The aged leader urged the people to consider, in all its bearings, what he had set before them, and to decide if they really desired to live as did the degraded idolatrous nations around them. If it seemed evil to them to serve Jehovah, the source of power, the fountain of blessing, let them that day choose whom they would serve--"the gods which your fathers served," from whom Abraham was called out, "or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell." These last words were a keen rebuke to Israel. The gods of the Amorites had not been able to protect their worshipers. Because of their abominable and debasing sins, that wicked nation had been destroyed, and the good land which they once possessed had been given to God's people. What folly for Israel to choose the deities for whose worship the Amorites had been destroyed! "As for me and my house," said Joshua, "we will serve Jehovah." The same holy zeal that inspired the leader's heart was communicated to the people. His appeals 524 called forth the unhesitating response, "God forbid that we should forsake Jehovah, to serve other gods."

Den aldrende leder gjorde al sin indflydelse gældende for at få folket til grundigt at overveje det, han havde sagt til dem, og afgøre, om de virkelig ønskede at leve ligesom deres dybt sunkne, afguderiske nabofolk. Hvis de ikke brød sig om at tjene Herren, som er kraftens kilde og velsignelsens levende væld, så stod det dem nu frit for at vælge, hvem de ville tjene - "de guder" som blev dyrket af "Eders fædre", som Abraham blev opfordret til at drage bort fra, "eller amoritternes guder, i hvis land I nu bor". Disse sidste ord var en skarp irettesættelse til Israel. Amoritternes guder havde ikke været i stand til at beskytte de mennesker, der tilbad dem. Den onde amoritiske nation var blevet tilintetgjort på grund af sine afskyelige, nedværdigende synder, og Guds folk havde fået det gode land, som den en gang ejede. Hvor ville det være tåbeligt af israelitterne at vælge de guder, som det havde kostet amoritterne livet at dyrke! "Men jeg og mit hus," sagde Josua, "vi vil tjene Herren!" Folket blev grebet af den samme hellige ildhu, som besjælede deres leder. Hans udfordring fremkaldte det spontane svar: "Det være langt fra os at forlade Herren for at dyrke andre guder."