OUR FAILURES, GOD’S VICTORIES – Joshua 10:1-43

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on November 6, 2013 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group; November 6, 2013

Joshua 10:1-43

Theme: Even our failures—when we learn from them—can, by God’s grace, be turned into victories.

(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

The failure we read of in Chapter 9 was because the people of God didn’t ask God’s counsel with respect to the Gibeonites before they acted. As a result, they entered into a covenant with them that caused them great trouble. If it had not been for that error, the people of Israel would not have had to face the powerful foe they faced in Chapter 10.

But as it turned out, if it had not been for that same error, they would not have seen the tremendous victory God brought about for them to His own glory. Our set-backs are not God’s set-backs. As this chapter shows us, when we learn from our failures, God is able to turn them into His victories on our behalf.

I. THE CONFEDERACY OF THE AMORITE KINGS (vv. 1-5).

A. The covenant that the people of Gibeon had entered into with Israel was discovered by its near-neighbor nations. We’re told 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” (v. 2). Therefore, Adoni-Zedek, the king of Jerusalem (his name meaning “Lord of Righteousness—although he was not in any way true to his name), drew together a confederacy of four other kings; and set themselves to attack Gibeon.

B. Here’s when the unwise covenant of Israel brought trouble upon them. But at the same time, it created an opportunity. As Deuteronomy 20:10-19 taught, the people of Israel were to make an offer of peace to the far nations and allow those nations to become their servants.. If they would not, they were to be destroyed. There was, however, to be no such arrangement with the nations of Canaan. Here, the warring nations were attacking Gibeon—which was much the same now as attacking Israel. God is able to turn our failures into His opportunities.

II. THE DEFENSE OF GIBEON (vv. 6-15).

A. Joshua and the people of Israel were in Gilgal—their headquarters, as it were. They go there three times in this chapter (vv. 6-9, 15, 43). It was at Gilgal that the people of Gibeon came to them and cried out for help (v. 6). And note that things are different this time. Joshua and Israel had learned the lesson of their failure. It must be that they consulted with God first; because God tells them, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you” (v. 8).

B. They came upon Gilgal “suddenly”—having marched all night; and attacked it “with a great slaughter” (v. 10). What’s more, God provided a hailstorm that killed more of these enemies than the sword did (v. 11). A further miracle is told to us: In answer to Joshua’s prayer, God caused the sun as it were to stand still in the sky and the moon not to move until all the enemy Amorite confederacy had been slain (vv. 12-14). How this was done, we’re not told. It may have been something that God did to actually delay the rotation of the earth, or it may have been a miracle of light refraction, or it may have even been something miraculous that God Himself did with the phenomenon of time. We have to leave that as one of God’s mysteries—except that we know that He did it. It caused this day to go down forever as a unique one—one in which God heeded the voice of man, “for the LORD fought for Israel” (v. 14).

III. THE PROMISE OF VICTORY FROM GOD (vv. 16-27).

A. What a pathetic state those formerly-threatening five kings were in! They hid in the caves. Joshua heard this from Gilgal; and ordered the cave to be sealed up until the rest of the confederacy was taken care of (vv. 17-19). Then, after returning, they brought the five kings out and Joshua had the leaders put their foot on their necks. Then Joshua slew them with the words, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight” (v. 25. This is like what Paul said in Romans 16:20; “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”

B. The five kings were hung on five trees—a tree for each. But they were taken down and not left up overnight—as was also done for the king of Ai (see 8:29). This execution was meant to be symbolic to the people of Israel that God would Himself do for them the same with all the enemies of Israel in the land.

IV. THE CONQUEST OF THE SOUTHLAND (v. 28-39).

A. Then follows a miraculous conquest of the southern region: Makkedah (v. 28), Libnah (vv. 29-30), Lachish/Gezir (vv. 31-33), Eglon (vv. 34-35), Hebron (vv. 36-37), Debir (vv. 38-39)—all fell before Israel with remarkable swiftness. This was because it was the Lord Himself who was fighting the battle for them.

B. This constitutes phase two of the conquest of the land. Phase one occurred at the conquest of Jericho and Ai—resulting in a split across the center of the land so that north and south could not join into a united attack against Israel. And this chapter tells us of the conquest of the southland. The conquest of the northland is told to us in chapter 11. This campaign was well-planned and complete and—above all—God-empowered.

V. THE SUMMARY OF GOD’S AMAZING WORK (vv. 40-43).

A. Verses 40-41 tell us, in summary form, the story of the conquests. But verse 42 tells us the reason for it: “All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.”

B. At the end, the people returned to Gilgal—the place of remembrance of God’s faithfulness and of His commission to them. Truly this was the battle of the Lord; and at last, the people had learned to recognize that, only through trust in Him, would they be victorious.