Author: Andrew Timberlake

Joshua 23:1-16

1 A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, 2 Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. 3 And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. 4 Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. 5 The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you. 6 Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, 7 that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, 8 but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. 11 Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. 12 For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you.

14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. 15 But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you, 16 if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.”

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

God had given Israel rest from war and they had settled in their new land. Joshua was old and knew his time was coming to an end. So he gathered the people of Israel to share with them some last words before his death. Even though he had led them through the conquest of the land of Canaan, Joshua didn’t elevate himself. He reminded Israel that “it is the LORD your God who has fought for you”. God had allotted them a further inheritance in the land still inhabited by the remaining nations. God had promised to push them back and drive them out so that they would possess the land. But they had to be strong and continue to keep to the law of Moses, not turning away from it to the left or to the right. It was important that while those nations remained in the land of promise, that Israel didn’t mix with them in marriage or get involved in their false worship. They were to cling to God. The pull of all that is wrong is so strong that we need to cling to God. We can’t hope to survive in this world ruled by Satan with a passive, indifferent, religious approach to Christianity. We must actively cling to God, desperate to remain close to Him, under His protection and far from the snares of temptation.

Joshua was so concerned that Israel wouldn’t heed his warning that he repeated it three times. It was God who fought for them. They in turn needed to love Him and follow his law and remain separate from the nations who remained among them. If they didn’t, if they mixed with those nations, they would be a snare that would lead them away from God and then God would no longer fight for them.

In the heat of a battle, it is not difficult to cling to God because you can’t see your way through without Him. But when things settle down and life becomes easier, then it is easy to become lax and forget that it is God who got you where you are. The temptation to enjoy the world around you becomes strong and before you know it you are far from God. We either love God and cling to all that He is or we love the world and get tangled up in all that it lives for (1 John 2:15-17). Joshua’s reminder is that there isn’t a middle ground. No matter how tough life gets, your biggest battle isn’t physical, it’s spiritual. How seriously do you take that?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Israel’s Disobedience: Judges 1-2

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Joshua 22:10-34

10 And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size. 11 And the people of Israel heard it said, “Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel.” 12 And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.

13 Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 and with him ten chiefs, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, every one of them the head of a family among the clans of Israel. 15 And they came to the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them, 16 “Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, ‘What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the LORD by building yourselves an altar this day in rebellion against the LORD? 17 Have we not had enough of the sin at Peor from which even yet we have not cleansed ourselves, and for which there came a plague upon the congregation of the LORD, 18 that you too must turn away this day from following the LORD? And if you too rebel against the LORD today then tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel. 19 But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over into the LORD’s land where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD or make us as rebels by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God. 20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he did not perish alone for his iniquity.’”

21 Then the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel, 22 “The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today 23 for building an altar to turn away from following the LORD. Or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, may the LORD himself take vengeance. 24 No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? 25 For the LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.’ So your children might make our children cease to worship the LORD. 26 Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, 27 but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the LORD in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, “You have no portion in the LORD.”’ 28 And we thought, ‘If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, “Behold, the copy of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.”’ 29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away this day from following the LORD by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the LORD our God that stands before his tabernacle!”

30 When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their eyes. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the LORD. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the LORD.”

32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs, returned from the people of Reuben and the people of Gad in the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them. 33 And the report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel. And the people of Israel blessed God and spoke no more of making war against them to destroy the land where the people of Reuben and the people of Gad were settled. 34 The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh came to the Jordan river on their way home after seven years of war. The river posed a very definite division between where they would settle and the rest of Israel. They felt that being east of the river might lead them to be forgotten and ultimately cut off from the nation. So they decided to make a memorial as a reminder of their shared right to worship at the altar of the tabernacle. Their choice of memorial was to build a large altar to serve as a visual reminder of this right. Why an altar? Because the basis of their unity was their common worship of the true God which was centred on the sacrifices at the altar.

When the rest of Israel heard of this memorial, they missed the symbolism of unity and instead thought that it represented apostasy. They thought that the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were rejecting the altar at Shiloh and instead had erected a second altar of sacrifice in violation of the Mosaic Law (Lev 17:8-9).

Instead of tolerating the apparent compromise, the Israelites called for a war of judgement against their brothers. Thankfully they didn’t embark on a war campaign based entirely on their assumptions. Wisdom prevailed and they first sent a delegation headed by Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest and ten chiefs from each of the tribes of Israel. This delegation confronted the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh with the intent of getting them to stop their project of apostasy and avoid war. They charged them with turning away from the LORD and rebelling against Him. They reminded them of the sin of Peor (Num 25) and the sin of Achan (Josh 22:20) and how both had resulted in God’s judgement against the entire nation of Israel. They generously suggested that if they felt that the land on the east of the Jordan was unclean and not graced by God’s presence, then they would make space for them to take possession with them on the western side of the Jordan.

The eastern tribes didn’t respond in anger at their accusers but informed them of the reason for the monument and their concern that their geographic separation would eventually lead to the complete separation of future generations. They swore an oath with God as their witness stating that if they had acted in rebellion then they deserved God’s judgement.

The delegation accepted the eastern tribes’ explanation and the whole ordeal had a happy ending. Phinehas acknowledged that no sin had been committed. The monument was called Witness because it stood as witness to both sides that the LORD is God.

This story provides many lessons for dealing with disputes today. It is good for believers to be zealous about the purity of our faith. We should never let the truth be compromised. We should not be quick to judge people’s motives based on what we see and think they are doing. Instead, we should gather facts remembering that there are always two sides to every story (Prov 18:17). The best route to reconciliation is often through clear and open discussion, but it should always be done with a spirit of gentleness (Gal 6:1). When you find yourself wrongly accused, it is best to avoid defensiveness and remember that “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov 15:1).
Which of these principles do you feel need more work in your life when it comes to situations of conflict?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

The Day the Sun Stood Still: Joshua 10

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Proverbs 13:1-8

1   A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
    but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2   From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good,
    but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.
3   Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
    he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
4   The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
    while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
5   The righteous hates falsehood,
    but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.
6   Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
    but sin overthrows the wicked.
7   One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
    another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
8   The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
    but a poor man hears no threat.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Psalm 8

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

1   O LORD, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
  You have set your glory above the heavens.
2     Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
  you have established strength because of your foes,
    to still the enemy and the avenger.
3   When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4   what is man that you are mindful of him,
    and the son of man that you care for him?
5   Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
6   You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under his feet,
7   all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
8   the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
    whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9   O LORD, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

The Psalms are great for helping us relate to God and worship Him. It’s wonderful to spend time in the word and grow in your knowledge of God at a head level. Use today to do your quiet time a little differently and try to grow in your knowledge of God at a heart level. We must always strive to move from knowing of God to knowing God.

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Joshua 22:1-9

1 At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 2 and said to them, “You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you. 3 You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the LORD your God. 4 And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

7 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their homes and blessed them, 8 he said to them, “Go back to your tents with much wealth and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brothers.” 9 So the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, parting from the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they had possessed themselves by command of the LORD through Moses.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

Now that the initial period of conquest was over, it was time for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to return to the east of the Jordan. They had kept their agreement to fight with the rest of Israel. It had been seven years away from home. Finally, they could return to their wives and families. They didn’t go back empty-handed. They returned with great wealth from the spoils of war. Joshua instructed them to share their acquired livestock, silver, gold, bronze, iron and clothing with those who had remained at home. Why share the wealth if those who remained at home hadn’t struggled alongside them in the perils of war? Because there always needs to be someone who remains behind, even if they desire to join in the battle, in order to make sure that crops are raised, women and children are protected. Today there are those who serve and work in the public eye but honour must be bestowed on those who labour behind the scenes in more commonplace duties that are essential, but unseen.

Joshua also sent them home with six reminders:

  1. Be very careful to keep the Lord’s commandments and observe the law.
  2. Love the Lord your God.
  3. Walk in all His ways.
  4. Obey His commands.
  5. Cling to Him.
  6. Serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Their military duty was complete but spiritual commitments remained.

Which of those reminders rings true for you today and what will you do to heed that reminder in the days to come?

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Defeating Jericho: Joshua 6

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake 1

Joshua 12-21

This is a lot of reading but mostly consists of a broad summary of the victories of Moses before Israel crossed the Jordan and the victories of Joshua from the crossing of the Jordan. Then chapters 13-21 cover the allotment of the conquered land to the twelve tribes of Israel.

If you’d like to read it online, read Joshua 12-21

13:1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.

19:49 When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun.

21:43 Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. 44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

In chapter 13 we see that Joshua was old (perhaps 100—he died at 110) and so God directed him to divide up the land amongst the tribes of Israel (Jos 1:6). The tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh were given their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan as agreed with Moses. The Levites received no specific land but they received 48 towns with pastures for their flocks and herds as Moses had directed. While the Levites received no inheritance of land, they were allowed sacrifices or offerings (Jos 13:14), the priesthood (Jos 18:7), and the LORD Himself (Jos 13:33). The amount of land each tribe was given was in accordance with the population size of the tribe.

While Caleb had his allotment first (Jos 14:6-15), Joshua waited until all of Israel had received their allotments before he asked for his. Joshua exhibited complete selflessness as a leader. Unlike many in leadership, he didn’t use his position and influence to enrich himself first.

Another important task was to designate the six cities of refuge which were cities people could flee to in the event of accidental manslaughter (not premeditated murder) in order to escape vengeance by the victim’s family.

In the concluding verses, we again see a record of God’s faithfulness. God did everything He promised He would do. It was not complete but God had said that the conquest of the land would be gradual (Deut 7:22). Unfortunately, Israel would waver in their faith and the conquest would not be complete. But that was Israel’s fault, not God’s. God remained faithful even in the face of Israel’s unfaithfulness (2 Tim 2:13).

I encourage you to consider deeply the truth we have seen in the book of Joshua and summarised in 2 Timothy 2:13, God is always faithful—even when we are not.

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Crossing the Jordan: Joshua 3-4

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Joshua 11:1-23

1 When Jabin, king of Hazor, heard of this, he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 2 and to the kings who were in the northern hill country, and in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, and in the lowland, and in Naphoth-dor on the west, 3 to the Canaanites in the east and the west, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites under Hermon in the land of Mizpah. 4 And they came out with all their troops, a great horde, in number like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. 5 And all these kings joined their forces and came and encamped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

6 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them, slain, to Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” 7 So Joshua and all his warriors came suddenly against them by the waters of Merom and fell upon them. 8 And the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel, who struck them and chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. And they struck them until he left none remaining. 9 And Joshua did to them just as the LORD said to him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

10 And Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword, for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms. 11 And they struck with the sword all who were in it, devoting them to destruction; there was none left that breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire. 12 And all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua captured, and struck them with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. 13 But none of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor alone; that Joshua burned. 14 And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock, the people of Israel took for their plunder. But every person they struck with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them, and they did not leave any who breathed. 15 Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

16 So Joshua took all that land, the hill country and all the Negeb and all the land of Goshen and the lowland and the Arabah and the hill country of Israel and its lowland 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. And he captured all their kings and struck them and put them to death. 18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. 19 There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took them all in battle. 20 For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

21 And Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction with their cities. 22 There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain. 23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

As with the kings of the south, the kings of the north heard of Israel’s conquests and realised they too would soon face destruction. Another coalition was formed this time creating an enormous army that was so numerous it was like the sand on the seashore. Not only that, they came with many horses and chariots. Again God told Joshua not to be afraid because He would give them all over to Israel and then they were to hamstring (cripple) their horses and burn their chariots. The reason for this was likely twofold. Horses were involved in the Canaanite worship which God wanted Israel to remain far from and because there was a risk that Israel would depend on the might of weapons of war instead of God (Ps 20:7).

Hazor was singled out in the northern campaign because it was the largest city and served as a capital of the area. It was burned to the ground as an example unlike the other cities of the area.

The chapter closes with a summary of Joshua’s conquests stating that Joshua took all the land. This can be confusing because later it is said that there were still large areas of land to be taken over (Joshua 13:1). In the Hebrew mindset, the part represents the whole. Joshua had taken key centres in all the parts of the land which is why it can be said that he had conquered the whole land, even if it wasn’t completely.

In all the time Israel battled through Canaan, only the Gibeonites sought peace. Every other city and people took them on in battle. God had hardened their hearts against Israel so that they should be devoted to destruction, receive no mercy and be destroyed. As with Pharaoh in Egypt, they had missed the many opportunities for mercy and had chosen to harden their hearts. Now God had withdrawn His mercy and removed them from Canaan in order to give Israel their promised land.

It is so sad to see people ignore God’s mercy. Through the cross, God’s mercy is available to everyone and yet many ignore it. Eventually there comes a time when that mercy is no longer available. Jesus has made eternal life available to everyone but it is only available while we are still alive. Once we pass on from this life, that mercy is no longer available. If you haven’t accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation, then you will have to stand before His throne of judgement. Don’t let that be you.

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Rahab and the spies: Joshua 1-2

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Joshua 10:16-43

16 These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them, 19 but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.” 20 When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, 21 then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.

22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.” 23 And they did so, and brought those 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 And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned 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.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” 26 And 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 But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

28 As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.

29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. 30 And the LORD gave it also and its king into the hand of Israel. And he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it; he left none remaining in it. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Libnah to Lachish and laid siege to it and fought against it. 32 And the LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he captured it on the second day and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, as he had done to Libnah.

33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish. And Joshua struck him and his people, until he left none remaining.

34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him passed on from Lachish to Eglon. And they laid siege to it and fought against it. 35 And they captured it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. And he devoted every person in it to destruction that day, as he had done to Lachish.

36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron. And they fought against it 37 and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king and its towns, and every person in it. He left none remaining, as he had done to Eglon, and devoted it to destruction and every person in it.

38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned back to Debir and fought against it 39 and he captured it with its king and all its towns. And they struck them with the edge of the sword and devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. Just as he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and to its king.

40 So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the LORD God of Israel commanded. 41 And Joshua struck them from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon. 42 And Joshua captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

While the sun remained in the sky for an extra day, Joshua was told that the five Amorite kings had hidden in a cave. Joshua didn’t stop to deal with them but had them locked in the cave, set a guard over them, and continued the pursuit of their fleeing enemies. He told the fighting men not to let them enter their fortified cities because God had given them into their hands.

After the battle, they returned to the cave to deal with the Amorite kings. He first performed a custom of eastern conquerors which has been seen on Egyptian and Syrian monuments. He had his commanders put their feet on the kings’ necks as a symbol of their complete defeat of their enemy. Then the kings were executed. They were hanged on trees but just before sunset they were taken down and buried in the cave with large stones over the mouth of the cave as another symbol of Israel’s continued victory.

The rest of the chapter documents further victories throughout southern Canaan. Each of the cities was quickly defeated in a continuous campaign moving from the north down south. This incredible sweep of victories was made possible “because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.” (v. 42)

What enemy are you facing now? Are you in a spiritual battle that seems to be going on and on? Are you in a physical battle with others that seems like it may actually be a war? When you commit to fighting your enemy God’s way (and that includes loving and forgiving your enemy) then you can be sure of a victory because God will fight for you. Romans 8:31 reminds us that if God is for us, then who can be against us!

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Moses Dies: Deuteronomy 34

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Joshua 10:1-15

1 As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were warriors. 3 So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.” 5 Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.

6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.” 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. 10 And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.

12 At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,

  “Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
    and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
13   And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
    until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. 14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel.

15 So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

The king of Jerusalem became very worried. He heard about the defeat of Ai and of the peace treaty with Gibeon and knew that it wouldn’t be long before Israel was upon them. He was concerned that the men of Gibeon would fight alongside Israel and so he formed an alliance with four other kings of the Amorites. They combined their forces and encamped against Gibeon and declared war. A messenger was sent to Joshua asking for help.

Why did Joshua go and help them? Why not leave Gibeon to fend for itself? With the Canaanites fighting amongst themselves, Gibeon might have been wiped out and Israel would be free of their mistaken covenant. Joshua saw a military advantage in dealing with all five Canaanite groups out in the open at once rather than one fortified city at a time. And, importantly, God had declared, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands.”

Joshua and the army had to march 25 miles from Gilgal at night climbing up 4,000 feet of steep and difficult terrain. They would have arrived tired and with no time for rest. But God threw the Amorites into a panic and Israel attacked with surprise. They chased them down a narrow pass. At the same time, God rained down large hailstones that killed more of the Amorites than those who died at the hands of Israel. But the battle was not easy and Joshua knew he needed more time if he was going to fulfil what God had promised, “Not a man of them shall stand before you.” So Joshua prayed for the sun and moon to stop so they would have more time. Joshua prayed in faith and God answered with a miracle. The sun stopped overhead and then took its time finishing its course across the heavens. From noon they got still a full day (about another 24 hours) to continue the battle and God fought for Israel.

Some look at this story as an example of how the Bible and science don’t agree. Science explains that the sun doesn’t move around the earth but day and night occur because of the earth’s rotation relative to the sun. So why did Joshua ask the sun to stop and not the earth? Joshua was not making a scientific declaration, he was simply using the language of observation as we still do today. We still refer to a sunrise and a sunset because of our perception from the earth’s surface. What we see is the sun moving even though we know it is the earth that is in fact spinning.

Joshua and his men must have been exhausted. They marched through the night and then fought through a 36 hour day. But they did not fight alone. They had to work incredibly hard, but God was with them and the passage says, “the LORD fought for Israel.” When you are exhausted and unsure of how you’ll carry on, if you’re walking in obedience, you can know that God is right there with you and He will strengthen you to carry on!

Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Joshua Takes Over: Deuteronomy 31

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake

Proverbs 12:12-28

12   Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
13   An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
    but the righteous escapes from trouble.
14   From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good,
    and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.
15   The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
    but a wise man listens to advice.
16   The vexation of a fool is known at once,
    but the prudent ignores an insult.
17   Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
    but a false witness utters deceit.
18   There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19   Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20   Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
    but those who plan peace have joy.
21   No ill befalls the righteous,
    but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22   Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,
    but those who act faithfully are his delight.
23   A prudent man conceals knowledge,
    but the heart of fools proclaims folly.
24   The hand of the diligent will rule,
    while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
25   Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
    but a good word makes him glad.
26   One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
    but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
27   Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,
    but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
28   In the path of righteousness is life,
    and in its pathway there is no death.

(ESV)

STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?

  • What is the writer saying?
  • How do I apply this to my life?

💡How to do your quiet time

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Posted on by Andrew Timberlake