Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - How to Face Conflict | Historical Books | Joshua 10:1-15

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life in the time it takes to get to work. I'm Tanya Wilmeth. Today, many of us are going to face a challenge or conflict or struggle in one way or another, whether we're returning to school or tackling a conflict at work, facing a difficult situation with family, whether we're students, professionals, spouses, parents, juggling multiple roles, life struggles are inevitable. But today's passage, Joshua 10, 1 through 15, offers a few examples of how to deal with challenges, even the challenges we invite on ourselves. We're going to look at how Joshua faced his challenge with integrity, confidence, and prayer. So first, I want to set the stage for us. So Joshua is the leader of Israel, and he finds himself in a difficult situation because in Chapter 9, he formed an alliance with the Gimianites.

Starting point is 00:01:00 They were a nearby people, and they deceived Israel into forming a treaty when they came in, worn clothes, and they were carrying old wine skins, and they pretended to be travelers from far away. Without seeking God's guidance, Joshua agreed to a peace treating, and he only discovered the truth too late that these were actually his neighbors in a land that he was meant to conquer. So this decision has created three new challenges in Joshua's life. Number one, Joshua has a new obligation. Israel now has to protect another nation, not just themselves. Number two, there are new political tensions.

Starting point is 00:01:37 Gibbians' alliance with Israel actually increases Israel's threat to the surrounding Canaanite kings. It actually attracts attention. And number three, God's silence. God didn't intervene to stop Joshua for making that peace treaty with Gibbon. And at this point, we're still left to wonder how Israel is going to handle the consequences. So these are the tensions that we see as Joshua 10 opens. the ripple effects of this treaty are taking center stage.

Starting point is 00:02:06 Gibbion's newfound alliance with Israel has alarmed the king of Jerusalem, who formed a coalition with four other kings, who now went to come and attacked Gibbion. It's an important place after all. What is Joshua going to do when Gibbon reaches out and asks for help? Well, the first thing he does is lead with integrity. Joshua's first challenge is whether or not to actually honor the treaty. I mean, he could have justified abandoning the Gibbonites. After all, they did trick him into the agreement, and the treaty didn't explicitly require military protection, and the battle was dangerous.

Starting point is 00:02:41 It was involving a whole coalition of armies. But Joshua chose integrity. He kept his promise to protect Gibbyan even at a great risk to himself and his people. So what does integrity actually mean? Well, it means doing what's right even when it's inconvenient and even when it's costly. It's a commitment to strong moral principles that are unwavering in the face of pressure. For Joshua, integrity also provided the benefit to giving him a clear conscience. When he acted with integrity, he was able to move forward with a clear conscience that he has kept his word.

Starting point is 00:03:17 Paul highlights a clear conscience also in the New Testament. In one place, he says specifically in Timothy 1.3, he says, I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience as night and I constantly remember you in my prayers. There's something really peaceful and amazing and powerful about having a clear conscience, isn't there? Have you experienced that lately? A clear conscience equips us for battle because things like dishonesty, manipulation, and regret aren't clouding our minds so we can face our challenges with peace and focus that comes from God. Now when Gibbon appealed to Joshua saying, do not abandon your servants, come up to us quickly and save us. Joshua operated with integrity. And his integrity reflected God's own character because he was

Starting point is 00:04:06 faithful to his promises. Now, the next characteristic we see in Joshua is a confidence. And while integrity was guiding his decisions to act, there was a confidence that came from the promises that God had already given him. In Joshua 10-8, though, God actually assured him and reminded him of those promises. Now, this was a key moment because after kind of like screw up with going into that treaty with Gibney him, Joshua might have been unsure about where he stood before the Lord. But God comes to him and says, do not be afraid of them. I have given them into your hand.

Starting point is 00:04:40 Not one of them will be able to withstand you. And so with this promise in his mind, Joshua was able to just go forward. He led his troops. They went on an overnight march of 20 miles, which sounds absolutely exhausting. They confused the army. They ambushed the enemy. They must have been tired, but they were determined. And then, when their strength was probably failing because they had been up all night,

Starting point is 00:05:05 God actually stepped into the battle. It says in Joshua 10-11, the Lord hurled large hailstones down and more died from the hail than by the sword. Now, this makes it very obvious for us that this battle was not won by Joshua and his army, but because of God's presence. it would have left no doubt. The victory belonged to God. Now, for us, confidence is important, but if our confidence is only in our abilities, we will certainly have doubt and anxiety, and we will wonder, have I done enough, am I good enough? But we're talking about a confidence

Starting point is 00:05:40 here in God's promises. God's promises remove uncertainties, because his power is perfect. It doesn't depend on the circumstances. Now, Joshua's confidence in God must also have been inspiring to his people, because his faith and his courage became contagious, and it showed the importance of a leadership that has grounded in godly confidence. The last thing and probably my favorite part is that all of this was rooted in prayer. In fact, the most striking moment in this story is Joshua's prayer. After facing a long battle, Joshua just really boldly asks God to stop time. Sun, sand still over Gibbon and you moon over the valley.

Starting point is 00:06:22 Wow, what a bold prayer. Now, cosmically speaking, I don't think we understand exactly how God answered this prayer, but the scripture says, the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since. A day when the Lord listened to a human being, surely the Lord was fighting for Israel. So this was obviously very significant. In case there was any question, it was the Lord who was fighting for them. The Israelites, well, they had to do their part also, and their investment in the battle probably gave them a greater appreciation for the land and all that had promised. But prayer was the most important tool, and God's intervention was how this battle was won. Prayer, well, it's a tool that we need the most, but it's the one

Starting point is 00:07:10 we most often leave behind, right? When we start engaging in these conflicts and these challenges that come into our days. If Jesus needed to stay up all night, praying in the garden, of Gassimity before his own battle, how much more do we need prayer to help us align our thoughts, our desires, and our plans with God's will? I love the way this narrative in Joshua 10 illustrates God's faithfulness to unfaithful people. I love the way Joshua points to a better Savior Jesus Christ, who can truly rescue us from our greatest enemy, sin, and death. I also love the practical wisdom that keeps me from being so arrogant. that I think I don't need to pray.

Starting point is 00:07:54 Will you pray for God to be your true leader today? Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel, and surely he is fighting for you too.

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - How to Face Conflict | Historical Books | Joshua 10:1-15

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.