Bible Talks

From: Messages of God's Love: 1953

Joshua 10:40-11:14⁴⁰So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded. ⁴¹And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon. ⁴²And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. ⁴³And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. ¹And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, ²And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, ³And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. ⁴And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. ⁵And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. ⁶And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. ⁷So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. ⁸And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. ⁹And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. ¹⁰And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. ¹¹And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire. ¹²And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. ¹³But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. ¹⁴And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe. (Joshua 10:40‑11:14)

When the children of Israel had put down their enemies in the south part of the land, they returned to Gilgal where the camp was. In figure Gilgal (the place of circumcision) is the place where self is put in the place of death, and so they must be continually reminded that victory is of the Lord. This is a most important lesson for us. There is always a tendency to think of past victories and become self confident. How often when some of us have been used of the Lord in His work, we then begin to think we are something, instead of getting before the Lord in self judgment. I suppose there is no time when we are in greater danger than after a victory for the Lord, for then pride is so likely to come in, and this the Lord hates. (Proverbs 6:16, 17; 16:18¹⁶These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: ¹⁷A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (Proverbs 6:16‑17)
¹⁸Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18).) Let us not forget to get “back to Gilgal” after each victory, and then the Lord can continue to use us for His glory, and not for our own, as He used Joshua and the children of Israel in chapter 11.

As we have been noticing in considering the tenth chapter, the confederacies which the enemies formed only hastened their defeat, but blinded by Satan they did not see it. They planned a still greater confederacy, gathering together a mighty force, with many horses and chariots, and with armies like the sand of the sea for multitude. How this reminds us of the nations of the world today. They are trying to form a mighty confederacy of the so-called “Free Nations,” but little do they realize that their mighty armies are to meet their doom from the hand of the Lord Himself when He comes out of heaven upon the white horse, followed by the armies of the saints. (Revelation 19:11-21¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ¹²His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. ¹³And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. ¹⁷And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; ¹⁸That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. ¹⁹And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. ²⁰And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. ²¹And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21).) And so they were defeated here, for when this vast army had been gathered together, the Lord said to Joshua, “Be not afraid of them: for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel.” Joshua then came out against them and defeated them utterly, so that there were none left to oppose the people of God.

Applying this in its spiritual aspect, Joshua is a type of Christ in the power of the Spirit, leading us into the enjoyment of our heavenly portion. The victory has been won for us at the cross, and now the Spirit of God would give us to realize that every spiritual blessing is ours, just as God gave all the land to His people Israel, only they must enter in and possess it. And so we need the whole armor of God to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil for he is now the god and prince of this world, seeking to hinder us from enjoying our portion in Christ. He will use every means possible to keep us from our “possessions,” but if we meet him in the power of the Spirit of God, victory is certain, as it was with the children of Israel in our chapter.

The city of Hazor was the center and head of all those kingdoms which had formed this confederacy, and so Joshua burned the whole city with fire. This shows us that we are not to imitate the world, or copy its greatness. Naturally we might have thought that as Hazor had once been for the world, so now it should be for God, but “in Christ... all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17). In this new creation “all things are of God”—not copied from the world. God must be all in all.

ML 05/03/1953

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