Bible Study_Finishing the Fight

Joshua 10:15–21 KJV 1900

15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. 16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand. 20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. 21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

Bible Study Lesson

Title: Finishing the Fight: How God Gives Us Complete Victory Scripture: Joshua 10:15–43 Teacher: Rev. Adrian S. Taylor, Senior Pastor, Springhill Church, Gainesville, FL

Lesson Abstract: Joshua 10:15–43 reveals the Lord’s unmatched power and purposeful strategy in delivering total victory to His people. As Joshua follows God's commands, we see the enemy silenced, slain, and subdued—not by military genius but by divine intervention. This passage teaches us that spiritual battles are not won halfway; they require faithful obedience to God’s voice, unwavering trust in God’s hand, and a firm commitment to finishing the fight He started in us. When we align ourselves with the Lord’s purposes, He doesn’t just give us partial peace—He brings total triumph, from the cave to the conquest.

I. Silence the Enemy (Joshua 10:15–21)

The first step toward complete victory is recognizing that God has already gone before His people. In Joshua 10:15–17, the five kings who arrogantly joined forces to fight Israel are now hiding in fear. These same kings who once spoke threats against God’s people now cower in silence. Their retreat demonstrates that God's presence has the power to paralyze the plans of the enemy. Joshua's return to Gilgal (v.15) symbolizes spiritual rest in God's promise, while the enemy's retreat into a cave marks divine intimidation.

God’s people are called to walk by faith, not to chase every enemy but to follow divine instructions. In verses 18–19, Joshua commands his men to seal the cave and continue pursuing the other armies. Obedience takes precedence over confrontation. God had already given the victory (v.19), and Israel’s role was to move forward, not become distracted by what had already been dealt with. In the same way, believers must not become preoccupied with enemies God has already restrained.

By verse 21, the people return to Joshua in peace, and no one dares to speak against Israel. God's silencing work is both spiritual and practical. When the Lord fights for His people, He not only grants deliverance, He establishes peace. "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Proverbs 16:7). This section reminds us that God's intervention renders the enemy powerless and gives rest to His people.

Synopsis: Joshua 10:15–21 teaches that God's presence terrifies the enemy, His voice orders our steps, and His power preserves our peace. As believers walk in obedience, God fights battles, silences opposition, and calls His people to keep advancing. We must never fear what God has already subdued. "The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace" (Exodus 14:14); "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1).

Five Actionable Truths:

Trust God's PRESENCE to handle unseen opposition.

Isaiah 41:10 “10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Stay focused on your ASSIGNMENT, not your adversary.

Nehemiah 6:3 “3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?”

Don’t revisit what God has already REMOVED.

Philippians 3:13 “13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”

Rest in the PEACE of obedience.

Psalm 29:11 “11 The Lord will give strength unto his people; The Lord will bless his people with peace.”

Let God's VICTORY silence every fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 “7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

II. Slay the Enemy (Joshua 10:22–27)

Joshua's leadership teaches us that hidden enemies must be brought into the light and dealt with according to God’s command. In verses 22–24, Joshua commands the five kings to be taken out of the cave. Their exposure serves as a visual reminder that God does not allow sin, rebellion, or resistance to remain concealed forever. The act of putting feet on their necks demonstrates the dominion God gives His people over what once threatened them. "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet" (Malachi 4:3).

In verses 25–26, Joshua executes the kings and hangs them publicly. This action fulfills the divine judgment upon those who opposed God's will. It was not an act of cruelty, but of obedience to God's righteousness. Sin must be slain. Strongholds must be broken. The enemies of God cannot be tolerated. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth" (Colossians 3:5). When God delivers something into our hands to destroy, we must follow through in faith.

Verse 27 brings a sense of finality. The kings are buried in the cave they once used for refuge. Stones seal their defeat, leaving no opportunity for resurgence. God wants His people to experience finality in their faith journey—not cycles of recurring battles, but testimonies of resolved victory. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).

Synopsis: This passage teaches that God's people are called to finish what He has begun in them. When He exposes strongholds or spiritual enemies, He expects us to eliminate them completely through faithful obedience. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Corinthians 10:4); "Put off... the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts" (Ephesians 4:22).

Five Actionable Truths:

Don’t TOLERATE what God told you to terminate.

1 Samuel 15:22–23 “22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.”

Face sin and spiritual strongholds with BOLDNESS.

James 4:7 “7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

FINISH the spiritual assignments God gives you.

2 Timothy 4:7 “7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

WALK in victory, not in cycles.

Romans 6:14 “14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Let God define the END of the battle, not your feelings.

Proverbs 3:5–6 “5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

III. Show the Lord’s Power (Joshua 10:28–43)

Joshua's conquest continues city after city, and each victory reveals the faithfulness and power of God. From Makkedah to Debir, the text emphasizes that every success came "because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel" (v.42). This reminds us that consistent obedience leads to cumulative victory. Joshua didn’t stop after one win; he kept moving forward with God’s instruction. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalm 37:23).

Each city’s defeat—Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir—shows that total victory is the will of God when His people follow His Word without compromise. Victory in one place prepares us for the next. When we keep our hearts submitted to God, the same grace that helped us yesterday will sustain us today. "Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Joshua 10 closes with a powerful summary: "And Joshua returned... unto the camp to Gilgal" (v.43). He returned not in exhaustion but in testimony. Gilgal, the place of covenant renewal (Joshua 5), becomes the place of rest after obedience. God's power is most clearly seen not only when He fights for us, but when His work in us is completed. "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Synopsis: This section teaches us that ongoing obedience brings about a legacy of victory. God's power is not seasonal but sustaining. He enables His people to conquer every spiritual territory He assigns to them. "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:14); "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).

Five Actionable Truths:

Keep walking in OBEDIENCE even after a breakthrough.

Deuteronomy 5:33 “33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.”

Don’t settle for PARTIAL victory.

Joshua 1:3 “3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”

Celebrate each win, but don’t CAMP there.

Philippians 3:14 “14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Let your life TESTIFY of God’s faithfulness.

Psalm 40:3 “3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.”

Finish strong by returning to your place of COVENANT.

Joshua 24:15 “15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Discussion Questions:

What spiritual battles in your life have you only partially addressed, and what would it look like for you to finish the fight through obedient faith?

How do you discern when God is calling you to move forward, even when part of the battle seems “contained” but not yet completed?

In what ways has God shown His power in your past obedience, and how can that encourage you to keep trusting Him in present struggles?