Sermon Tone Analysis
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Joshua prayed like there was no tomorrow Joshua made an audacious prayer.
It was a prayer for the impossible.
The fact that he even thought of it surprises everyone.
The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants.
Come up to us quickly and save us!
Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”
7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.
8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.
Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” 9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.
7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.
8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.
Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.
10 The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon.
Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.
11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still,
10 The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon.
Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.
11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,
as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.
14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being.
Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! 15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.
14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being.
Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!
15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
• Today we want to look at his motivation behind that prayer, and his commitment to fulfilling God’s will.
1. commitment to help despite the obstacles
The chapter opens with 5 opposing Amorite armies planning an attack on the Gibeonites.
• They joined forces to attack the Gibeonites, unhappy that they had made a treaty with Israel and wanting to weaken this new threat.
• Let’s look at the map and get a feel of the situation.
These nations are situated at the Southern part of Canaan.
• They joined forces to attack the Gibeonites, unhappy that they had made a treaty with Israel and wanting to weaken this new threat.
Joshua responded to the Gibeonites’ call for help.
• It’s like walking from here to Changi Airport and back.
And they did it in one night!
(10:9)
The Lord spoke to Joshua: “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.
Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
(10:8)
The Lord spoke to Joshua: “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.
Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
(10:8)
• He was given the assurance that God is behind him on this.
2. energy from promises
Arriving after an all-night march (10:9), the Israelites unleashed a surprise attack.
• The enemy lines broke and they fled into the valley, down South-West to the valley, to Azekah and Makkedah (10:10).
• Joshua’s men gave chase and then we see God intervening.
He rained down large hailstones on the enemies.
• It was so massive that more died from the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.
The battle dragged on and Joshua knew he needed more time.
It was desperate.
3. Prayer assuring that resources and time are provided by God
• And so in that crucial moment, he made a daring plea: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
(10:12)
• In short, LORD, STOP THE SUN! (That’s using human language of observation, because the sun does not move actually.)
• Joshua was not addressing the sun.
He was speaking to God about the sun! 10:12 “Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel…”
If you think this prayer was incredible, God actually answered him!
And promptly.
• 10:13 SO THE SUN STOOD STILL, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar (poetic songs honouring Israel’s leaders).
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.
14There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man.
Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!
• Joshua prayed with faith and God answered him.
He did not figure out the HOW.
He simply cry out in desperation.
We saw God intervening TWICE in this battle.
The first one, the hailstones (v.11) and now the earth slowed down in its spin (v.12).
That is, the sun delayed going down about a full day.
• God did the first on His own accord, and second in response to a man’s prayer.
Obviously Joshua Prayed consistently
• God fights for Joshua, as He has promised.
Joshua’s bold prayer was based on the promise of God had made to him.
Consider Joshua’s Motivation:
4. Pray boldly to see that God’s Will is done
Dare to make God-sized prayers, based on the promises of God.
Joshua did not say a prayer for himself.
It was not for protection or an easy way out.
• It was made in the heat of battle, for the sun to stay so that he can complete the destruction of his enemies.
• In fact, if the sun stays, it would mean a longer battle.
According to the text, they fought on for another full day!
The motivation is clear - Joshua is driven by a desire to see total victory.
• Nothing short of complete destruction of his enemies.
Anything less will mean that the end would not be as glorious.
• Joshua fought to finish the task.
He fought to fulfil God’s promise.
He fought to uphold the glory of God, believing that this is the promise of God.
This is the basis of his prayer, and the basis of our prayers too.
• It is what shapes our prayer.
We pray because we want to see God’s will accomplished and His Name glorified.
• Let His purposes motivate us to pray.
Let’s His will directs the content of what we ask for.
• Jesus says this is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
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When Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (), this was what he prayed.
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