24And let us be concerned for one another in order to stir up love and good works,a
25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging, and so much more as you see the Day coming near.
Hebrews 10

Thanking the Father tonight for giving me 49 years, for a wonderful family, and for precious memories.

Thanking the Father tonight for giving me 49 years, for a wonderful family, and for precious memories.

Thanking the Father tonight for giving me 49 years, for a wonderful family, and for precious memories.

Thanking the Father tonight for giving me 49 years, for a wonderful family, and for precious memories.

Thanking the Father tonight for giving me 49 years, for a wonderful family, and for precious memories.

Thought for Today: Monday February 06:

Bow to YHVH and listen to Him. Attune yourself to His Voice and receive His richest blessings. Marvel at the wonder of communing with the Creator of the Universe while sitting in the comfort of your quiet space or prayer room. Kings who reign on the earth tend to make themselves inaccessible, ordinary people almost never gain an audience with them. Even dignitaries must plough through red-tape and protocol in order to speak to royalty. Though, YHVH is the King of all kings and the King of the Universe, He is always totally accessible to you. He is with you wherever you are. Nothing can separate you from His Presence. When Yeshua cried out from the cross [It is finished] The curtain in the temple was torn in two. This opened the way for you to meet YHVH face-to-face with no need of any protocol, priest, minister, pastor, evangelist or prophet. YHVH is you constant Companion, Yeshua is your High-Priest and Ruach HaKodesh is your Teacher, your Guide, Your Wisdom and Your Knowledge.

SERIES G --- THE PROMISED LAND --- LESSON 10

YHVH’S HELP

THE DAY THE SUN STOOD STILL

From Joshua 10:1-21

Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, was frightened. The news reached him that Joshua had defeated and destroyed Ai, along with its king, just as he had done to Jericho, the people of Gibeon had made a peace treaty with Israel; thus, they would fight with Joshua, not against him. This also frightened Adonizedek, for Gibeon was a great city, as great as a royal city, greater than Ai and had mighty men. Adonizedek sent word to some neighbouring kings, asking them to join him in forming a united front against Joshua. These included Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. ‘Let us go now and destroy Gibeon,’ he said, ‘for they have made a peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelites.’ All five of these Amorite kings joined their forces and marched to Gibeon. The Gibeonites quickly sent word to Joshua at Gilgal. ‘Come quickly and help us,’ they said. ‘Don’t leave your servants to fight these Amorites from the hill country who have come against us.’ So Joshua took his army from Gilgal and went to Gibeon. ‘Don’t be afraid of them,’ Adonai told Joshua. ‘I have given them into your hands. Not one will be able to defend himself against you.’ Joshua and his men marched all night from Gilgal and caught the enemy by surprise. Adonai caused the Amorites to panic so that the Israelites killed many at Gibeon and chased those who remained as far as Beth-horon, Azekah and Makkedah, killing them as they went. To make matters worse for the Amorites, Adonai sent a great hailstorm on them as they tried to escape on the slopes that led to Beth-horon. Actually, more of the Amorites died in the hailstorm than in the battle with the Israelites. In the midst of all this, Joshua cried out to Adonai, praying so that the people of Israel could hear, ‘Adonai, let the sun stand still at Gibeon and the moon in the Valley of Aijalon.’ The sun and moon stopped in their courses until the armies of Israel had completed their victory. Isn’t this recorded in The Book of Jashar, where it tells of the sun stopping in the middle of the sky, waiting almost a day to go down? Never had there been a day like this before and never has there been one since, when Adonai performed such a miracle because of a man’s prayer. It was because on that day, Adonai was fighting for Israel. When the battle ended, Joshua returned home to Gilgal with his men. In the meanwhile, the five Amorite kings had run away and hid in a cave at Makkedah. But someone discovered their hiding place and told Joshua where they were. ‘Roll some large stones against the mouth of the cave, Joshua ordered. Put guards there so the kings cannot escape. Do not stay there yourselves, for you must attack the enemies again before they reach their cities. Adonai has given you complete victory over them.’ The army of Israel attacked the Amorites again and destroyed them, except for a few who reached the safety of their cities. Then the army of Israel returned to the camp they had set up at Makkedah. In all the fighting, they found they had not lost one man. When the news of this battle became known, no one dared to say a word against the Israelites.

COMMENTARY

THE BATTLE OF GIBEON

When a coalition of kings gathered a great army to fight against Israel, Joshua led a surprise attack against them. As the defeated enemy fled after the battle, great hailstones struck them. As Joshua cried out to Adonai even the sun and moon delayed their course. With YHVH’s help, the battling Israelites won total victory that day. The Gibeonites may understandably have believed that most of their problems were over when they joined forces with the Israelites. While Joshua’s army fought against all the other cities in Canaan, the Gibeonites had managed to make a peace treaty with the Jews. But they had not counted on neighbouring kings taking revenge. The Canaanite kings in the area were very disturbed by the peace treaty. Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem, was especially alarmed. Gibeon was less than six miles north of Jerusalem and the king had planned on the walled city to provide a strong defence against the Israelites. Instead, the people there had welcomed Joshua and his army. Adonizedek and four other kings prepared to attack Gibeon, determined to punish the people and if possible, regain control of the city. When Joshua received the Gibeonites’ urgent plea for help, his army made a daring all-night march and reached Gibeon the next morning. The surprised kings panicked and fled to hide in a nearby cave. The Israelites pursued their retreating armies and quickly defeated them. Eventually Joshua’s soldiers found the kings and easily captured their cities. The entire Shephelah hill country had fallen to the Israelites, as well as the northern part of the Negeb desert. Gibeon alone remained without threat of destruction.

May the grace and peace of YHWH be multiplied to you…