Joshua 23:11 - Be Careful To Maintain A Love Relationship With God.

Jos.23:11: Be Careful To Maintain A Love Relationship With God.

Joshua 23:11 (KJV) Take good heed therefore unto yourselves,
that ye love the LORD your God.

Joshua 23:11 (GWT) Be very careful to love the LORD your God.

Joshua 23:11 (EAV) Be very watchful of yourselves, therefore, to
love the Lord your God.

Joshua 23:11 (TLB) So be very careful to keep on loving him.

Everything depended on whether or not Israel would continue to
be faithful to the covenant. Joshua's words do not conceal his
apprehension. Seven times he refers to the idolatrous nations still left in
Canaan. He knew the snare they would be to Israel, and he therefore
prescribed three safeguards. First, there must be brave adherence to God's
word (Josh. 23:6). Second, there must be a vigilantly continued
separation from the Canaanite nations (Josh. 23:7). Finally, there must be
a cleaving to the Lord with real and fervent love (Josh. 23:8-11)
(J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book). [EAB footnote]

Perhaps the danger would be greater now, after the Israelites
were settled at ease in the land, that their love for God might turn
to something else. The scriptures in both the OT and NT emphasize
the pre-eminence of love. Power may be pleasant, wisdom and beauty
may be delightful, and riches may give a certain prestige and sense
of security, but life is not in these. Love supersedes all.
Obedience submits to the voice which cries, ?Thou shalt have no other gods
before me? (Ex. 20:3). But love responds, ?O Lord our Lord, how
excellent is thy name in all the earth? (Ps. 8:1). Obedience declines to
take the name of the Lord in vain, whereas love exclaims, ?The desire
of our soul is to thy name? (Isa. 26:8). ?There is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved? (Acts 4:12).
Obedience refuses to break the Sabbath, but love says, ?Call the sabbath a
delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable? (Isa. 58:13). So it ought to
be with all the divine commands. ?Love is the fulfilling of the
law? (Rom. 13:10). [SDA Commentary]

The controversy for truth will have little success when sin is
upon those who advocate it. Men and women may be well versed in Bible
knowledge, as well acquainted with the Scripture as were the Israelites
with the ark, and yet if their hearts are not right before God,
success will not attend their efforts. God will not be with them. They
do not have a high sense of the obligations of the law of heaven,
nor do they realize the sacred character of the truth they are
teaching. The charge is, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord."

It is not enough to argue in defense of the truth. The most
telling evidence of its worth is seen in a godly life; and without this
the most conclusive statements will be lacking in weight and
prevailing power; for our strength lies in being connected with God by His
Holy Spirit, and transgression severs us from this sacred nearness
with the Source of our might and wisdom. {2BC 998}

Would we cleave to the Lord, we must always stand upon our
guard, for many a soul is lost through carelessness. Love the Lord your
God, and you will not leave him?.. Let us watch and pray against
temptation. Let us trust in God?s faithfulness, love, and power; let us
plead his promises, and cleave to his commandments, then we shall be
happy in life, in death, and for ever. [Matthew Henry Commentary]