The last chapter of the book of Joshua states, “And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel” (Joshua24:31). About thirty pages farther in my Bible I read, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). As one ponders these two passages, he is made to wonder what brought about such a difference in the people of Joshua’s day and those in the latter part of the period of the Judges. At least two things are obvious.
The attitude of the people toward God’s Word had changed. In the days of Joshua, the people respected the Word that God gave. Notice this attitude expressed.
And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. Whosoever he be that rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of good courage. (Joshua 1:16-18)
How different this attitude was to the one where “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” One group did that which God commanded; the other did as it pleased. It is interesting to note that those of the latter group expected God to be pleased with them.
Every single problem that exists in the church of the Lord today is there because people have the attitude of “doing his own thing.” The marriage-divorce problem with its attendant false teaching, the “let’s have a party” and craze for numbers at all costs, the cultic groups, the “Christians in all churches” and other related positions, and the use of the instrument of music in worship are all the result of an attitude. It is an attitude of disrespect and rebellion. It is an attitude that says, “My way, my situation, regardless of what the Scriptures say. As long as I am satisfied, as long as I feel good about it.” When church members today adopt the attitude of those in Joshua’s day, every act of disobedience, every display of immorality and every case of outright rebellion will cease.
The second thing that is obvious is that of leadership. Joshua was a leader. The men who outlived him were also leaders. Because they exercised proper leadership, the people were able to accomplish what God intended for them to accomplish. Where there is no leadership, or where the leadership is too afraid or too lazy to function in its proper role, there will be unrest, indecisiveness and rebellion. Leaders must lead! They, like Joshua, must be of good courage. They must not view their position as one of prestige, but rather as one of service. They must lead in the proper direction—in harmony with God’s Word. Jeroboam was a leader, but he led in the wrong direction. When the proper leadership exercises its proper function, the attitude of the people will be as it ought to be. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; If any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).
