The Lord Fought for Israel
Joshua and the Israelite army are on the march, and as they’ve gone on this successful spree of routing their enemies, a particular phrase pops up.
After the sun stands still and the Israelites defeat their new allies the Gibeonites, we come across this statement:
14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!
Joshua 10:14 (NIV, emphasis mine)
And later on, after Joshua and the Israelite army conquer the Southern cities of Canaan, we read:
42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
Joshua 10:42 (NIV, emphasis mine)
This same God fights for us! We tend to lose sight of that fact, but it’s been on my mind a lot lately since we’ve been through the series on spiritual warfare at Eastridge. We’re not alone in our battles with darkness; we have a Commander-in-Chief whose reign is eternal, who will fight — and win — the battle on our behalf. With that thought in mind, we should heed the advice Joshua gives the Israelites in Chapter 10:
25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
Joshua 10:25 (NIV)
Praise God that He is with us in battle. Praise Him that we have knowledge that we win the war! How does that knowledge make you more strong and courageous today?
Photo by Lenstravelier on Unsplash