Joshua Series #13
The Amazing Race to Rest & Reward
“The Day the Sun Stood Still” Git er done
I. Purge the Land 1-12
A. God Prepared Joshua for leadership 1
B. Joshua prepared the people to possess the land 2
C. Israel Purged the Canaanites 2-11
1. Central Campaign 6-10
a. Israel defeated Jericho 6
b. Ai defeated Israel 7
c. Israel defeated Ai 8
After the victory over Ai, Joshua carried out a mandate that Moses issued found in the last chapters of Deuteronomy. Moses told them to be sure to gather to review the instructions that he left them. This was to be a special gathering after they had crossed over the Jordan. (Deut 27:1-8) They were to build an altar to the Lord out of unaltered stones on which to sacrifice and give thanks.
Moses also charged the people on that day, saying, "When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. Deuteronomy 27:11-13
Here the people gathered to reaffirm their commit to God as His covenant people. Here, they were reminded of the blessings available to those who chose to listen, trust and obey their God and the cursing for failure to comply.
Principle
Continual reminders and affirmations of the truth are necessary for victorious living.
Half the tribes gathered at Mount Ebal and Half at the bottom of Mt Gerizim.
From one side, they verbalized the blessings.
The description of the cursings was much more detailed.
The principle we can learn for our journey is to continually review the truth and renew our commitment to listen, trust and obey God’s word.
d. The Gibeonites deceived Joshua 9
Satan tries to establish a fortress form which to operate. Often he gains a foothold through deception. Israel fell prey to deception because they were careless and failed to consult God.
So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD. Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. Joshua 9:14-15
Deception is one of Satan’s chief strategies; so much so, that “deceiver” is one of his names.
He is called the father of lies, the deceiver. Satan’s deception started with the first family.
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3
Satan continually tries to deaden our devotion to Christ through deception and lies. He deceived Eve by convincing her that she could function without dependence on God. She could be god-like without Him. Satan uses people and culture to disseminate his lies. Satan often times tries to come off as a good person and angel of light. He will pretend to be for the truth but stick you with a lie. Satan deceived Eve because he got her to focus on the temporal rather than the eternal. He focused on attaining pleasure, prestige, and possessions apart from God. There is nothing wrong with these things in their right perspective. God promises all of them on HIS terms. It is when we pursue them on our own terms apart from God that we get in trouble.
Our soul gets programed with a myriad of lies from the time we are born. To the degree our view of life does not correspond with the reality taught in Scripture, we find ourselves captive.
David continually addressed his soul and reinforced the truth of God over Satan’s lie. The renewing of the mind is like a renewing of our soul that needs continual reinforcement. Satan holds us captive to his philosophies and world view which does not include God. Paul told the Ephesians that they once lived according to the course of this world; a course dictated by the “Prince of the power of the air”.
Unless we beware of the enemy, we are in extreme danger of being taken captive by his lies.
We will wrestle with decision making
We will suffer depression and anxiety.
We will fall victim to fear in the present and for the future.
We will lose the fight to temptation.
We will continue to struggle in our relationships with others.
The escape comes from abiding in His word. The true disciples of Jesus continue in His word and that interaction with His word brings them to a knowledge of the truth and a knowledge of the truth sets them free from the snare of the devil having been held captive to do his will.
The entire protective armor we studied in Ephesians 6 has to do with understanding and embracing truth regarding our connection to Jesus that confronts the lies of the enemy.
We are continually transformed by the renewing of our mind with the truth. Our minds have been programed with false perceptions and need to be renewed with God’s eternal perception. If we think right, we will believe right. If we believe right, we will behave right.
2. The Southern Campaign 10
Having cut a path through the idle of the country preventing unification with cities of the north and south, Joshua holds up at Gilgal. Meanwhile five tribal kings in Southern Israel get together out of fear of Israel.
Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had utterly destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were within their land, that he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham king of Hebron and to Piram king of Jarmuth and to Japhia king of Lachish and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, "Come up to me and help me, and let us attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel." So the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it. Joshua 10:1-5
Principle
There is not just one fight.
There is always another fight until Jesus returns.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11
Be on the alert your adversary roams about like a roaring lion; especially when we have been victorious. I Pet 5
He seems to gather reinforcements and double his efforts expecaill after significan victory.
Or it seems he multiplies obstacles and attacks. After Ai, all of the Battles were initiated by the Canaanites. God hardened their hearts not to sit back but initiate the attacks. Now Israel is completely outnumbered by this five city coalition. What at the time felt like imminent defeat, turned out to be inspirational victory. Rather than have to pick them off city by city, God brought all of their kings and fighting men in once place to be destroyed, leaving their cities vulnerable. Put you trust in the God of the circumstance rather than the circumstances.
Things are not always what they seam. Later in their history Elisha's servant will shake in fear over the huge army alinged to engage Israel’s minuscule army.
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17
Principle
Satan will often attack our friends and family in order to get to us.
Be ready to protect your allies. Remember that our fight is not against flesh and blood but unseen spiritual forces. Satan’s strategy is to get us to fight each other and not the enemy.
The Gibeonites called for help from their new partners. Sometimes unsanctined alliances bring continuing consequences. In this case, Israel was forced to engage the enemy.
Principle
Be sure your alliances are directed by God.
2 Cor 6:14 warns us not to be unequally linked with unbelievers becaseu whatever happens to them happens to us. 2 Timothy reminds us that good soldiers avoid unnecesary entanglements. This is another reminder thought of how God turns mistakes and wrong choices into a means for future victory. Just as the failure at Ai was the stragy for the eventual destruction Ai, the Gibeonite deception due to a failure to consult the Lord was the trigger to engage and destroy the kings of the south. Joshua acted quickly and sought and received confirmation from the Lord.
Principle
God offers His Peace, His Promise and His Power
His Peace
Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors. The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them!
The Bible is full of admonitions and encouragments regarding fear. Over and over we are told not to fear or be anxious. Fear is the opposite of faith. If you have fear you don’t have faith.
If you have faith you don’t have fear. You can’t truly trust God and be afraid. Fear paralyzes us.
True trust energizes us. Joshua followed the same pattern that had been in play all though this conquest.
Principle
Clearly hear, fully trust, completely obey.
Joshua’s peace was based on God’s promise.
His Promise
for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you." Joshua 10:7-8
Joshua mobilized the army because God promised victory. This was not small thing. When we have clear direction from God we not only don’t need to be afraid or anxious but we have the power needed to persevere in battle. God didn’t say it would be easy. They marched all night.
It was a twenty mile trek uphill to Gibeon from 1,300 feet below sea level to 3,000 feet above.
They covered the territory in an 8-10 hour march in the dark which at a normal pace would have taken 2-3 days.
Prinicple
God never promised that warfare would be easy.
He calls it suffering. God allowed Peter to be sifted like wheat. Satan continully hammered Jesus all through His earthly life. It isn’t called warfare for nothing.
His Power
God doesn’t leave us with just a peace and a promise, He supplies the power to persevere.
Israel routed the coalition and chased them over the hills and down through a narrow ravine where God joined the fight with giant hailstones.
As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword. Joshua 10:11
Here is another example of divine human collaboration. God employs the supernatural and the natural to bring about His purposes.
"Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, Which I have reserved for the time of distress, For the day of war and battle? Job 38:22-23
These were God’s smart bombs. Their miracle is not just the timing but the accuracy. It is interesting that they all hit their targets.
Principle
God is able to use whatever means to fulfill His promises related to His purposes.
Not only does God employ the hail to His advantage but the very heavens. Joshua was determined to peresever and do what was necessary to get the job done. He was sent to exterminate the evil from the land at God’s command and provision.
Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon." So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel. Joshua 10:12-14
I don’t know how God did it. If you created nature in the first place, he could certainly alter it any way He wished.
Most every ancient culture that you can study has a record of an extra-long day. Just like most of them have a record of a world wide flood.
Records of the Chinese during the reign of Emperor Yeo, who lived in Joshua’s day, report the strange occurrence of an extra long day.
Also, Herodotus, a Greek historian, wrote an account of an extra long day, left to us by the Egyptians.
Others cite records of the Aztecs in Mexico reporting the sun standing still, in a year denoted as 7 Rabbits. That is the same year that other historical records show Joshua defeating the Philistines and conquering Palestine.
Other cultures: Incas of Peru, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Polynesians. Some refer to the sun standing still; others call it an extra long day / night.
God did it, He kept the light on the enemy so they could’t escape into the darkness.
Prinicple
God will shine light on the enemy until we gain the victory.
The point here is actually not how the sun stood still but the point the text makes.
There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
This was not the first time that God used a aberition of nature to get man’s attention in response to a man’s prayer. Elijah prayed that it would not rain for three years. He prayed again and it rained. James uses him as an example and Biblical priniciple.
Principle
The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16
Principle
Keep on the offensive until the victory is won.
Keep pursuing the enemy. Do not give up. The kings all ran and hid together in cave near the city of Makkedah. Joshua sealed them in the cave while he continued to lead Israel now to each city slated for judgment and destruction. The chapter lists seven of them (probably symbolic of completion).
Beth-Horon, Makkedah, Azekah, Libnah, Eglon, Hebron, Debir.
After they finished, Joshua returned to the cave and brought out the five kings. He put them face down in the dirt and called his commanders to put their foot on their necks. This was a symbolic gesture of submission of a conquered foe. Psalm 110:1` and 8:6 pictures Messiah’s enemies being but under foot. God predicts Jesus’ final victory.
For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. 1 Corinthians 15:25-27
Just as Joshua allowed His commanders to share in the glory of the victory, Christ will also include us in His victory.
For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:19-20
Thus Joshua struck all the land, the hill country and the Negev and the lowland and the slopes and all their kings. He left no survivor, but he utterly destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen even as far as Gibeon. Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. So Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal. Joshua 10:40-43
Principle
God allows us to share in His victory.
Clearly hear, fully trust, completely obey.
Principle
Take time to rest and refresh as a community in the presence of the Lord.
3. The Northern Campaign 11
After a time of rest, God stirred up the kings of the north to rise up against Israel.
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire." Joshua 11:6
God’s again reaffirms His peace, His promise and His power. Again, Joshua had specific instructions that he carried out.
Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. Joshua 11:12
Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses. Joshua 11:15
So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war. Joshua 11:23
Principle
Follow God’s instructions fully
4. The Summary of the conquest 12
Joshua cataloged the purging of 31 kings and their people from the land.
Plenty of principles to consider
• There is not just one fight. There is always another fight until Jesus returns.
• Satan will often attack our friends and family in order to get to us. Be ready to fight.
• Be sure God directs your alliances.
• God offers us His peace, His promise, His power.
• Clearly hear, fully trust, completely obey.
• God never promised that warfare would be easy.
• God is able to use whatever means to fulfill His promises related to His purposes.
• God will shine light on the enemy until we gain the victory.
• The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16
• Keep on the offensive until the victory is won.
• God allows us to share in His victory.
• Take time to rest and refresh as a community in the presence of the Lord.
• Follow God’s instructions fully.
