Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Joshua
Book: Joshua
Chapter: 23
Overview:
Joshua's exhortation before his
Death.
(1-10) Joshua warns the
people of
Idolatry.
(11-16)
1-10 Joshua was old and dying, let them observe what he said
now. He
Put them in mind of the great things
God had done for
them in his days. He exhorted them to be very courageous. Keep
with care, do with diligence, and regard with sincerity what is
written. Also, very cautiously to endeavour that the
Heathen
Idolatry may be forgotten,
So that it may never be revived. It
is sad that among Christians the names of the
Heathen gods are
So commonly used, and made
So familiar as they are.
Joshua
exhorts them to be very constant. There might be many things
amiss among them, but they had not forsaken the
Lord their
God;
the way to make people better, is to make the best of them.
11-16 Would we cleave to the
Lord, we must always stand upon
our
Guard, for many a soul is lost through carelessness.
Love
the
Lord your
God, and you will not leave him. Has
God been thus
true to you? Be not you false to him. He is
Faithful that has
promised, Heb 10:23. The experience of every
Christian
witnesses the same
Truth. Conflicts may have been severe and
long, trials great and many; but at the last he will acknowledge
that
Goodness and
Mercy followed him all the days of his
Life.
Joshua states the fatal consequences of going back; know for a
certainty it will be your ruin. The first step would be,
friendship with idolaters; the next would be, marrying with
them; the
End of that would be, serving their gods. Thus the way
of
Sin is down-
Hill, and those who have
Fellowship with sinners,
cannot avoid having
Fellowship with
Sin. He describes the
Destruction he warns them of. The
Goodness of the heavenly
Canaan, and the free and sure grant
God has made of it, will add
to the misery of those who shall for ever be shut out from it.
Nothing will make them see how wretched they are,
So much, as to
see how happy they might have been. Let us watch and pray
against
Temptation. Let us trust in
God's faithfulness,
Love,
and power; let us plead his promises, and cleave to his
Commandments, then we shall be happy in
Life, in
Death, and for
ever.