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.