The Big Sun

Introduction: New series, ‘Understanding the Impossible’.

Joshua 10:12-14 parts taken from https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/joshua-10/

Context: There are two things contextually to bring to your attention.

1. Israel is at this point divided into two kingdoms: the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
   1. Northern – Israel
   1. Southern – Judah
2. The experiment with the opulence and power of the great eastern kingdoms had ended in disaster for Israel.
3. King Solomon created the wealthiest and most powerful central government the Hebrews would ever see, but he did so at an impossibly high cost.
4. Land was given away to pay for his extravagances and people were sent into forced labor into Tyre in the north.
5. When Solomon died, between 926 and 922 BCE, the ten northern tribes refused to submit to his son, Rehoboam, and revolted.

From this point on, there would be two kingdoms of Hebrews: in the north – Israel, and in the south – Judah.

• Of the original 12 tribes of Israel (sons of Jacob) who took Canaan, 10 tribes made up the Northern Kingdom – Asher, Dan, Ephraim, Gad, Issachar, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun.
  
  
• The tribes of Benjamin and Judah established the Kingdom of Judah in the south. The northern tribes were eventually assimilated, and are known as the 10 Lost Tribes

The Israelites formed their capital in Samaria, and the Judaeans kept their capital in Jerusalem. These kingdoms remained separate states for over two hundred years.

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The history of both kingdoms is a litany of ineffective, disobedient, and corrupt kings.

When the Hebrews had first asked for a king, in the book of Judges, they were told that only God was their king. “We want a king like the others.’

When they approached Samuel the Prophet, he told them the desire for a king was an act of disobedience and that they would pay dearly if they established a monarchy. The history told in the Hebrew book, Kings, bears out Samuel’s warning.

The Hebrew empire eventually collapsed, Moab successfully revolts against Judah, and Ammon successfully secedes from Israel. Within a century of Solomon’s death, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were left as tiny little states – no bigger than Connecticut – on the larger map of the Middle East.

Joshua 10 – The Lord Fights for Israel & The Southern Kings Conquered

Joshua 10 – A miraculous victory for Israel.

1. (1-2) Adoni-Zedek and his fear of Israel.

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, 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.

He understood that the armies of Israel, supported by their God, would soon come against all the cities of Canaan.

i. Especially troubling was the news that they had utterly destroyed both Jericho and Ai – that is, that they had brought the unique judgment of God against the Canaanites. An Israelite army fighting for the glory of God, and as a unique instrument of God’s judgment, rightly made them afraid.

• And how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel: In addition, the surrender and subordination of the Gibeonites caused Adoni-Zedek to be afraid. Gibeon was a great city, and its men were mighty – if they surrendered to Israel, it was discouraging news for the Canaanites.

Application: They feared greatly: Fear of coming judgment did not make the Canaanites surrender. It made them organize and fight, and Adoni-Zedek became the leader of the southern Canaanite kings.

The enemies of Israel feared greatly; they did not retreat but launched even bolder attacks, as a wild animal might fight when it feels threatened.

All this leads me to tell you and remind us that:

I. There is and always will be a constant attack against the believers and God’s kingdom plan and people.

2. (3-5) The southern kings of Canaan assembled for an attack on Gibeon.

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, “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.” 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.

a. Kings: Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem calls, gathers, and establishes his forces. King of Jerusalem…king of Hebron…king of Jarmuth…king of Lachish…king of Eglon

b. Each one of these cities – Jerusalem, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, and Hebron – were important cities either for their location or for the trade routes associated with them. “Like Adoni-Zedek, the names of the four leaders can be identified with similar names from texts and peoples in and around Palestine during the same period of time that the account in Joshua purports to describe.” (Hess)

Clever Attempt: That we may attack Gibeon: Though they were afraid, they were still clever. Afraid to attack Israel directly, they attacked their subjects, the Gibeonites. They hoped to make Gibeon a warning to other Canaanite tribes that might consider surrendering to the Israelites.

3. (6) The Northern Kingdoms plea for help from Gibeon.

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.”

Transition: This brings me to point #2. Help comes from / Originates from a Place of Consecration.

II. Help Comes / Originates from a Place of Consecration

Application: Sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal: Joshua and the armies of Israel were still at Gilgal. This was an important place for Israel’s conquest of Canaan.

· Gilgal was the place of memorial (Joshua 4:20).

· Gilgal was the place of radical obedience (Joshua 5:2-3).

· Gilgal was the place where reproach was removed (Joshua 5:9).

· Gilgal was the place of obedience and the remembrance of salvation (Joshua 5:10).

· Gilgal was the place where the manna stopped, and they began to live from what the Promised Land provided (Joshua 5:11-12).

Prayer or message to Joshua was, ‘Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us: The Gibeonites rightly looked to the people of Israel as their helpers and protectors. They were not too proud to call for help.

Application: “If Joshua had been a lesser man, he might have regarded this as a way to escape the consequences of his rash agreement to spare the Gibeonites.” (Boice)

• Even as the Gibeonites claimed protection based on covenant, so do believers because of their participation in the new covenant. Considering their covenant with God, it is good for believers to also pray, Do not forsake Your servants…save us and help us.

B. The defeat of the southern kings of Canaan.

1. (7) Joshua and the people of Israel are faithful to their vow to the Gibeonites.

Transition: My third point comes from this understanding.

III. God is Faithful in His promises (Even in the face of our Mistakes/Sin

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

So, Joshua ascended from Gilgal: We saw that in Joshua 9, Joshua, the leaders of Israel, and all the people of Israel knew that they had made a bad vow to the Gibeonites, yet they kept faithful to their oath.

• Joshua not only kept the vow made to the Gibeonites, but he kept it with great energy and dedication. He sent his best men into this battle to defend Gibeon.

Allowing these Canaanite kings to wipe out the Gibeonites would have been a convenient way to get out of an oath that should not have been made, but Joshua and the leaders of Israel refused to do that.

Application: God’s people should have the same sense of honor. Though Joshua was only bound to not kill the Gibeonites himself (Joshua 9:15), he also felt obliged to fulfill the spirit of the oath he made to them.

2. (8) God’s command and promise to Joshua.

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.”

‘Do not fear them: This was a command. Though Joshua had reason to fear because Israel faced a confederation of five kings, God commanded Joshua to not fear his enemies. I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you’:

The command was joined to a promise. Joshua could obey God’s command to not fear because he had God’s promise of victory.

Application: Fear takes away the ability to fight God’s battles. Even in the face of strong enemies, Joshua was commanded to not fear. For Joshua, fear was unbelief – being unwilling to believe what God had promised. The same principle is true with believers today.

Transition: Point #3 is that we should respond by Faith and Obedience to what God calls us to Do/Be!

III. (9) Our Response should be one of Faith and Obedience.

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

Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly: With the assurance of God’s promise (Joshua 10:8), Joshua did not sit back to passively watch God work without his participation. He went to great effort to participate in the work and will of God.

The march from Gilgal to Gibeon involved a climb of 3,300 feet (1,000 meters), over about 20 miles (32 kilometers). This was eight to ten hours of hard marching, all through the night.

Application: God does His work, but He draws us into working with Him. Often God waits to see our initiative, our willingness to be a partner with Him before He does what only He can do.

 “God wants to draw His people into partnership with Him in seeing His work done.”

(10-11) God sends large hailstones to defeat the Canaanites.

‘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. 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.

BOOM: “It was Yahweh—and Yahweh alone—who took the decisive actions against the enemies (Joshua 10:10). Every verb in this verse is singular, indicating that he alone confused, struck, pursued, and struck them.” (Howard)

By the hand of God, the large hailstones did not kill the soldiers of Israel. “Huge hailstones that brained the Canaanites but hurt not the Israelites, that were at the heels of them.” (Trapp)

Transition: From verses (12-15) God extends the day to maximize Israel’s victory.

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.”

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?  Also known as the “Book of the Upright One” in the Greek Septuagint and the “Book of the Just Ones” in the Latin Vulgate, the Book of Jasher was probably a collection or compilation of ancient Hebrew songs and poems praising the heroes of Israel and their exploits in battle.

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

Application: This was a bold request but based on the promise God made in Joshua 10:8: I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you. Joshua had reason from God’s revealed word to ask for this.

v. Some criticize this account, saying that obviously, since the sun is still, and the earth rotates around the sun, Joshua was wrong when he wrote, that the sun stood still. This kind of criticism doesn’t account for our normal way of speaking. We use the terms sunrise and sunset without a second thought. In addition, more modern astronomy tells us that the sun is in motion; perhaps in some way, the sun did literally stand still.

vi. Hundreds of years later, God used the prophet Isaiah to bring a heavy word of coming judgment to His people. In that word, God remembered Gibeon, where He had won a great victory for Israel in Joshua’s day (Isaiah 28:20-22). Isaiah warned the people that this miraculous strength of God would be turned against His people if they did not repent. As Isaiah explained, this use of God’s strength against His people is surely His awesome work, or as the King James Version puts it, His strange work.

c. Till the people had revenge upon their enemies: Joshua did not ask God to do the fighting for him, even though God did do some of that (Joshua 10:11). Joshua simply asked that God miraculously allow him to fight for Him. Joshua prayed for God’s intervention, but he did not neglect his part of the battle. He asked God to work with and for Israel, not instead of Israel.

The Impossible Challenged: This can’t happen!

Like Joshua, we often wish that time would stand still. We would do well to imitate Joshua’s reasons for asking for an extended time. Joshua wanted time to stand still so that:

IV. God is willing and able to do the Miraculous for the victory so that only He gets the glory!

· God would be glorified.

· God would be obeyed.

· God’s work would be continued without hindrance.

· God’s people would triumph.

d. The Book of Jasher: The phrasing of this reference to the Book of Jasher does not require any quotation from the book, merely that these events are also described in that writing.

“Rather, he was stating, in effect, ‘If you don’t believe it, go read about it in the Book of Jashar. Even that book has a record of this event.’” (Howard)

Conclusion:

I. There is and always will be a constant attack against the believers and God’s kingdom plan and people.

II. God is Faithful in His promises (Even in the face of our Mistakes/Sins.

III. Our Response should be one of Faith and Obedience.

IV. God is willing and able to do the Miraculous for the victory so that only He gets the glory!