Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve

Read Joshua 10:12-14 and the Institute Student Manual commentary for Joshua 10:12-14,

“Did the Sun Really Stand Still in the Heavens?” (pg. 240). Did the sun really stand still in the heavens? Write a paragraph how you could explain these verses to someone who says he or she won’t believe the Bible because of this obvious contradiction with science.

No, the sun didn’t stand still in the heavens because it is the earth that rotates around the sun. The sun does not move so really it was the earth that stopped moving so the sun stayed to give light all that time. God can make anything He wants to happen happen. In the Book of Mormon is talks about the how the Lord can dry up rivers and oceans or build mountains or even stop the earth in its rotation to lengthen the day. 

Read the chapter summaries of Joshua 7-22. Make two lists—one that identifies Israel’s successes and another that identifies Israel’s failures.

Successes:

Takes Ai

Defeated the Amorites and their allies

Conquer whole land, destroying cities and nations

Conquered two kings on the east and thirty one on the west

Inheritances given

Failures:

Defeated by Ai

Read Joshua 23-24 and the Institute Student Manual commentary for Joshua 24:1-28, “Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve” (pg. 242). What do you think was the major theme of Joshua’s final address to his people? Based on the lists you created from Joshua 7-22, write a paragraph that explains why Joshua chose to deliver his final address on this particular topic.

I love the theme that Joshua presents near the end of his life. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” To me, that is powerful and when I hear it I think of agency. The first word says, “choose”. We are to choose between right and wrong. We can choose to serve God or to serve the adversary. Joshua is teaching us that we will be blessed when we choose good or when we choose God. Sometimes it’s hard to choose the right because we have not already made those choices. When I was baptized I made the choice that I will always pay my tithing, I will never drink coffee or alcohol, I will never have premarital relations, etc. So, when I’m faced with those temptations thereafter I know I’ve already made that choice. I’ve made the choice to follow the commandments and if you haven’t I invite you to do so.