Thurs.’s Devo - We Will Serve the Lord

Read Judges 24:1-33; Luke 21:1-28; Psalm 89:38-52; Proverbs 13:20-23 Joshua called for all the leaders of the tribes to meet him in Shechem. Shechem was a city of refuge so it was a Levite city. Joshua told the leaders the story of their history and how God delivered them out of idolatry and slavery and gave them victory over all the inhabitants of their new land. He admonished them to fear the Lord and to put away any thought of serving the gods of their ancestors. Then he posed them their options. They could served the gods of Egypt or the gods of the land they had just taken, or they could serve the Lord. He and his family was going to serve the Lord. The leaders all answered that they would never abandon the Lord to serve others gods. Joshua warned them that if they chose the Lord, he was very jealous of their worship. If they abandoned him, he would turn against them and destroy them. The leaders assured Joshua that they chose to serve the Lord so they made a covenant to follow God’s decrees and regulations. Joshua recorded everything that happened that day in the law as a reminder of their agreement. He took a huge stone and rolled it under the same tree that Jacob had hidden all the idols of his people. Joshua declared that the stone had heard everything done that day and would be a testimony of their covenant. After this, Joshua died at the age of 110. They buried him in the land he had chosen to live and the people of Israel did serve the Lord throughout his lifetime and throughout the lifetime of the elders who served with him. They took Joseph’s bones and also buried them in Shechem in the land given to Joseph’s descendants. Eleazar, Aaron’s son also died and was buried in the land of his son Phinehas. In Luke, Jesus had just finished warning the people of how cruel the Pharisees had treated the widows when a widow came and puts her two mites into the offering box. Jesus commented that she had given more in her two mites than all the rich people put together. She had given all she had, and they just gave out of their abundance, just to be seen. He had already explained that much of what they had they had swindled out of women just like her. Then the disciples commented on the beautiful stonework of the Temple and all the decorations on the walls, Jesus said that the day was near that all of those stones would be completely demolished. They asked him what would be the sign that would happen right before the temple was to be destroyed. Jesus replied that first there would be persecutions of God’s people. Then there would be wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues and miraculous signs from heaven. When they saw Jerusalem surrounded they would know the time was then. (This happened in 70 A.D.) Next would be the time of the Gentiles. When that time ended, there would be strange signs in the sun, moon and stars and the nations would be in turmoil and the tides would be off. People would be afraid because the powers in the heavens would shake and then everyone would see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and glory. Lord, thank you for your Word that shows us what will happen and assures us of your presence if we stay faithful to You. We are not afraid of the future because we know You and trust in your love.