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SURVEY OF BIBLE HISTORY
The Southern Campaign
Joshua Lesson 11; Works well with Jensen’s Chapter 7

Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1998
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

Joshua 10

H. Having penetrated and conquered the central area of Canaan and having thereby divided the northern and southern Canaanites, making it extremely difficult for them to form a United Canaanite alliance against Israel: the course of the conquest took a southerly turn:

1. At the request of Adoni-Zedec, king of Jerusalem (Gibeon was only 6 miles north of Jerusalem), four other kings joined with him in a military campaign to smite the Gibeonites as a result of their defection to, and alliance with the Israelis. Josh. 10:14: They were no doubt angry at the betrayal of the Gibeonites, and thought to bring united action against them to discourage other Canaanite tribes from trying the same. Also, it was to their strategic advantage to retake the central region and thus stem the Israeli advance. Josh. 10:4.

b. The five kings were extremely fearful of Israel, Josh. 10:2. After Jericho, Ai, and the Hivite alliance, they had just reason to fear.

c. The five kings of the confederation were:
{Locate each on a map), Josh. 10:3. Each of these 5 kings was an Amorite, Josh. 10:6:

(1) Adoni-Zedec of Jerusalem

(2) Hoham of Hebron.

(3) Piram of Jarmuth

(4) Japhia of Lachish

(5) Debir of Eglon.

2. This confederated army encamped around Gibeon and began military maneuvers against the city, Josh. 10:5. Then Joshua 10:6 says, "the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilqal, sayinq, Slack not thy hand from thy servants: come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kinqs of the Amorites that dwell in. the mountains are gathered together against us"

3. It is extremely noteworthy that this time Joshua got word from the Lord before acting. Josh, 10:8 says, "And the LORD said unto Joshual Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee." In the first attack on Ai, Joshua just acted without finding out what the Lord wanted; and he was defeated. This time, he found out what God wanted first.

4. When the men from Gibeon came, Joshua and Israel were at the base camp at Gilgal. Josh. 10:7-9. tell how Joshua and his soldiers rose up quickly and marched all night, coming upon the Canaanite confederation early in the morning. Remember that it is a very steep and rugged climb from Gilgal to Gibeon, but the quick march and arrival of the Israelis apparently took the Canaani tes by great surprise.

5. The Lord fought for Israel; and the battle was truly theirs. The Canaanites fled; and were destroyed as they ran. Josh. 10:11 reads, "And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the qoinq down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.":

a. Not only were the Israelis in complete command of the battle;

b. But the Lord caused a great hail. Hail stones capable of killing soldiers upon contact fell; and more of these Canaanites died from the hail in the early stages of the battle than died at the hands of Israeli soldiers. A miraculous aspect of this hail is that not one hailstone hit an Israeli, many of whom were mixed among the Amorites in the heat of the battle. Note the fulfillment of Job 38:22-23. Also note Psa. 91:7, "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."

c. The Canaanites retreated toward Bethboron. (Locate on map).

d. The key is that this victory was the doing of God. In V. 8, "the Lord said .... I have delivered them into thine hand." And V. 10 says, "the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah and unto Makkedah." God used the human instrument called "Israel" but the real source of the victory was "the Lord". Believer, never rely on the energy of your own flesh; and when victory is yours, don't credit yourself, as Paul wrote in I Cor. 1:31, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

6. The kings and peoples of Canaan who resisted Joshua and Israel, are foreshadows of the spiritual foes who resist us who are saved, and who would enter in victory the land of spiritual promise. Though it seems paradoxical to some, it is eternally true that the land of blessing is a land of intensive warfare. For those who would be victorious there is one challenge and obstacle after another. Adoni-zedec, the leader of these foes is a foretype of Satan, who rallies and leads our spiritual foes against us. But Adonizedec and his four allied kings did not reason according to the reasoning of God. As they encamped against Gibeon, they expected only a fight with the Gibeonites. As it turned out, they had to contend with Joshua, Israel, and the Lord. Believer, Satan is strong, and your spiritual enemies powerful; but not "all powerful"ˇ As smart as Satan is, he is not without error in judgment. In your strength alone, you are no match for him; but by the power of God, he is no match for you.

7. As the Canaanites fled, Joshua and the Israel is pursued. But the day was almost over; and Joshua knew that in the darkness of night, these enemy soldiers could hide, and escape back to their fortified cities. In order to achieve victory in this battle, Joshua needed more daylight time. So, Josh. 10:12 records these words, "Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the Sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still Upon Gibeon; and thou Moon, in the valley of Ajalon." And V, 13 says, "the sun stood still and the moon stayed, Until the, people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this Written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day."

a. Locate the valley of Ajalon on the map.

b. What a powerful testimonial this miraculous event is to the power of God; and how it should encourage those who trust in him. In the completion of his enterprises, there is no limit to the power available to us.

When God was in bodily fashion dwelling upon earth, he spoke to the winds and a raging sea; and it obeyed his voice, Matt. 8:26-27, In I Ki.17:4, he commanded the fowls of the air, and they obeyed him; and in Dan. 6:22, he closed the mouths of hungry, vicious lions, and made them as docile as house cats. Should it then be thought a strange thing that God, who engineered the Universe, would stop all or a part of it at his discretion, to accomplish a purpose, which was distinctly his; and to establish glory to himself in the process? As easy as you could turn off a light switch or appliance in your home, just that easy God can stop the motion of the sun or moon, for it is infinitely his to control as he sees fit. And, when your program is to do his program (as in Joshua's case), that's when you can expect divine power in your undertakingˇ It is then, and only then, that we (as did Joshua) can claim the promise of John 15:16, "Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

8. With the extra day of daylight, enemy resistance was almost totally eradicated, and Joshua returned to Gilgal, Joshˇ 10:15. Although the 5 Amorite kings, who led the Canaanites, "fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah", V. 16. (Locate on map). Word was brought to Joshua, who commanded that rather than have soldiers stay there and guard the cave entrance, great stones be rolled in place to seal the cave. This would hold the 5 kings while all the Israeli soldiers pursued the enemies, not allowing them to reach the safety of their cities. See Josh. 10:17-20.

9. Upon completion of the cleanup part of the battle, Joshua and the Israeli soldiers returned to Makkedah, removed the stones, and brought out the 5 Amorite Kings. In a public show of the victory assured to the children of God, who func tion according to his will, and in harmony with his plan, Joshua had the captains of the men of war come and put their feet upon the necks of these enemies. And then he said to them in Josh. 10:25, "Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage; for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight." Then VS, 26-27 says Joshua smote and hanged these 5 kings; and at dusk, took them down and buried them in the cave.

What a vivid object lesson; not only to the men of Israel, but to their enemies. And, what encouragement this should be to each of us who walks daily in the strength of the Lord.

10. After the execution of the Amorite kings, Joshua & Israel took Makkedah (map) Libnah (map), and Lachish, Josh. 10:28-32. Haran, king of Gezer (map), came to help Lachish; and he and all his people were smitten, V. 33. Then Joshua took Eglon,(vs. 34-35 map), and Hebron, Vs. 36-37 (map),

By the end of Chap. 10, Joshua and Israel were in control of the hill country from Ai and Gibeon north to Beersheba and Kadesh-Barnea south, Josh. 10:40-43.

The key phrase in this remarkable story of success is "and the Lord delivered". Note Vs. 30.32, and V, 42, which says, "And all these kinqs and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.

QUESTIONS ON THE SOUTHERN CAMPAIGN

Joshua 10.

1. What military advantage did the penetration of the central hills of Canaan give
the Israelis?

2. Who was Adoni-Zedec?

3. How did the Amorites view the Hivite-Israeli alliance?

4. What action did the Amorites initiate against the Israelis?

5. Who constituted the confederated alliance against Gibeon?

6. How did the Gibeonites respond to the move against them by the Amorites?

7. What did Joshua first do when he got word from the Gibeonites?

8. Where Were Joshua and Israel when the Gibeonites. came?

9. Once the Lord approved Joshua's move, how long did it take him and Israel at Gibeon?

10. What military advantage did this quick arrival give Joshua and Israel?

11. How decisive was the battle, and in who’s favor?

12. What miraculous weather occurrence helped the Israelis?

13. Who had foretold this weather occurrence prophetically?

14. Into what valley did the Amorites retreat?

15. What miracle of astronomy occurred in Israel's favor at this pint?

16. What message for you does Joshua's "long day" have?

17. Who does Adoni-zedec, and the 4 Amorite kings foreshadow?

18. What did Joshua do to the 5 kings?

19. Why were Joshua and Israel so successful in this southern campaign?

20. Trace the progress of the southern campaign on your map.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"