Read Joshua 9
Highlights:
Deceit of the Gibeonites; their servanthood to Israel; defeat of the Amorites; sun and moon stand still until all the kings are defeated.
And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah (Josh. 10:32).
The primary key to all victories of Joshua against the Canaanites is recorded in tomorrow's reading: As the Lord commanded Moses His servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses (11:15).
Joshua's swift and fierce raids against the Canaanite kings of the south caused the king of Jerusalem to be alarmed. He attempted to unite all the remaining kings in the north in an effort to prevent the Israelites from occupying the promised land. And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee (10:8).
The secondary key to Joshua's victories is that he and his army didn't relax in their tents expecting the Lord to win their battles, but exercised their faith in the Word of God. Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal ALL NIGHT (10:9).
After a twenty-five mile, all-night march from Gilgal to Jerusalem, Joshua led a surprise attack against the kings of the north at daybreak. It is clear that the Lord discomfited them (the Canaanites) before Israel (10:10) and the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword (10:11). Because of the hailstones and the prolonged day, these men of faith were enabled to destroy the great number of enemies.
This king of Jerusalem's organized effort to defeat Joshua is an example of the continual conflict between the Lord's people and Satan.
Such victories in spiritual warfare are won as we, like Joshua, accept by faith that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him . . . that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (Eph. 1:17-19).
Thought for Today:
Spiritual victory is not dependent on human strength.
Christ Revealed:
As the One through whom we have victory (Josh. 10:25). Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 15:57).
Word Studies:
9:1 great sea, Mediterranean Sea; 9:4 wine bottles, wineskins; rent, torn; 9:5 clouted, patched; 9:6 league, treaty; 9:15 sware, ratified it with an oath in the Name of God; 9:21 hewers of wood, woodcutters; 9:22 beguiled, deceived; 10:4 smite, conquer; 10:6 Slack not thy hand from, Come with haste; 10:10 discomfited, defeated in battle; 10:13 book of Jasher, book of heroes (literally, “upright ones); hasted not, delayed; 10:20 fenced, fortified, walled; 10:21 moved his tongue, uttered a word; 10:24 your feet upon the necks, a symbol of mastery; 10:40 vale, valley.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for Staff: Ben Wallace • Government Officials: Rep. John Crowley (NY) and Rep. Ron Kind (WI) • Country: Tuvalu (11,000) nine islands in the southwestern Pacific • Major languages: Tuvaluan and English • Religious freedom • 92% Protestant; 5% Baha'i; 2% Roman Catholic • Prayer Suggestion: Continue to watch and pray with thanksgiving (Col. 4:2).
Optional Reading: John 7
Memory Verse for the Week: Philippians 2:14