The Sun Stands Still

 

Joshua 10: 1-14

 

The Sun Stands Still

As soon as Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,  he 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 warriors.  So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,  “Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.”   Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.

 

What faith the fear of the Lord brought on the people of Gibeon, they were a mighty city with great warriors, and they believed the God of Israel was one to bow to.  They had never seen a missionary, nor a prophet, but they heard what God had done for His people and they feared Him with great fear.  That wisdom, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  One wonders what it will take for the local Bible-believing church to gain that kind of wisdom.

 

You do understand they chose to seek a way to live, even if it means being slaves to the nation of Israel.  Yes, they use lies and deception, but are they that much different than many who attend church, and yet cheat in marriage, in business, and lie to their family and friends.

 

Now one should not wonder how this battle turned out, all the nations were going to destroy Gibeon for bowing to Israel, “but God”.  They did not understand, it was not going to be a fair fight, they were many in number, but they had no understanding of whom they were engaging.  Can you get your minds around taking on the God who spoke you into being, who breathes life into a man?  If that is not enough, how about rolling back the waters of the Red Sea, stopping the flow of the Jordan River in flood stage.   Not only were they stupid unlike the people of Gibeon, who allow fear to drive them into being willing to be slaves, but they also chose to enter into battle knowing that God was going to fight for Israel.  More were killed by hailstones than by the sword of the men of Israel, and God allowed the sun to stop for about a full day so that Israel could wipe out every one of them.  I hope you read the account in verses 6-14.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice