The Conquering King part 7.

I will fight for you!

TEXT : Joshua 10:8 “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.””

Vs. 13-14 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.

Over view : In Joshua 10 : 1-5 Five Amorite kings form a coalition and attack Gibeon because Gibeon has made peace with Israel. They understand that Gibeon's alliance with Israel puts them in danger, and they are trying to eliminate Gibeon before Israel can establish itself further in the land."

In vs 6-8 Gibeon calls to Joshua for help when they see these kings armies coming against them, and God says to Joshua ( 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. )

Remember : In Gen 11 God comes down at the tower of Bable and confounds the languages and in Deut. 32: 8-9 God is fulfilling His covenant promises to Abraham as Israel enters the land, while Yahweh judges the nations who have stood in rebellion against Him. In the larger biblical story, this is part of Yahweh's work of reclaiming His creation and establishing His rule.

Going back to Joshua 10 in versus 9-15 we see God fighting for Israel causing the enemy forces to go into a panic as Israel struck them with a great blow at Gibeon, and chased them all the while God the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on the enemy.

Earthly and Heavenly battle;

Joshua 10 gives us a picture that helps us understand a reality Paul later makes explicit: the conflict of God's people exists within a larger spiritual conflict. Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” As Joshua and Israel are fight on the ground, God is fighting from above !

In vs 12  At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord asking that He hold the sun still to give them more time to defeat the enemies of the Lord. We see in vs 13 that the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.

Meanwhile the five kings hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah in vs 22 Joshua gives order to open the cave and bring the kings out. In vs 24 Joshua gives order for the men of war to put their feet on the necks of the kings and 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.) Then Joshua struck them putting them to death.

Joshua’s name : The name Joshua derives from the Hebrew “Yehoshua,” which means “Yahweh saves/delivers. Joshua is pointing us to the One whose name he bears.

Feet on the neck : Can serve as a reminder that Christ is The Conquering King ! Especially when we recall Colossians 2:15 “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Take aways from this passage :

God never promises there wont be battles, but, you will never fight alone!

He will fight for you when your afraid vs 8

He will fight for you when you are surrounded Chariots of fire 2Kings 6:17

He will fight for you when the enemy is stronger David and Goliath 1 Sam 17

He will fight for you when things seem impossible red sea parting Ex 14

Keep in mind the specific promises in Joshua 10 are covenant-specific promises to Joshua and Israel concerning this battle.

God may not fight the battle in the way you expect, but His presence, His sovereignty, and His purposes are not defeated by the battle.

Looking for trouble :

Remember Joshua didn’t wake up and say I think we should go to war with five Kings/ nations today, nor is Israel going about looking for trouble … ( Some times trouble comes looking for You )!

We have to remember : It is not about Israel becoming a super power or even the battles we face, it is Yahweh is the Most High !

Just as we referenced Eph 6 earlier in the message about the principalities and powers in heavenly places, we need to remember that all power in (both) Heaven and earth has been given to King Jesus Matt. 28:18 !

May we be reminded Christ has no equal!

God doesn’t tell Joshua there wont be a battle — He tells him not to fear!

God declared the outcome before Joshua entered the battle!

Point :

Sometimes we pray, 'God, get me out of this.' Jesus Himself prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.' Yet the Father's will was not to remove Jesus from the cross, but to bring Him through it and accomplish redemption through it. Sometimes God delivers us from the battle. Sometimes He sustains us through the battle.

We want the battle to end , God wants to demonstrate His power in the midst of the battle.

We don't want opposition. But when opposition comes, God can use it to demonstrate that opposition does not have the final authority.

When God told Joshua not to fear I have delivered the enemy into your hand, that did not eliminate Joshua’s / Israel’s participation, They had to march and fight .

We cant sit on the couch and say ( God promises to fight for me ) so I don’t have to do anything, Jesus still had to endure the cross and suffer death to get to the Resurrection !

Like wise we are called to take up our cross and follow Him !

Point :

Many equate this passage to the miracle of the sun standing still, however I would like to turn our focus to why that actually happened. Vs 14 says(for the LORD fought for Israel). Joshua simply asked for help to complete God’s plan, Joshua asked God responded.

When our desires are surrendered to God's will, we can confidently bring those desires before Him, trusting Him to answer according to His wisdom and purpose.

In closing :

May we be encouraged as we see God fighting for Joshua His covenant people Israel and know He will fight for you!

Romans 8:31–39 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”