Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Joshua 10:1-15
• In Joshua we see much of the victory of the Lord
• Gospel Advance
• 1 nation coming against 7 nations
• We are never called to holy war - we are in a spiritual battle
• Last week:
• An unexpected infiltration into the people of God
• It shows how deceitful the heart of man can be
• We need to be discerning people
• Joshua had not sought the Lord
• The people had made a treaty with Gibeon
• Chapter 10:
• 5 local kings are incensed because the Gibeonites have made peace with the Israelites
• They were very frightened as Gibeon was a mighty city
• Gibeon cries out to Joshua for help
• Never a day like it
• v14

A Day of Blessing

• Think of Rahab - she came under God's protection
• The Gibeonites came under God's protection
• A day of blessing for the Gibeonites
• How many Gibeonites would have come to faith?
• As you read the bible you see different people and groups that come under God's blessing and are saved
• Examples
• It shouldn't surprise us if many Gibeonites became true Israelites at heart
• How do we apply this to ourselves?
• We are the covenant people of God
• Others are blessed as a result
• Sanctified - 1 Cor 1:7

A Day of Integrity

• Joshua did not forsake the Gibeonites
• There would be great cost in defending the Gibeonites
• He was prepared to go -v7
• In the act of obedience, God spoke to him - v8
• We cannot expect God's blessing on us unless we are obedient
• We expect blessing as we honour God
• Will God hear us if we are not prepared to help our prayers? (e.g. witnessing to the unsaved)

A Day of God's Power

• A day of God's unusual power
• Joshua was doing his part
• He attacked at night - v9
• But it was God who struck them down - v10-11
• Joshua's army were unharmed in the hailstones
• Do you believe in this God with such power?
• Think of Egypt
• Joshua is stirred up to pray and prophecy
• We don't know how this happened but God performed a miracle
• v13 - it is recorded in a non-biblical book [the Book of Jasher]
• God is a God of the supernatural
• Jesus demonstrated this
• Do you believe this?
• Example of George Muller

A Day of One Man's Prayer

• There has never been a day like this - v14
• God loves to hear His people pray
• God can move heaven and earth through prayer
• God saves through prayer
• God rescues from the lions through prayer
• James 5:17 - Example of Elijah
• The power of God
• Psalm 63:1-2
• We need to look to God to do great things

A Day of Judgment

• A day of judgment on the Gibeonites' enemies
• v19-20
• Christians do not believe in or promote genocide
• These people had 400 years to repent
• God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah for 10 people
• Nineveh was spared
• These were a wicked people
• Deut 18
• Examples
• Quote from W.L. Alexander
• Does God judge nations today?
• God does raise up nations and puts them down
• God is upon His throne
• We are called to pray and to a spiritual war
• We are called to witness
• We are called to use the truth
• These judgments point to the final judgment
• We must live so are we are ready for the judgment seat of Christ
• We must all give an account to God