Be Strong and Couraous 10

We serve a Big God.

Joshua 10:1–14 NKJV

1 Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. 6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.” 7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 10 So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.

Intro:

How big is the God you serve?

How big is your concept of God?

Is the God you serve big enough to perform miracles in your behalf. Or does your faith limit what God is able to do for you?

Matthew 13:58 (NKJV)

58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Here Joshua had great faith, he prayed and God did something so great, many people do not believe it.

Today we are going to look at what happened to Israel gives us some important principles to remember.

In this study of the life of Joshua we have seem some great battles with one defeat. Elab

We have seen great victories. The victories have come because a great God, a God that is bigger then our enemies. A God the is bigger then any of our problems. A God that is bigger them any battle that we will ever face.

Jeremiah 10:6 NKJV

6 Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might),

Psalm 136:4 NKJV

4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;

Remember that we will face the enemy. VS 1-5

Joshua 10:1–5 (NKJV)

1 Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,

2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,

4 “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

Elab on what King A Z had heard.

Each city had its own King. City's were rules like a nation.

King A Z will get the other Kings to work together to fight Gods people.

Why would he do this?

VS 2

“that they feared greatly” Why? One, because they had heard about Israel’s great victories.

The enemy will use fear in our lives. Fear will cause us to drift from God. Fear will cause to make bad decisions. Here fear caused King A Z to get together with other Kings to fight Gibeon and Gods people.

Its never a good idea to fight against God.

2. Because of the deal with Gibeon. Only because they had been fooled by them.

What Israel did was a mistake, it was foolish. But, God can take our foolish mistakes and make it a blessing. (Now this doesn’t mean we should knowingly God against Gods will hoping He will still bless us)

The Gibeonites had deceived their way into a treaty with Israel,saving their lives. But when the hill tribes heard of it they looked on the Gibeonites as traitors and decided to work together fight against them.

Now instead of fighting each city one at a time, Joshua, only through the power of God would wipe all five cities.

The enemy is against us. We have started back our Wed night prayer meetings. The enemy (the devil) will fight us.

I am doing things a little different in our prayer meetings. (Thankfulness, sick, devotion. Last setting goals)

He will battle us on this. But, our God is bigger, He is greater, He is more powerful.

The God in the day of Joshua, is the same God today.

God will fight on our behalf.

Exodus 14:14 (NKJV)

14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

God will fight for us no matter what battles we face, because God is faithful.

We have seen this through the life of Joshua. We see this throughout Gods word. We see this throughout our own lives.

We have seen this and will continue to see this, s God has been and will continue to be faithful to Pine Grove Baptist Church.

He would fight for Joshua and His people on this day, because He is a faithful God. Even through their mistakes.

The Gibeonites are the ones in trouble here.

Last part of VS 5

“gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.”

Joshua had made a covenant with them,and God would step in.

Remember God is always with us. VS 6-8

Joshua 10:6–8 (NKJV)

6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”

7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.

8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.”

VS 6

They were now on the side of Gods people, and they were under attack.

We have to remember, the enemy will attack us. And anyone who stands with us.

He cries out to Joshua. Joshua is translated “Jehovah saves”

Go over his cry to Joshua.

Crying out to him because they were fearful.

This how we should cry out to God.

VS 7

Joshua answers their cry by helping them.

Joshua had made a covenant with them.

Elab on him getting to battle tested men. Men who have been to war.

VS 8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.”

Not just one King and his army, but five kings and five armies.

God says. “Do not fear them”

When are facing a battle, a problem, the enemy. We need to remember that Gods say, “Do not fear”

Fear will cause us to make bad decisions. Fear will cause us to drift from God.

If we Trust in God, we can to all things.

Matthew 19:26 NKJV

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Here is the problem. We say we trust in God, but there are times when our lives prove otherwise.

With our money.

When we have to opportunity to share the gift of salvation with someone.

As a church.

We can trust in God, and we need to trust in God. We are reminded of that in His word.

Next part of VS 8

“for I have delivered them into your hand;”

It was already done as far as God was concerned. They had to obey.

Whatever God has called you to do. It will be done, because He is a faithful God. We can trust to do it like it is already done.

“for I have delivered them into your hand;”

Remember there is nothing to great for God. VS 9-14

Joshua 10:9–14 (NKJV)

9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal.

10 So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.

11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.

VS 9 Elab

Marched all night. about a 20 mile trip. They were tired. But God was with them.

Have you ever felt tired and wore out and felt like giving in?

Psalm 18:1–2 NKJV

1 I will love You, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

“suddenly came upon them”

He obeyed God.

When we believe God’s promises and when we obey God, and act by faith, God will help us. That is a fact jack.

VS 10

Amplified Bible Chapter 10

And the Lord caused [the enemies] to panic before Israel

Joshua and his mighty men “killed them with a great slaughter”

The men had marched all night. They were tired, worn out. But they had a great victory. How? Because God is a faithful God.

PGBC. We have to believe God, we have to obey God, we have to act out in faith. And God will do mighty things.

VS 11

READ AND ELAB

Now Joshua needed more time. And what happens next, really happened. How to I know?

1. Because Gods word says it did.

2. God is faithful.

VS 12-14

Book of Jasher: II Sam 1:18 Book about the leaders of Israel, songs and Lamentations.

This is a controversial part of the Bible. What exactly happened?

Some say it is figurative language.

Some say it was a type of solar eclipse.

I believe God stopped the rotation of the earth. Elab what some say about that.

God created to earth. If He wants to stop it’s rotation, them He can do so.

God answered their prayer by giving extra time “and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.”

God is still God.

He is the God that is faithful.

He is the God that answers prayer.

He is the God that is all powerful and can still do miracles in your life and mine.

He will do great things through PGBC.

Do you believe?

Go back to the Sun standing still, and what a great miracle it was.

If you don’t believe God do that, then how can you believe that He rose Jesus from the dead. Jesus was dead. He was placed in a tomb for 3 days. He He rose from the dead.

Through what that we have salvation. Do you believe?