March 25: Joshua 9-11

March 25, Joshua 9-11

Joshua 9 - The Deception. All the Kings of other nations were now terrified of the nation of Israel. Some planned together on how to fight against Joshua and the Israelites. While others were taking things in their own hands, on how to join forces with Israel so that their ‘fate’ wouldn’t look like Jericho’s. So a neighboring town decided to make a peace treaty with Israel. They knew that Israel wouldn’t join forces with the surrounding nations, so Gibeon, set up on how to attempt to deceive the Israelites, into making peace with them. They put on some rough looking clothes, grabbed old wine skins, and brought some old bread. They walked the six mile journey to the Israelites and claimed that they were from a land far away (thus implying that they were not a near by neighbor that would eventually get taken over by the Israelites). They knew about the power of God and what He had done for them, and they didn't want to be next. They lied to Joshua and the leaders, and Joshua (without seeking God again) made peace with them and and also made a covenant with them - to let them live. This covenant that they made with them would be like an ally, that they both would have to help each other and defend them from other nations that would war with them, and visa versa. But, shockingly, a few days later, the Israelites realized that they were deceived and these ‘foreigners’ weren't foreigners at all, but instead a neighboring nation. But, because of the oath that they made, the Israelites could not renounce on their covenant to God and kill them. So, instead of killing them, they upheld their part of the agreement and made them wood cutters and water carriers (typically that would be pretty low on the totem pole of laboring). Joshua then confronted them, making them nothing but Israelite’s servants bringing wood and water to the House of the Lord. Actually, all things considered, they get a rather prominent task to serve the Living God.

Joshua 10. Now we go back to the Kings that were conspiring against Joshua… Namely, King Adoni, was afraid of the Israelites because of what God had done, and also because they ‘partnered’ up with the Gibeonites - which was a large city with great warriors. So, all five Kings came together and were going to fight the Gibeonites. When Gibeon realized that they were under attack, they quickly sent word to their new allies, Israel, for help. Well, as God would have it, they were under the protection of Israel and God told Joshua to not fear, because God has given all these conspiring Kings over to Joshua. The battles began with swiftness from Joshua and God throwing all their enemies into a panic. Then we hear about the actions of the Divine Warrior, God! He threw down large stones from heaven and killed more men that day than the Israelites killed that day. Then we hear a crazy story - the sun stood still. Commentators have written much on this topic trying to explain away the phenomenon, but at the end of the day - this was a miracle of cosmic proportions. Since God created the universe, including the cosmos, He runs the show and can do as He pleases. Is it too much for the God that created it, to do with it as He pleases? Absolutely He can! This has never happened since, which puts a big whole in a lot of the other theories out there. 

Back to one of the many battles… All the five Kings all fled into a cave and Joshua commanded that they throw big stones in front of the cave and block them in, then go back to battle with a good strategy and they did, and were successful. After the battle, they went and got the five Kings and they put them to death. 

Then Joshua and all Israel moves on to attack Southern Canaan, that God was going to give to them. Just like the other battles, Israel was victorious. Then they go into a bunch of other wars with God’s favor, and every one of the was a success and being devoted to destruction. Why did they win every battle? Because God was with them and fought for them.

Joshua 11. Just as all the battles in the Southern areas went well, so does the conquest of the Northern Territory. Now the Northern Kings came together to attack Israel. God told Joshua not to worry - God will give them all over to Israel, and after they won, they were instructed to make the enemies horses unfit for battle and burn their chariots. Joshua and the warriors attacked, and they succeeded just like God said they would. I love verse 15, ‘Just as the Lord had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.’ Joshua is being obedient and God is blessing him for it. 

Then we learn that Joshua basically was able to take all the land in the North, except of course the land of the Gibeonites, whom they were allies to. We also learn here that God had hardened all the hearts of all the other foreign people so that they would come against Israel in battle, so that they could be devoted to destruction.  By the end of the chapter, the Israelites had fulfilled what God had sent them to do - take over the land as their inheritance from God. Joshua had been at war a long time, ballpark is about seven years! Let’s not forget that Joshua got rid of all the Anakim people (the giants that the spies were afraid of with Moses, Numbers 13). It is a good way to end the battles with a reminder that no matter how big our enemy or how fierce it looks, if God is for us who can be against us?

To sum it all up:

• Even when we are deceived, we must keep our word if we made a promise before God. 
• God created the universe and He calls the shots… He can do as He pleases! It is for His Glory and His Purpose that we exist, and I for one, am happy to submit to Him. 
• Is God with you in your battles, or are you a maverick and flying solo, trying to rely on pulling up your bootstraps?
• It is a good way to end the battles with a reminder that no matter how big our enemy or how fierce it looks, if God is for us who can be against us?