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Joshua Chapter 10 (ESV)

⁶ And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.” ⁷ So Joshua went up 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 given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” ⁹ So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. ¹⁰ And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹ And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

¹² At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

“Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
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.

¹⁵ So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

 

REFLECTION:

• Joshua is fighting a coalition of five city-state kings in the south and God led him to great victories. God intervened for Israel in two circumstances: hailstones killed many of the enemy, and the “sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day” so the slaughter of the Amorites could be completed.
• Whether Joshua was asking for the sun to stop moving or to cease shining is hotly debated. Regardless of which answer is adopted, what we are sure of is that God intervened in the course of events at the precise moment help was needed.
• Have you experienced God’s intervention in your life? Or do you sense it right now?

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, You are my rock, my fortress, my high tower, my shield, and my Savior. You are my God! You are deserving of the highest praise! I cry out to You, asking for Your salvation, to deliver me from the snare of my enemies, the bondage of the devil Satan. Grant me victory in the battle against the devil, as You aided Joshua. You are a God of righteousness, authority, and glory. You can send hailstones and fire, striking down and consuming the servants of the devil. You can cause the sun to stand still in the sky, and make mighty walls crumble, helping Your people achieve victory. Heavenly Father, although we may not be engaged in battles like those in the time of Joshua, the battles within our hearts are fierce! For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood enemies, but against spiritual forces of darkness that seek to destroy us. The miracles You perform for us today are the full armor You have given us. Let me stand firm as a rock and put on this complete armor: I will gird myself with truth around my waist, wear the breastplate of righteousness to guard my heart, and have my feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. Additionally, I will take up the shield of faith to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the wicked, put on the helmet of salvation, and wield the sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word. I will rely on the Holy Spirit, praying and supplicating at all times. By doing so, I will surely be victorious. Amen!

 

HYMN:

The Lord Is My Rock – youtu.be/Kab9oJJA0LU