JOSHUA 24:15, C. H. Cayce Brother T. S. Murrie, of Proctor, Okia., asks our views on Jos. 24:15, and asks if Joshua was talking to the heathen. The text says: “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua was addressing the Israelites. He was not talking to the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, nor any other “ites,” only Israelites. This is clear and indisputable, as will be seen from the reading of the first verse of the chapter, which says: “And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before the Lord.” Verse 2 says: “And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.” Verse 3 says: “And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.” Any person who says that Joshua was talking to the heathen nations displays a lack of knowledge, and shows a lack of reading. The language above is too clear to admit of controversy as to whom the prophet was addressing.
This language is often “quoted at” by the Arminian world to prove that the sinner is required to choose between God and Satan; that the right of choice is given to the sinner. If it be true that the right of choice is given to the sinner, and the sinner exercises the right and chooses Satan, or sin, and is sent to destruction for it, then he is sent to destruction for doing what God gave him a right to do. If God has given the sinner the right of choice, then the sinner has the right to his choice. If he has a right to his choice, there could be no just punishment for his exercising his right; unless it is wrong to exercise one’s right. If it is wrong, then it is not right, unless it is wrong to do right. This reduces the proposition (that God has given the sinner the right of choice) to an absurdity; hence, it is untrue.
Israel had forsaken the true service of God, as He required, and were worshipping and serving idols. They were plainly commanded in verse 14 to put away the idols from among them and to serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth. But if it seemed evil unto them to serve the Lord, and if they would not serve Him, then they might choose that day as to whether they would serve this or that set of idols. One set of idols was served by their fathers on the other side of the flood. Another set was the gods of the Amorites, among whom the Israelites were then dwelling. One set of these idols was just as good as the other; neither of them were any good. Both were worthless. It would be as well for them to serve one set as the other; it made no difference whatever. What was true then is true now. One false god is as good as another. They are all wrong. The Primitive Baptist, March 5, 1918.