Sermon by: Dr. Todd Morris
Text: Joshua 10:6-14
Title: Valuable Lessons For The Day of Battle (Joshua #9)
Date: February 15, 2004
Introduction: Chapter 10 opens with 5 of the kings of Canaan joining forces to attack Gibeon because Gibeon had made a peace treaty with Israel. These 5 kings didn’t know it, but they were playing right into the hands of Joshua. Now, instead of having to pick them off one at a time they came together and he was able to defeat them all at once. If you remember last Sunday, we saw how the Israelites had been tricked into making a peace treaty with Gibeon. Now, it is time for Israel to make good on their promise to protect the Gibeonites, and in the process they will defeat the other people that would be standing in their way as they take Canaan. For Israel it seems like just another battle in the conquest of Canaan, but for us, it is a vivid picture of the Christian life.
You see, battles are a reality in the life of a child of God, but we never have to face them alone. In the day of battle we have a promise of help from the one who is, “an ever present help in time of need,” My desire this morning as we consider chapters 10 and 11 of Joshua, is to remind you that our lives will be filled with battles, but that in reality these battles are not against other people, nor are they physical battles. Our battles are spiritual battles. Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” So, because our battles are spiritual, our weapons must also be spiritual. Listen, physical weapons are doomed for defeat in a spiritual battle. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (physical), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.”
With that in mind, let’s join Joshua and the armies of Israel as they fight the good fight of faith. As we observe them in their day of battle, there are some very important lessons that we can learn that will aid us in our day of battle. I want to share these thoughts with you as I preach on this subject, Lesson for the Day of Battle.
I A LESSON ABOUT THE SAVIOR (6-15)
A. He Gave His Peace (8)
1. “Fear them not”
B. He Gave His Promise (8)
1. He have His word of absolute victory
C. He Gave His Power (9-14)
1. God moved in at least 2 supernatural ways to give His children victory.
a. In the hail (11)
b. In the heavens (12-14) – the greatest miracle ever recorded in the physical world. God stopped the sun and allowed Joshua to finish the battle.
2. This passage has brought much scientific ridicule upon the Bible because science has proven that the earth rotates around the sun and that the sun doesn’t move. However, I would like to make several observations that settle the issue for me.
a. This is the language of observation. We all speak of sunrise and sunset. We do not use technical terms. Very literally, the sun hung at the zenith of the sky for about a whole day.
b. Ancient history supports the claim. The Chinese, the Babylonians, the Incas, the Aztecs, the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and nearly every other ancient culture record a day longer than any other that occurred about this same time.
c. The calendar supports it. Using an ancient Chaldean calendar system, which was built around lunar and solar eclipses, it is possible to count forward to this day and find that this day fell on Tuesday July 22. However, if we count backward, using our system of reckoning days, we will find that this event happened on Wednesday July 22. Is there a problem? No, just that no matter which way you go there is an entire day missing. WELL BELOVED, VERSE 13 TELLS WHERE THE DAY WENT!
d. Some will counter that this violates the laws of nature. You poor faithless fool, it is God who made the laws, so they are not laws of nature, but laws of God about nature, and God governs nature at His desire.
II A LESSON ABOUT THE SAINTS (16-27)
A. We Must Control Our Enemy (16-18)
1. When Joshua discovered that the 5 kings were in a cave, he had it sealed up so they couldn’t escape.
B. We Must Confront Our Enemy (22-25)
1. He brought them out and publicly declared victory once the battle was won.
C. We Must Conquer Our Enemy (26-27)
1. Once again we see that the only way victory can be assured is to put our enemy to death. There can be peace between God’s people and the enemies of God. No peace treaty, only death.
2. This is the reason there will never be peace between Israel and the Palestinians, God didn’t say to make peace with, God said to destroy them, and the United Nations, the United States, nor the entire world has a right to countermand what God has said.
III A LESSON ABOUT STEADFASTNESS (28-11:23)
A. We Must Fight Daily (28, 35) – theirs was a life of battles
B. We Must Fight With Determination (11:18) – Joshua fought a long time, he was determined to win.
C. We Must Fight With Devotion (40, 11:12, 15, 23) – He was following the Lord’s command.
D. It all boils down to whose will is the priority of your life: yours or God’s.
Conclusion: Beloved, eventually the battles of life will be over, the long day will be finished and we who are saved will go home to Heaven to rest in that glorious place. In the meantime, however, there are enemies and there are battles that must be fought. We can either fight them with our own weapons and lose, or we can fight them in the way of the Lord and win. The question for us is simple, do we want to win or lose?
I don’t know what you are fighting today, but I do know two things, 1. that if you are walking with the Lord you are in a battle with Satan, and 2. I know the One who can give you victory in the battle and bring you safely through the fight.
If you are lost this morning, I’d like to invite you to come to Jesus for salvation. Just step out and come here to the front and we’ll show you ho you can win the ultimate battle and become a child of God today.
