February 15, 2014 - Saturday

Start Time: 7:07 A.M.

End Time: 8:26 A.M.

Title: The Sun Stands Still

Scripture: Joshua 10:1 - 43

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon.  “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.  The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

NOTES:

Ø God does not abandon anyone He made a covenant with!  The Lord is true to His word and in the book of Joshua, it has been established so many times.  Yet at this chapter, God is not only a God of His words to HIS people but even to those who chooses to submit and follow Him.  He extends His blessings, protections, favors, etc. to those who totally abandoned their own identity and embrace the identity of Christ in their lives (The Gibeonites were royals yet they became servants).  Also note that after they made the treaty with Joshua, they immediately became the target of attack of the enemy so know that when we make decisions to follow Christ, we will become the target of our enemies.  But the great news is that God is a God who listens to His people and who never abandon His children and His protection extends to those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior.  So in the passage above, the Gibeonites who humbled themselves (remember this is an important city and a royal city who accepted becoming a servant just to be an ally of the Israelites) knew who to call when the enemy attacked.  So we must know who to call in times of an attack!  In some way, they asked help from the people who is closes to God (His children) or if we’ll put it in today’s context, then it could be your leaders in church, pastors, disciplers, etc.  This is the importance of having a discipler.  Joshua is the discipler of the Gibeonites, though it may not be the initial intention of the treaty but Joshua as a good discpler, instructed them to work as woodcutters and water carriers for the tabernacle (so Joshua placed them as workers of the church where they can learn about the word of the Lord and the worship of His people). 

→ After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.  On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.  The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.  There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

NOTES:

Ø God will show His glory in every battle He fights for us!  The scriptures above show how God’s miraculous hands work in this battle.  Throwing confusion, large hailstones, Sun holding still, and the moon stopping – these are all miraculous works that no man can get credit of.  These are works of the Lord and He does the impossible to show His glory in every victory He gives to His people.  So let’s give Him all the glory!  Hallelujah! 

Ø God, Almighty Lord, the Great I AM, the King of kings and Lord of lords, listens to us!  God is a listening God.  It is said that there has never been a day like it before or since then, a day when the Lord listened to a human being.  Amazing!  The Lord of host, listening to a human being, fighting for human beings, doing great things for human beings…who else can do this?  No one!  There is truly no one like the Lord!

→ Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.” So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities.  The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

NOTES:

Ø God turns the enemy’s plans as their own entrapment!  The five kings fled and hid in the cave at Makkedah, which became their own prison cell.  The kings thought they are safe in the cave yet in the end, it became their downfall because the Israelites roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, keeping them inside with nowhere to escape to.  Even the capture of the enemy shows the hand of the Lord working.  Five kings, five different brains working, but all of them agreed to get inside the cave when they know there’s only one way in and one way out – in a way, the decision to hide in a cave was not a wise one and this was agreed upon by 5 kings, which is very unlikely.  That’s why I believe the Lord was working and brought confusion upon these kings, bringing their capture easy for the Israelites.  Again, glory to the Lord for isHisGHHkdnafkHiHis mighty works in our lives!

→ Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.  At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.

NOTES:

Ø God has placed all our enemies under our feet!  Praise the Lord!  Joshua called his commanders and had them placed their feet on the kings neck to illustrate to the whole Israel that God has placed all their enemies down their feet!  It was an assurance for them not to be afraid or discourage; to be strong and courageous; for the will of the Lord is to defeat all our enemies and placed them under our feet.  Hallelujah!

→ That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.  Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. The Lordalso gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.  Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it. The Lord gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left. Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it. ³⁵ They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.  Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. ³⁷ They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it. Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir. They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.  So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.  Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

NOTES:

Ø God took over and win battles for us and with us!  He led Joshua one victory after another until they subdued and conquered the whole land that God promised!  Even when two or three Kings united against us, God took them down and win every battle for us and with us!  And when God pours out victory, He pours it abundantly!  It is continuous until God fulfills every promise He made to us!  Amen!  Thank You Lord Jesus for You are a God of Your promise!  We are to be strong and courageous as Joshua said because God is fighting for us and with us in every battle we face and He will take over and win each challenge that comes our way!  Hallelujah!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus thank You!  You are worthy of all Praise and Worship; all glory belongs to You Lord, You alone deserves all our praise.  Thank You for we can be assured in You in every battle we face.  Thank You because You never abandon us.  You made a covenant with us and You are true to it.  You will make a way to fulfill every promise You made to me.  Lord thank You because You fight not only for us but with us and You allow us to receive victory but in every battle, Your work will be seen and all glory will be upon You.  Lord thank You because You have placed all my enemies under my feet and I can be assured that victory upon victory will overflow as I put my full trust in You.  Thank You because You listens to us and You hear our cries and You do great things to ensure that Your word is fulfilled.  Thank You because You bring confusion to my enemies and they end up falling into their own trap.  Thank You because Your glory will always show in our lives and Your hands will be revealed in every victory we achieve.  Holy Spirit, let my mouth speak out of Your goodness and grace.  Let my eyes see Your glory and be amazed of Your wonderful works in our lives.  Teach me humility as the Gibeonites who despite of their royalties, became servants for You!  Let me learn from them Lord and teach my heart whatever it needs to be Your child.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!