Joshua 10 The Sun Stands Still

I)       The Sun Stands Still

A)    File:  Joshua 10 The Sun Stands Still.doc

B)    Audio:  The Sun Stands Still

C)    Series:  Victory in the promised land

D)    Preached:  August 19, 2007.

II)    The plot:  Illustration:  Football

A)    God the coach

B)    Joshua the quarterback

C)    Israelites the team

D)    What’s happened in the game so far:

1)      The coach has given the game plan:  He sees the big picture, has watch the other teams films, has designed the plays.  He strengthens and encourages the team and leads them to victory.

2)      1:  He appointed Joshua as quarterback

3)      5-6:  He even visited the field to talk with his quarterback to give special instructions for defeating Jericho.  The quarterback returned to the huddle, shared the plans, and lead the team to score. 

4)      7-8:  But one player got a penalty.  His mistake cost the team some valuable players.  But he was ejected by the coach and the team went on to get a first down at Ai.

5)      8:  They had a timeout at Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim where words from the coach encouraged them and they chanted “Amen!”

6)      Chapter 9:  Joshua misread the defense and threw the interception thereby losing valuable yardage.

E)     Chapter 10:  Joshua calls an audible.  Joshua 10:1-15.

III) Lessons:

A)    God turns mistakes into victory:

1)      Primary focus – promise. But this is valuable.

2)      Ai – lost the first time, learned they rushed out, won.

3)      Here – failed to counsel with God about the Gibeonites – now five kings out of cities together.

B)    God makes a promise

1)      Maybe better called a prediction – history written in advance.

2)      V8.  The promise.

C)    Joshua acts on the promise

1)      He does not sit on the promise – He takes Action

(a)    March all night uphill from Gilgal.

(b)   Exhausting, no sleep.  He clearly believed.

(c)    The Lord blesses the action:

(i)     Throws them into panic.

(ii)   Cast down hail stones – hitting only the enemy.

(d)   God does most of the work – but is glorified in Joshua and the Israelites.

(e)    The day wears on – Joshua sees time is short.  He adds to his action with petition.

2)      Prayer

(a)    Joshua saw time running out.  Retreat to five cities in darkness, thus prolonging the battle, or overtake them now.  He asks the impossible!

(b)   V12 – his short but not simple request.

(i)     He understood Psalm 74:16, “Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.”

(ii)   Jer. 32:17, “Nothing is too hard for you.”

D)    God keeps His promise

1)      Reminds us of His power, position, provision, love for His people.

IV) Application

A)    We have promises in Christ.

1)      Promised land series:  Israelites promised:

(a)    Milk and honey.  Cities.  Vineyards.  Fields.  Deliverance.  Greatness.

(b)   We have been watching how – we have promises, too.

2)      Some promises in Christ: 

(a)    Sonship (2 Cor. 6:16-7:1)

(b)   Forgiveness of Sin (1 John 1:9)

(c)    Answers to prayer (Luke 11:9; Matt. 7:7-11)

(d)   Christ will build His church (Matt. 16:18)

(e)    The Church has the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:19)

(f)    Jesus will not leave us (John 14:18)

(g)   Deliverance from temptation (1 Cor. 10:13)

(h)   Sustaining grace (2 Cor. 12:9) (power in weakness)

(i)     Provision for all our needs (Php. 4:19, Matt. 6:25-34)

(j)     Reward for obedience (James 1:12)

(k)   Eternal life (Luke 18:29-30; John 3:16; Rom. 6:22-23)

3)      The question is:  Do we really believe them?

(a)    If we did, we would surely act and pray.

4)      Important:  Joshua just came off a failure

(a)    He was ready to take action before God’s promise (v. 7)

(b)   He was the victim of a plot

(c)    He was the victim of his own failure

(d)   What about us?  Do we think we are disqualified?  Do we really believe the promises?

5)      The challenge:

(a)    Let’s act!  Joshua did not have to think – he had already been told.  So have we:

(i)     Be His witnesses.  Go and make disciples.

(b)   Let’s ask!  No matter how contrary to the laws of nature.  The bigger the better – more glory for God.

(c)    Jer. 32:17 “‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”

6)      That’s what this story teaches believers.  But are there promises for unbelievers?

(a)    Judgment (2 Thess. 1:7-10) “…when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints,”

(b)   The inhabitants of the land were judged by God – the Israelites are merely His sword.

(c)    When Jesus Christ returns, those who have not obeyed the gospel will receive eternal destruction – away from the Lord, which is the way they have chose.

(d)   Could you be keeping Jesus at arms length?  The standard is personal knowledge.  Selective about which promises to claim?

V)    Notes:

A)    Let us act on those promises

1)      By stepping out in faith

2)      Being His witnesses

3)      Going and making disciples

B)    Let us ask God for what we need –

1)      no matter how ridiculous it may sound

2)      Jer 32:17

3)      Psalm 74:16

C)    So what we made mistakes

D)    So what we were taken advantage of

E)     So what about what other people say

F)     Who cares when a God who is capable and caring is on our side?

G)    Illustration:  Paul’s fare for his trip to Rome was paid for by Rome!  He had a vision to go there but after a couple of years in prison at Caesarea, he appealed to Caesar!

H)    This incident should remind us:

1)      Of God’s power.

2)      Of God’s position.

3)      Of God’s provision.

4)      Of God’s love for His people.

(a)    Most important emphasis here.

5)      Believed, promise,

6)      Behaved, production, act of faith,

7)      Beseeched, prayer,

(a)     

August 19, 2007, The Sun Stands Still

Joshua 10:1-15

1)    God ________________ a promise. (v. 8)

2)    Joshua ___________________ on the promise (vv. 7-12)

o       With ___________________ (v. 7, 9)

o       With ___________________ (v. 12)

3)    God ________________ His promise (vv. 10-11, 13-14)

4)    We have promises in ______________________.[1]

Some of our promises:

• Sonship (2 Cor. 6:16-7:1)
• Forgiveness of Sin (1 John 1:9)
• Answers to prayer (Luke 11:9; Matt. 7:7-11)
• Christ will build His church (Matt. 16:18)
• The Church has the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:19)
• Jesus will not leave us (John 14:18)
• Deliverance from temptation (1 Cor. 10:13)
• Sustaining grace (2 Cor. 12:9) (power in weakness)
• Provision for all our needs (Php. 4:19, Matt. 6:25-34)
• Reward for obedience (James 1:12)
• Eternal life (Luke 18:29-30; John 3:16; Rom. 6:22-23)
• Judgment (2 Thess. 1:9-10)

Joshua 10:12-13, “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.” 13And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.”[2]

Word Find:  Joshua 10:1-15

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[1] 1) makes; 2) acts; 3) keeps; 4) Christ;

[2]The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jos 10:12-13.