Chapter Sixteen - Joshua 10-11

Rest!

        I got on the scale a couple of weeks ago… 260! 260?! This is the heaviest I have ever been… growing up I was skinny—small for my age. In high school I was fit and strong, in college I was so proud of my body I would do whatever I could to show it off. Today… something needs to change… I have to get this under control.

        My first response was to go the Lord in prayer. “What can I do to get my weight under control, Lord? You know me better than I know me; please lead me to the right diet that will work for me,” I prayed. I decided I would start counting calories, decrease my portion size, and try to exercise a little. All those things are going to be hard for me. I like my food. I crave higher-calorie foods like steak, pizza, and McDonalds. I love Oreos, Deep Dish Apple Chunk Peanut Butter Pie, and butter pecan ice cream. I’m also in the habit of eating large portions… I look at the suggested serving size on food packages and laugh… as if I could survive on that! Then there’s exercise… come on, you gotta be kidding me! Why walk when we’ve got two cars?

        Losing weight is going to be a series of battles for me, but I’ve got to win those battles for my family. I know my life will be better, my knees won’t hurt so much, and I won’t have to rock my body a couple of times to produce enough momentum to sit up and get out of bed. I’ll be able tie my shoes without holding my breath… it will be worth it… I know in the end I will find rest.

       

Re-Capturing Control

        More than five hundred years prior to our story here in Joshua, Abraham, living peacefully in the land of Canaan, was promised by God that the land of Canaan (the Promised Land) would belong to his descendants. During a period of famine, Israel (Abraham’s grandson) decided to move the family to Egypt, miles and miles away from the land he knew was promised to him and his children. Four hundred years passed and Abraham’s descendants, now enslaved in Egypt, longed for the land that was promised to them centuries ago, so they followed Moses and then Joshua back into the Promised Land. But the land was now inhabited and had to be conquered, so the battles began.

        I often wonder: if Israel had never left for Egypt, would his descendants now have to fight to take the land their fathers once lived peacefully in? If I had begun to count calories, watch my portion size and routinely exercise after college, would I have to fight to take back the body I once had? Our sin brought us into captivity of the world. Jesus saved us from that captivity, but we need to now re-capture control over our sinful flesh.

        Here in Joshua chapters ten and eleven, we read of a few more battles. A couple of those battles were amazing. In one, God defeated the enemy with hailstones… He threw rocks at them until they were destroyed. In another battle, in order to have enough daylight to fully destroy the enemy, God stopped the earth from turning (you gotta read these stories… they are fantastic!) God gave the nation of Israel victory in all their battles then… the land rested from war (11:23).  

       

Taking a Breather

        The land rested from war. We’ll see in future chapters that there were still some battles to be fought, but the people of Israel were no longer battling continuously. This is how it is also for us when we finally believe and enter into our Promised Land, the Spirit-filled life. Yes, as we are conquering the flesh, the battles are sometimes long and hard fought. But the Lord will give us victory. He will eventually give us rest from the continuous battling… our flesh will be conquered and we can live a life of rest and peace knowing that the Lord has given us that rest and peace.

        I have a step-sister who is a nutrition expert. She has her doctorate, has written a diet book, and is a college professor. She is as fit as anyone I know. I don’t visit her as often as I’d like, but when we do get together it is usually for dinner… or at least food is involved someway… She never looks like she is struggling to keep her weight in check. She eats healthily, watches her portions, and exercises. This is not a battle for her… I’m sure she is still tempted by the occasional indulgence, but she doesn’t have to fight too hard to overcome that temptation because she understands the need to make sacrifices if she wants to continue to be fit and healthy. I know that if I battle hard for a couple years or so to control my weight, after those hard-fought battles and after I change my eating habits, weight control will not be as hard of a battle as it is right now. It’ll just be my diet.

        That is how it is with life in Christ. When we fully believe that His way is the best way and we surrender our will for His, initially we will face some pretty tough battles with our fleshly (or ungodly) desires. Some of those battles will be hard fought, some will require miracles. But all will be won if we allow Jesus to be Lord of our lives. Eventually, even though we will still face temptation, our flesh will be conquered, the battles won’t be as difficult to win, and we will find rest.

        Give in to God’s will for your life. Allow Him to direct you into battle and then enter into His rest.

 

Matthew 11:28-29

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

 

        Below is the text from Joshua chapters ten and eleven:

Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 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. Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” Therefore 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 together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

        And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”

So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.

        Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

 “Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
 And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

 So the sun stood still,
 And the moon stopped,
 Till the people had revenge
 Upon their enemies.

        Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.

        Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

   But these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, saying, “The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah.”

        So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” Then it happened, while Joshua and the children of Israel made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they had finished, that those who escaped entered fortified cities. And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah, in peace.

        No one moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

        Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me from the cave.” And they did so, and brought out those five kings to him from the cave: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

        So it was, when they brought out those kings to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” And they drew near and put their feet on their necks. Then Joshua said to them, “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.” And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging on the trees until evening. So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.

   On that day Joshua took Makkedah, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them—all the people who were in it. He let none remain. He also did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

        Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah; and they fought against Libnah. And the LORD also delivered it and its king into the hand of Israel; he struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword. He let none remain in it, but did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

        Then Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish; and they encamped against it and fought against it. And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, who took it on the second day, and struck it and all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, according to all that he had done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he left him none remaining.

        From Lachish Joshua passed to Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it and fought against it. They took it on that day and struck it with the edge of the sword; all the people who were in it he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.

        So Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it. And they took it and struck it with the edge of the sword—its king, all its cities, and all the people who were in it; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but utterly destroyed it and all the people who were in it.

        Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and they fought against it. And he took it and its king and all its cities; they struck them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the people who were in it. He left none remaining; as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and its king, as he had done also to Libnah and its king.

        So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded. And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon. All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

        Joshua chapter eleven:

 

And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor heard these things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, and to the kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plain south of Chinneroth, in the lowland, and in the heights of Dor on the west, to the Canaanites in the east and in the west, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite in the mountains, and the Hivite below Hermon in the land of Mizpah. So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. And when all these kings had met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

        But the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. So Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

        Joshua turned back at that time and took Hazor, and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms. And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.

        So all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. But as for the cities that stood on their mounds, Israel burned none of them, except Hazor only, which Joshua burned. And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock, the children of Israel took as booty for themselves; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they left none breathing. 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.

   Thus Joshua took all this land: the mountain country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, and the Jordan plain—the mountains of Israel and its lowlands, from Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, even as far as Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings, and struck them down and killed them. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. All the others they took in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them, and that they might receive no mercy, but that He might destroy them, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

        And at that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakim from the mountains: from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel; Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.

        So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land rested from war.