oh Lord, my Savior, please grant me strength this night and again when the sun rises twice more. you are my refuge and my deliverer, my God in whom i am secure. thank you for the promise of a new body someday that will never fail or tire or become worn out. keep my eyes looking upward, not inward, i pray.
H
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
the battle.
"Prepare for war!"
It was early in the morning when battle cries rang throughout the camp, as the confident military general passed through the tents in Gilgal. This had been an eventful week already, but he knew the most difficult part lay ahead, and it was up to him to rally the troops yet again.
Jericho hadn't been so bad as their first victory. In fact, it seemed so simple, looking back now--marching around the city and shouting for victory, which undoubtedly came only from YHWH. Ai? Well, because of Achan's thievery within the spoils of Jericho, the nation had lost its first men in battle! And 36 of them, at that! The general sighed, half-wishing the consequences of someone else's actions didn't have to affect the whole nation.
From Ai, he had led them across the central part of Israel, taking the cities of the hill country--what a beautiful land this was! Joshua took a mental break, recalling back to when he and Caleb had first sneaked in as spies. It was even better than those areas which they had observed back then, forty years ago, and it was promised to them and to their descendants....incredible.
"Sir!" a young officer called, jolting Joshua from his reverie. "King Jabin of Hazor is moving south towards our camp. They say he's about a day's journey from us, at the waters of Merom."
"Thank you. You may go," the general nodded.
"And sir...with him are three other kings of the north, as well as many armies. To be quite honest, sir, it looks like as many people as the sand on the seashore."
"Have you been to the seashore, young man?" Joshua slightly raised one eyebrow.
"Well...uh...no sir, but that's what I've been told." The officer looked down, shifting his sword sheath nervously.
Joshua nodded again. "Then I suggest you remind yourself what our God told Abraham about sand and the seashore. He wouldn't bring us all the way here to let us be defeated by a few small armies now, would He? That is all. You may go."
The young man disappeared quickly, and Joshua's thoughts turned once more to the past few weeks. Central campaign had been successful, southern campaign was mind-blowing, the way God had miraculously given them victory over the Amorites. He still couldn't believe how long that day had actually lasted, and how none of his own men had been pelted by the gigantic hailstones from the sky.
Well, all that was left was the north. And though he had full confidence that God would bring another victory for the nation, a small tinge of fear rested in the back of his mind. What if another person in the camp had sinned, and their encounter with King Jabin would prove its results? And how would God show His power this time? Joshua himself knew of the large flat-lands of this part of the country, and had also seen glimpses of the massive chariots that dominated the northern territory. How could an army of foot soldiers go against these giants and walk away successful?
Upon reaching the edge of the camp, Joshua motioned for the other soldiers with him to make final preparations for the upcoming battle. The strength in his voice masked the fear in his heart, and once he was alone, he dropped on one knee, putting his head in his hands.
"My Lord," he whispered softly, "Who am I, that you should have me lead this nation? I am no Moses, but I am your servant. Let your name be honored, my Lord."
A voice as true as his own skin answered back, with all the courage and strength which Joshua felt lacking inside.
"Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."
That was it. And yet, that was all that was needed. Joshua stood to his feet with a new determination and peace, ready at last for the northern campaign.
It was early in the morning, again, as the men began their march from Gilgal. Leaving the women and children behind was the hardest part of all, but their general had assured them of YHWH's hand of protection this day and those to follow.
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon the Canaanites suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they defeated them, and they struck them until no survivor was left. Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war.
H
It was early in the morning when battle cries rang throughout the camp, as the confident military general passed through the tents in Gilgal. This had been an eventful week already, but he knew the most difficult part lay ahead, and it was up to him to rally the troops yet again.
Jericho hadn't been so bad as their first victory. In fact, it seemed so simple, looking back now--marching around the city and shouting for victory, which undoubtedly came only from YHWH. Ai? Well, because of Achan's thievery within the spoils of Jericho, the nation had lost its first men in battle! And 36 of them, at that! The general sighed, half-wishing the consequences of someone else's actions didn't have to affect the whole nation.
From Ai, he had led them across the central part of Israel, taking the cities of the hill country--what a beautiful land this was! Joshua took a mental break, recalling back to when he and Caleb had first sneaked in as spies. It was even better than those areas which they had observed back then, forty years ago, and it was promised to them and to their descendants....incredible.
"Sir!" a young officer called, jolting Joshua from his reverie. "King Jabin of Hazor is moving south towards our camp. They say he's about a day's journey from us, at the waters of Merom."
"Thank you. You may go," the general nodded.
"And sir...with him are three other kings of the north, as well as many armies. To be quite honest, sir, it looks like as many people as the sand on the seashore."
"Have you been to the seashore, young man?" Joshua slightly raised one eyebrow.
"Well...uh...no sir, but that's what I've been told." The officer looked down, shifting his sword sheath nervously.
Joshua nodded again. "Then I suggest you remind yourself what our God told Abraham about sand and the seashore. He wouldn't bring us all the way here to let us be defeated by a few small armies now, would He? That is all. You may go."
The young man disappeared quickly, and Joshua's thoughts turned once more to the past few weeks. Central campaign had been successful, southern campaign was mind-blowing, the way God had miraculously given them victory over the Amorites. He still couldn't believe how long that day had actually lasted, and how none of his own men had been pelted by the gigantic hailstones from the sky.
Well, all that was left was the north. And though he had full confidence that God would bring another victory for the nation, a small tinge of fear rested in the back of his mind. What if another person in the camp had sinned, and their encounter with King Jabin would prove its results? And how would God show His power this time? Joshua himself knew of the large flat-lands of this part of the country, and had also seen glimpses of the massive chariots that dominated the northern territory. How could an army of foot soldiers go against these giants and walk away successful?
Upon reaching the edge of the camp, Joshua motioned for the other soldiers with him to make final preparations for the upcoming battle. The strength in his voice masked the fear in his heart, and once he was alone, he dropped on one knee, putting his head in his hands.
"My Lord," he whispered softly, "Who am I, that you should have me lead this nation? I am no Moses, but I am your servant. Let your name be honored, my Lord."
A voice as true as his own skin answered back, with all the courage and strength which Joshua felt lacking inside.
"Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."
That was it. And yet, that was all that was needed. Joshua stood to his feet with a new determination and peace, ready at last for the northern campaign.
It was early in the morning, again, as the men began their march from Gilgal. Leaving the women and children behind was the hardest part of all, but their general had assured them of YHWH's hand of protection this day and those to follow.
So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon the Canaanites suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they defeated them, and they struck them until no survivor was left. Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war.
H
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