Joshua Stops The Sun: “god Rules To Give You Victory” Series

10 Amazing Miracles from Scripture Series (8 of 10)

Joshua Stops the Sun: “God Rules to Give You Victory” (Joshua 10.6-15)

November 30, 2015 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A Moses had lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and right to the edge of the Promised Land.

1 Moses sent a group of 12 spies into Canaan, the Promised Land, and instead of listening to Caleb & Joshua, he sided with the 10 other spies who didn’t see how the Hebrews had a chance of defeating the giants who dwelt in the Promised Land.

a Because of that one decision, Moses will die before the nation crosses into Canaan via the Jordan River.

b The only people who entered the Promised Land were those who were younger than 20 when they left Egypt (Joshua, Caleb are the exception)

c For 40 years, Moses lead the Hebrews around in the wilderness doing three things:

aa He gives the people a history lesson (Many of the Israelites are too young to remember what God did for them in Egypt during the Exodus so reviews them constantly and assures them more are coming!)

bb He renews the covenant between God & the Israelites (He reminds them that God expects them to obey His laws, blessing comes as a result of obedience: the promises God made to their parents also belong to them.)

cc He appoints Joshua as his replacement (Joshua is a warrior, fighter, and he will lead the Israelites back to their homeland)

2 It’s interesting that the generation that saw God’s great hand in the past (Egypt/Red Sea) were stopped in their tracks and would never experience the land of milk & honey & the generation that entered the promised land hand would get their own set of miracles.

a God would let entire generation die off before another generation would rise and claim His promises!

b The difference between these two generations was not God, but how each generation approached God.

c We find ourselves as a nation at a similar place: The generation that is filling up cemeteries today had a strong relationship with God.

aa Trusting Him, His Word, His Hand, His Kingdom, His Church, Saw miracle after miracle, awakening after awakening.

bb The emerging generation doesn’t remember how God birthed this nation, blessed this nation, built this nation on His Word, Prominence of the House of Worship.

B To prove my point, what if all the citizens of America born before 1955 were removed from the country in an instant? (Or 1975)

1 Abortion has always been legal, Marriage definition has always been under attack, God has always been kicked out of school, state buildings.

a This generation needs their own set of miracles, awakening but not even willing to admit that the God of the Bible is real, His Word is absolute Truth.

b If you choose to be the voice in the wilderness proclaiming truth . . . you are called a bigot, hate monger, old-fashioned, out-of-touch, ignorant.

aa The younger generation wasn’t raised to trust in the God of the Bible or that His Word is absolute TRUTH.

bb This is the reason the Patriarchs of the O.T. would build a stone pile here and there, so as to remind each following generation that God did something for us here.

2 Joshua 10.6-15 (READ)

a Joshua and his armies had been taking town after town, victory after victory (with the exception of Ai) and word was getting around that Israel was back!

aa Up to this time Joshua and his army was taking one town at a time, slow progress.

bb The King of Gibeon (who were in the path of Joshua’s army, if they weren’t going to be attacked from the 5 kings to the south first,) tricked Joshua into entering into covenant with him & his people (cf. 9.3-16).

b The agreement (think Peace Treaty) said Joshua would let Gibeon’s people live, not going to mess with them.

aa Why would Joshua make a treaty with Gibeon? (Naive? Taken advantage of?) I think “no” to both!

bb I believe Joshua saw this as an opputunity to take out a lot of power players in one battle, not peace mealing a little at a time.

cc I think Joshua saw this a “goodfella’s” moment: get all the heads of the rival families together and then break bad on them.

C Five kings decide to join forces to overcome/overwhelm Joshua (Kings of Eglon, Lachish, Hebron, Jarmuth & Jerusalem) by attacking Gibeon.

1 Joshua gets word that the five kings were going to attack Gibeon so he takes “all his people of war with him and all the valiant warriors” on a mission 20 mile uphill march, under the cloak of darkness to fight the five kings of the southern confederacy.