Joshua 10:12-21 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Joshua 10:12-21. Let’s go!
Joshua 10:12-15 (NIV)
12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
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 man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!
15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
On verses 12-15: So far in the book of Joshua, whenever Joshua experienced a miracle, it was because he heard the Lord speak and responded in faith. This time, however, Joshua takes the initiative and God responds, as verse 14 suggests. Joshua says to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon” (v12). According to these verses, the sun and moon obeyed Joshua’s voice.
What exactly happened on that day? Did the sun and moon actually “stand still”? Some scholars have posited various theories as to what happened. For example, maybe God caused the earth to temporarily stop rotating, or maybe somehow there was significantly longer daylight than usual. Others posit that maybe what the Israelites experienced was a solar eclipse. Others still suggest that when verse 13 says “the sun stood still, and the moon stopped” and that “[t]he sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day”, this was figurative language, a poetic description of how the Israelites did not rest until the Amorites were totally defeated. We don’t know the answer for sure. It’s one of those questions you can ask God about in heaven one day.
In any event, what can we learn from this?
1. Our words have creative power. When we speak to God in faith about our circumstances as Joshua did, there is power in our words to produce good in our lives and to see God move powerfully. So harness the power of your words by speaking with faith. In fact, I believe the creative power of our words is one way in which we have been made in the image of God. Just as God spoke the universe into being, so we create our worlds with our words. Speak joyful, hopeful words and your world will be filled with joy and hope. Speak complaining, negative words and your world will be a depressed and hopeless one.
2. God doesn’t just want us to respond to Him in faith. I believe God also enjoys it and honours it when we take initiative, hanging onto with faith in one hand and wisdom in the other. So don’t always insist that you need to hear the audible voice of God speaking to you before you move in faith. Rather, trust in the promises of God’s Word, ask God for wisdom, and speak in faith, believing that miracles will follow your faith.
3. Notice that though Joshua’s words were addressed to the sun (“O sun”) and the moon (“O moon”) (v12), Joshua was speaking these words “to the Lord” (v12). This tells me that speaking to your circumstances with faith can be effective when deep down in your heart you are depending on the Lord, not in yourself. You can say, “In Jesus’ name, worry get away from me” and those words will be effective when your focus is on the Lord. You can say, “In Jesus’ name, peace fill my heart” and those words will be effective when in your heart you’re speaking them with an attitude of faith in the Lord.
Joshua 10:16-18 (NIV)
16 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah,
18 he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it.
On verses 16-18: The Amorite kings were hiding in a cave and seemed defenseless and defeated. But Joshua didn’t want to take any chances. So Joshua rolls large rocks to block the cave and posts men to guard the cave to keep the Amorite kings from escaping.
What can we learn from this? Jesus triumphed over Satan at the cross and at his resurrection. However, Satan is still alive and working today. He will not be completely disabled until Jesus comes again. Like an Amorite king in a cave, Satan is contained, but he can still do much harm. That is why every day we need to stand guard against our enemy Satan, just as Joshua remained on guard against the Amorite kings. As 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NLT2) says, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.”
Joshua 10:19-21 (NIV)
19 But don’t stop! Pursue your enemies, attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.”
20 So Joshua and the Israelites destroyed them completely–almost to a man–but the few who were left reached their fortified cities.
21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.
On verses 19-21: Despite trapping the five Amorite kings in the cave, Joshua is not satisfied. He insists that his troops keep pursuing the Amorite soldiers. Joshua gives them the goal of not letting the Amorite soldiers reach their fortified cities (v19). In the end only a few surviving Amorites reach their fortified cities (v20).
What can we learn from this? Aim high and dream big. As 2 Corinthians 13:11 encourages us, “aim for perfection”, for excellence. Don’t settle for mediocrity when serving God. As Pastor Norman Vincent Peale was once quoted as saying, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars”.
Heavenly Father, since there is creative power in my words, may I not be afraid to use that power for good. Since my world is very much a product of my words, may I speak words of faith and not fear, hope and not hopelessness, gratitude and not complaining. Please also help me to stand guard against the enemy today and every day, and to aim high when setting goals for the future. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
