Sunday, May 15, 2022

Weekly Message : The victory of Israelites vs. Amorites coalition (Joshua 10: 1- 43) by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly Message:  The victory of Israel vs. Amorite coalition (Joshua 10: 1-43)

 By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries 3182016/ 5/15/2022 

 

 My friends, are you the will of God and predestination to be King? Are you a King, heart of God’s own heart and walk in the way to please the Lord? Gibeonites faced five kings joined the force against them, how to defeat these huge army? Who helped them to conquer the battle? Who were the true authority and power in the military to defeat the enemy?  Today, we will learn the battle in O.T. book of Joshua 10: 1-43 and discover the destruction of the Amorite coalition and the victory of Israelites.  

 When the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel, they were living near them. The king of Jerusalem-Adoni-Zedek appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon for the coalition in order to attach Gibeon, because the people of Gibeon had made peace with Joshua and the Israelites. These five kings of the Amorites joined forces. And moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. (Joshua10:5)

When there is nation crisis, to whom will you seek for help? It is significant element to win the battle.

  The Gibeonites asked Joshua for help and said, “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined force against us.”  So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” ((Joshua10:6-7). The Lord’s hand is with Joshua and the army of Israelites, the Lord demonstrated three supernatural powers to defeat the Amorites forces.   

1).The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah,

2).The Lord casted down the large hailstones on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

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. 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.

3) The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 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. (Joshua 10:10-14).

There are three different assumptions to view this phenomenon supernatural event.

1)      Some assume a slowing or suspending of the normal rotation of the earth so that there were extra hours that day (either twelve or twenty four). God did this so that Joshua’s forces could complete their victory before the enemy had a night for rest and regrouping. The Hebrew for stood still is a verb of motion, indicating a slowing or stopping of the rotation of the earth on its axits which would not affect the earth’s movement around the sun.

2)      Some assumes no irregularity in the rotation of the earth. One such view argues for the prolonging of daylight by some sort of unusual refraction of the sun’s rays. Therefore, there were more daylight hours but not more hours in the day.

3)      Some view supposes a prolonging of semi-darkness to give Joshua’s men relief from the blazing summer sun, accomplished by God’s sending an unusual summer hailstorm. This view takes stood still in verse 13 to mean “be still” or “cease”, indicating that the sun was clouded by the storm and no extra hours were added to the day.  

             The Lord defeated the Amorite coalition and has given five kings into Joshua’s hand. The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites. And they brought the five kings out of the cave, where they had fled and hidden to Joshua. Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings. So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees until evening. (vv.24-26)

           Joshua took the Makkedah city, Libnah city, Lachish city, Eglon, Hebron , Debir, whole region including the hill county the Negev.  He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. Joshua subdued them form Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel fought for Israel. (v.42)

 The Implication of Joshua 10: 1-43

Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, where there is God’s will and predestination, there will be the strength and victory. God fought for Joshua’s battle to defeat the coalition of five kings by sent nature disaster - hailstones, miraculously, none of the hailstones harmed the Israelites.

2.      Human need to submit and acknowledge God’s predestination. When Moses pointed out Joshua to be the leader, God’s face shine upon the Joshua and fight for his battle. Joshua is the will of God to inherit Moses’ leadership and fulfill God’s calling to lead His people into the Canaan the land of milk and honey. When there is God’s will and predestination, God fought Gibeonites battle for Joshua and Israelites sake.

3.      Be humble; seek right God and godly council. The reason resulted of the destruction of the Amorite coalition, because Gibeonites humble asked Joshua’s help and the Lord is with Joshua, God’s favor and predestination is upon the Joshua and the Israelites. Even there were five kings Adoni-Zedek, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon joined forces to against Gibeon and attacked it. With Lord’s help, Joshua defeated them all in this battle.

4.      Don’t be frustrated and don’t resist God’s will and predestination, if you are not God’s will and predestination in His timing, eve there are fives kings’ coalition, it can results destruction. Joshua struck and killed the five kings who had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah and subdued the entire city from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. (Joshua10:42)

5.      When you are in the will of God, God listen to your prayers and petition. When the Lord fought for Israel, the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, and answered Joshua’s prayers. He said, “O Sun, stands still over Gibeon, O moon, over the valley of Aijalon. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 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.” (Joshua10:14)


 Bibliography,

Bruce, Katherine L. Weekly Message:  The victory of Israel vs. Amorite coalition (Joshua 10: 1-43) Orlando, FL; Christian Arts Ministries, 2016.

      Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 


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