October 04, 2026 | A Renewed Covenant

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Devotional Reading: Jeremiah 31:27–34

Background Scripture: Deuteronomy 29:1–20; Joshua 23–24

Introduction

A. Picking and Choosing

“We go to the foreign doctors to cure our malaria,” the refugees told the mission staff. “But we go to the witch doctors if we have hepatitis or other problems.”

Having access to modern health care was new to these North African refugees. It came about after they had walked for days, fleeing war in their homeland. In the refugee camp, several aid organizations operated medical clinics. The refugees would let the foreign doctors diagnose them and give them medicine for certain health issues. Some refugees would then pay their traditional healers who practiced witchcraft for certain other ailments.

With options available, the refugees quickly tabulated the perceived success rate of each treatment option. Before long, they had decided under what circumstances they would go to the witch doctors or the foreign doctors.

The Israelites under Joshua may have been tempted to employ similar syncretic tactics. “The God of Abraham is good at wars, but Baal is good at crops,” they might decide. They could pick and choose which deity—real or imagined—to follow when.

But Joshua would have none of it. In his later years, Joshua forced them to choose. Would they serve God with all their hearts or not?