Josh. 10:1-14.
WHEN Adoni-Jedec, king of Jerusalem, heard that the inhabitants of Gideon had made peace with Israel, and were among them, he and his people were filled with fear, for the city of Gideon was great and all its men were mighty. His anger was turned against Gibeon because they had made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel. He sent word to four other kings, asking them to come up and help him to smite Gibeon. They answered his call, and the five kings gathered all their hosts together, and went up and encamped before Gibeon; and made war against it. The men of Gibeon, in their dire extremity, sent word to Joshua to come quickly to them and help them. Joshua responded to this call, taking with him all the warriors and mighty men of valor in Israel. He did not, however, go without the Lord this time, for the Lord had told him He would deliver the enemy into their hand, and not a man should stand before them. With this happy assurance, Joshua went forward, and came suddenly upon the foe. The Lord granted him a wonderful victory over the combined forces of the five kings. Many of their men were slain and many fled! When fleeing from the battle field, the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them and killed them —more dying with the hail stones than those killed by the sword. The conflict was fierce, but the Lord fought for Israel and therefore victory was theirs. While the battle raged, and before Israel had avenged themselves upon their enemies, Joshua spoke to the Lord, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.” And oh! wonder of wonders, the sun stood still, in the midst of heaven, for a whole day, and the moon was stayed in her course. There was no day like that—before it or after it —that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man.
All this speaks of the mighty power of God, and how He stands by His people to bless them when in His path. He can lengthen the day, which He has made, at His pleasure, or He can send the darkness, causing men to grope and stumble in it. All things are His, and all things serve His might. Whether fire, hail, snow, vapor, stormy wind or whatever it may be, all fulfill His word. Ps. 148:8. Why then should we ever doubt God’s power, or why should we fear when we know that God is for us! True, God has His “strange work” to perform, but this is towards the enemy—not upon the people He loves.
My reader, where do you stand? Are you ranked with those who are on the Lord’s side, or are you numbered in the ranks of the enemy? Ah! if you have the Lord with you, you may defy the very hosts of hell. If He is with you, victory is assured.
ML 02/25/1906