by Aleta Kay
We are created by God to have fellowship with Him and to help our fellow man. The best way I know to answer this question is with God’s word. It will speak for itself.
The Israelites had been delivered out of slavery in Egypt and had finally, after many battles, taken possession of the land God promised them: Canaan (now called Israel, which included Jordan at the time the promise was fulfilled). They had fought many battles and now needed rest. Joshua 22:4, 5 says, “But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” God had given them victory over their enemies. Some of those victories had been nothing less than miraculous. God deserved their complete obedience and adoration, just as He does ours.
Joshua 23:4-9 says, “Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain (the ones not defeated in battle), to be and inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised you. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.”
Joshua 23:16 says, “When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.”
Joshua 24:13-15 says, “And I have given you a land for which ye did not labor, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
The command in Joshua 22:4,5 is repeated in Matthew 22:37. Do you see how these might also apply to the U.S.?
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