“Y’hoshua said to the people,
‘You are witnesses against yourselves
that you have chosen Adonai,
to serve him.’”
-Joshua 24:22
The importance and real meaning of verse 22 is something we modern folks overlook.
Because in the ancient world, it carried an entirely different meaning.
After Joshua first rejected Israel’s answer to the question “Will you serve God”, he now accepts Israel’s insistence that they will not forsake the Lord.
However, he adds the following warning:
“You will be witnesses against yourselves…”
Here’s what you’ve got to understand.
What a witness meant in Biblical times differed quite radically from what it means in our modern culture.
For us, a witness is just a person who gives his testimony in front of a jury in a court of law.
His or her only requirement is “to tell the truth so help me God”.
However, the role of a witness (עד ‘êḏ in Hebrew) during Biblical times was more than one function.
A Biblical witness also served as both an accuser and prosecutor.
And if the crime in question was a death penalty offense, it was the witness who was required to kick off the execution process by hurling the first stone at the convicted in a stoning.
After the first stone was thrown, the other members of the community followed in unison.
So Joshua Chapter 24 is really an interesting situation.
Joshua is acting as a judge and swearing in the people of Israel to be witnesses against themselves.
He’s letting Israel know in no uncertain terms that if they commit idolatry (a death penalty offense), they will be forced to execute themselves.
I know that sounds kinda weird but that’s the true meaning of what’s going on here.
If the children of Israel decide to forsake the Lord, they will be forced to stand as both the accusers and prosecutors against themselves.
In other words, Israel will be the cause of their own annihilation.
So we can see that to commit idolatry is essentially a Kamikaze suicide mission.
There’s really no other way to look at it if you have to be your own accuser and prosecutor in a death penalty situation.
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