Joshua 24:29-33

Legacy

Have you ever considered what legacy you may leave behind when the time comes that you would depart from this life? Some people leave material wealth. Others leave their intellectual rights. Still some people hope that their lifestyle continues.
In Ecclesiastes 2:18-21, ¹⁸ I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. ²⁰ So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. ²¹ For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

Not a few would wish that they will inherit the wealth so that they won’t need to work hard. King Solomon, the wisest man ever lived on earth was also the richest king in his time hated all the things he toiled for because he cannot take with them to the grave. Material legacy does not guarantee that the recipient would handle it wisely.
Jesus said in John 10:10, ¹⁰I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
It is possible that Christ may grant abundant material wealth but life to its fullness is more of life in Him, with Him and through Him which does end at physical death but would translate to eternity. Should not fullness of life that Christ has promised be the best legacy to leave behind because it benefits us as well as others?

Serving the Lord was Joshua’s legacy. After Joshua died and until the elders who outlived him died there was resoluteness in serving the Lord among the Israelites.

1. Resoluteness

²⁹ After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. ³⁰ And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. ³¹ Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

After Joshua said told them that he and his household will serve the Lord, the Israelites have resolved to follow his life example. The more faithful the Israelites served the Lord, the more they experienced God’s goodness and provision. They had a peaceful life even while they lived among the remnants of their enemies.
Resoluteness to serve the Lord practically manifests of active faith in the Lord. Faith in God is a very slow process in the human eyes. But as God allows faith to grow not instantly, He has also prepared some series of timely challenges in life, why? Testing helps us evaluate our spiritual growth. Are you conscious of your spiritual growth?

Daniel

Daniel thrown into the lion’s den is one of the most dramatic Bible stories.
Daniel had one of the most frightful and extremely terrible testing of faith. Before he was thrown into the lion’s den, Daniel learned that praying to God would put him in danger. Practically, Daniel has proven what Jesus said in Mark 8:35, ³⁵For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

Risking one’s life for the sake of testifying to our faith in Christ is not some kind of random martyr decision. Risk one’s life for Christ’s sake is a testing of resoluteness to serve the Lord. Serving the Lord is not necessarily doing something for the Lord. It is more of obeying, by faith, the lifestyle that Christ has prescribed for believers.
Have you assumed that serving God benefit the Lord? The truth is: Believers who please God will benefit from it. Daniel resolved to live a lifestyle pleasing to God, and when the greatest testing of his life came, he experienced God’s saving grace practically.
In Daniel 1:8-9, ⁸Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. ⁹ Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel.

Daniel was one of the exiles brought to Babylon where they have nothing to depend upon except God. Daniel did not consider about what may happen to him in his resoluteness to live a lifestyle pleasing to God. Such a legacy that many believers throughout church history have tried to imitate.
It teaches in 1 Corinthians 6:19, ¹⁹Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.

Daniel gave us one practical example of how we may live a lifestyle by not defiling our bodies. Do you agree that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? The way we use our mind and strength defines our reverence to Christ’s Spirit living in us.

2. Reverence

³² And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants. ³³ And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

Joseph’s bones brought up from Egypt and buried at Shechem was the last request he asked the Israelites before he died. Joseph was instrumental for the Israelites to escape the severe famine in Canaan. After more than 400 years, and many generations had passed by, the Israelites displayed their reverence to Joseph. In Genesis 50:25-26, ²⁵Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” ²⁶ So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

They could have forgotten or ignored his bones when the Israelites escaped from Egypt. Did God remind Moses about it? In Exodus 13:19, ¹⁹Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”
The Israelites may have high regard of Joseph. Did the Lord instil reverence in the heart of Moses and carried the bones of Joseph when they escaped from Egypt? Possible! Joseph lived a lifestyle pleasing to God. That is the best legacy we can leave behind.
It is widely acceptable that people would do their best to protect their image.
How much human effort do we need to achieve the dignity we desire?
With all the “Do-it-yourself” or “self-help” books of successful people sold in the market, how many have really reached success level that those authors presumed?

As believers, do you believe that the Lord controls your success in life? The Bible teaches that God exalt those He chooses to exalt. He promotes anyone He likes.
When the Lord exalts anyone, does He ask for human recommendation?

Vision

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel interpreted it. Before he gave his interpretation to the king’s dream, Daniel had a vision from the Lord. He prophesied in Daniel 2:19-21, ¹⁹ During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven ²⁰ and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. ²¹ He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Daniel was very young and King Nebuchadnezzar was the first king he served. After Nebuchadnezzar he saw about four more kings come and go. He has personally proven true what he prophesied: That God deposes and raises kings He has chosen.
The reason Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den was because a group of envious leaders wanted to be exalted before King Darius. Daniel never planned to exalt himself. He just lived a lifestyle pleasing to God. Those envious leaders who planned to exalt themselves were eventually brought down and killed by the lions including their families.

In Psalm 75:7, ⁷ It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.

The drama we had in this church is no accident. God allowed it to happen to reveal the lifestyle of each church attendee. The confidence we have in the Lord is more practically manifested in our personal lifestyle. Eventually, each of us would ask: What legacy have we left behind when we are not around anymore?

When God settles you abroad, you will eventually leave this church.
What would those who remain in this church say about you?
What legacy are you hoping to leave behind you?

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