Understanding Joshua 24:15: Choose This Day

The Final Choice at Shechem

This moment comes at the end of Joshua’s final speech, after he’s reminded the people of God’s faithfulness from Abraham to their arrival in the land.

Standing at Shechem - a place tied to God’s promises and past idolatry - Joshua lays out a clear choice: serve the Lord who brought them out of Egypt and gave them this land, or go back to the gods their ancestors worshiped “beyond the River” in Mesopotamia, or follow the gods of the Amorites living around them now. He is not merely discussing distant idols; many Israelites were already tempted to mix worship of the Lord with local gods, a dangerous blend called syncretism. By calling them to choose “this day,” Joshua stresses that following God is not passive. It is a deliberate decision, like renewing a sacred promise, similar to how ancient treaties required loyalty pledges from both sides.

His bold declaration, 'But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,' goes beyond personal sentiment. It challenges every family to choose a side, reflecting the wholehearted devotion God desires, not merely outward agreement but genuine daily loyalty.

A Covenant Decision at a Crossroads

This moment goes beyond personal belief; it is a public, covenantal decision rooted in Israel’s history and God’s relentless faithfulness.

Joshua stands at Shechem, a place loaded with meaning: it’s where God first promised Abraham the land (Genesis 12:6-7) and where Jacob buried foreign idols his household had been hiding (Genesis 35:4), making it a fitting place for this final call to purity in worship. By saying 'choose this day whom you will serve,' Joshua echoes Moses’ farewell in Deuteronomy 30:15-20, where God sets before Israel life and death, blessing and curse, urging them to 'choose life' by loving the Lord. The phrase 'this day' isn’t casual - it marks a decisive moment, like signing a contract or making a wedding vow, where words become binding action. In ancient covenant culture, loyalty was everything. Serving two gods was comparable to being married to two people. It broke the sacred bond God had made with Israel at Mount Sinai, where they said, 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do' (Exodus 24:7).

Joshua’s declaration, 'But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,' is more than bold; it is leadership in action. He doesn’t wait for the crowd to decide. He sets the standard, showing that godly leadership starts at home. The word 'serve' here - 'abad' in Hebrew - means more than religious rituals. It signifies total devotion, like a servant wholly committed to his master, reflecting the exclusive loyalty God demanded in the first commandment. This is about direction, not perfection - choosing every day to walk with God, not only when it’s easy or convenient.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Tragically, Joshua’s faith stands in sharp contrast to what comes next: after his death, 'another generation arose who did not know the Lord' (Judges 2:10-13), showing how quickly whole nations can drift when daily choices aren’t passed down. This verse, then, becomes both a high point and a warning.

Choosing Faith in Every Generation

Joshua’s call to choose God is more than a past moment; it challenges every generation to respond when faced with the subtle idols of their time.

Just as Elijah later challenged Israel, 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him' (1 Kings 18:21). We are also called to wholehearted faith, not spiritual indecision. And when the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, 'What must I do to be saved?' they replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household' (Acts 16:31), echoing Joshua’s vision of faith that includes the whole family.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

This verse reminds us that following God is not automatic - it requires a daily decision to reject cultural compromise and walk in loyalty to Him, a choice that begins in the home but never stays there.

A Call Echoed Through Scripture

Joshua’s call to wholehearted devotion echoes throughout Scripture as a defining test of true faithfulness.

Elijah later confronts Israel with the same urgent choice: 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him' (1 Kings 18:21). This shows that divided loyalty has always been a danger to God’s people. Jesus makes this even clearer when he says, 'No one can serve two masters' (Matthew 6:24), calling us to a singular love and trust that only he can fulfill - because he is the one true Lord who gave himself for us.

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

This lifelong choice to serve God alone points forward to the gospel, where we see Jesus as the faithful one who perfectly kept covenant when we could not, making it possible for us to follow him not by our strength, but by grace.

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