Joshua 23:8, 11 But cleave unto the lord your God, as ye have done unto this day….Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.
Joshua’s farewell address to the people praised God for what He has done up to this time, but he is concerned that after he gone they will lose their faithfulness. Therefore he encourages them to cleave to the Lord. He has been faithful to His promises: He has worked salvation and given the kingdom. And He will continue to keep His people safe and happy according to His Word.
The only question for the future wellbeing of Israel is whether they will receive such great grace and remain faithful to Him. Will they respond by cleaving to the Lord and loving Him with all their heart? The answer of OT history was No: they joined themselves to pagan gods and went after the world. Then they suffered the consequences, although a remnant returned and remained faithful. In the NT Jesus asked: “When I return, will I find faith on the earth?” The jury is still out.
We respond to the Gospel by cleaving to our Lord Jesus. We hold fast to Him and are joined in unity with Him. Faith loves Him with all our heart and soul; for how could we not love the one who gave His life so we could live? We keep, nourish, strengthen, and grow the faith by hearing the Gospel in as many ways as we can as often as we can. As the Son is faithful to the Father, so the Holy Spirit is faithful to the Father and the Son by keeping us in the faith. The Spirit cleaves us to God, joins us to Jesus, and holds us fast in the everlasting arms.