THE STONE OF WITNESS After delivering the talent of faith through his strife; and, in the moments of setting forth of this world, the spiritual leader also delivered the divine farewell message to the people of God, and set a stone of witness at the sanctuary of the Lord, to remind them of God’s works with them, before departing by the body from them. 1- God’s dealings with them 1 -- 13 2- Sanctifying the human will 14 -- 26 3- Setting a stone of witness 27 -- 28 4- Death of Joshua 29 -- 33 1- God’s dealings with them: After Joshua frankly talked to his people, presenting to them all what was in his mind, he again called the elders, heads, judges, and officers of Israel, to present themselves before God, and to utter to them all the divine words, directly before his departure. In these words, God confirms His honesty in realizing His promises to Abraham, the father of fathers, as He brought him to the land of Canaan, to live as a stranger and sojourner, and as He confirmed that He would grant it to him in the person of his descendants; a promise that is realized today. He brought them out of the land of Egypt, and let them cross the Red Sea, in which Pharaoh and his army perished; Then he delivered them from the hands of the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, etc., who were living in the promised land. Joshua the son of Nun stressed the fact that Abraham was given the promises, despite the fact that his father worshipped other gods; as though he intended to confirm to them that their reference to fathers, either saints or wicked, would neither benefit nor harm them; but what would truly benefit them is their obedience to the Lord; and what would harm them is their rebellion against Him. St. John Chrysostom says: [This is my advice to you ... Do not use the wickedness of our fathers as an excuse; If we are watchful, nothing of that would affect us; as even though the father of Abraham was an unbeliever, yet he did not inherit his wickedness but became dear to God] 1. 1 In Matt. Hom 8. 236 God said to them: “I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you, also the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword or with your bow. I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant” (Joshua 24: 12, 13) What does he mean by the hornet he sent before them? He probably means the Egyptians who attacked that region, destroyed the might of its kings, and prepared the way for the Hebrews who came shortly after them. The whole history and events go according to a concealed divine plan that works for our salvation. God’s care is exalted and above all comprehension! God allowed for Pharaoh’s attack, so that believers, who were not aware that that was for their sake, would enjoy their inheritance with no labor! 2- Sanctifying the human will: The Book of Joshua embraces the exalted dealings of God with His people, to inherit and possess. He offers them His divine love to receive, and to pay Him back, love for love; Yet He does not seek their worship as a mandatory commitment on their part, but seeks their love, coming out through a completely free will. God sanctifies human freedom, being a living portrait of God, and a proclamation of God’s righteousness and practical love... He seeks man, yet not as a slave, but as a free son, who attaches to his Father with joy and pleasure. That is why Joshua the son of Nun confirms to them saying: “If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24: 15) Presenting himself as a role model, saying to the people: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24: 15) They answered and said: “ Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods”(Joshua 24: 16) Once more, Joshua intended to confirm that worshipping God should come out of free will; saying to the people: “You cannot serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins” (Joshua 24: 19) Confirming to them, that if they served God, but not in a holy life, they would bring upon themselves His chastisement; to that, the people again proclaimed: “ No, but we will serve the Lord”(Joshua 24: 21) 237 St. John Chrysostom speaks about the free will, saying: [God does not force us to do anything; and the grace of His Holy Spirit does not commit our will; But He calls us, and waits for our response with our complete freedom; and in case we approach Him, He grants us all His help] 1; [God does not force those who do not seek Him; but draws to Him those who do] 2; and, [God created our nature as its own master; In His mercy, He always grants us His help, aware of what lies hidden in the depths of the heart; He asks, advises, forbids, and warns us against wicked behavior; yet He does not force anything upon us; He offers suitable remedies, yet leaves the whole matter to the decision of the patient himself] 3. 3- Setting up a stone of witness: Having made a covenant with the people in that day, in which they commit themselves to serve Him with their completely free will; “He took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord” (Joshua 24: 26) St. Basil says: [Joshua the son of Nun set up a large stone, as a witness to his words; as did Jacob in the old days (Genesis 31: 47) ... as it was assumed that the stones themselves, through the power of God, speak, to shame or to warn the rebellious] 4. St. Cyprian believes that the stone of witness here refers to the Lord Christ Himself5. The Holy Book often spoke of the Lord Christ as the living Stone on which His Church is built6; that, having been rejected by the builders, became the cornerstone.... That, “became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2: 31- 35); and about which the prophet Isaiah said, “It shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established, ... and all nations shall flow to it” (Isaiah 2: 2 - 4). 4- Death of Joshua: This Book started with the death of Moses; as without his death it was not possible for the inheritance and the crossing over to take place; and ends with the death of Joshua; as without the death and resurrection of the true Joshua, salvation would not be realized. 1 De verb habents. 2 De mut, nom PG 51: 143. 3 In Gen. PG 53: 158, 159. 4 On the Spirit 13. 5 Treat. 12 to Quirinus 2: 16. .8 : 9، تث 27 ،8 : 26 ، زك 3 -21 :118 ،16 : 6 إش 28 238 The Book proclaimed the death of Joshua, the burial of Joseph’s bones, and the death of Eleazar the son of Aaron the High Priest. If Joshua refers to Jesus the Savior, by His death, the bones of Joseph came to rest after waiting so long for that day; having said to his brothers: “I am dying, but God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. ...., and you shall carry up my bones from here” (Genesis 50: 24, 25). Joseph believed in God’s promises to his fathers, and realized that there would be no rest for his bones in the strange land; so he took an oath from his brethren to carry up his bones from there. It is as though he represents the Church sojourning in this world that will never find complete rest, until our bodies ascend in the great day to dwell with the risen new Joshua; yet in a new nature that fits the eternity. As for the death of the High Priest Eleazar, meaning “My God helps”, it refers to the fact that, by the death of the Lord Christ, He sets forth as a High Priest, as our God who, by His blood, intercedes for us before His Father, presenting us as members of His holy body.
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