Chapter 10:1-13
Israel had failed when they made peace with the Gibeonites, and God let them feel what they lost by want of faithfulness to Him. Nevertheless, they were earnest and true, so He went on with them still and fought for them.
However, they were soon made to feel the sad results of their league with the Gibeonites, for instead of the Gibeonites helping them in battle, Israel had to help defend their allies.
The kings and nations who were united against Israel in the 9th chapter when they found that the Gibeonites had made terms with Israel, joined forces, the five kings and their armies, to fight against Gibeon.
Then the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at Gilgal saying, “Slack not thy hand from thy servant; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us.” So Joshua went up from Gilgal and all the men of war with him.
This time, however, it was not without a word from the Lord, for the Lord said to him, “Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.” Israel had profited by the humbling defeat at Ai and from their failure with the Gibeonites, and furthermore, they had returned to Gilgal, where pride and the flesh are humbled. Now the Lord was for them, and not against them. So they could go up with confidence being assured of victory.
How marvelously the Lord undertook for Israel in this battle. “And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Betoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.”
It was the Lord’s battle and He rained great hailstones from heaven upon the enemy, so that there were more killed by the hailstones than were slain by the Israelites. The mighty intervention of God in casting down those great hailstones from heaven reminds us of the time when “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” 2 Thess. 1:7-97And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9).
Israel wielded the sword of the Lord, while He Himself in the great stones He cast down upon the enemy displayed His anger from heaven against the Canaanites, those worshipers of demons and their wicked ways.
Furthermore, something happened that day that had never taken place before nor since, for Joshua addressed the Lord—(how wonderful!) and said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies... So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day.” The most high God, possessor of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:1919And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: (Genesis 14:19)) wrought that day in a most marvelous way for Israel. Both sun and moon obeyed the bidding of His servant, until the sinners of Canaan were destroyed.
ML-09/25/1977