lay ahead. Now that the land had been largely conquered and the Israelites were settling down, it would be easy to grow spiritually lazy. There were still other nations in the land, and it would've been easy to blend in—to take on their cultures, follow their gods, and slowly compromise their calling.
 
Here, we see a great enemy that hinders our spiritual growth and alertness. The greatest threat to Kingdom life is not always external persecution. It’s internal compromise. We live in a world full of idols—false sources of identity, security, and satisfaction. Success, popularity, pleasure, comfort, and more—these are the modern-day “gods” that quietly steal our hearts and pull us away from our calling to build God’s Kingdom.
 
Joshua warns us, “If you compromise, you will lose the inheritance God has given you.” Josuah 23:12-13 says,
 
“But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.” (Jos 23:12-13)
 
The Kingdom of God requires an undivided heart. As Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters.” So we must be careful not to drift spiritually. Compromise doesn’t come all at once. It comes by degrees—by tolerating what God calls sin, by forgetting what God has done, by silencing His voice in favor of our own desires.
 
That is why we must always be spiritually awake. We must always be equipped with God’s word and the mission He has given us and press on, keeping our eyes on His promise until the end. The Kingdom of God is given to those who do not compromise but remain faithful to the end.
 
4) Hold Fast to the Lord and Love the Lord
Fourth, Joshua said, “But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God.” (Jos 23:8-11)
 
These verses give us the emotional and relational core of what it means to live in God’s Kingdom. It’s not just about obedience—it’s about relationship. Joshua doesn't just say "obey God" or "serve God." He says to hold fast to Him and love Him.
 
Here, the Hebrew word that’s translated as ‘hold fast’ is דָּבַק (dabaq), which means to cling, stick, stay close, keep close, follow closely, and join to.
 
The word dabaq is used to describe a state of being stuck together so closely that it cannot be separated. Job said, “My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh” (Job 19:20), and the word he used was dabaq. This word is also used to describe the deep bond between a husband and wife. Genesis 2:24 says, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (Gen 2:24) The word translated as united in this verse is dabaq.
 
This is the kind of relationship God desires to have with us. God wants us to be so close to Him that we become inseparable, like flesh clinging to bone. The closest relationship in this world is the union between husband and wife, yet God desires to share an even deeper bond with us than that.
 
What fuels that kind of intimacy and closeness is love. Love is not just an emotion—it is a deep, covenantal commitment to treasure God above all else. It’s the greatest commandment we find in the Bible.
 
Deuteronomy 6:4–5 is considered to be the most important commandment in the Old Testament. It says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4–5)
 
When the religious leaders asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, the Lord answered: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37–38)
 
Everything God has done for us ultimately flows out of His love. In the same way, everything we do for God must also come from our love for Him. Just as God's love for us was revealed in the incarnation and sacrificial death of His Son, our love for God should be revealed in the same way.
 
That love should be expressed through our obedience to His word, through a life lived for His glory, through becoming more like Jesus Christ, through loving the neighbors God has placed around us, and through willingly giving up our own rights in order to follow Him. This is the true life of a citizen of the Kingdom of God.
 
So here’s the important question we need to keep asking ourselves: Am I really clinging to God? Am I loving Him first and foremost? Kingdom people are people who love the King. So let’s stay close, stay devoted, and love the Lord with everything we have.
 
James said, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (Jms 4:8)
 
When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. In fact, God desires to be close to us far more than we desire to be close to Him. He simply does not force Himself on us. Today, let’s open our hearts and our lives to God once again, and choose to honor and love Him as the King of our lives. When we do, He will be with us, fight for us, and always give us victory.
 
5) Choose the Lord and Serve Him
Now we’ve reached the highlight of Joshua’s sermon. In Joshua 24, after gathering all the tribes of Israel, Joshua started by reminding them how graciously God had led them from Egypt to the wilderness, and from the wilderness to the very land they were standing on now—all by His mighty hand.
 
Then, Joshua told them,
“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14–15)
 
Here we find a very important attitude we must have toward God: the fear of the Lord. A few years ago, we learned about what it means to fear God. It is not simply being afraid of Him. To fear God means to respond properly to His majesty and holiness. It is giving Him the glory He deserves and living before Him with the awareness that He is the righteous Judge.
 
Fearing God also means loving Him. We cannot truly love God without fearing Him, and vice versa. Love without fear will lead us into excessive license, and fear without love will make us legalistic. Neither of these is what God desires. The posture God wants us to have before Him is to live with complete love and reverence for Him.
 
So, this is not a call for half-hearted faith. This is not a call for a divided heart. It’s a call for a decisive commitment. He said, “Choose this day." Not tomorrow. Not someday. Not when life calms down. Today.
 
That same choice is before us now. Every day, we decide which kingdom we’ll live for. Will I serve God’s Kingdom, or the kingdoms of this world? Joshua boldly declares, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” I want us to make that same commitment today.
 
Right now, God is speaking to us through this message. He is inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him. What choice will you make today? Will you choose for eternity, or will you put it off? I pray that the choice we make today will be one that pleases God. Let us leave behind our past failures and decide once again to fully follow, fear, love, and serve God.
 
Now, let’s sing ‘Jesus My Everything’ and take time to pray.
________________________
 
As we reflect on Joshua’s final sermon, we see a powerful message for us today. Joshua reminds God’s people to never forget the faithfulness of the Lord who has brought us this far. He urges us to be strong by carefully obeying God’s Word without turning away. He warns against compromise and the cares and idols of this world that can pull us away from God’s calling.
 
More than rules, Joshua calls us to a deep, intimate relationship with God—to cling to Him, love Him with all our hearts, and hold fast to the God, who fights for us. Finally, Joshua challenges us to make a clear choice: to serve the Lord wholeheartedly.
 
Today, just as Joshua called the Israelites, God is calling each of us to renew our commitment to live as faithful Kingdom people who love, obey, and serve the Lord with undivided hearts.
 
Now, as we come to a time of personal reflection and prayer, I want to invite each of you to open your hearts to God.  This moment is your opportunity to respond personally to God’s invitation.
 
Maybe there’s something you need to remember about God’s faithfulness in your life. Maybe there’s an area where you need strength to obey and follow Him more closely. Maybe God is calling you to surrender idols or distractions, and to renew your love and commitment to Him. Whatever they are, let’s lift them up to God with humility and lay them down at His feet.
 
As we pray, take this time to listen, to confess, to commit, and to receive God’s grace. Let’s pray together.
 
[Prayer]
Heavenly Father, we thank You for speaking to us through Joshua’s sermon. Thank You for reminding us of Your unfailing faithfulness, Your mighty power, and Your patient love.
 
Lord, help us to remember Your goodness in every season. Strengthen us to obey Your Word fully and to resist the temptations and compromises that threaten to pull us away from You. Teach us to cling to You with all our hearts, to love You above all else, and to serve You wholeheartedly every day.
As we go from this place, may Your Spirit empower us to live as true citizens of Your Kingdom—bold, faithful, and devoted to You alone. Keep us rooted in Your Word and close in Your presence.
 
We commit ourselves to You again today—our God, our King, and our Savior. May Your will be done and Your kingdom come through our lives.
 
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
 
[Reflection Questions]
1.  Out of the five commands Joshua talked about, which one stood out the most to you today? How will you respond to it in your life?
 
1) Remember God
2) Meditate on and obey the Law
3) Do not compromise
4) Hold fast to and Love God
5) Choose to fear and serve God
 
2. What is one commitment you want to make today to love and serve the Lord more wholeheartedly as people of the kingdom of God?