Joshua's Call to His Army (Josh. 10:16-28)

10/16/2009 9:27 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Joshua’s call to his army

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Joshua 10:16-28

            Message of the verses:  “16  Now these five kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17  It was told Joshua, saying, "The five kings have been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah." 18  Joshua said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and assign men by it to guard them, 19  but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies and attack them in the rear. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand." 20  It came about when Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished slaying them with a very great slaughter, until they were destroyed, and the survivors who remained of them had entered the fortified cities, 21  that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. No one uttered a word against any of the sons of Israel. 22  Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring these five kings out to me from the cave." 23  They did so, and brought these five kings out 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. 24  When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25  Joshua then said to them, "Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight." 26  So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening. 27  It came about at sunset that Joshua gave a command, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and put large stones over the mouth of the cave, to this very day.

    “28 ¶  Now Joshua captured Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; he utterly destroyed it and every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Thus he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.”

            There are some more stones in this section of Joshua, and it seems like there are a great many stones described in the book of Joshua, and they are a monument to the faithfulness of the Lord to that generation of Israel, and as others read this wonderful book they can be a great reminder to them too that the Lord will keep His promises in spite of our sometime disobedient to Him.

            Joshua would call his army to him of which all with the exception of Caleb was younger than him and give them an example of the faithfulness of the Lord to His people Israel.  The five kings that they were chasing hid themselves in a cave and were then trapped there by placing stones in front of the cave until the “mopping up” of the rest of their armies was complete and then Joshua had them removed and some of the officers put their feet on the necks of these kings symbolizing humiliation to them and victory for Israel, and then they were killed and hung on a tree until that evening and then buried in the cave and there were these stones put against the mouth of the cave and remained there to the day of the writing of the book of Joshua and longer.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Joshua is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ and these victories picture the Lord Jesus Christ defeating all of His enemies and He will some day return to complete the “mopping up” of His victory over His enemies at His second coming. 

            The Lord Jesus Christ has given me victory because of His victory over sin, Satan, and the world, and although it does not seem like it all of the time, that is where faith must come into play, and that is where I must continue to trust the Lord for victories in my life just like Joshua trusted the Lord for victories for the young nation of Israel.

            Like Joshua I too will make mistakes, and yet because I belong to the Lord He can make those defeats turn into victories for me, like he did for Joshua’s mistakes, as he turned the problem with the Gibeonites into a great defeat over those five kings and their people.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service today.
2. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.
3. Put on the spiritual armor for today’s battles, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, take up the shield of faith, put on the helmet of salvation, and take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
4. Think on things above, and seek to have the Spirit search my spirit for unconfessed sin.

10/16/2009 10:06 AM