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.
a Josh. 10.8, “And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.”
b Joshua, armed with his army (and the promise of God) ran to Gibeon to fulfill his vow to not only refrain from attacking them, but also to not sit back and let someone else attack them.
aa OT picture of grace & mercy. (Grace is giving them what they do not deserve. . . Mercy is withholding from them what they do deserve.)
bb Joshua would Gibeon’s Defender & Refuge!
T.S.: In this text I see a few essential elements to look for when God is about to do the miraculous.
I He uses people
A Joshua didn’t drag his feet to run to Gibeon’s aid.
1 v. 7, all the people of war & valiant warriors.
a The whiners, complainers, nay sayers, follow commands can stay at camp!
b The soldiers packed up their stuff and followed Joshua in to the dead of the night.
aa Weren’t sure what the future held but they knew if they were going to go the next level of blessing they had to go.
bb Didn’t understand fully what tomorrow held but they knew whom held tomorrow.
2 True soldiers of God can learn a lesson from Joshua’s army.
a You may be inconvenienced from time to time, take a detour here and there, give up weekend, give a little time/money, sacrifice . . .if you want to further with God that is what it is going to take.
b There is a dialogue in v. 7-10, Joshua, the Lord, Joshua, The Lord . . .
aa The Lord was going to give the victory, but the soldiers had to fight.
bb When you’re praying to God for miracles do not to expect God to do it all!!!!
B The Lord would through large stones from heaven and hit the enemy soldiers (Precession bombing, they only fell on the armies of the 5 kings of the Southern Confederacy).
1 Scripture tells us more were killed by the heavenly hailstorms than Joshua’s army.
a The army still had to make the journey, suit up for battle, make the march and follow Joshua.
b Could have God done it without them? Of, Course!
2 God can do a miracle without us, but at times He’s looking for us take part with our obedience.
II He uses the natural in a supernatural way.
A The miracle of God causing the sun and moon stop rotating is seemingly the most conflict between science and Scripture in all the Good book.
1 Joshua ask the sun & moon to stand still long enough for Israel to completely demolish the five king southern confederacy.
a Of course, we know that the sun doesn’t have an orbit, that the earth revolves around the sun.
aa Critics of the Bible would say this is a contradiction, but it simply a matter of speech.
bb Even today “Sunrise, Sunset”, we know that the sun doesn’t rise nor does it set. The earth rotates and it gives the appearance of sunset/sunrise.
b What God probably did was just the earth from moving for about 23 hours, or slowed her down enough to extend the day.
aa There was an old story many years ago when NASA was trying to make some long range calculations and their models kept coming up flawed until a Christian phyisist factored in Joshua’s missing day and then the calculation worked out. (NASA denies this story.)
bb The truth is that it doesn’t matter. Christians don’t need proof/worldly confirmation on matters of the supernatural. We accept it by faith!!!!!
2 So what happened (vs. 12-13)?
a Eclipse? Clouds over the sun? Refraction of the sun’s rays?”
b The best explanation: God caused the earth’s rotation to slow to a 48 hour rotataion rather than the normal 24 hour rotation.
aa v. 13, “and the sun stopped . . .”
bb The sun was slow ...the day dragged and Joshua and his army could get the job done . . . victory was accomplished.
c Imagine what the 5 kings thought (worshiped the sun/moon) at the prayers of Joshua their gods were compelled to obey Joshua.
aa The Lord fought for Israel and He fights for us too!
bb God caused the sun to stand still so that Joshua might be victorious in battle.
cc A certain professor once said, "It is ridiculous that God would stop the entire universe for one man."
B It may sound preposterous to some people, but God did it.
1 He also sent His Son into the world to die for sinners, which was much more wonderful than stopping the sun.
a When God stopped the sun, He demonstrated His wisdom and power.
aa When He sent His Son into the world to become a man and die on the cross, He displayed His love.
bb If you were the only person that had ever been born, Christ would have died for you.
cc The professor will say that is ridiculous also, and it is.
b But we have another word for it: grace. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8).
2 We serve a God who will move/stop heaven & earth to give you victory.
a Nothing is beyond the God we serve, worship, pray to.
b He doesn’t love Israel/Joshua . . . considers His promises to them more important than the ones He’s made to us.
aa If our God is for us, who can be against us?
bb If you are on the Lord’s Side, you are not fighting for victory . . . you’re fighting from victory.
Conclusion:
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
