"Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve"

Joshua 7-24 

“Did the Sun Really Stand Still in the Heavens? (pg. 240, Institute Student Manual for Joshua 10:12-14). Joshua 10:12-14 states that the Lord commanded the Sun and Moon to stand still “until the [children of Israel] had avenged themselves upon their enemies…so the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”  So did the sun really stand still in the heavens? The Book of Mormon is another testament and it helps us understand events from the Bible a little better. In Helaman 12: 13-17, it clarifies that it was the earth that stood still and not the sun. The earth stood still in order to lengthen out the day for many hours, which can seem like the sun may have stood still. As we know the Lord wanted to lengthen the day so the children of Israel could have victory over its enemies. Some people might question this event. Some may even say that they won’t believe the Bible because of the obvious contradiction with science. To those who choose to not believe such events can occur because of what we know from science, I say that they remember this is not something possible for us to do, but for the Lord anything is possible. Let us not forget how great and omnipotent His power is. With this power He created us, and everything around us.  He surely can command His creations to stop, stay still, and move, just as He can create, or destroy them. Let us exercise our faith, and believe that with the Lord anything is possible.

“Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve” (pg. 242, Institute Student Manual commentary for Joshua 24:1-28). This was the major theme for Joshua’s final address to his people. From Joshua 7-22, we can see some successes and failures that Israel had. The following are some successes: conquered Ai, defeated Amorites and their allies, conquered a whole land, conquered Kings, rewarded for their faithfulness, received their inheritances, and the Lord fulfilled all his promises and gave Israel rest. Some of their failures were: defeated by Ai, complained to the Lord, and households destroyed because of their disobedience. From looking at successes and failures that the children of Israel had through their journeys, it is clear to see why Joshua would chose to deliver his final address on this particular topic. Joshua wanted the people of Israel to decide whom they were going to serve. He wanted them to reflect on their success and their failures, and to reflect on how victorious they were because of the Lord. He wanted them to choose if they were going to serve the Lord, or if they were going to serve other gods.

This is the same decision that we must make ourselves. We each need to decide whom we will serve, and if we choose to serve the Lord we must do so “in sincerity and in truth.” If we diligently serve the Lord, He is bound by His promises to always bless us. Let us not forget that the Lord is powerful, and anything is possible through Him. If we obey and serve Him we will be more prosperous than we can imagine in this life, and the in the next.