Joshua 11: Taking care of business

Review

I have entitled this lesson as “Taking care of business”. Joshua was conquering the land just as God had commanded and promised He would. But before getting into our text for today, let’s take a moment to consider what this all means.

The book of Joshua is a type of … the Spirit led life.

The man Joshua is a type of … Jesus Christ

The book of Joshua parallels what other book… Revelation

Egypt is a type of what… the world

Passover is a type of what … Christ’s blood shed for our salvation

The Red Sea crossing is a type of what… Baptism

the 40 years in the wilderness (dry desert) is a type of … the life in the flesh

The Jordan Crossing is a type of what… the second baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit

The promised land is a type of … the walk in the spirit. Enjoying the spirit filled life. Fighting battles in the spirit, not yet in heaven, but lived in the power of the spirit

Courson says that at West Point they still teach military strategy from the book of Joshua. Joshua employed a very well know strategy in his conquest of the PL and that is to divide and conquer. In Chapter 10 he leads Israel to conquer the southern half of the PL. Here in Chapter 11 we will see the northern campaign.

It is said that Joshua’s campaigns involved three main attributes which are: Stealth, Speed, and Knowledge of the terrain. Israel still is known for these in their military today. However, the real secret to Joshua’s method was that he wholeheartedly followed the Lord GOD.

As we get into the chapter we will see an emphasis on this strategy of stealth and speed and knowledge of the terrain. But when we consider how this can apply to us, and that this is about walking in the Spirit, it is important to consider that planning, administration, and organization are important, they are not supreme. In other words they are great servants but are not the master. The master is not our schemes and plans but rather being led by the Holy Spirit.

How can you tell what master you are following? How do you begin your day; with the Lord or with your planner.

Chapter 11: 1- 5

Chinneroth means “harp” and refers to the Galilee area. The Lake has a harp shape. The Lake is fresh water though referred to as a Sea. Also known as Gennesaret or Tiberias.

The confederation of armies coming against Joshua here are referred to as a multitude in number, and as many as the sand on the sea shore. As an aside Abraham was promised in

17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore;

Interestingly, those that ponder such thing estimate that both numbers are equivalent.

In verse 5 a place called the “merom” is mentioned. This refers to a place near Megiddo. If you are at all familiar with the Book of Revelation you have heard of the battle where a great multitude of armies will come to battle with the Lord Jesus.

:12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORD

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Vs 6 - 23 Northern Conquest

The LORD says “ Don’t be afraid because of them..” He promises to slay them all by tomorrow! This is the theme of the book, DON’T BE AFRAID. As I am fond of saying, God tells us to not be afraid because we are. God give us all these promises in scripture to help remember and hang on to HIM when thing get scary. The walk in the spirit is not for the timid.

Verse 6 is the first mention of Horses in Joshua. They are commanded to “hamstring the horses and burn the chariots”. You don’read of the Israelites utilizing horses in their battles. It seems that horses were associated with idolatry. And this is related to Egypt’s worship of Ra the Sun God and their expertise in raising horses. You might remember God forbid his Kings from multiplying horses.

 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.

Look at :7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

God has His own methods and sometimes the latest technology is not what he wants us to use.

Notice the use of “speed” in his attack in the word suddenly.

Verse 18 Joshua made war a long time. How long? Based on Calebs age we calculate the wars were 7 years. How long is the great tribulation? 7 years...

Verse 20 Joshua made war a long time. How long? Based on Calebs age we calculate the wars were 7 years. Hfow long is the great tribulation? 7 years... will have an excuse in the day of judgement.

Who are the Anakim? These are the giants spoken of by the original 12 spies 40 years earlier. See  But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.

So where did the Giants come from.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

3 And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Video: Nephilim Giants from Gen 6