He Left Nothing Undone
Praise the Lord. If you would take your Bibles and actually look at two passages of scripture tonight, if you would take your bowels and turn to Joshua chapter, number 11, Joshua chapter number 11. But then also turn to Colossians Colossians chapter 2.
We'll look at the Colossians chapter 2 in just a moment.
So Colossians 2 and then also Joshua chapter number 11, let's once again, pray and ask for His blessings upon this time of study. Our Father God, we are grateful or that you have promised us Heaven where the soul, never dies, and I place that cannot be touched with the infirmities that we are. So so we'll know today and Father, we are looking forward. 2 to a land that is void of all those things. But certainly father, what makes Heaven truly Heaven is that it is a place where you dwell and that's what we long to be. Father, I pray that you bless this time of study tonight. We look at this historical narrative. The father. I pray that the Holy Spirit would
Help us deceive the spiritual applications that we can look at this evening and apply it to a heart and life. I pray the Lord for the children downstairs saying that the young people Lord has ever been caught your word father, we pray that you would do work and their heart and life. We ask all these things in Christ name. Amen, I want to just two free few moments kind of recap of what we looked at last Wednesday night and chapter TNR last Wednesday night in chapter 10, we found Joshua and the nation of Israel. Really coming to the rescue of the gibeonites who were being attacked by five other kings and five other kingdoms those five other kings were upset with the gibeonites for making a peace treaty with Israel, who was coming into Conquest, the land and a. So they thought, well, it just take out the gibeonites. And well, the gibeonites knew that they were getting ready to get attacked. They went then to Joshua into the nation of Israel.
To receive help from them. And the gibeonites did not deserve Deliverance especially after their deception that they did to Joshua and the nation of Israel. But they had made a peace treaty with Joshua and Joshua made a covenant with him and promised that he would Aid in their time of need. Well, that's exactly what happened is all the enemies come to attack the gibeonites, but Joshua uses this as an opportunity to conquer more land and the land of Canaan and to really bad. All these teams at one time. And, of course, God gave them a mighty mighty victory. But as we talked about last last Wednesday night, gibeon is a type of a picture of a Christian. I believe her that we like the gibeonites, we don't deserve Deliverance Dewey, we don't deserve Joshua or Jesus, which is the Greek form of the Old Testament named Joshua, Yeshua coming to our Aid and bringing us salvation. But with price, we have his promise and Covenant of eternal life by putting our faith in him. We also saw in chapter 10 that Joshua seeing that he did not have the time, the Daylights to destroy the enemy to really Have a Total Conquest of these five different Kings and kingdoms. So Joshua asked the Lord to stop the Sun. In the sky. And asking the Lord to extend the day time, if it's getting ready to get dark going to lose daylight. So we're going to have to then fall back and regroup for the next day and Joshua felt like hey I've got them right where I want them. If we just Lord had a longer day, we could destroy them. Well, got answers that prayer. One of the most highest Miracles ever to be recorded in Scripture. somebody asked will what Joshua a screws that the Bible is unreliable because the sun does not need to be asked to stand still because it always stands still. But as we talked about last Wednesday night, Joshua was using the language of observation. A speaking from the appearance of things from the earth and guess what it is still done today in the scientific Community, right? You look at your Farmers Almanac hard. You look at your app that tells you when the sun is going to rise when the sun is going to set and all those journals and almanacs and apps that tell you, those things, no one accuses them of scientific error. Because we know that the sun does not rise, it is the earth that rotates. And so the earth rotation for Joshua, and that day was slowed, one day making two days in one. And then we also read in chapter 10, about the five Kings. Who led the attack against the gibeonites, how they fled into a cave and they tried to hide themselves. Well, Joshua found that they were hiding in these caves and he put a stone in front of those caves. He held them captive, he can find them and then he brought them out later on and he humiliated them, he brought them out, met them to lie on the ground and then he was they were told some of
the army of Israel. Israel were told to put their foot upon those Kings next, which was a mark of humiliation. And here, here were Kings were once sitting on the throne. Now they're standing or laying down in the dust of the Earth with the enemies foot upon their neck. But I want you to see this, how Joshua here is a picture of Jesus and what he has done to sin and Satan our greatest enemy. Again, Jesus is the Greek form of the Old Testament, word, Joshua are Yeshua, and so Joshua, here's a picture of Jesus. Now go to Colossians chapter 2, Colossians chapter, number 2 and verse 13.
It says when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you a live together with him. Having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out, the certificate of death consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us. And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Verse 15 says, when he had disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them having triumphed over them through him. I believe that this picture here in John chapter Dar Joshua, chapter 10 is a picture, what Christ did on the cross of Calvary, when Christ was nailed upon the cross of Calvary and he was, he rose from the dead. He was making really a public display of triumph over Satan himself, who was the ruler of this world and he was triumphing over sin. and then we see that there were five kings that Joshua had to conquer, And actually he probably had them hung, he probably put them to death. 5 is a number of Grace in The Bible, the grace of God caused our King, the Lord Jesus Christ to hang on a tree for our Salvation. So that's just a recap of chapter 10. As chapter 11 Begins the drama and the the excitement of of of the battle continues. Chapter 11 is really a bloody bloody chapter as we see first of all and verses 1 through 5, the alliance of the north, the alliance of the north Joshua 11:1 and it came to pass when Javen king of hazoor. Heard these things that he sent to Joe Joe Bob King of Maiden to the king of Sharon, to the king of a shout-out and to the Kings who were from the north, in the mountains, in the plains of San Gennaro in the lowland and in the heights of door on the west, to the Canaanites, in the East and in the west, the MRI the hittite, the parasite, the jebusite, all those ice in the mountains, the headlights below, the Herman in the land of Misfit. So they went out they and all their armies with them as many people as the sand that is on. The seashore in multitude with very many horses and chariots. And when all these teams have met together, they came and camped together at the water. Maram to fight against Israel. And so here, we find these last great Canaanite, Coalition rising up to oppose God's people. It's led by the king Hazel and for some reason, he may have thought, hey, they just got through with a mighty battle with these. The five kings were coming against the gibeonites. Now's our time. Now they might be tired. Their soldiers may be in disarray now's the time for us to come together and to conquer Israel. And they knew if we did not, if they did not conquer Israel, they would soon be conquered just like Jericho Nae on these five kingdom. So this Coalition assembles from the hole and the Bible tells us knows first by versus the mountains of planes, the valley, all the way to the borders of Canaan. That word Center off was the early form of the name of the Sea of Galilee.
And notice they're in the last part. It says that they were as the sand of the seashore. Which means there are a whole lot of folks in these kingdoms coming against Israel. And this by far was the most bloody and most violent battle that is real faced. As a matter of fact, the Ancients a historian Josephus record that there were three hundred thousand infantry and one hundred thousand Cavalry troops and twenty thousand.
Now listen, God's people. I've been to this point had never faced an army like this. I mean, they were outnumbered greatly militarily. Speaking and Joshua had nothing to fear though. Why? Because for his weapon, was God himself. So the kings that formed an alliance or type or picture of sins, that can rob a Christian of spiritual victory in their life. Listen, if Christians are going to be victorious, they must realize that Victory involves conflict, and conquering, satanic Temptation, CNA and self. Well, that takes us two verse six, and we see here, the Assurance of the Lord. And so we see the vastness of their army. But thankfully we see the sherance of the Lord, and for 6, it says, but the Lord said to Joshua do not be afraid. Do not be afraid because of them. For tomorrow about this time. I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn the Chariots with fire. And so again, they're outnumbered. These canine armies are. Much more powerful militarily speaking, they have greater speed with the Chariots, they have greater Mobility because of the horses and chariots. So this wasn't an awesome. This was a great Army gathered at the Waters of maram which was a just a small 223 Mi body of water. But God is so kind to head off any fear. He's so kind to head off any insecurity and and maybe even some doubt that may pass through Joshua's mind.
What he does here. Is he reviews his promise of Victory to Joshua He says, do not be afraid because of them. Tomorrow, I will deliver you from them. And the lord gave Joshua and Moses this promise and Exodus chapter 23. There a Nexus. 23 verses 20 through 33 talks about how God's angel would go before them in battle. There would be no sickness among them. There would be no pestilent, no disease. That would come upon them. their herds and their flocks with flourish, And unnerving, fear of the Lord, would come upon all their enemy and panic. Their enemies enemies would turn their backs and flee before Israel and then swarms of hornets would attack the occupants? So God gives them a promise of victory. But notice is real condition. For Success was always clear. What was supposed to be, clear, if Israel wanted to have success? What did Israel have to do? They had to obey the commands of God. They had to reject, any overtures of peace from the enemy, they had to abstain from the worship of false gods. They had to refuse to intermarry with local inhabitants who are destined to be annihilated. So Joshua by faith trust in God's promises, like we should today, depace the task with courage and he proved that one man with God is invincible.
again, Christians, we must realize like Joshua, that that big tree not only involves conflict, but it involves confidence in the person of God Victory involves only the confidence in the person of God, but in the promises of God, and in the power of God,
He tells us. Do not be afraid. Notice, thirdly and bar 7. The attack of the enemy. Verse 7 says so Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly By the Waters of maram and they attacked them. And the Lord deliver them into the hand of Israel who defeated them. And chase them to Greater siding to the brook, Miss Miss Crest off into the valley of mespa, Eastward and attack them until they left. None of them remaining. So Joshua did to them as a lord had told him. He hamstrung their horses and burn their chariots with fire Joshua turned back at the time and took Hayes are instruct at skiing with a sword for hazel or was formerly the head of all those kingdoms. And they struck all the people who were who were in it with the edge of the sword out early destroying them. There was none left breathing, then he burned his Gore with fire. Show all the cities of those kings and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He to Moses and Joshua, gave it to an inheritance to Israel cording to their divisions by their tribes, then the Len rested.
For more.
It's a here. Let's look at verse 13 but as for the cities that stood on their Mounds is real burned, none of them except Hazel were only with Joshua burned and all the spoil of these cities in the livestock. Livestock the children of Israel took as as Bounty for themselves but they struck every man with the edge of a sword. Until they had destroyed them and they were left and they left. None breathing. So very interesting here. How Joshua did not wait for the battle to come to him and Ron was about a five-day Journey, Joshua marches to the battle he launches. Then a surprise attack against the enemy and the Lord, delivers the enemy into their hands, no one was left. Based upon God's instruction. That was God's instruction to them years ago. The Lord knew that corrupting influence of the Canaanites as if they were to intermingle with a cake and ice how that they would be been Tempted To Worship the pagan gods of the Canaanites. And we notice here in that section of scripture, that Josh would did something rather odd Joshua. The Bible tells has hamstrung the horses and burned. The Chariots does it mean to hamstring a horse? Well, a horse is hamstrung when the tendons of the back legs are cut. Behind her and it really disables that horse from any activity and a bench of the horse will die. I guess you could say a specific word would be that Joshua had all the horses, the enemy horses crippled. Another reason for hamstring in the animals and burning the Chariots is, the Lord was present at preventing Israel, from amassing, a chariot for the mighty Chariot for now. Why did God not want them to have all those chariots and have all those more trained horses? Well, God did not want his people to rely on the best military equipment of the day. Particularly those warhorses with for trained and those chariots. Rather be known for their military. Might God wanted his people to be known for their Reliance upon him to win their battles. That's why. So he's saying, guys, don't take your horses, don't be tempted to take those chariots. You grip all those horses and you burn those chariots, he did not want Israel. Trusting in horses are chariots but in him as a matter of fact, David the psalmist express, the same understanding and Psalm 27. He said some trust in chariots in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord Our God and so with what a lesson that is even for us that we must learn to trust in God, above all things, it's very easy for us to to look at Look what I've accomplished look, what brought me this Victory, instead of looking to the Lord, who is the author of all of our victories that we have and all the blessings that we enjoy. Well, Hayes are in the people were totally destroyed and even burn. We go to verse 15 and we see that she's minute and the akan complement of Joshua verse 15. As a lord had commanded Moses of Servants of Moses to manage Joshua and so, Joshua did not. I love this phrase here. He speak of Joshua left. Nothing undone He left. Nothing undone of all that. The Lord had commanded Moses. What is testimony? Right? What a what an example?
I wonder tonight, can that be said of us that we have left? Nothing undone, is there anything that you have left undone in your life that needs to be dealt with? Now, is there someone to whom the lord has laid upon your heart to witness to and you haven't done it? Is there some a broken relationship? That is not mended, but the Lord is speaking to your heart to restore that. I listened Christians are to leave. Nothing undone. Which Christ has commanded us to do. some of the Lord help us to be diligent, may the Lord help us to be Earnest and thorough and any assignment Lord gives us
Joshua field Don's command.
You said, well Joshua could have been more compassionate. He could have left some of those soldiers and families alive but to do so would have been disobedient r, i So, compassion would have been out of place here. As it would have been absolute disobedience. there is a Jewish problem is not a, a
are you call a day at Divine? Proverb is not one that's found in the Book of Proverbs but an old ancient proverb. Goes like this he who is compassionate to the cruel. Will eventually be cruel to the compassionate? he who was compassionate to those who are evil and cruel will eventually be cruel and evil to those who are compassionate, so, Let me give you a contemporary example of this. I just saw yesterday that the El Paso, Texas shooter who went into Walmart and killed, 23 individuals, as having back in 2020. 2023 killed, many more wounded. Federal prosecutors stated yesterday that they are not going to seek the death penalty.
Wow. This guy killed 23 gun them down in Cold Blood as their shopping at Walmart and the federal prosecutors did not give any reasons why they would not seek the death penalty but they So, they're not going to seek the death penalty.
Now listen, that's a good example of he who is compassionate to the cruel. Eventually will be cruel to the compassionate. and listen, when you reduce the penalty of Those who commit violent crimes, you are in essence, encouraging, more violent crimes. It is just a principal found that you need to set the standard that anybody that's going to take the life of an individual, especially 23 innocent people. There needs to be accountability and that accountability needs to put fear into the hearts of those who would dare to harm someone.
We go onto verses 16 and 17, and we see this very quickly, the area that is conquered. We won't read the verses. It just talks about how out in the hills and The Valleys in the mountains. All all all the area large area was conquered. And then we see in versus 18.
The arduous wore 18 through 20 Joshua made wore a long time with all those teams. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, except the Healer Hibbetts, the inhabitants of gibeon it. All the others they took in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle that he might utterly destroy them and that they might receive no mercy but that he might destroy them as a lord. God commanded Moses. So these verses reveal that Victory here for Joshua. The nation of Israel did not come easily. It certainly did not come quickly and how that teaches us how that in the Christian life. There are many battles that we face. and in our life sometimes it just we're in a battle. Are we getting ready to enter a battle? For Israel. It took approximately 7 years to occupy the land. So seven years of virtually war that that that's longer than World War one that's longer than World War II. A long. Of battle. But we find here that the Canaanites day of Grace was gone. They have to send away their day of Grace, they send against the light of God's revelation. They had sinned against the Revelation that God reveals himself through nature of the heavens. Declare the glory of God, They send against their conscience, they send against the Miracles, though. They may not have been eyewitnesses of those Miracles. They had heard about the Miracles of The Parting of the Red Sea that heard about The Parting of the Jordan River. They had heard about the miracle of Jericho. And they stand against those things. And God, destroyed the Canaanites. Birth 21. We see you then. The anakim are destroyed. And at that time, Joshua came and cut off the Anna come from the mountains, from Hebron, from differ, from an AB, from all the mountains of Judah. And from all the mountains of Israel, Joshua utterly destroy them with their cities. None of them, none of the anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel there. Remained only in Gaza and gas and Ashton. So Joshua took the whole. And according to all that the Lord had said who were the anakim. The anakim were the Giants in the land. The name anakim means longnecks. Okay. So, these were some large people. These are the Giants in the land and these were the people as to why the spies were saying, hey, we don't need to go to the battle here, because there are giants in the land. They terrify the spies, they felt like grasshoppers to them, but God kept his promise, though and help Israel, to conquer them.
Think about this, the greatest worry and fear of Israel, was conquered by the Lord. And guess what? He will do the same thing for us, he will conquer. I worry, he will conquer our fears. The Bible tells us for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Someone said our worries and fears do not empty. Tomorrow of its Sorrows, but only empty today of its strength. Are worrying figures, do not empty. Tomorrow of its Sorrows, but only empty today of its strength. So, we should fear, not just like his real mom, because God is already there. God is already there. And then notice. In chapter 12. I'll just mention this chapter 12. Just really is a roster of all the defeated Kings of Canaan land. Are they remind us of the enemies of Christ? How numerous they are. As a matter of fact and verse 9 through 16, some 16 Kings of the South are defeated And then in verses 17 through 24, there are 15 Kings of the north that were defeated for a total of 31 Kings. Some are the forces of evil. Many United. Desperate. But were defeated by The Obedience of God's people. so that's John for chapter 11 and 12 again, very difficult chapter, but I pray that we see the spiritual application in it that God even though we live in a World of many battles. There's many opposition that we Face many storms, but yet God has promised, us Victory through his son. Lord, Jesus Christ. He is Jesus is the greater Joshua. All right, we'll take some time for some prayer and prayer requests. We need to pray for continued to pray for Heather trustee. She's been in the hospital, the last couple of days. With a lot of pain in her abdomen and vomiting. And I talked to Nick earlier today and she's still in a lot of pain. And they still don't have a lot of answers as of earlier today. So pray for Heather and Nick and the family as a you're doing some tests to see what's causing her these issues.
Pray for Carol Bryant, she's at the St. Vincent rehab in Sherwood. I should be there for several more days, but pray that the Lord would strengthen her and give her more Mobility.
See, Robbie is sick today. This evening he went home left. Work sick today. So pray for Robbie.
Anyone else having a special gift, Mary?
and he said,
Stolen Darwin, Martin.
Anybody else have a special? Yes, Richard.
should be okay and pray for your mom, is any updates on that or Okay, just pray for Richard Hartley's. You say ants correct.
Okay. All right. And pray for his mother as she's got. She has cancer.
Anyone else? Yes.
Okay. All right. Pray for Cassie dinner and their two youngest children.
Anyone else?
all right, let's take some moments to take a few moments to pray and not to lift up these needs, but also those
Request that we can't really say publicly but the Lord knows those things that are hidden upon our heart that's causing us concern. I'll start us out in the word of Prayer.