Much War (Part C)

If you have an electronic Bible or any Bible and you highlight, if you highlight the things that are repetitive like utterly destroyed gets the same color highlight and sword gets the same color highlight. And then there's several other action words that are throughout this chapter and you'll see patterns emerge and you say, okay, these points are being stressed by the Holy Spirit on purpose. It's not like reading a list of names that you get in, for example, in Chronicles. It actually is telling the story.

There's information about Cross-Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. But for now, let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Joshua chapter 7. And now here's Pastor Rick in Joshua chapter 10 with a continuing study called Much War. The battle probably started in the morning. Remember, he marches all night and at daylight they're probably beginning their engagement. There's another hint coming up, but to that point, not that important a point, what is standing out to us is that Joshua wants to finish the work. He sees this opportunity, this target rich environment. Not going to get this chance again, he's got to be thinking. And the sun's going down.

How much daylight do I have left? And so he calls to God a battlefield prayer, Lord, I need more light. And his language is interesting.

We'll get to the language in a minute. But Jesus says this, I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming when no one can work. So you put these things together as a believer and you say, okay, I'm understanding more and more about what it takes to wage war. This Joshua calling out to God, asking this, Joshua spoke to Yahweh in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites, verse 12, before the children of Israel and said, in the sight of Israel, sun stands still over Gibeon and moon in the valley of Agilon.

He wasn't afraid to fail in front of people pursuing the will of God. I wasn't saying I'm going to do something crazy, although this is pretty close. I mean, you should stand up and say, I'm going to have the sun and the moon stop doing what they do so I can finish these guys off. Right. You go with that, pastor.

I'll be out in the car. So he says, sun stands still over Gibeon, very specific, moon in the valley of Agilon. Now, the sun and the moon, they tug on the Earth's mass. There are a few things involved in inertia. Not inertia, but things in motion, stay in motion kind of stuff. All this stuff is happening, the tide swooshing around everything. But these two bodies in the sky are very much involved in daylight and nighttime. Joshua, the word that he uses when he says stand still, it means in the Hebrew, stop working, stop doing what you're doing, pause.

And that is, you say, well, it can mean a few other things, all still coming to that conclusion, sit still, something like that. The result is clear. He gets daylight extended for about 24 hours. It's quite remarkable it is a miracle. Joshua knew the Lord was right there with him.

How did he know that? Joshua 1, 9. Have I not commanded you? God said to Joshua, be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. It's easy to not be afraid when there's nothing frightening you.

It's another thing when there's something about to bite into you. Now, Agilon, this valley where he wanted the moon to stay still, keeping them in concert, of course, about nine miles southwest of Gibeon, and that would put the sun's location over Gibeon in suggestion in the morning. It's moving in that direction. Anyway, verse 13. So the sun stood still and the moon stopped till all the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. Now, the skeptics come along and how do you deal with a skeptic that's got all of this, you know, skepticism?

Well, it's very, you have to be mature dealing with them and you just say it's easy peasy Japanesey for God. That's all. I mean, really, what are you, what are we going to debate? In the beginning, God said, let there be light. Let's see you do that without touching anything. No clapping either.

No little tricks you might come up with. This is nothing for God. But of course, they don't want there to be a God like this.

So they, in argument, try to come up with anything they can to make it not possible. So evidently, Joshua knew that the sun and moon were very much involved in concert with the Earth's rotation and day and night. And incidentally, if God does, if he did it this way, I mean, God could have just, OK, fine, just like that. Or he could have said the sun was gravitational pull on things could have just slowly slowed everything down. So no one felt it happening because if he just jammed on the brakes, everybody would have tipped over. That would have been embarrassing. So God spared man the embarrassment of tipping over on the battlefield. And it's just like in a car, you can slow down from, what, 120 to, you know, the speed limit.

And nobody can really feel it if you do it gradually. So daylight remained till all the people had revenge on their enemy. And don't lose sight of the fact God wanted these people off the earth.

They had pushed it that far. And because of their wickedness, they were now coming under judgment and mercy was no longer a factor with the hailstones flying and everything, because God knew that it was not going to be an option that they would go for. He could have used fire and brimstone. He chose hailstones and daylight and the swords of Joshua's army. This Book of Jasher mentioned twice in the Bible in Samuel, 2 Samuel, it's also mentioned both times in reference to song. It must have been an ancient Hebrew song book, verse 14. There has been no day like that before it or after it that Yahweh heeded the voice of man, for Yahweh fought for Israel. And of course, we get to the Book of Joshua or Kings.

It's in both books. We find out under King Hezekiah, Isaiah stops the clock, but that was long after the events that we're reading here, once this was published. Verse 14, I read this and there's no day like it, where Yahweh has heeded the voice of man. Such a miracle is this. He's done miracles, of course, on the days of Moses, parting the sea was a pretty big one. Jesus walking on water, of course, that would happen and Elisha, the axe floating, can't top that one easily. What makes a miracle outstanding, aside from the phenomenon, is the timing. So if it rained hailstones the day before, it would have been of no value to Joshua. If the day, you know, we had a long day, a week later, no, it's the timing. And that makes the event more than extraordinary because there are event things, there are phenomenon. I mean, well, not all, we figured out many of them, like the Northern Lights. That's pretty impressive. Look at that. That's a big flashlight or disco ball around here.

No, you're going to have to do better. If the Northern Lights with all the movement, if, you know, before man understood what was going on with that, it was just a phenomenon like this is amazing. I'm sure there was some superstition attached to it. But a miracle is not a miracle to God. There are other laws that exist and he uses one law to overcome another law.

And he doesn't have to tell us about them at all. Ephesians 1 19, the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power. And that is what we do believe.

And those who cannot accept miracles due to their own doom because they insist that God conform to their ideas, their concepts and their timing. Verse 10, then Joshua returned in all Israel with him to the camp at Gilgal. And that is the place where the tabernacle was, where the worship was. That's their fire support base, the big guns, the presence of God, you could say.

More details are going to be now be told about this battle. Verse 16, but these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makita. And it was told, Joshua, saying five kings have been found.

The five kings have been found hidden in a cave at Makita. So Joshua said, roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them. Verse 19, so and do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for Yahweh your God has delivered them into your hands. So Joshua knows the deal. He says, look, OK, fine, lock those guys in the cave, but don't stay there.

We need the forces to remain deployed. The operation is not over. I want you to attack the rear guard. Don't let them get into their fortifications, because this is just an opportunity that does not come easily. And it says, don't waste any time. Get at it.

Get at the enemy. And of course, another lesson that comes out of this is here these men are in the cave hiding. You can't hide from the judgment of God.

It's not possible. Revelation 6, I mentioned we'd come back to Revelation concerning the hearts of men, how it will be to the last of the days. Then the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Why not just repent?

The opportunity for mercy had passed. Verse 20, Then it happened while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter till they had finished that those who escaped entered the fortified cities. And again, this is much war.

We're covering so much territory and that's how it is. You have your plan, as it's said, no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. Joshua's battle plan was don't let them into their cities. Well, they got in anyway, but not because people weren't trying to keep that from happening, but that's war. And Christian warfare is ugly, spiritually speaking, and uglier because the stakes are higher. And so the war now expands beyond those kings that were attacking Gibeon for the covenant with Joshua.

It is now spilling to other parts of the land. He says here in verse 20 that those who escaped entered the forty five cities. They were still belligerent.

No white flags. Verse 21, And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makita. That was another base that he had set up in the field, more of a fire base than Gilgal as a permanent base. It says they returned in peace.

No one moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. The people were the dread mixed with superstition was upon them. Verse 22, Then Joshua said, Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.

Now he's going to finish the unfinished business. Now comes the judgment. And what is missing from this section verses 22 to 24 are the words of these kings.

Nobody cared to record it. It evidently wasn't kind. They probably went down in defiance. And so the judgment is going to fall on them this way. Verse 23, And they did so. They brought those five kings to him from the cave. The king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lakish and Eglon. So it was when they brought out those kings to Joshua that Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, Come near. Put your feet on the necks of these kings.

And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. And so Joshua in a demonstration of this is conquest. This is war.

This is winning because this is necessary. These people are evil. And he does it in a dramatic way to encourage his men. And again, what we don't have is more details about their wickedness because we don't need it.

We have enough. These men will tell their grandchildren about this day. Verse 25, Then Joshua said to them, Do not be afraid nor be dismayed. Be strong and of good courage, for Yahweh will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.

Well, I'll pause here a minute. Where does this show up in our own life? This pulling out these enemies and putting our foot on them?

Well, we don't say to evolution, Well, you know, they make good points. We don't do that. The whole thing is a farce. The whole thing is a lie.

We're not looking to cherry pick some little comma or period or something loud dash and say, Oh, look, this is good. This is tripped up Christians bringing in leaven and all sorts of heresies into the church by that attitude. The other side does have some stuff that we can use.

No, they don't. We have the scripture. And as Isaiah said, To the scripture we go. And if they do not have it, what light do they have? Talking about spiritual things, not talking about engineering, putting a bridge over a river. Of course, the world can produce many a thing that is useful physically. And this is just common grace.

God allows that knowledge or else we wouldn't be as comfortable. I mean, who wants to live without HVAC? Many volunteers.

Who wants to shut down interstate trucking? All right. Sleepy bunch. We're going to get an applause thing in here. I'm telling you, I'm not going through this. Verse 26.

Afterward, Joshua struck them and killed them and hang them on five trees, and they were hanging on the trees until evening. Right there in front of everyone. Romans chapter 16, verse 20. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

We don't lose sight of that. Shortly, of course, not according to our clock, but God. Verse 27.

So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid a large stone against the cave's mouth, which remained until this very day. So we're centuries away now. Because we have, the publishers are making the comments as they're going along, again, the name of Jerusalem, and here saying to this day, and he's telling us that the enemy cannot roll away stones from a tomb. The enemy cannot come back from the dead. We catch the connection.

It's not very difficult. This was their grave, and they weren't coming out of it. And, of course, our Christ was, you know, the garden tomb in Israel, which I believe is the garden tomb.

The evidence is just overwhelming. Our Lord, of course, came out of it. This part about not leaving them overnight is part of the law of Deuteronomy, and so Joshua is compliant with the law.

Verse 28. On that day, Joshua took Makeda and struck it, and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, all the people who were in it.

He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makeda as he had done to the king of Jericho. Continuing with his conquest here, verse 29. And Joshua passed through Makeda and all Israel with him to Libnah, and they fought against Libnah, and Joshua also delivered it and its kings into the hand of Israel. He struck it with all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword. He let none remain in it, but did to its kings as he had done to the king of Jericho. Then Joshua passed from Libnah and all Israel with him to Lachish, and they encamped against it and fought against it.

And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it from the second day and struck it, and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah. I'm reading it like this on purpose so we understand there's much war going on. You read this chapter and you almost get out of breath keeping up with the conquest.

And you have to say, what does that have to do with me as a Christian? As I've been saying, there's much war for us. And Satan wants to take our battalions and sidetrack them so that we're more interested in worldly things than spiritual things.

And he has a lot of success with that. Fortunately, many believers are able to strike that balance and remain very useful and very much on the field of battle and very ready for it when it's time to march at night to get there in the morning. Verse 33, then Horam, the king of Gezer, came up to help Lachish, and Joshua struck him and his people until he left none remaining. So reinforcements come and the big battalions of God deal with them. If you don't control Gezer, you lose control of the land.

It's a major trade route, but he will not completely destroy Gezer. That will come out later in Joshua and again in Judges. The population, again, he'd beat them and they'd run away and hide and then he'd move on and apparently they would come back to the burned out cities and rebuild them.

That's part of the reason why they will have so many problems when we get to the book of Judges. From Lachish, verse 34, Joshua passed to Eglon, all Israel with him. They encamped against it and fought against it. They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword. All the people who were in it, he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. So Joshua went up to Eglon.

Remember, these are the kings that came against, some of them are. And Israel with him, to Hebron, and he fought against it. And they took it and struck it with the edge of the sword. Its king, all of its cities, and all the people who were in it, he left none remaining according to all that he had done to Eglon, but utterly destroyed it and all the people who were in it. And then Joshua returned and Israel with him to Deber and they fought against it. Now, there was also a king in this chapter named Deber, but this is the city. If you have an electronic Bible or any Bible and you highlight, if you highlight the things that are repetitive, like utterly destroyed gets the same color highlight and sword gets the same color highlight. And then there's several other action words that are throughout this chapter and you'll see patterns emerge and you'll say, okay, these points are being stressed by the Holy Spirit on purpose because it's not like reading a list of names that you get in, for example, in Chronicles. It actually is telling the story.

Although names tell the story too, but we just don't have the details. Verse 39, and he took it and its king in all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the people who were in it. He left nothing remaining as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Deber and its king, and he had done to Lachish and its king. In the 40s, Joshua conquered all the land, the mountain country and the south and lowlands, the wilderness, the slopes and all their kings. He left none remaining but utterly destroyed all that breathed as Yahweh, God of Israel, commanded. Now again, he did not, this is not meant to say that Joshua annihilated everybody who was not an Israelite.

It means he subdued all their cities to the point where Israel did not have to really worry about being attacked. But we'll get to, like when we get to chapter 18, the tribes are getting their lots and they're saying, hey, they still got chariots up in those part of the woods. Joshua was saying, well, you said you're a big, bad tribe.

Go get them out. And so you have to keep the whole story together. The writers knew this. That's how they wrote at the time.

We today do it differently, and that can cause some confusion, but there's no contradiction whatsoever. They made every effort to be obedient to God in subduing the land, as I mentioned, and he did. Verse 41, and Joshua conquered them from Kadish Barnea as far as Gaza and all the country of Goshen as far as Gibeon.

Now Goshen is not the, you know, the Goshen in Egypt's Nile Delta. This is Goshen in Canaan. Verse 42, all these kings and their land, Joshua took at one time because Yahweh, God of Israel, fought for Israel. Then Joshua returned and all Israel with him to the camp at Gilgal.

Again, Gilgal was the base camp. After much war, more war is to come. This Book of Joshua would have been in the hands of the Jews since the days of Joshua on into the rest of Israel's history. So when we go forward through the books of the Bible and we read about these atrocities committed by these kings of Israel and Judah, we can say, well, they had no excuse. They had the Word of God.

They knew what they were supposed to do, and they chose not to do it. As I mentioned, there's much more war to come in this book, and it's coming in all sorts of ways. You know, when Joshua says, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

You have Joshua, you will, but you're going to need your sword to do it. You're going to still have to fight to serve the Lord in your own house because that's how life is. It's a cursed world, and a better one is awaiting us, and that's what makes it worth it. So we continue our forced march through life in obedience to the Lord because at the end of it all, when you're finished with all of the Amalekites and the Canaanites, it still comes down to doing all that the Lord has told you to do, to obey the Lord. Solomon ends Ecclesiastes, he says, after all of this, his life is, he uses the word vanity, my word is stupidity.

Life is just so many things, it's so dumb, it makes no sense, but I can't do it, you have to live with them. And in the end, it's the call of duty. In the end, this is the whole of man, to obey God.

And we know which one that is. It is the Lord Jesus Christ, and all that surrounds him in our Bible. So we take courage, and we know that one day we'll stand before the Lord so we can hear, well done. Thanks for tuning in to Cross Reference Radio for this study in the book of Joshua. Cross Reference is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website, crossreferenceradio.com.

You'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. By doing so, you'll be notified of each new edition of Cross Reference Radio. Just search for Cross Reference Radio in iTunes, Google Play Music, or your favorite podcast app. You can also follow the links at crossreferenceradio.com. We're glad we were able to spend time with you today. Tune in next time to continue learning from the book of Joshua, right here on Cross Reference Radio.