Notes: Joshua 11:1-23

Outline (Rough)

Northern Coalition and Conquest (v. 1-15)

The Massive Opponents of God (v. 1-5)

Start with the end of chapter 10

Why didn’t the writer give you a break and make your Bible lighter and study brevity by saying, ‘King Jabin summoned his confederates and their armies in order to make a massive assault on Israel’? But then the text would lose its punch. You see, it is precisely in reading this extended, detailed, particularising description of Israel’s opposition that you begin to feel how overwhelming the enemy is, to sense in line-upon-line fashion the almost hopeless situation Israel faces. (More often than we know the Bible wants to impress our imaginations rather than merely inform our brains.) There is a motive in this madness. To impress the reader (and Israel) with the massive resources available to the enemies of God makes the power of God shine more brightly in delivering his people from their hands. When we clearly see both Canaan’s numerical (v. 4a) and technological (v. 4b) edge, we realise that Yahweh’s strong right arm is no empty metaphor. ‘When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots plus an army larger than yours, you must not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, the One who brought you up from the land of Egypt’ (Deut. 20:1).

Direct description: The armies of Jabin and his coalition are described as “in number like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.” This seems an important detail–there are A LOT of men in this large army! Big enemy for Israel to fight.

God’s Help and Human Response (v. 6-7)

“Divine sovereignty does not negate human activity but stimulates it”

Joshua: No Falling Words The Energy in God’s Sovereignty (11:6–7)

Divine sovereignty does not negate human activity but stimulates it

God’s Sovereignty Stimulates Human Response

“We frequently look at the teaching of divine sovereignty too simplistically. Some will allege that if God ordains something as certain it renders human effort irrelevant: ‘Let’s go and let God.’ But Joshua knew better. His view was not to let go but to grab hold. Divine sovereignty creates confidence, which calls forth our effort even to the point of reckless abandon. God’s sovereignty is not a doctrine that shackles us but a reality that liberates us, not a cloud that stifles but an elixir that invigorates.”

We don’t just sit on the sidelines–God’s sovereignty calls us to action. Things don’t just happen, we have a role to play in the plans of God coming to fruition. This is both a privilege and a serious responsibility. God doesn’t call us to just sit on our hands and let His plan unfold. None of this “let go and let God” stuff. It’s let God and get to work.”

The Sufficiency of God’s Help (v. 8-11)

The hamstringing of the enemy’s horses and burning of their chariots emphasize the sufficiency of God’s help (vv. 6, 9).

“Hamstringing a horse made the animal militarily useless; it involved cutting the large tendon at the back of the knee on the hind legs. Some hold that the Israelites did this because they were untrained in the machinery of Canaanite hi-tech warfare and, not knowing how to use horses and chariots themselves, simply disabled and destroyed them. However, the command probably stems more from divine vigilance than from human ignorance. Yahweh’s intention is to teach Israel not to depend on such modes of assistance but to repose in God’s help alone.7 ‘Some boast in chariots, some in horses, but we, we will boast in the name of Yahweh our God’ (Ps. 20:7; see also Isa. 31:1–3).”

“devoting to destruction” mentioned (v. 11)

The Model of God’s Servant (v. 12-15)

We can learn a lot from what God is looking for in His people with Joshua’s response. Both v. 12 and 15 speak to Joshua as God’s model servant

“…just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded” (12)

“Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses” (15)

“devoting to destruction” mentioned (v. 12)

War Wrap-Up/Northern Campaign Completed (v. 16-23)

The Demands of Yahweh’s Call (v. 18)

George Bush is certainly correct:

Joshua: No Falling Words The Demands of Yahweh’s Call (11:18)

George Bush is certainly correct:

It would seem that the writer by inserting this statement here designed to guard the reader against the impression that, as the record of these wars is very brief, so the space of time in which they were accomplished was also brief.

The Fearfulness of Yahweh’s Hardening (v. 19-20)

V. 20 - reminds me of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart (Ex. 4:21)

Joshua: No Falling Words The Fearfulness of Yahweh’s Hardening (11:19–20)

We have in verse 20 what is sometimes called judicial hardening. The Canaanite’s day of grace has passed (

Joshua: No Falling Words The Needlessness of Our Fears (11:21–22)

In Pilgrim’s Progress John Bunyan describes Christian’s approach to the Palace Beautiful where he hoped to get lodging. He began to walk down a very narrow passage leading to the porter’s lodge. Then he saw two lions in the way. Bunyan adds parenthetically: ‘The lions were chained; but he saw not the chains.’ That is frequently our case—we fear because we don’t see the chains. Yet the fact that Christ sits at the Father’s right hand ‘far above all rule and authority and power and dominion’ and has ‘all things under his feet’ (

“devoting to destruction” mentioned (v. 20 & 21)

Preaching Outline:

Northern Coalition and Conquest (v. 1-15)

The Massive Opponents of God (v. 1-5)

Start with the end of chapter 10

Why didn’t the writer give you a break and make your Bible lighter and study brevity by saying, ‘King Jabin summoned his confederates and their armies in order to make a massive assault on Israel’? But then the text would lose its punch. You see, it is precisely in reading this extended, detailed, particularising description of Israel’s opposition that you begin to feel how overwhelming the enemy is, to sense in line-upon-line fashion the almost hopeless situation Israel faces. (More often than we know the Bible wants to impress our imaginations rather than merely inform our brains.) There is a motive in this madness. To impress the reader (and Israel) with the massive resources available to the enemies of God makes the power of God shine more brightly in delivering his people from their hands. When we clearly see both Canaan’s numerical (v. 4a) and technological (v. 4b) edge, we realise that Yahweh’s strong right arm is no empty metaphor. ‘When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots plus an army larger than yours, you must not be afraid of them; for Yahweh your God is with you, the One who brought you up from the land of Egypt’ (Deut. 20:1).

God’s Help and Human Response (v. 6-7)

“Divine sovereignty does not negate human activity but stimulates it”

God’s Sovereignty Stimulates Human Response

“We frequently look at the teaching of divine sovereignty too simplistically. Some will allege that if God ordains something as certain it renders human effort irrelevant: ‘Let’s go and let God.’ But Joshua knew better. His view was not to let go but to grab hold. Divine sovereignty creates confidence, which calls forth our effort even to the point of reckless abandon. God’s sovereignty is not a doctrine that shackles us but a reality that liberates us, not a cloud that stifles but an elixir that invigorates.”

We don’t just sit on the sidelines–God’s sovereignty calls us to action. Things don’t just happen, we have a role to play in the plans of God coming to fruition. This is both a privilege and a serious responsibility. God doesn’t call us to just sit on our hands and let His plan unfold. None of this “let go and let God” stuff. It’s let God and get to work.”

The Sufficiency of God’s Help (v. 8-11)

The hamstringing of the enemy’s horses and burning of their chariots emphasize the sufficiency of God’s help (vv. 6, 9).

“Hamstringing a horse made the animal militarily useless; it involved cutting the large tendon at the back of the knee on the hind legs. Some hold that the Israelites did this because they were untrained in the machinery of Canaanite hi-tech warfare and, not knowing how to use horses and chariots themselves, simply disabled and destroyed them. However, the command probably stems more from divine vigilance than from human ignorance. Yahweh’s intention is to teach Israel not to depend on such modes of assistance but to repose in God’s help alone.7 ‘Some boast in chariots, some in horses, but we, we will boast in the name of Yahweh our God’ (Ps. 20:7; see also Isa. 31:1–3).”

“devoting to destruction” mentioned (v. 11)

The Model of God’s Servant (v. 12-15)

We can learn a lot from what God is looking for in His people with Joshua’s response. Both v. 12 and 15 speak to Joshua as God’s model servant

“…just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded” (12)

“Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses” (15)

“devoting to destruction” mentioned (v. 12)

War Wrap-Up/Northern Campaign Completed (v. 16-23)

The Demands of Yahweh’s Call (v. 18)

George Bush is certainly correct:

Joshua: No Falling Words The Demands of Yahweh’s Call (11:18)

George Bush is certainly correct:

It would seem that the writer by inserting this statement here designed to guard the reader against the impression that, as the record of these wars is very brief, so the space of time in which they were accomplished was also brief.

The Fearfulness of Yahweh’s Hardening (v. 19-20)

V. 20 - reminds me of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart (Ex. 4:21)

Joshua: No Falling Words The Fearfulness of Yahweh’s Hardening (11:19–20)

We have in verse 20 what is sometimes called judicial hardening. The Canaanite’s day of grace has passed (

Joshua: No Falling Words The Needlessness of Our Fears (11:21–22)

In Pilgrim’s Progress John Bunyan describes Christian’s approach to the Palace Beautiful where he hoped to get lodging. He began to walk down a very narrow passage leading to the porter’s lodge. Then he saw two lions in the way. Bunyan adds parenthetically: ‘The lions were chained; but he saw not the chains.’ That is frequently our case—we fear because we don’t see the chains. Yet the fact that Christ sits at the Father’s right hand ‘far above all rule and authority and power and dominion’ and has ‘all things under his feet’ (

“devoting to destruction” mentioned (v. 20 & 21)

SUGGESTED OUTLINE: Conquering Giants: God’s Faithfulness in Our Battles

Bible Passage: Joshua 11:1–23

Summary: In Joshua 11, God reassures the Israelites of His faithfulness as they face powerful adversaries, leading them to conquer the Northern kings and secure the Promised Land.

Application: This scripture encourages believers to trust in God’s strength during life's battles, reminding them that victory comes from faith in His promises, not from their own strength or abilities.

Teaching: The main teaching of this sermon focuses on the assurance of God’s presence in our struggles and the importance of relying on His guidance to overcome life's challenges, as exemplified by the Israelites in their conquest of the land.

How this passage could point to Christ: This passage foreshadows Christ’s ultimate victory over sin and death, illustrating God's sovereign control over all battles. Just as the Israelites were led by God to secure their promised victory, believers find their hope and strength in Jesus, who conquers our greatest foes.

Big Idea: The big idea communicated is that when we face seemingly insurmountable challenges, we can confidently rely on God's faithfulness and guidance, just as the Israelites did in their conquest of the Promised Land.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider diving deeper into the context of Joshua 11 by examining the historical and geopolitical dynamics of the Canaanite tribes through Logos. Look for commentaries that analyze the significance of Israel's military strategy and God’s providence throughout their conquests. This can help unpack the relevance of divine faithfulness in the modern believer's battles.

1. Giant Gatherings of Opposition

Joshua 11:1-5

Perhaps you could begin by illustrating the gathering of adversaries against Israel, emphasizing the overwhelming odds they faced. Reflect on how life's challenges often seem insurmountable and remind the congregation that God's faithfulness remains constant even when opposition mounts. Highlight God's promise to stand with us, reassuring us that He has control over every situation.

2. God's Guiding Assurance

Joshua 11:6-15

You could suggest focusing on the assurance God gives Joshua, drawing a parallel to how Jesus reassures believers of His presence and victory. Emphasize the importance of listening to God's guidance in the midst of trials and trusting in His plan. Encourage the audience to reflect on past victories as evidence of God's faithfulness in their own lives.

3. Greatness of God's Victory

Joshua 11:16-23

Maybe conclude by discussing the comprehensive victory attained by Israel through God's power, connecting it to the ultimate victory that believers have in Christ. This point could underscore the magnitude of what God has promised and delivered, urging the congregation to live confidently and boldly in light of Jesus' triumph over sin and death.

Book Outline

1-5a

5b-12

6 – Jericho (positive, Yahweh fights)

Israel is told to “attack” Jericho

Israel doesn’t fight, they march around the city with the ark blasting horns, “so that you know Yahweh is fighting for you”

Once walls fall, Israel goes in and finishes the clean up work

7-8 – Ai (negative, Israel sin, Achan)

Achan sees the spoil, it looked good, he took it for himself, then he hid (same vocabulary as Genesis 3:6-10)

Achan is found out, gets stoned, killed, burned

This shows God isn’t playing favorites, this isn’t Israel vs. the Canaanites, it’s God vs. corrupt societies

9 – Gibeon (positive, peace treaty, spared)

They sneak into Israel’s camp, lie about who they are, and ask to be folded into the nation of Israel (think Rahab–Joshua 2)

10-11 – Battles (blitz summary of all the battles that took place over likely decades, not a lot of details given)

11 – theme of “devote/devoting to destruction” can be seen in Deuteronomy 7:2 “and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them.”

11-12 – Summary (a list of defeated kings and towns, not a lot of details given)

*Each of these stories represents something about Israel’s relationship to God’s will in this moment but also ongoing into the future

Why God’s judgment of these nations?

The Canaanites are morally corrupt and practice sexual and child sacrifice practices are horrible.

Think back to:

Leviticus 18:2–3 ““Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.”

Leviticus 18:24–30 ““Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. For everyone who does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people. So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.””

Theologically Challenging

Divinely sanctioned violence

The word for “utterly destroy” is kharam = “The key Hebrew term is kherem, “to dedicate something to a deity” so that it belongs to no other: for objects this meant being taken into the temple (7:19); for people this could mean ritual destruction (7:21-22), but not always (see below).”

Deuteronomy 7:1–11 ““When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your…”

Resources

Connected Passages

Bible Recap: https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-bible-recap%2Fid1440833267%3Fi%3D1000650243817&data=05%7C02%7Ctrevorwinsor%40summitview.net%7Cb0ba110b33744f25666008dd5be77604%7Ce50b1e43c71b4cb0a090cf001cd1a8f7%7C1%7C0%7C638767771996049557%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C60000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=VIhZ4uTDz3UPmko65m5rAls9gsg7AH8Hoqr5sBd7UNU%3D&reserved=0

Psalm 2