The Source of Salvation
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Strong and Courageous: Joshua Simply Explained Reaction of the King of Jerusalem (10:1–2)
Reaction of the king of Jerusalem (10:1–2)
Strong and Courageous: Joshua Simply Explained Reaction of the King of Jerusalem (10:1–2)
Reaction of the king of Jerusalem (10:1–2)
The Battle Against the Five Kings, 1-27
The Battle Against the Five Kings, 1-27
The Canaanite League, 1-5
The Canaanite League, 1-5
The King of Jerusalem Reacts, 1-2
The King of Jerusalem Reacts, 1-2
10 As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 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 warriors.
War Against the Traitors, 3-5
War Against the Traitors, 3-5
3 So Adoni-zedek 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, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.” 5 Then 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 their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.
Teaming up with the king of Jerusalem are the kings of these cities:
Hebron—The name means “alliance,” befitting the context; later it is also called Kiriath Arba (20:7). It is 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. Abraham had once settled there (). It was the first city of Canaan entered by Joshua and the other 11 spies sent out by Moses ().
Jarmuth—It is 16 miles west and slightly south of Jerusalem. The name means “height,” in keeping with its commanding position that overlooks the coastal plain.
Lachish—Its site is 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. At Joshua’s time Lachish is a provincial capital of the Egyptian empire; it guards the southernmost invasion corridor to Jerusalem.
Eglon—Located seven miles southwest of Lachish, it is positioned to overlook a valley near the place where the hill country and coastal plain meet.
Gibeon Calls For Aid and Israel Will Answer!, 6 - 9
Gibeon Calls For Aid and Israel Will Answer!, 6 - 9
The Cry for Help, 6
The Cry for Help, 6
And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.”
Joshua has the perfect opportunity to avenge the Gibeonites’ trickery that led to the treaty. He could let the five kings slaughter them.
Joshua did not think that way. He had made a covenant with the Gibeonites in God’s name, and now he decided it was important to stand by that oath, even when it hurts. So rather than looking on the situation as an easy way to be relieved of a difficulty, he seized it as an opportunity.
Discuss: keeping of oaths and vows.
Boice, James Montgomery. Joshua (Expositional Commentary) (Kindle Locations 1570-1572). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Israel Musters and Marches, 7-9
Israel Musters and Marches, 7-9
7 So Joshua went up 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 given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal.
The 20-mile night march from Gilgal would take perhaps eight to ten hours. It may have been aided by moonlight, as hinted by the reference to the moon in verse 12. It was a difficult march up and over Canaan’s central mountain ridge, a rise of 3,000 feet from Gilgal. Even after the hard, fast march and without a night’s sleep, Joshua catches the Amorites by surprise and conquers them in a great victory at Gibeon.
Joshua’s response shows that the treaty involves defense and is more than an agreement not to attack Gibeon. He never hesitates but gathers his best forces and makes the 20-mile, all-night march from Gilgal to Gibeon. The march from Gilgal would take perhaps eight to ten hours. It may have been aided by moonlight, as hinted by the reference to the moon in verse 12. It was a difficult march up and over Canaan’s central mountain ridge, a rise of 3,000 feet from Gilgal. Even after the hard, fast march and without a night’s sleep, Joshua catches the Amorites by surprise and conquers them in a great victory at Gibeon.
Harstad, Adolph. Joshua (The People's Bible) (pp. 152-153). Northwestern Publishing House. Kindle Edition.
Joshua shows himself to be the kind of friend everyone would like to have. And the kind of friend we should be! He also serves to picture his namesake, Jesus—the friend of sinners who laid down his life for friends and enemies alike.
The Lord’s encouragement shows that he wants Joshua to honor the covenant with the Gibeonites. The encouragement is similar to other words of the Lord spoken to inspire Joshua: “Do not be terrified” (1:9); “I have delivered Jericho into your hands” (6:2); “No one will be able to stand up against you” (1:5).
We also need to hear God’s encouragement regularly for the specific challenges we face.
Harstad, Adolph. Joshua (The People's Bible) (pp. 151-152). Northwestern Publishing House. Kindle Edition.
The Cry for Help, 6
The Cry for Help, 6
Israel Answers, 7-9
Note that verse 9 shows how divine reassurance (v. 8) does not stifle but stimulates human ingenuity (the surprise attack), how God’s comfort does not sedate but calls forth his servant’s activity. Yahweh has promised victory (v. 8), but his victory will be achieved through a forced night march and a surprise attack, probably while still dark (v. 9). The truth of God’s sovereignty, rightly used, does not enervate but energises human response
es, 7-9
es, 7-9
The Lord Undertakes For Israel, 10-14
The Lord Undertakes For Israel, 10-14
The Lord is a Man of War, 10-11
The Lord is a Man of War, 10-11
The author shows clearly that the Lord is the cause of the total victory: “The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel.” “The LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky.” “The LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel.” “Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!”
God picked off the Amorites with the hailstones. They lost more that way than by the sword!
10 And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
Going south from Gibeon, where the battle began, there is a ten-mile ascent to Beth Horon the Upper. But from that point the road drops away precipitously, falling seven hundred feet in two miles. The rock is cut into steps, and it was down this rugged descent that the Canaanites fled before the pursuing Israelites. They were hoping to reach the fortified cities from which they had set out, seal the gates, and gain at least a night’s respite before they had to face their pursuing foes again.
Harstad, Adolph. Joshua (The People's Bible) (p. 153). Northwestern Publishing House. Kindle Edition.
God picked off the Amorites with the hailstones. This is more than a “couple here, a couple there”! They lost more that way than by the sword!
The Lord clearly is the cause of the total victory: “The LORD threw them into a panic before Israel.” “the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them” “The LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel.” “For the Lord fought for Israel”
” “The LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel.” “Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!”
Boice, James Montgomery. Joshua (Expositional Commentary) (Kindle Locations 1576-1580). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
God picked off the Amorites with the hailstones. They lost more that way than by the sword!
Picture the scene that must have greeted Joshua as he crested the ridge at Beth Horon. Before him, as far as his eyes could see, were masses of the panicked armies being pursued by his own soldiers. Over the slopes and above the plains beyond, there was a great cloud from which hail was falling. To his right, the sun was beginning its long afternoon descent toward the Mediterranean.
Joshua must have realized two things.
First, this was an unprecedented opportunity to destroy the southern confederacy. The best of their soldiers had come out against him, and they were fleeing. If he could destroy them now, the southlands would be open to his advancing armies.
Boice, James Montgomery. Joshua (Expositional Commentary) (Kindle Locations 1584-1590). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
At the same time, he must have recognized that the day was escaping. When the sun set, fighting would cease, and there was not enough time before sunset to achieve total victory.
Sun and Moon Stand Still, 12-14
Sun and Moon Stand Still, 12-14
12 At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. 14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.
The author saves the most striking detail of the battle for his summary of the victory: the sun stood still for about a day! That information is introduced in the quotation from Joshua’s prayer. There is reference to the Book of Jashar, or “book of the righteous.” That book was a collection of poems singing the praises of Israel’s heroes. The collection was evidently added to as time went by. David’s lament over Saul and Jonathan was later included in the same book according to . The Book of the Wars of the LORD was another similar collection (). Both of these books are long lost.
Scripture states that for the Lord, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day (; ). God’s intervention on Joshua’s behalf was an example unlike any other, in that the laws of physics that apply to the entire universe were affected. Joshua wanted a complete victory over the Amorites, and when he saw that he would not have enough time to accomplish this before nightfall, out of the fullness of his faith in God, he commanded the sun and the moon to stand still. We know that from the perspective of Joshua at that time, they obeyed him. He did not command time to stop. He simply commanded those two heavenly bodies to stop, and they stayed still until the end of the battle. From our modern perspective, the sun, the moon, and the earth all froze in their rotation and their orbit, maintaining a fixed position in relation to each other. The space-time continuum came to a complete halt while the battle upon the earth continued. Whichever way we look at it, there was no day like that before it or after it.
Stendal, Russell M.. Joshua and the Promised Land: Entering the Fullness of Our Inheritance in Christ (Kindle Locations 1534-1542). Aneko Press. Kindle Edition.
Ralph Davis - "Yahweh is the warrior who defeats the foe; Israel must not miss this.
It is too bad much of the church has lost this vision of God or Christ as the warrior who fights for his people. Too many of us regard this conception as substandard, by which we mean it does not fit our sentimental twentieth-century graven images of what God ought to be like. The imagery seems too violent. And we do the same for the Lord Jesus, with perhaps not a little help from church school materials. The popular image of Jesus is that he is not only kind and tender but also soft and prissy, as though Jesus comes to us reeking of hand cream. Such a Jesus can hardly steel the soul that is daily assaulted by the enemy. We need to learn the catechism of . Question: Who is the King of glory? Answer: Yahweh, strong and mighty! Yahweh—mighty in battle! (). We must catch the vision of the Faithful and True sitting on the white horse, the One who ‘judges and makes war’ in righteousness (). No mild God or soft Jesus can give his people hope. It is only as we know the warrior of Israel who fights for us (and sometimes without us) that we have hope of triumphing in the muck of life."
Harstad, Adolph. Joshua (The People's Bible) (p. 153). Northwestern Publishing House. Kindle Edition.
Effectual, Fervent Prayer
Effectual, Fervent Prayer
This day is unique not only because the Lord made the sun stand still. It is unique also because the Lord performed this amazing act in response to Joshua. “The LORD listened to a man.” We need not think of Joshua presuming to make demands of almighty God in his prayer. Rather, we see him as a man who knew God’s promises of victory, a man who trusted God’s grace and power, a man who was not afraid to ask for God’s help.
First Catechism 109
Q What is prayer?
A. Prayer is praising God, giving thanks for all his blessings, and asking him for the things he has promised in the Bible.
Joshua’s bold prayer should encourage us to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence. The same God who once made the sun stand still at a man’s request listens to our prayers! He has complete authority over the universe to do as he pleases for the good of his people. We are not trapped in a system that came about by accident and is run only by laws of nature. We are under the care of him who made and rules the sun and everything else. And he is pleased to listen and answer!
We can be especially bold in prayer when we know that the eternal Joshua, Jesus, is the one listening to our requests and that he is the head over everything for the good of his church (;
Harstad, Adolph. Joshua (The People's Bible) (p. 156). Northwestern Publishing House. Kindle Edition.
Joshua could never have prayed like this had he not been well-instructed in God’s will revealed in his already-given Word. But when we are aware of what God’s purposes and promises are, when through study of the Bible we realize to what God is committed, then we should appeal to him for his will to be accomplished, with just this sort of buoyant confidence. The uniqueness of verse 14 is not designed to discourage us because it is so unusual. Rather, it shows us the extremes to which God is prepared to go in answering his people’s prayers of faith, in accordance with his promises. He will bend his omnipotence to fight for his own when they are in his will, doing his work, and seeking his greater glory, however strong the opposition may be and however extraordinary the exercise of his providence may need to be. That is why we “ought always to pray and not lose heart” ().
The End of the Five Kings, 16-27
The End of the Five Kings, 16-27
The Flight of the Five, 16-18
The Flight of the Five, 16-18
16 These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”
Utter Defeat, 19-21
Utter Defeat, 19-21
Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.” 20 When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21 then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.
The words “Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel” are fascinating. The Hebrew reads literally: “did not sharpen its tongue against the Israelites.” The idea is that Israel is completely unopposed! This is what has come of all the mighty opposition. No one even dares speak anything against God’s people, to say nothing of trying something. The Lord of the covenant has made good on his promise to the fullest extent: “I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you” (10:8).
not sharpen its tongue against the Israelites.” The idea is that Israel is completely unopposed! This is what has come of all the mighty opposition. No one even dares speak anything against God’s people, to say nothing of trying something. The Lord of the covenant has made good on his promise to the fullest extent: “I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you” (10:8).
Harstad, Adolph. Joshua (The People's Bible) (p. 158). Northwestern Publishing House. Kindle Edition.
Harstad, Adolph. Joshua (The People's Bible) (pp. 158-159). Northwestern Publishing House. Kindle Edition.
Return to the Conquered Kings, 22-27
Return to the Conquered Kings, 22-27
22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.” 23 And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from 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 those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. 27 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
It is important to remember exactly who these kings are. Joshua portrays them clearly as steadfast opponents of God’s plan for his people, rulers willing to make alliances and muster armies to annihilate Israel. In essence, they seek to do to Israel what Israel intends to do to them. Jews today might compare them to the Russian czars and Adolph Hitler, while Christians might compare them to Nero in the first century and to recent religious extremists in India and Pakistan.
Sometimes, the religious freedom that Western Christians enjoy sometimes blinds us to the fact that truly evil people still exist— and that their not-so-subtle goal is to stop the spread of Christianity. As a result, there are in fact many Christians who suffer under the cruel hegemony of their own “Amorite kings.”
We also are reminded again here in Joshua of the cursedness of those hung on a tree. There one day would be one who was King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who would be hung on a tree outside of Jerusalem, who took on Himself the cursedness that we all had from a righteous God against out sin.
Finally, recall that the final consummation of history involves the destruction of God’s enemies, scenes in John’s Revelation even more horrible than those in . In short, while no Christian should ever be comfortable with violence, it is helpful to remember that God’s warfare against evil still on going. At the same time, the merciful welcome accorded the Gibeonites anticipates the inclusive welcome that the gospel offers all nations. Thankfully, the Gibeonites already have many spiritual descendants, including most of us in this room, and by God’s grace more are accepting God’s offer of mercy every day.
Hubbard Jr., Robert L.. Joshua (The NIV Application Commentary) (Kindle Locations 6133-6145). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
The Southern Campaign, 28-43
The Southern Campaign, 28-43
Preaching the Word: Joshua—People of God’s Purpose Understanding the Implications
The judgments on Canaan are precursors and foreshadowings, terrible though they were, of the ultimate judgment that awaits the whole creation at the last day.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.… And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11–15)
It is that reality, here in embryonic form, that the atheist must at all costs deny or denigrate. That is why the Lord Jesus himself warned us to fear the greater judgment and to live now in the light of eternity. “I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” (Luke 12:5).
28 As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Conquest of Southern Canaan
29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. 30 And the LORD gave it also and its king into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it; he left none remaining in it. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.
31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish and laid siege to it and fought against it. 32 And the LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, as 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 left none remaining.
34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon. And they laid siege to it and fought against it. 35 And they captured it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. And he devoted every person in it to destruction that day, as he had done to Lachish.
36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron. And they fought against it 37 and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king and its towns, and every person in it. He left none remaining, as he had done to Eglon, and devoted it to destruction and every person in it.
38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it 39 and he captured it with its king and all its towns. And they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. Just as he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and to its king.
40 So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the LORD God of Israel commanded. 41 And Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon. 42 And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
It is a denial that there is a Creator and we are his created beings, a resistance to the basic Biblical reality that the life we have is not ours to exercise in proud independence but is the gift of God, to whom we shall each give account. The judgments on Canaan are precursors and foreshadowings, terrible though they were, of the ultimate judgment that awaits the whole creation at the last day.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.… And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. ()