Tuesday: Clear Boundaries
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 16th of December 2025
Using the same words that were addressed to him at the beginning of the book (Joshua 1:7-8), Joshua states that the task that lay ahead of Israel is not primarily military in nature. It is spiritual. It has to do with obedience to God’s revealed will in the Torah.
Why do you think Joshua took such a strong position concerning Israel’s relations with the surrounding nations (Joshua 23:6-8,12-13)?
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The danger facing Israel is not the threat of the remaining nations’ animosity but the risk of their friendship. Their weapons might not represent any challenge to Israel; however, their ideology and values (or counter-values) could prove to be more harmful than any military force. Joshua draws the attention of the leaders to the crucial fact that the conflict they have been involved in is first, and ultimately, spiritual. Therefore, Israel has to maintain its unique identity.
The prohibition of invoking the name of a god, swearing by it, and serving or bowing to it has to do with idolatry. In the ancient Near East, the name of a deity represented his or her presence and power. Invoking or mentioning the names of foreign gods in everyday greetings or business transactions meant recognizing their authority and helped lead the Israelites to seek their power in time of need (compare with Judges 2:1-3,11-13).
The danger of intermarriage with the remaining Canaanites consisted in losing Israel’s spiritual purity. The intent of Joshua’s admonition is not to promote racial or ethnic purity but rather to avoid idolatry, which can lead to the spiritual collapse of Israel. The case of Solomon is a dramatic example of the sad spiritual consequences of intermarriage (1 Kings 3:1, 1 Kings 11:1-8); in the New Testament, Christians are openly warned against seeking marital relationships with nonbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14), although, in the case of existing marriages, Paul does not advise divorce from the unbelieving spouse but calls them to live an exemplary Christian life in hope of winning the spouse to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:12-16).
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Joshua’s warning against harmful associations inevitably leads to the question of the Christian’s relationship to the “world.” How can we find a balanced relationship with the society that surrounds us? |
As Christians we face the issue of interacting with the world but not being contaminated by it. And that creates a tension we find difficult to manage at times. James summed it up this way:
The parable of the peas which I have told here before provides perspective:
A pea pod ripened and fell onto the brown earth, splitting open in the process and spilling out three green peas.
The first pea looked around and everywhere as far as it could see was brown earth. The pea said to the others, “It is so brown out here and it makes me feel so uncomfortable! I am going back where it is all green.” And with that is crawled back into the green pod and wrapped it around itself.
The second pea looked around and everywhere as far as it could see was brown earth. It said to the others “It is so brown out here and I am so green. Everyone will notice me and make fun of my greenness” Quickly it rolled and squelched in the brown earth, trying to make itself as brown as possible.
The third pea looked around and everywhere as far as it could see was brown earth. It said to the others, “It is so brown out here. What we need is a lot more green! It put down its roots and grew into a tall green pea vine covering the brown earth with greenness.
It is all about perspective. We look at the world and see sin How we react to it depends on our relationship with Jesus. He set an example:
Jesus has set the boundaries.
Jesus entered sinful environments as a doctor, not a patient.We engage the world to bring Christ, not to absorb its values.We must know why we are present in certain environments.Our closeness to sinners should lead them toward healing, not draw us into compromise.
A church becomes “green” when Christ is clearly seen in both word and action.It is spiritually healthy, growing, and life-giving when what it proclaims (its teaching, preaching and beliefs) matches how it lives (its behavior, service and relationships).It does not just talk about Jesus—it looks like Jesus.It
nourishes believers, attracts seekers, transforms communities and glorifies God. It is truly alive when Christ is heard in its message and recognized in its lifestyle.
”Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them” (Joshua 23:7, NLT).
Joshua took great exception to whom the Children of Israel were prohibited from associating with. The people we associate with have the power to shape our beliefs, behaviour, character, and ultimately our destiny. Teaching on the power of association, one day, Jesus said, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6). Jesus was warning His listeners to be mindful of whom they associate with. If we choose to associate with those who compromise with the truth, we take the risk of being inadvertently swayed into error. On the same subject (association), Jesus also said, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16). What we associate with in terms of people, ideas, behaviour, or worldview will shape the fruit we bear in life. By beholding, we become changed (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The power of association is extensively explored in management theories. This is a powerful and fundamental concept which demonstrates how people make decisions, form opinions, influence values, and determine goals. Likewise, in our spiritual walk, we should discern with whom we associate with in order to produce good fruit.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
God established clear boundaries for the children of Israel to help them understand His character and to protect them from harm and danger. When God gave His law at Sinai, it was an act of salvation and relationship, not merely regulation: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount… and I will give you tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them” (Exodus 24:12). These boundaries distinguished Israel from surrounding nations and revealed that heaven’s love always operates within moral order.
The boundaries also revealed heaven’s attitude toward sinners through the way God dealt with Israel. Despite repeatedly failing to uphold their covenant responsibilities, God continually pursued them with mercy and love. He never abandoned them in their sin but patiently worked for their restoration, reflecting the heavenly character later revealed in Christ: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Psalm 103:8). Just as God loved Israel before they were faithful, He loves us despite our sinfulness.
At times, when Israel crossed these boundaries, God disciplined them but still never withdrew His love. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Revelation 3:19). This clearly shows that divine discipline is an expression of love, not rejection. In the same way, we are called to treat one another by combining patience with mercy, forgiveness with clear boundaries, and compassion with faithfulness to God’s standards. Heaven teaches us to love the imperfect deeply while remaining loyal to righteousness.