The battles that Joshua and Israel fought against the inhabitants of the land of Canaan correspond with the spiritual warfare waged against Satan’s hosts as presented to us in the book of Ephesians. Our blessings are with Christ in heaven, but there are Satanic hosts in the heavenlies who war against us, to keep us from living in the good of what is ours. Thus, we need the armor of God to resist and stand firm in what Christ has secured for us.
In Joshua 10, we have the warfare that ensued when Joshua and Israel were obligated to go up to defend the Gibeonites with whom they had made an alliance. Israel had been deceived by the subtle wiles of the Gibeonites. Nevertheless, the Lord was with Israel and defended them, giving them victory over the five kings that came up against Gibeon. These events correspond to the warfare we have with Satan’s hosts, as described in Ephesians 6. “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (vs. 11). It was Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem who led this alliance of the five kings to fight against Israel and Gibeon. His name means “lord of righteousness,” similar to a predecessor in Canaan during the time of Abraham, Melchizedek (king of righteousness). But Adoni-zedek’s righteousness was only in name and used to deceive. During Abraham’s time, the iniquity of the Amorite was not full. They outwardly owned God’s authority, but now they were unrighteous; they were so bad that God would remove them from Canaan. It was God’s time to give the land to Israel. Joshua was told to destroy them. Likewise, in Ephesians 6 we have a warfare against five enemies which war against us. They seek to hinder our appreciation of the heavenly portion. We must stand firm against them.
Five Enemies Against Us
1. Against the wiles of the devil.
2. Against principalities.
3. Against powers (authorities).
4. Against rulers of the darkness of this world (universal lords of darkness).
5. Against spiritual wickedness in high places (wicked spirits in heavenly places).
In this spiritual warfare we are to stand firm; the Lord gives the victory, even as He said to Joshua and Israel. “Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. 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 Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. Then spake Joshua 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 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” (Josh. 10:8-138And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 9Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. 10And 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 Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 12Then spake Joshua 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 thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. (Joshua 10:8‑13)).
The outcome was given before the fight began, so Israel could go in confidence in the Lord (not in themselves); the enemies fled from Israel. Here we see how the power of heaven was used to destroy the armies of the Canaanites by hailstones and then afterward in lengthening the day for Israel to destroy the enemy completely. What a lesson for us to stand firm before “heavenly principalities,” “authorities,” “the lords of darkness” and “wicked spirits.” They would drag us down so that we would occupy ourselves with earthly things, or anything but Christ in heaven.
Their Feet on the Necks
We would call attention to the example that Joshua made of the five kings that hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua commanded that they be sealed up in captivity during the battle that day. Afterward he brought them out before all the men of Israel and told the captains to come near and put their feet upon the necks of the five kings. “And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening” (Josh. 10:24-2624And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. 25And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 26And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. (Joshua 10:24‑26)). Certainly, this action would have encouraged the men of Israel to trust and follow Joshua as they conquered the land of Canaan. In applying this to our spiritual warfare, we can certainly see how the devil and the other heavenly enemies can be held under our feet through confidence and obedience to the Lord. May it encourage us not to yield to or be afraid of Satan and his host.
But the lesson given by Joshua serves as a witness to the defeated foe as well. Just as the five kings were put under the feet of the captains, so Satan’s hosts are subjugated to the believer who in obedience and faithfulness to Christ resists the artifices of their warfare. Looking at the expression “principalities and powers [authorities]” — those who are fighting against us — we notice in Colossians 2:1515And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:15) how Christ has defeated them — “having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” He won the victory. Then in Romans 8:38-3938For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38‑39) we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us, “for I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Then again, we have in the prayer of Ephesians 3 the witness that the church of Christ is to the Lord’s host —those angels who serve the Lord: “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him” (vss. 10-12).
Satan’s Principalities and Powers
May we be inspired to put our feet on the necks of the enemy and in confidence of victory through obedience to Christ go on in this conflict before us. The outcome is sure. Be of good courage. Put your feet on the necks of Satan’s “principalities and powers,” and demonstrate to heaven the testimony that you belong to Christ according to the manifold wisdom of God. This is His eternal purpose for you. The heavenly host thus observes this marvelous mystery of God’s plan for Christ and the church.
Satan and his host will soon be cast out of heaven. “I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Rev. 12:10-1210And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. (Revelation 12:10‑12)). In the meanwhile, we must endure conflict and put on “the whole armor of God.”
D. C. Buchanan