After It Is All Said and Done

O. T. #499  "After It Is All Said and Done"
April 14, 2015
Joshua 14-Part 4
And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.  Joshua 24:29

LET IT GLOW

When the last amen is said and the dirt is covering my casket, everyone drives to their home, after it is all said and done, will my faith in Jesus live on? Will others love God with all their heart, serve Him with their life, and give testimony of the great things He did in my life, after it is all said and done? That is my purpose.
Thousands of years later, we still talk about the greatness and faithfulness of Joshua and what God accomplished through his life. Yet he died.

What a great leader, Joshua. What a great God, Jehovah. What a great nation, Israel. It began way back there with Abraham. God led him to a land that his descendants would one day occupy and serve God in it. (Israel still lives in a small portion today.) Abraham followed God by faith.

In verse 28, the people departed to their own inheritance, land, each tribe went home. As all good things must come to an end, Joshua's life ended after he lived 110 years-after he had led the nation of Israel across the Jordan River; after he led them through one victory after another; he had led Israel in spiritual matters, following after the instructions God had given to Moses. Yes, it was God who made Joshua a great leader, and he made no bones about it, giving all the glory to God for his achievements.

It is right for God's people to remember godly leaders and to imitate their faith (Heb. 13:7-8). (Wiersbe)

The Lord has us some great spiritual leaders and Bible teachers down through the years-Jerry Falwell, Adrian Rogers, David Jeremiah, Charles Stanley, Charles Swindoll, Beth Moore, Lysa TerKeurst, and  Billy Graham. It would be good for us to imitate their faith.

What will people say about us after we are dead and gone? Will our influence of faith continue?

LET IT GROW

Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testaments says:

Three burials are recorded in theses verses, those of Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazar, the high priest.Joseph's brothers had promised to bury his remains in Canaan (Gen. 50:25, so the Jews had carried his coffin out of Egypt (Ex. 13:19). This is a picture of our future resurrection, for just as Joseph's body was redeemed from Egypt, so our bodies will be one day not only at rest in their rightful home, but also transformed to be like the body of Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20-21). It is easy to believe that Joseph's grave would also be a reminder to the people of the faithfulness of God. Joseph had been used to keep the nation alive in famine, and he had been faithful to the Lord even in the heathen land of Egypt. Christ is our Joshua (Savior) and He fights our battles for us and helps us claim the inheritance.

Joshua and Eleazar taught Israel to fear, have faith in, and serve the Lord God alone. (verse 14) We make our choice to follow after God or follow after other gods.

Israel's faithfulness to God extended only to one generation (Judges 2:6-13).  (MacArthur)

After God gave Israel judges to bring them back to Him, they would not turn from their idolatry. Finally, 800 years later, He sent them as captives into Babylon. Sounds like God was patient, to me.

Do others learn of God's faithfulness through our life?
After it's all said and done, and everyone walks away from the graveyard, leaving me buried there, will my faith live on?

LET IT GO

Give my testimony of God's faithfulness to others.

Teach my grandchildren and other children about God and His Word and His ways.

Share God's grace and mercy.

Love people to Jesus.