The Lord Wants to Fight Our Battles
June 12, 2022
Commentary
Fear gripped the heart of Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, when he heard of Joshua’s destruction of Ai and that the Gibeonites had entered an alliance with Israel (vv. 1-2). He knew that if the advances of Israel’s armies continued without challenge, Jerusalem would soon be surrounded and captured. Therefore, Adonizedek rallied the support of four other Amorite kings, who brought up their armies to Gibeon to make war against it (vv. 3-4). They wanted to punish the Gibeonites for joining the Israelites and at the same time destroy Israel’s newly acquired support.
Faced with certain slaughter, the Gibeonites sent a runner to tell Joshua in Gilgal (v. 6). Responding immediately to Gibeon’s call for help, Joshua and his army went up to Gilgal to meet the foes (v. 7). Joshua sensed he had the break that he needed. All the Amorite armies were camped in these open fields outside Gibeon. An Israelite victory would break the backs of the enemy forces.
It was early morning and still dark when Joshua and his troops searched Gibeon. He came upon the enemy suddenly and panic broke out among the Amorites. Many were slain and the others fled (vv. 9-10). However, they were not able to escape as God caused large hailstones to fall on them (v. 11). With deadly precision more Amorites were killed by hailstones than by Israel’s sword. Joshua knew that they only had 12 hours of daylight and they needed more time to see total annihilation of his foes. He requested the sun and moon to stand still, and his request was answered (vv. 12-13).
Application
When I get into a battle of life do I seek the Lord’s help or try to conquer the foe myself?
Joshua 10:1– 15 (NET)
1 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua captured Ai and annihilated it and its king as he did Jericho and its king. He also heard how the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them. 2 All Jerusalem was terrified because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors. 3 So King Adoni-Zedek of Jerusalem sent this message to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon: 4 “Come to my aid so we can attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 5 So the five Amorite kings (the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon) and all their troops gathered together and advanced. They deployed their troops and fought against Gibeon.
6 The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon your subjects! Come up here quickly and rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.” 7 So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal. 8 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. Not one of them can resist you.” 9 Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal. 10 The Lord routed them before Israel. Israel thoroughly defeated them at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, all the way to Azekah. They died—in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.
12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: “O sun, stand still over Gibeon; O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”
13 The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. 14 There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord listened to a human being, for the Lord fought for Israel! 15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.
Illustration: What Happened to Time
When as a child I laughed and wept, time crept.
When as a youth I dreamed and talked, time walked.
When I became a full-grown man, time ran.
And later as I older grew, time flew.
Soon I shall find while traveling on, time is gone.
(Source Unknown)