to the book of Joshua, Joshua chapter 8. We'll be reading Joshua 8, verses 24 through 35. Our text is verses 30 through 35. Joshua's a bit of a strange book for us to step into, and so it's maybe helpful for a couple words of introduction about what is or isn't happening in the book of Joshua, especially because we're gonna see right away in verse 24 warfare and violence. We're not always sure what to do with that, but let me just encourage you in this way. One of the things we see in the book of Joshua is we see God's justice. We read in the New Testament even that the wages of sin is death. And we see God's judgment against sin in the book of Joshua as some are put to death. But what's interesting is after that one battle is finished, but more battles to come, God calls the people of God to stop. And all of Israel, which is something like 1.5 million people at this point in time, gather in one place for a great, loud, dynamic worship service. That's what we're reading about in verses 30 through 35. So with that as a little bit of background, let's listen carefully, Joshua 8, beginning in verse 24, and remember that this is God's word to you. When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword. And all who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000, all the people of Ai. But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction. Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their plunder according to the word of the Lord that he commanded Joshua. So Joshua burned Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins as it is to this day. And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones which stand there to this day. At that time, Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the people of Israel. Addison is written in the book of the Law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones upon which no man has wielded an iron tool. And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. And there in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he had written. And all Israel, sojourner as well as native-born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded at the first to bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel and the women and the little ones and the sojourners who lived among them. And thus ends the reading of God's holy and inspired word. Well, let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Lord God, we're thankful for your word, thankful that in your word you Declare to us everything necessary for life and godliness. We're reminded in a very particular way in this text the significance of Your Word for Your people, as all of Your law was read to all of Your people. And so, Lord, as we come now in worship and stand before Your holy Word, we pray that You would be at work in us in such a way that You would strengthen us to trust and obey, to believe Your promises, and to keep Your commandments. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Most of us are probably familiar with the phrase, the law of the land. Some of us love that phrase, sometimes we're frustrated with that phrase, but it's a significant phrase in every nation. When you move to a new place, you need to understand the land in which you live and the laws that govern it. It describes for us in that one simple phrase all the laws at force within a country or a region. That's something of what we find at the end here of Joshua chapter 8. That's the principle at play in these verses. The Lord commanded his people that when they enter the land, they were to come and stop and participate in a dramatic ceremony at this particular place between these two mountain peaks to read the whole of God's law. as a reminder, first, that the land in which they would find their rest is God's land. And secondly, that while they're living as citizens in the land and among the nation of God, that they would keep his laws. In other words, he's marking out Canaan and saying, this is my land. That's what's happening in this particular worship service. And he's telling the people of Israel, and frankly, he's telling all the people throughout the whole region, this is the law of the land. And he's in essence saying something like this, do you want life? Do you want to enjoy success and prosperity? Then hear my word and obey it. we also need to understand the drama of this story. It's something I kind of want to reenact. We're not going to do it, but I kind of want to put half the congregation on one side and half on the other and think about what they're doing, except that we couldn't come close to what's happening here. Let me describe it in this way, which even still falls far short of what's being described in this passage. If you took two replica versions of the Ohio State football stadium, filled it to the brim, over 100,000 people in each, and then read the law of God and every commandment at the end of it, all 200,000 people cry out and say amen over and over again. Be loud, right? And this is 1.5 million people gathered on two mountains, with Joshua in the middle, with the Levites, and the Ark of the Covenant, and they read through the whole of the law of God, and after every single command, all the people shout, Amen. You see, it's not just for Israel, right? If you were a Canaanite 10 miles away, you might hear 1.5 million people shouting over and over again, Amen. That's the image we have here, 20 miles north of Ai, where the last battle was completed. Two mountains, both about 3,000 feet, with a natural amphitheater in between the two mountains. People have tested this. You can stand on one mountain, and if you speak with a loud and clear voice, you can hear exactly what they're saying on the other mountain. But it's not just one person speaking, 1.5 million. speaking in response to God's law and saying, Amen, this is true, we agree, this is the law of the land. And it's all the people, it's very clear in this text, it's not just the soldiers who fought in Ai, but they go and gather all the people of Israel in one grand dramatic worship service, and again and again they cry out, Amen, as they hear God's word proclaimed in Wren. Let's just give one example, as you can understand what he's communicating. At the end of Deuteronomy 27, it ends with particular curses that are given, that if you do not obey God's law, you will be cursed. Let me read just that very last one, Deuteronomy 27, verse 15. And again, imagine what it would be like on that day, in that place, with that many people. 27 verse, verse 25, 26. It says, Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them, and all the people shall say, Amen. So what's happening on this mountain at this time in this place? A mountain, by the way, on which when they stand on it, they can see really all of the promised land. In the middle of the conquest, as they see God giving the land to them, they repeat God's law and they say again and again, When we disobey God's law, we shall be cursed, amen. When we obey God's law, we will be blessed, amen. And then all of that drama ends in this way, in Deuteronomy 30 verse 19. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you, this is God speaking, I've set before you life and death, blessing and curse, therefore choose life that you and your offspring may live. So again, think about it, this list of curses in Deuteronomy 27, if you disobey God's word, his curse is upon you, and his curse means death. But if you obey God's word, his blessing's upon you, and it means life. You see what God's doing for Israel as they enter the promised land. He's announcing to the Canaanite nations and he's reminding the people of Israel that he is ultimate. and that they are not, and therefore they're called to obey and to worship and to live. It's a worship service that's a renewal of God's covenant promises with His people. It's what we do every week in worship. God renews His covenant with us. And in some sense, it's an interruption of the fight that they're taking part in in Joshua, but I think we can understand it another way, that maybe worship and obedience is at the very heart of the fight of faith in which we all find ourselves. And as we gather in worship, even this morning, He's strengthening us. for that battle and strengthening us to obey. And that's what I want us to see today, that we too participate in a covenant of worship where God strengthens us to obey and to fight that good fight of faith until He returns again. And we're going to consider that by first of all asking two questions of the text, and then looking at two ceremonies that they participated in this worship service. But first of all, a question. And the question is simply this, why now? Why this worship service at this time in this place? And if you understand the whole of what's happening in Joshua, it's a very significant question. They've actually finally gained the advantage. They've crossed the Jordan River. God's conquered the city of Jericho, and after some difficulties and struggles because of Achan and some lost battles, they finally gain the ground in Ai, the high point in the place of Canaan. They've divided Canaan in half. They finally gained the advantage on the battlefield. And it seems like the right thing to do would finish the battle, to finish the battle, to get the job done. And then, then Lord, we can stop and worship. But God calls them to stop and to worship Him before they finish the battle. By the way, He's already done that in Joshua. It's interesting, when they cross the Jordan River and they get right in front of Jericho, God stops them and says, it's time to worship. And by the way, every male over 20 is going to be circumcised. and unavailable for battle for three, four, five days. And as you're reading that text, you're wondering, why didn't they do that before they crossed the Jordan? Why do they wait until they're in danger and stop and worship God? In all these things, God's teaching them. He's the one who wins the battle. and that their primary place to participate in His covenant kingdom is in worship and obedience. In fact, the whole book of Joshua is marked out in this way by framing that reminds us that this is a book about covenant worship and covenant obedience. It's how the whole book is framed. Joshua 1 begins by God reminding Joshua of his covenant promises, that all I've promised to Moses is yours everywhere that you go. I will be with you every place that you put your foot. I will give you the victory. And the book of Joshua ends again with a covenant ceremony, a covenant worship service, where God says, choose you this day who you will serve It's all framed by worship. It's all framed by covenant obedience. We find it here as well in Joshua 5 through 8. Before they head out into battle, they're circumcised and they participate in Passover. And in the middle of the battle, they stop again and they worship God. They read His law. They offer sacrifices. Again and again the Lord's teaching them about priorities for the people of God. That first and foremost for the people of God is worship and obedience. You can almost hear Matthew 6, 33 in the background, can't you? Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you. In a dramatic worship service that's loud and vibrant and filled with drama, he reminds them of first importance is worship and obedience to God. And isn't that what we do every Lord's Day? Isn't that what we're doing today? It would be easy to say, right, Lord, if you want me to be prosperous in the gifts that you've given me and succeed in the work that's in front of me, if I could work seven days instead of six, I could be really prosperous and really effective. And the Lord says, no, we stop and we worship the Lord. So why now? Why in this particular valley surrounded by these two mountains in the middle of a battle that's in front of them? because he's reminding them of what's ultimate, and he's calling them to faithful, regular worship. But second question is this, why here, in this particular place? Between two mountains sits the city of Shechem. It's an interesting place for them to go. Shechem carries with it great significance for the people of Israel. It comes up again and again in the Old Testament. Just a few reminders of times when the people of Israel and their forefathers found themselves in Shechem. This is a place again and again where the Lord reminds his people that he is faithful. So Abram is called from his place of dwelling and told to head to this land of Canaan where he would find the promised land. And as he begins his journeys, the Lord takes him to Shechem. Listen to what it says in Genesis 12, verses 6 and 7. It says, Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, to your offspring, I will give this land. So he built there an altar to the Lord who had appeared to him. Shechem is a place where Abraham heard the voice of his God. He heard the promise of his God. He was reminded that his God was faithful. And in response, Abram stops and builds an altar, a place for sacrifice and worship. Jacob is taken to Shechem as well, and Genesis 33, verses 18 through 20, after over 20 years of leaving his family, in particular for his own safety, he's coming back to the land of Canaan to be in the land of promise, and he meets his brother Esau, of whom he's very afraid. And he stops and prays to God, and God promises to protect him and to give him safety. And we're told in Genesis 33 that after the Lord gives him safety and he renews his relationship with Esau, it says in Genesis 33, verse 18, that Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan Aram. And he camped before the city, and there he erected an altar. He bought a piece of land, a down payment on the promise, he erected an altar, and he called the altar El Elohe Israel, God the God of Israel. Just like Abram, Jacob is reminded of God's faithfulness, and in response, he builds an altar, he offers a sacrifice, and he worships God. That's what Shechem represents, it's a place of promise where they remember that God is faithful and they build an altar and they offer a sacrifice and they worship. Isn't that what happens in Joshua 8? The Lord's brought them again to the land of Canaan. He's won victories for them. They can see his hand faithfully guiding them as he gives them a foothold in the land of promise. He renews his promises to them, reminds them that he's always with them and always faithful. And Joshua builds an altar where they offer sacrifices and they worship God. It's not by accident, they come here for a purpose. But understand as well, we don't know a lot about the geography of Israel, maybe, understand as well that it wasn't a convenient place for them to go. They just won a battle in Ai, and then they travel to Shechem, 20 miles north of Ai by foot. but they don't just travel 20 miles. First of all, the soldiers win the battle, they travel 10 miles in the other direction to Gilgal, where they gather all of their families, and then they travel 30 more miles to Shechem, so that they can worship God in this place. Because as they come to Shechem, they're reminded of God's faithfulness. He makes promises, and he always keeps them. And so they build an altar, and they offer a sacrifice, and they worship Him. It's really the whole point of the book of Joshua. God is a faithful, covenant-keeping God. He shows Himself to be that again and again, and sometimes they simply have to stop and worship Him. They confess His name, they testify to His faithfulness. And as they do so, then we see two ceremonies that tell us very much of God's covenant provision. First of all, we see that they build an altar. Just as Moses, a servant of the Lord, had commanded the people of Israel, it says in verse 31, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones upon which no man has wielded an iron tool, and they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings notice just a couple things about this altar first of all they were commanded to all the way back in deuteronomy 27 as they're preparing to enter the land the lord tells them when you get there And when you see that I'm winning the victory, you will go to this very place and build an altar." It's reminiscent as well of Abraham and Jacob, as we've already seen, a stone monument that marks the land as God's gift to his people, that reminds him of his faithfulness, that even in some beautiful way testifies to the pagan nations all around them that God is faithful. But it's reminiscent also of Sinai. When the Israelites, as they're ready to receive the Word of God and the Law of God, they build an altar on which they offer burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrifice peace offerings to the Lord as a solemn reminder that God is a faithful Redeemer and that they're called to obey Him. But also, this altar, like any altar, and the sacrifices that are offered on it, Remind them of their sin and their need for a sacrifice, their need for a covering, for blood to be shed, because without blood they only receive the curses and they never receive the blessings. And we see that in unique ways in the design and drama of this particular worship service. Notice, first of all, where the altar is located. Verse 30, it says that Joseph built an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal. You remember that description of the drama of the worship service, two mountains, six tribes on Mount Ebal, six tribes on Mount Gerizim, and in the whole design of that worship service, Ebal represents the curses of God that are brought against sin, the wages of sin that's death. It's in particular toward Mount Ebel that all the curses of Deuteronomy 27 are read one by one, and after every single one, they respond and say, yes, amen, if we rebel in that kind of way, the curses will be upon us. until it's all summarized by saying, anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them will be cursed, and all the people say amen. Understand what's happening here. It's as if they're doing something like this. God says to the people of Israel, have you ever lied? Have you ever said something that you did not mean? If so, you're cursed. and you will receive death, and all the people say, Amen. Have you ever lusted in your heart after someone who's not your spouse? If so, you're cursed, and that curse brings death, and all the people say, Amen. Have you ever hated someone, even in your heart? Then you're guilty of murder. which deserves God's curse and always brings death. And all the people say amen. Have you ever misused the name of the Lord? Then you're cursed and the curse brings death and all the people say amen. Have you ever coveted? Longed for, jealous for something that you do not have. Then you're cursed, and the curse brings death, and all the people say, Amen. Loud, heavy, hard words. And on that mount, the Lord gives them an altar, where sacrifices are offered to cover sins. And he's saying, in essence, come as you are, sinners, guilty of breaking God's law, deserving of His wrath and of His curse. In fact, the only way you can come is by way of the altar, through blood that was shed, through the sacrifice that covers sin. And then you can know the blessings of God. And then to really drive the point home, notice how the altar is constructed. It's made of uncut stones, no iron tool, no human construction. In other words, you come with nothing, no good works to offer, none of your own efforts to gain God's favor, nothing in my hands I bring. but only through the shed blood of the sacrifice that God sends. The altar on that mountain, the mountain of cursings, is a reminder again and again that we come as sinners with nothing to offer God. No worth, no value, nothing to earn his favor. But someone dies in our place. Because the curse fell ultimately on Jesus. Do you see all of it's driving us there? Cursed is the one who dies on a tree, and that mountain of curses that they're proclaiming and saying amen to, Jesus voluntarily took on human flesh and lived a perfect life and died the death that your sins deserved so that He could take you from the mountain of cursings and plant you on the mountain of blessing. You see, it's the gospel, right, where this whole worship service begins. They haven't read the law yet. They're just reminded of their sin, and they're given an altar, and they're told to come to the sacrifice by which God forgives and saves. have an altar, but then they read the law. Having come to the altar as cursed sinners in need of a Savior, having embraced the salvation offered by God that only comes through a sacrifice, having heard the promise of God through the covenant blessings that he's offered to people as he tells them to choose life that you and your offspring may live, then they hear the word of the law and the law proclaimed to them in its full content. He gives them a promise, and then he calls them to obedience. And notice the comprehensive language that the author of Joshua gives us in verses 33 through 35. Do you notice how many times it says, Verse 33, and all Israel, sojourner as well as native-born. Just to stop there for a minute, you can think of like Rahab, right? Rahab and her family, a sojourner in Israel, along with all of Israel native-born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the priest who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He goes on to say, and afterward he read all the words of the law. We don't know if that means Genesis through Deuteronomy, does it mean Leviticus in Deuteronomy, but it's a lot. And they're reading God's law in its comprehensive whole. All the words of the law, the blessing and the curse according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them. all of the Word of God, all the law of God applied to all the people of God without exception. Notice, by the way, the place of children. Children, are you listening? God's Word and God's Law is for you and for all those who name the name of God and who know Jesus as their Savior. He's reminding them that God's Law is not something to be kept in the ark and brought out every 10 or 20 or 100 years to be read, but it's God's Word for them all the time. And it's a living Word, a personal Word that shapes their lives and guides and directs them in all that they do and all that they say. And that Word, both its curses and its blessings, are for the blessing of the people of God. Did you notice that at the end of verse 33? They read all the law, the curses and the blessings, to bless the people of Israel. Friends, this is what God's word, even his law is for us. It's a blessing. And it promises life. For those who, confessing their sins, put their trust in Jesus, believe the promises and cling to him, and then filled with Jesus and empowered by his Holy Spirit, with the strength that he gives, pursue obedience to his law and to his word, it promises life. You see, this whole passage is driving us in two directions. First of all, it's reminding us of the significance of God's Word. calling us to believe His promises and to keep His commandments, to trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. And then as those who put their trust in Jesus and have committed to keep His words and to obey His commandments, it's a call to worship. Here's how I'd like to end this morning, friends. The same God who gave promises to Israel is our God. And He's given us promises of blessing and forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice of His sons, His Son. And so this morning, if you're wondering, how can I know the blessing of God, I can say this to you with full confidence, come to Jesus. confessing your sins and pleading his mercy and know that he is a perfect, loving, compassionate savior who provides for all those who believe and trust in him full forgiveness of sins and fellowship with God forever and ever. And if you are trusting in Jesus, continue to trust in him and read his word with joy and seek by his strength to obey him, and then do this, friends, every Sunday. every Sunday, come and set aside that day to worship God as He, by the power of His Word, both the promises and the commandments, strengthens you to serve Him with all that is within you so that you might fight the good fight of faith until that day when that great Savior Jesus returns and gathers all of us, not to Ebel and Gerizim, but to the holy Mount Zion. where worship will be uninterrupted forever and ever. And we will know, not just by faith, but by sight, what it means to have full fellowship with God, unbroken, forever and ever. Let's pray. Our Lord and our God, we thank you for your word that reminds us that you are the same God yesterday, today, and forever. The God who redeems and saves a people for yourself. that fits us for heaven and fits us for worship and strengthens us for obedience. Lord, would You give us by the power of Your Holy Spirit at work in us the kind of faith that believes Your promises, that keeps Your commandments, and that loves to worship You because You are worthy to receive that praise. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.