Joshua 10

 

1 Now when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it, as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them; 2 they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities; it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon saying, 4 Come up to me and help me strike Gibeon: for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5 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 themselves together, went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon to war against it. 6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the camp to Gilgal saying, Do not abandon your servants; come quickly, save us, help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us. 7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, Do not fear them: for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them will stand before you.

 

  • When God sends you out to do His will He is with you, his presence with you is your guarantee of victory.
  • He allows none to defeat us.
  • God is our Commander in chief (Joshua 5:13-15).
  • Instead of fighting the enemy, these rulers took vengeance on one of their own cities.
  • The magicians of Pharaoh’s day were making more frogs instead of getting rid of the frogs.
  • In David’s day, Saul was chasing David, his top general, instead of the enemy.
  • Matthew 7:20 by their fruits you will know them.

 

God fights for His people

 

9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, by marching all night from Gilgal. 10 And the LORD defeated them before Israel, and killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goes up to Beth-horon, and struck them down to Azekah, and to Makkedah. 11 And as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, the LORD threw down great stones from heaven on them to Azekah, and they died: more died from the hailstones than those whom the children of Israel killed with the sword.

 

  • God was throwing rocks from heaven at Israel’s enemy.
  • 1 Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly will know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.

 

12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, he said in the sight of Israel,

Sun, stand still on Gibeon; and you, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves on their enemies. Is this not written in The Book of The Upright? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hurried not to go down about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after it that the LORD listened to the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

 

  • All of the systems of this universe were set up by the LORD.
  • God stopped time until the battle was won.
  • The velocity of rotating earth was 850 MPH.
  • When God stopped the earth at Joshua’s prayer hailstones kept moving at 850 MPH.
  • Jasher was a book of songs or odes of God’s war heroes.

 

15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. 16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17 And Joshua was told saying, The five kings are found hidden in a cave at Makkedah. 18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones on the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them: 19 Don’t stop here. Chase after your enemies and strike the back of them; do not allow them to enter their cities: for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand. 20 And when Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter, until they were consumed, the rest that remained of them entered into fenced cities.

 

  • God has delivered our enemies of addiction, fear, selfishness etc. into our hands as well as enemies on the battlefield or in our personal lives.
  • He will do whatever is necessary to give us the victory.

 

21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22 Then Joshua said, Open the mouth of the cave and bring me those five kings out of the cave. 23 So they did this, and brought out those five kings to him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 And when they brought out those kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said to the captains of the men of war that went with him, Come close, put your feet on the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet on their necks.

 

  • This ritual of conquest encouraged the people to move forward and claim every victory that God had for them in conquering the Promised Land.
  • Ephesians 6:12 we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

 

25 And Joshua said to them, Do not fear or be discouraged, be strong and courageous: for the LORD will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight. 26 And afterward Joshua struck them, and killed them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging on the trees until the evening. 27 And at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave where they had been hiding, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day. 28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed its king, them, and all the souls that were in it; he let none remain: he did to the king of Makkedah as he did to the king of Jericho. 29 Then Joshua crossed over from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah: 30 And the LORD delivered it also, and its king, into the hand of Israel; and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were in it; he let none remain in it; but did to its king as he did to the king of Jericho.

 

  • All the heathen kings of the book of Joshua represent the spiritual enemies that we have in life that keep us from the peaceful and blessed life that God desires to give us.

 

31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, camped against it, and fought against it: 32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him none remaining. 34 And from Lachish Joshua crossed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they camped against it, and fought against it: 35 And they took it on that day, struck it with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed all the souls that were in it that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. 36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it: 37 And they took it, struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king, and all its cities, and all the souls that were in it; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but utterly destroyed it, and all the souls that were in it. 38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it: 39 And he took it, its king, and all it cities; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the souls that were there; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king. 40 So Joshua struck all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the valley, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. 41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea even to Gaza, all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon. 42 Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.

 

  • These people sacrificed their children, burning them on altars to false gods during licentious orgies.
  • Genesis 15:16 tells us God gave these people 400 years to repent.
  • 2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance.

 

                                              Joshua 11

 

When God stands for us none can stand against us

 

1 And when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth/Galilee, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, 3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. 4 And they went out, they and all their armies with them, many people, as the sand on the sea shore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. 5 When all these kings met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. 6 And the LORD said to Joshua, Do not be afraid because of them: for tomorrow about this time I will deliver them up all slain before Israel: you are to hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

 

  • God sent Israel into Canaan to destroy the peoples there because they refused to turn from evil and follow their Maker.
  • Evil devours everything in its path.
  • These people were leading others to eternal destruction.
  • God put a stop to it.
  • When God stands for us none can stand against us.
  • He tells us not to fear no matter what the odds against us.

 

7 So Joshua, and all the people of war with him, came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom and attacked them. 8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who struck them, and chased them to great Zidon, and to the burning salt pits, and to the valley of Mizpeh eastward; they struck them until they left none remaining. 9 And Joshua did to them as the LORD told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. 10 And at that time Joshua turned back and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword: for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms. 11 They struck all the souls that were there with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: he did not leave anyone breathing: and he burned Hazor with fire. 12 Joshua captured all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, and struck them with the edge of the sword; he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.

 

  • The Lord who controls all things delivered the enemy into Israel’s hand.
  • He had Joshua destroy their military weapons.
  • They were to trust God, not weapons.
  • Leviticus 18 describes the atrocious customs of these people.
  • God is right at all times.
  • He knows all the facts.
  • He sees everything (Proverbs 15:3).
  •  Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

 

13 But Israel burned none the cities that stood still on their mounds, except Hazor; Joshua burned that one. 14 And the children of Israel took themselves plunder, all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, leaving none that breathe. 15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses. 16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same; 17 From mount Halak that goes up to Seir, to Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and he took all their kings, and struck them, and killed them 18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. 19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon: all others they took in battle. 20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, and that they might have no grace, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

  • God gives no quarter to evil.
  • He hardened their hearts that He might destroy them utterly because they’d been given 400 years to return to their Maker (Genesis 15:16).
  • Remember that God made everything good, good, and very good (Genesis 1).
  • Man ruined it by choosing to follow evil.
  • 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance.

 

21 And at that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. 22 None of the Anakims were left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained some. 23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

 

  • The land had rest from war because the false gods were removed.
  • Idolatry brings war.
  • If we want peace on earth we have to get rid of false gods and turn to the Lord our Maker.
  • The Anakim were a race of giants.
  • Goliath that David killed was a giant from Gath.
  • God defeats giants for his people.
  • Judges 5:8 They chose new gods; then war was in the gates:

 

                                              Joshua 12

 

God takes countries from the wicked and gives them to others

 

1 Now these are the kings of the land that the children of Israel struck down, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon to mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east: 2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth/Galilee on the east, and to the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Beth-jeshimoth; and from the south, under the springs of Pisgah: 4 And the coast of Og king of Bashan who was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5 And reigned in mount Hermon, in Salcah, and in all Bashan, to the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. 6 Moses, the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel stuck them: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession to the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

 

  • God conquers our enemies.
  • Deuteronomy 20:4 the LORD your God is he that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

 

7 And these are the kings of the country that Joshua and the children of Israel struck on this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon to mount Halak, that goes up to Seir; which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions; 8 In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:

 

  • When the iniquity of a people becomes full then God takes the land from them and gives it to those who worship Him.
  • Idol worshippers lead their people to eternal death.
  • Genesis 15:16 But in the fourth generation they will come here again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

 

9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai which is beside Bethel, one; 10 The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 11 The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; 12 The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; 13 The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; 14 The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; 15 The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; 16 The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; 17 The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; 18 The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; 19 The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; 20 The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; 21 The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 22 The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one; 23 The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one; 24 The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.

 

  • God has provided all that we need.
  • But we must seek God, learn His word, and claim His promises.
  • He wants us to overcome evil and inherit all things.
  • He wants us to sit with Him on His throne forever.
  • These nations were real flesh and blood people on earth.
  • These were real battles that God won for His people and a real land that God gave them for a possession.
  • The Christian’s enemies at our time in history are the unseen forces of evil.
  • They whisper lies like the serpent in Eden.
  • They tempt us to love things and others more than God.
  • They tempt us to fear, to worry, or to covet.
  • They tempt us to be angry, greedy, self-centered, and lack self-control.
  • They want to keep us from God’s blessings for us in this life and eternity.
  • Ephesians 6:12-17 we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 So take put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
  • Revelation 21:7 He that overcomes will inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he will be my son.
  • Romans 8:31 If God is for us who can be against us? 37 In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
  • Revelation 3:21 To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

 

 

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SUMMARY: Joshua 10-12

 

  • The LORD fights for us and defeats our enemies
  • He made the sun stand still at Joshua's prayer
  • When God stands for us none can stand against us
  • He utterly destroys evil
  • He takes countries from those who wholly follow evil and gives them to others