Series: Joshua
Text: Joshua 10:16-28
Title: “Pursuit of Obedience”
I. Avoiding Distractions (16-21)
Vv. 16-18
• The first thing Joshua does is to access the situation and take care of those things of first importance.
o Joshua and the children of Israel have the 5 kings sealed inside the cave they were hiding in so that they could finish pursuing the enemy.
o How easily it would have been for Joshua to get distracted by the kings, who were no real threat at this point, and let the enemy escape, regroup, and come back and fight.
o The temptation would have been to go after the kings; there was glamour and notoriety in killing an enemy king.
• We are faced with the same distractions as the church.
o We sometimes fail to assess the differences between what it is that I want and what it is that God wants me to do.
o So often we don’t even distinguish between the two.
o Or we only want to do those things that are “glamorous” or that will bring attention and we fail to do the simple things that need to be done.
o We want to be out front leading when God says I need you to sweep a floor or clean a bathroom.
o The example Jesus gave us when He washed the disciples’ feet.
Vv. 19-22
• But the children of Israel leave the kings and pursue after the enemy.
• Notice the phrase, “for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.”
o We are involved in carrying out God’s plans, but we have no determination in the final outcome, that belongs to God.
o But God has promised us victory just the same.
o Look at the promises He gives to the 7 churches in Revelation
o Ephesus: Revelation 2:7 -- 7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
o Smyrna: Revelation 2:10 -- 10 Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
o Pergamum: Revelation 2:17 -- 17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
o Thyatira: Revelation 2:26-28 -- 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.
o Sardis: Revelation 3:5 -- 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
o Philadelphia: Revelation 3:12 -- 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
o Laodicea: Revelation 3:21 -- 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
• Vs. 21 “they returned in peace” because they were obedient to God.
II. Paying The Penalty Of Sin (22-27)
• We read this account and we think of how humiliating, how fearful and how terrible it was to suffer such a fate.
o That is the point!
o The payment for sin is a humiliating, bloody, and terrible thing.
o Aren’t you thankful that Jesus took ours for us?
Philippians 2:8 -- 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Hebrews 12:2 -- 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
o For Jesus it was no small thing either.
Vv. 26-27
• We cannot help but to see the imagery here.
• These 5 kings were hung on a tree, placed in a tomb that was sealed with a rock.
o Deuteronomy 21:22-23
o Deuteronomy 27:26
o Cursed simply means “to stand in judgment from God.”
o After the fall not only did all of mankind come under the curse, but all of nature.
o Genesis 3:14-19
Romans 8:19-22 -- 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Galatians 3:13 -- 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”—
• Jesus Christ stood in the gap between us and God and He stood in judgment of God so that we would have life everlasting.
Vs. 27
• The difference is these kings were placed in a tomb, sealed with a rock, and remain there till this day; because they were guilty of their sin.
• Jesus was placed in a tomb, sealed with a rock, but He arose again after 3 days; because there was no guilt found in Him.
III. Satisfying The Wrath Of God (28)
• The wrath of God can only be satisfied if all disobedience is removed.
Ephesians 5:3-7 -- 3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;
o Jesus is the only way anyone can ever hope to avoid God’s wrath.
Romans 5:9-10 -- 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
o We should take great comfort in being counted among those who are saved, but we should in no way be comfortable, because we still have work to do.
o A day is coming when God will pour out His entire wrath on those whose have rejected Jesus Christ.
o Revelation 16:1-11
o Romans 10:14, “how will they believe in Him whom they have not heard.”
o We have been entrusted with a message, the only message that can save any soul from this wrath, and we need to move with a sense of urgency.
