No matter how great leaders may be, they cannot last forever, although their work is never lost (1 John 2:17). Like his predecessor Moses, Joshua gave a farewell address, first to his leaders (chap. 23) and then to the people as a whole (chap. 24).
无论领导人有多伟大，即便他们所做的将存留，但他们终究会离世（约一2:17）。如前任的摩西一样，约书亚也给予了告别说辞；他首先是对带领者说话（23章），然后再对百姓集体宣讲（24章）。
He magnified the Lord and not himself. No one would question that Joshua was a gifted leader and a great general, but he gave the glory to God.
他高举的是主而不是自己。无人会质疑约书亚是个有天赋的领导者，亦是一名伟大的将军，但他把荣耀全归于神。
He challenged the people to keep trusting God and claiming their inheritance. In the book of Judges, you will discover how their incomplete obedience led to compromise and severe discipline from the Lord. Joshua had warned them (v. 16), but they forgot his words. Triumph was turned into tragedy.
他挑战百姓要继续信靠神并夺下他们未得的产业。在士师记中，你将发现他们半心半意的顺服是如何造成他们妥协于事，以致得来主严厉的惩罚。约书亚曾告诫他们（16节），但他们却忘了。胜利反演变成了悲剧。
He reminded them that God’s Word never fails (v. 14) and must be obeyed completely if God is to continue His blessing on the land. Verse 7 explains how to wander from the Lord, and the nation did exactly that!
他提醒百姓：神的话永不落空（14节），而倘若要神继续在应许之地上向他们赐予祝福，就必须一心一意地顺服神。第7节说明人是如何偏离主的；他们确实如此行！
You are writing your own “farewell speech” right now. What will it sound like?
你如今也在写自己的“告别演说”。那听起来会是怎么样的呢？
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- Here is the second of the three assemblies with which the Book of Joshua closes. The emphasis remains on the necessity for fidelity to Yahweh (vv. 6, 8, 11) in order to retain the land (vv. 13, 15, 16). Here an aged Joshua addresses Israel through her leaders in his last will and testimony. Observe how Joshua stresses the peculiar responsibility of Yahweh’s witnesses. Joshua sets himself in sharp contrast to Israel’s leaders who remain: ‘I have become old, I have come into days, but you have seen all that Yahweh your God has done …’ (vv. 2–3). The burden of Joshua’s exhortation to the leaders comes in verses 6–8: since they have actually seen Yahweh’s work on behalf of Israel, they must be the spearheads of fidelity to him. Death is about to beckon Joshua; but he uses a last opportunity ‘that he might leave the pure worship of God surviving him.’ Let’s pray that we are eager for the next generation to love God as much as we do.
这是总结约书亚记所见的三个集会中的其中第二组。这里强调的仍是百姓要对耶和华专一（6, 8, 11节），才能持守地业（13, 15, 16节）。年迈的约书亚通过众长老向以色列做出他最后的遗愿和见证。请注意约书亚是如何强调作耶和华见证人所持的特殊责任。约书亚特意与这些仍然存活的长老作鲜明的对比：“我已老迈，时间到了，但你们亲眼看见了耶和华你们神所做过的……”（2-3节）在6-8节中，约书亚对领导人迫切地劝勉：他们既然已见证了耶和华为以色列所做的一切，就必须带头对耶和华忠贞。死亡即将临到约书亚，但他使用最后的机会为下一代留下纯正的敬拜。让我们祈祷，渴望下一代能像我们一样热爱神。
- These leaders had seen all that Yahweh had done to ‘all these nations’ (v. 3) and ‘had seen all Yahweh’s great work which he had done for Israel’ (Judg. 2:7); but the time will come when these witnesses will, like Joshua, leave the earthly struggle behind (Judg. 2:10a). It is at that point that we will hear of another generation ‘who did not know Yahweh nor the work that he had done for Israel’ (Judg. 2:10). Does that mean Joshua’s men had failed? The fact that a faithless generation can arise out of the tracks of a faithful generation should impress us with how vital it is for one generation to, at least, pass on the amazing story of God’s saving power and fearful judgment to the next. Let’s pray that we do their parenting seriously.
这些领导人都目睹了耶和华向“那些国”所行的一切事（3节），并“耶和华为以色列人所行的大事”（士2:7）；但时日必到，这些见证人也会像约书亚一样，脱离地上的争战（士2:10）。那时候，我们将看到另一个世代兴起，“不知道耶和华，也不知道耶和华为以色列人所行的事”（士2:10）。难道这表示约书亚他们失败了吗？这只能说明一个不信的世代也能从一个忠实的世代而出；这事实应该迫使我们明白传递真理的重要性，至少让下一代晓得神救赎的大能和可怕的审判。让我们祈祷，叫我们能认真对待作父母的职责。
