2018.12.05 Hopewell @Home ▫ Joshua 10:1-15

Read Joshua 10:1-15

Questions for Littles: Who heard what Joshua had done to Ai and Jericho and their kings (v1a)? What else had he heard about (v1b)? How did he and others respond (v2a)? Why? To whom did he go (v3)? What did he ask them to do (v4-5)? Whom did the Gibeonites ask for help (v6)? What does Joshua do (v7)? What does Yahweh tell Joshua not to do (v8)? Why not? How did Joshua arrive (v9)? What did Yahweh do in v10? Who killed more than whom and how in v11? What did Joshua tell the sun to do (v12)? Until when (v13)? Where else was this event recorded? What does v14 say make this day so special?  

In the passage for this week’s Old Testament reading, we see the mercy and faithfulness of the Lord. Throughout the entire mess-up with the Gibeonites in chapter 9, the Lord had been silent.

The Israelites hadn’t consulted Him, but they had sworn in His name, and ended up in a situation where they were sparing what we now find out is an entire group of great and mighty cities!

What will the Lord do? We’ve seen how He punished Israel for the sin of Achan! The question becomes very important when a military coalition comes and attacks Israel’s brand new allies.

Amazingly, Joshua again makes his decision without consulting the Lord. And this is where we see the Lord’s mercy. Rather than being harsh and exact with Joshua about all of his recent mistakes, Yahweh instead pledges Himself to destroy the Amorites.

The Lord’s mercy reigns here, in part, because He is keeping His promise to give the land to His people, and His prophecy about destroying the Amorites for their sin (cf. Gen 15:12-21) in order to give the land to Abraham’s descendants.

We tend to remember God killing more with hailstones or the sun standing still. But the remarkable thing, according to Scripture, is that God listened to a voice of a man!!

Now, of course, God continually listens to the voice of a man: the true and great Joshua (Yeshua). Jesus intercedes for us, and God is merciful and faithful, despite our great sin!

What situations have you messed up, in which God is still doing you good?

Suggested songs: ARP51A “God, Be Merciful to Me” or TPH431 “And Can It Be that I Should Gain”