JOSHUA - Chapter 10 The Day the Sun Stood Still
JOSHUA – Chapter 10 – The Day the Sun Stood Still
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
August 15, 2016, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Hab. 3: 11-12: “The sun and moon stood still in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows they went, and at the shining of Your glittering spear. You did march through the land in indignation; you did thresh the heathen in anger.”
Under Joshua’s leadership, Jehovah uncovered His bow and shot his arrows. He subdued the nations of Canaan, even making the sun to stand still. The Book of Joshua tells the story of Jehovah defeating the enemy and then meting out the land to the twelve tribes. He “drove asunder” or “terrified” heathen nations. Now we have heathen nations trying to terrify us; but the LORD GOD has prepared His Bow and his arrows to destroy the wicked. We will see the army of the LORD OF HOSTS’ complete victory over the enemies of the WORD OF GOD.
Ps. 78:55: ‘He cast out the heathen before them, and divided them an inheritance by line.”
As I read the stanzas of Habakkuk’s poem, these verses resonated with me as we watch the floods of Louisiana: Hab. 3:8-10: “Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? Was your anger against the rivers? Was your wrath against the sea, and you rode upon your horses and your chariots of salvation? The bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even your word. Selah. You did cleave the earth with rivers. The mountains saw you and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.”
Chris and Kelly’s home was spared by 1/8th of an inch. Chris spent last night in a rocking chair on his front porch with his feet in water. I knew Chris Bonaventure would stand guard over his home until the last. Kelly and the children spent the night with friends whose home was on higher ground. She said when she evacuated with her things in a small plastic bag (in a boat which is now known as part of the Cajun fleet, she thought she would be going back to their home under water. They may have lost an air conditioning unit; but otherwise their losses are minimal. Not so, for so many other families.
The Lord alone can fight America’s battles, having won the conflict of the ages. Joshua was given secret military strategy as also was David. America is in trouble. Our leaders and people are learning more every day that we cannot solve our problems without the One who is a very present help in time of trouble. It is the Lord who will give his Church the strategy and use his sovereign power as he does in this chapter to overthrow the heathen.
The King of Jerusalem, Adonizedek, heard how Joshua had utterly destroyed Jericho and her king, Ai and her king and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had surrendered to Israel making peace with them. The people of Jerusalem feared greatly because Gibeon was a great city, one of the royal cities. Jerusalem was greater than Ai. All the men in Jerusalem were mighty. Jerusalem had long been the paramount city in the region.
Adonizedek (“Lord of justice or righteousness”) speaks of a counterfeit Melchisedec order of Priesthood. This is a principle of deception in a higher order. This spirit of deception is loose in our government.
10:3-5: “Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham, king of Hebron, Piram, King of Jarmuth, Japhi, king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon saying, Come up to me, and help me that we may smite Gibeon: for they have made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. The five kings of the Amorites, (four plus one, the King of Jerusalem) gathered together and went up, they and all their hosts. They encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.”
The kings were full of fear for Palestine was now cut in half by Joshua.
The kings of the Amorites were dwellers of the summits; the highlanders. By reputation they were proud and fierce. They were all within a 30 mile radius south and southwest of Jerusalem.
10: 6-9: “The men of Gibeon sent for Joshua at the camp Gilgal saying, come to us quickly and save us, help us. All the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us. Joshua ascended from Gilgal. He took all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. The Lord said to Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into your hand; there shall not a man of them stand before you.” Joshua responded immediately. Joshua’s army marched all night to surprise the Amorite kings.
God is rising in His people as He marches across this land. Every week we see the shaking of our land.
Hab. 3:6: “He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.” (NIV)
There are problems that “loom up” in America that appear to be perpetual. Mountains of problems that seem to be “everlasting” are about to be swallowed up by the One who is everlasting. We can change America, but only as we learn the “ways” or the “steps” of the Lord. All must “bow” to Him, the One who is the WORD OF GOD.
The WORD OF GOD came to Joshua. When the Lord speaks, Faith acts. Joshua had the WORD OF GOD for his other mighty campaigns. The Lord gives him a now WORD for the southern campaign. Note in the other campaigns, the Lord gave him strategy. This time the WORD was “I have delivered them into your hand.” I will risk saying from my own experience, and walking with the Lord. Each campaign, and/or assignment, and/or season of ministry, we are required to have a greater level of Faith and Trust. Joshua was told to go forth with total trust that the Lord would show him how the battle would be won when he got there. He was not given the strategy ahead of time.
10:10:
(1) The Lord confounded them before Israel.
(2) The Lord slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon.
(3) The Lord chased them along the way that goes up to Beth-horon.
(4) The Lord smote them to Azekah and Makkedah.
This verse certainly gives all the Glory to the Lord. We can assume the Lord used Joshua’s army; because in the next verse we read the children of Israel slew them with a sword. The next time the Lord speaks to you and tells you that He will deliver something into your hands. Trust and obey. Then watch His Hand move in your life. Men will never solve the dilemmas of this nation with mere human wisdom. We must forsake the ways of the flesh and put on the mind of the Spirit.
Beth-horon means house of the cave. It was the upper of two cities by that name.
10:11: “As they fled before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon. The Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them to Azekah, and they died. There were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.”
The hail was great in size. It was discriminate killing only the Amorites.
10: 12-13: “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in that day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel. He said in the sight of Israel, ‘Sun stand still upon Gibeon. Moon stand still in the valley of Ajalon.’ The sun stood still. The moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher?
The book of Jasher is mentioned twice in the Old Testament. The other is in 2 Samuel 1:18: “(Also he (David) bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) Jesus the bow of God was crucified (quite naked). A naked bow was also unsheathed until it was finished, until there was no other enemy to conquer. Hab. 3:9: “Your bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even Your Word. Selah…” The Father uncovered the Bow and then called for many arrows: men and women whom he can direct. As arrows of the Lord we are joined to the Bow in covenant, pulled back by the hand and sent forth with purpose. The ‘arrows” of the Lord are the sons of God in the image of the Firstborn. (Ps. 18:14).
The book of Jasher means the book of the upright. The book recorded outstanding events in the battles of Israel. The book has been lost through time. Numbers 21:14 refers to the book of the wars of the Lord. “It is said in the book of the wars of the LORD what he did in the Red Sea, and in the brooks of Armon.” Armon is a river in south Palestine in the region of the Amorites where Joshua fought another battle (Joshua 12).
10:13b-14: So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hastened not to go down about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel. Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp of Gilgal.”
In Habakkuk, chapter 3, the prophet describes this day in his beautiful prayer/poem/vision of a pageant of sacred history. The prophet has sought the Lord for revival. He knows to pray for revival is to invite judgment. He asks that wrath (present turmoil and future discipline) be tempered with mercy.
Hab. 3:2-4: “O Lord, I have heard Your speech, and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of His hand; and there was the hiding of His power.”
The power of the Lord is hidden in His cross.
I refer again to my new friend and co-laborer, Tayo Fasan, with his sermon, “Another Look @ Things “From” God * Things ‘of God – Part 1.
“There is a power that is Of God. Such was the power used in raising Jesus into divine life from the age of twelve, to the age of thirty where He attained a son-ship stature that could overcome the world and its wisdom. By this power, the father brought the son into energy levels of resurrection and life---before he secured the victory of the cross
John 11:25: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
The power of God is the divine power that later became resident in the face of Christ and was warehoused in the epistles – i.e. the gospel of Christ (Ro. 1:16). This power was first the gospel/power of God (Ro. 1:1), but through obedience to the revealed faith of God, it became the gospel/power Christ (Ro. 1:16) and later the gospel/power of Paul (Ro. 2; 16/16:25a). Peter the Apostle described it as divine power (2 Pet. 1:3) because of its ability to endow upon us all things (all of God’s judgments that pertain to life and godliness). Whenever the righteousness of God (Ro. 1:16) is being revealed, the soul of a believing believer is being prepared to be accustomed to this power.” (T.F.)
Joshua through Faith obeyed the Lord and received the power of God as He spoke the Living Word to the sun and the moon.
10:16: “The five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.”
10:18: “Joshua said, roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave and set men by it to keep them.”
10:19: “Do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand.”
10:22: The five are brought to Joshua to be dealt with. Joshua tells the men of war to put their feet on the necks of the kings. This was a symbol of complete and total subjugation.
10:25: Joshua imparts the same word to his men of war that the Lord gave to him. “Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage; for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
10:26: Joshua smote the five kings and hung them on five trees. He put them in the same cave and covered it with stones.
Verses 28-43 record nine victories. 10:40-43: “Joshua smote all the kings and their land did Joshua take at one time because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. Joshua returned, and all Israel with him to the camp of Gilgal.”
The kings of Canaan speak of those principalities and powers which resist our entrance into the heavenlies, and which dull our realization of His finished work.
Jericho: Impossible obstacles (walls).
Ai: Corrupt alliances with heathen.
Jerusalem Counterfeit apostleship.
Hebron Lack of communion brings defeat.
Jarmuth Pride and violence.
Lachish Human ingenuity.
Eglon Worldly talk and oratory.
Gezer Sharpness of tongue.
Debir Political spirit
Geder Defense mechanisms
Horman Defeat and depression
Arad Lawlessness.
Libnah Self-righteousness
Adullum Democratic spirit
Makkedah False leadership.
Next week the northern campaign is the greatest test yet for Joshua.
The greater the trophy which grace secures for Jesus, the more royal his status; and the fiercer will be the opposition that we face from the enemies of the Cross.
These miracles in Chapter 10 were a display of God’s wrath upon the wicked.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. unless as noted. I entered into the labors of Principles of Present Truth and Rest in the Day of Trouble by: Kelly Varner (1949-2009). I quoted from Tayo Fasan as noted. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those from whom I gleaned.