ft . [ 940 m ] and Gerizim is 2,890 ft . [ 881 m ]) there are many presentday accounts of people speaking from the slopes of the mountains and being heard in the valley below above the noise coming from the city of Nablus .
Years later at the end of the conquest of the land for the 12 tribes of Israel , Joshua again gathered all of them together at Shechem . ( see Josh 24 ) He reminded them of God ’ s promises and how He had fulfilled those promises and delivered them from all their problems . Joshua then challenged the people to say whom they would serve , they promised to serve God . Jos 24:14 – 20
The renewal ceremony between the Israelites and God recognized the promises God made to Abraham Gen 12:7 ; 17:7- 8 , Jacob , and the people at Sinai through Moses . Ex 24:8 The people chose to put away their foreign gods and serve the Lord . Joshua wrote these statutes and rules for them and they were added to the book of Deuteronomy . He took a large stone , stela or a pillar on which this covenant would be written as a witness and set it under the terebinth tree that was by the sanctuary of the Lord , as was the custom in those days .
These accounts surrounding Shechem illustrate the human condition and how incapable we are of making a lasting promise to God . Despite all their promises to Joshua , Shechem still became the centre of idolatrous worship practices , a wilful tendency to disobey God . We see the geographical , historical and spiritual significance of Shechem and how geography affects history such as when Joshua explains not only the grace of God in calling them out of a pagan land , but also the faithfulness of God in taking care of them after their deliverance . We should also remember how God , in His grace , has called us out of our pagan past and taken care of us since our deliverance from destruction into a relationship with His Son who is still caring for us today .
We too must choose to surrender our will to God . We have come to those crossroads in Shechem today . Are we going to choose to go back the way we have come , back into our old life or are we choosing to go into Samaria where they so nearly got it right ? As Jews they integrated with the surrounding nations and worshipped their foreign idols / gods . Are other things more important to us than God ?
Jesus sat with the woman at the well in Shechem , because He was telling her that HE IS THE LIVING WATER . He gave her and her nation a choice . Did you notice the similarity when Joshua said “ Now therefore fear the Lord , and serve him in sincerity and in truth : and throw away the gods which your ancestors served on the other side of the river Euphrates , or the gods of the Amorites , in whose lands you are living . But as for me and my household , we will serve the Lord .”
Jesus says the same thing in the same spot when he told the woman at Jacob ’ s well that the worshippers God seeks are those who worship Him in “ Spirit and truth .” John 4:23-24 in other words , worship inwardly not just outwardly . Your relationship with Jesus is not what others see but what is going on in your heart . I wonder if Jesus was remembering the words of Joshua ? Will you choose the right way on this crossroads , the road to Jerusalem ( peace ) the way to the promised land ( rest )? Jesus died on a cross for the World . He is beckoning to us to go His way , we have a choice . CHOOSE YE , THE WAY TODAY AND GO IN IT . p
By Teresa L . Randle Missionary , Preacher and Bible Teacher
January - March 2017 SHARE | MAGAZINE | 11