Sabbath: Ultimate Loyalty: Worship in a War Zone
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 8th of November 2025
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Joshua 5:1-7; Exodus 12:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Joshua 8:30-35; Deuteronomy 8:11,14; Hebrews 9:11-12.
Memory Text: “ ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you’ ” (Matthew 6:33, ESV).
This week we are going to look at some key moments during Israel’s presence in the Promised Land, when the people rededicated themselves to the Lord, sometimes in the face of impending danger. Joshua made the seemingly irrational decision to circumcise the Israelites on enemy territory (Joshua 5:1-9); to celebrate the Passover in the face of imminent danger (Joshua 5:10-12); to build an altar and worship the Lord while the conquest was in full swing (Joshua 8:30-35); and to set up the tabernacle of the Lord when seven tribes in Israel had not yet received their inheritance (Joshua 18:1-2).
In our busy lives, we tend to give attention to the urgencies that life throws at us. Very often we neglect to carve out quality time to renew our commitment to God and to pause and express our thankfulness for what He has done and daily continues to do for us. Morning and evening worship, as well as the family altar, seem to be so out of context in our overcharged, convenience-driven, and achievement-oriented life. Yet, deep in our hearts, we all know that the occasions spent together with God and our loved ones are the best investment of our limited time.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 15.
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When my non-religious friends find out that I go to church, they usually tell me something like, “%$@@! ##@@$%!” OK, I shortened it a bit, but I think you get the picture; they think belonging to a church and doing what churches do is unbelievably stupid. For those who stick with me, our discussions often involve spiritual aspects of believing rather than church attendance and worship activities.
Even in this forum, we concentrate on personal spiritual aspects rather than the Church. We sometimes forget the importance of the church community and its role in our spiritual lives.
If I have pre-read this week’s lesson correctly, we will be examining some of the national religious ceremonies that Joshua reinstituted when they entered Canaan. Apart from their spiritual significance, they also provided a sense of national identity and common purpose. It may just be a little reminder that the Gospel mission is not just about Jesus and me, but about the role of our spiritual identity with one another.
It’s common, as you described, for believers to focus on personal spirituality — prayer, Bible study, and relationship with God — while sometimes overlooking the importance of the church community.
The Bible emphasizes both personal faith and communal worship:
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT):
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…”
This shows that spiritual growth is strengthened by community. Belonging to a church is not just about rituals; it’s about mutual encouragement and accountability.
Even if some see church attendance as “unnecessary” or “stupid,” it provides:
A place to encourage one another spiritually.
A shared identity in Christ.
Opportunities to participate in the mission of God together.
Faith is strongest when personal devotion and corporate worship work together — just as Israel’s ceremonies reminded them of God’s faithfulness and their shared calling.
Challenges (difficulties) are a guaranteed portion of life for all human beings, be it for believers or non-believers. However, for believers, there is solace when they turn to God for worship. How do we face life when we are engulfed with insurmountable challenges from all sides? When the world around us seems to be crumbling under our feet, how should we respond? The Bible records a story of a man who found an answer amidst all the challenges in life.
“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”
Job found solace in worship despite all the challenges and trials that he faced. Job chose to worship instead of despair. Job demonstrated that faith is not the absence of challenges but a refusal to walk away from God. In the face of difficulties, God is still in control. Israel chose to worship God amidst the impending real danger because they had a conviction that God had the power to save them. We too should have the conviction of Job, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him”(Job 13:15). In our darkest hour, we should have the courage to worship God, knowing that beyond the present God holds the future.
Faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted. We worship not because life is easy, but because in all things God is in control.