Village Schools of the Bible

A Devotional Study of Joshua
by Max Frazier, Jr.

A THRILLING VICTORY
Joshua 10

Friends, have you ever had a decision which you made come back to haunt you later? If you have, then you know how Joshua and the people of Israel must have felt when they were informed by the leaders of Gibeon that they were under attack by the Canaanite armies and that, because of the covenant of peace which they had just signed, Israel had a responsibility to come to their rescue.

Uh, oh! Now Joshua knew that he had made a serious mistake. But a promise was a promise and Joshua knew that he had to honor that treaty which he had signed. Yes, he had been deceived by these people. But, he had not consulted God before pledging the military forces of God's people to these people should they need it.

One thing which I have always recognized as a strength in Joshua is his belief that two wrongs do not make a right. He could have said, "Too bad, Gibeon. I signed that treaty under false pretenses because you tricked me. That makes it null and void. You are on your own. Good luck." The world might even have said that Joshua was justified in responding in a manner like that. But, is that what God would want. Or, to use the modern question: What would Jesus do?

Well, Joshua knew what God wanted done. The people of Israel represented God to the nations surrounding them. Any disavowal of the treaty now would cast aspersions upon the character of God. So, Joshua gathered his leaders and prepared to defend the city of Gibeon. And, I believe, God honored that decision by not only giving Israel an outstanding victory, but also allowing them to share in one of the most incredible miracles in all of Scripture: the standing still of the sun and the moon.

What excitement for Israel! Everywhere they went they experienced the thrills of victory. No city, no matter how fortified, and no king, no matter how powerful, were able to stand against them. Why this series of victories recorded for us in this chapter. The text tells us it was because Israel was completely obedient unto the Lord.

Obedience is such a simple little word. We all know what it means. But for many of us it is such a difficult word to model. For when we obey we are submitting ourselves to another. We are voluntarily surrendering the control of our lives to someone else. It makes no difference whether it is a child to a parent, an employee to his employer, or a believer to God, it is soon discovered that the only way to achieve success is through obedience. God was pleased to bless Israel with victory after victory because they obeyed. And, if we obey His word and seek to live according to His will, He will do the same for us.

Our heavenly Father, how You desire that Your children honor their commitments first to You and then to others. May our word become our bond, even as Joshua's word was a bond to the Gibeonites. In this way we can proclaim to others about our relationship to You. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Joshua 9 Return to Table of Contents Joshua 11