Joshua 10:12-14 So the Sun Stood Still

Joshua 10:12-14  “Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon."  So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.  There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.” (NASB)

We recently looked at the awesomeness of God which was depicted by His power and His scale in comparison to ours.  I think one of the takeaways from that was to put us in proper perspective with regard to our God.  We are puny and weak but our God is omnipresent (present everywhere) and is omnipotent (all powerful).

God also is fully in charge of creation including the laws of nature which as creator He set in motion and He sustains.  “And He … upholds all things by the word of His power…” Hebrews 1:3 

Following the exodus from Egypt Moses led the people of Israel through the wilderness and to the Promised Land.  When they failed to enter God sent them about wandering again later bringing them back to but not into the Promised Land of Canaan.  Because the first generation had been disobedient only Joshua and Caleb who had been spies on the first visit and had wanted to go in were allowed to enter.  Moses and the rest of that disobedient generation died on the other side of the Jordon river.  As such, Joshua became the leader of Israel.

Upon entering God commanded Israel to conquer the land.  Led by Joshua with substantial help from God’s angelic warriors they set about doing so.  When they followed the Lord’s direction they were successful in battle.  When they decided to do it their own way they failed.  That in and of itself is a good lesson for us to remember.

The event I’m leading up to was a particular battle with Joshua as leader of Israel following the command of the Lord in defending a city from five Amorite kings.  These five banded together to attack Gibeon.  When their attack failed and defeat was obvious they tried to escape.  With Joshua in hot pursuit of these fleeing armies, we come to today’s passage.  Joshua was following the instructions of the Lord and as he pursued the enemy.  He feared it would become dark and they would get away.  He knew from prior experience that the Lord was not pleased when he allowed any to escape; he was to completely destroy them.  So Joshua had a predicament.  He could let them escape and disobey God or he could pursue but possibly fail the mission because of darkness.

Facing this untenable situation Joshua prays to God saying, "O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon."  Do you know what happened?  The sun did stand still as did the moon and this prolonged light allowed Joshua to fulfill the command of God to completely conquer the enemy.

WOW!

You have to admit, the sun and moon stopping for about a day doesn’t just happen all that often.  As a matter of fact it only happened this one time.  But it did happen because it suited the purpose of God to suspend the laws of nature for this brief period at the behest of Joshua.  Scripture also says of this event,  “There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel”.

What is the message for us?  We are instructed to pray to God to meet our needs.  We are to pray according to His will.  That is to say, when we are right in the middle of His will with our need we are to ask Him to meet those needs.  Most often our need will be a bit less complicated than suspending the rotation of the earth.  All this is to say, if He can do that, He can accomplish the meeting of your need and mine.  Our God can and will do whatever we ask because He is able.  It is conditioned on us asking according to His will.  Don't misunderstand, this isn't about naming it and claiming it.  This is about being sensitive to what God wants then asking Him to accomplish it by providing the way.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,  to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen!” Ephesians 3:20-21  AMEN!