It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated a world veiled
in darkness and confusion about
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the character of God. And
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the Everlasting Gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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Morning. You know sometimes
I say good morning at the door
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when people are on their way out
but it's seldom morning when I
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do that. It's usually afternoon.
But for a little while it's
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still morning. I have really
enjoyed getting to know Joshua
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better and I'm going to be
sad to say goodbye to this great
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hero of the Bible; one of the
most obvious and clear types of
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Christ is seen in the life of
Joshua. Today is Joshua Part VI
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we're going to look at and
the sermon title is Claiming the
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Promised Land. Claiming the
Promised Land. Now in the first
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nine chapters we've been looking
at it talked about some of the
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exploits of crossing over. Of
course, we were ending up with
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meeting Joshua in the
book of Exodus all the way to
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Deuteronomy and getting into the
book of Joshua and seeing our
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character lead the people across
the Jordan, taking Jericho, into
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the Promised Land. Now we need
to fly over about 14 remaining
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chapters. Part of the reason for
that is that a lot of it deals
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with some of the repetition of
the designation of the Promised
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Land to the different tribes and
that could be tedious. But I'm
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going to stick with some of the
high points that remain in our
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story. Now if you remember in
our last study about Joshua, we
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talked about the Gibeonites. The
Gibeonites or the Hivites were
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the only nation that had enough
sense to realize we are doomed
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if we don't enter into some sort
of a league, if we don't find
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mercy somehow from the God of
the Israelites, we are doomed.
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And they, using cunning, they
extracted a covenant that they
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would be spared from the
Israelites. Remember they showed
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up with their torn up sandals
and torn up clothes and moldy
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bread and the skinny donkeys and
they said we've come from a far
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country. Make a covenant with
us. They basically pled their
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poverty in order to get
this covenant that they would be
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spared. And then later the
Israelites found out that they
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lived right around the corner.
And so they said, All right.
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We've got to keep our word.
We're going to spare you but you
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must then also be our servants.
You are to cut wood and draw
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water for the house of God. They
said, We'd rather be servants in
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the house of God than be dead.
So they said we're happy to that
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and from that day the Gibeonites
the Hivites became sort of a
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caste within Israel and they
were the servants in the house
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of the Lord. They were respected
they were free to trade, they
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were treated with all the rights
of the citizens. The same way
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the Levites and the descendants
of Aaron were given the
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responsibility of offering
sacrifices, the Gibeonites
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their responsibility was to keep
the water flowing and keep the
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fire burning. Shortly after they
had made this covenant and the
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surrounding nations found out
what they did is where we pick
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up our story. Go to chapter 10
in Joshua, verse 1: Now it came
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to pass that when Adoni-Zedek
king of Jerusalem heard how
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Joshua had taken Ai... Now that
is significant. Jerusalem once
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was under a foreign king.
You know who used to be the king
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of Jerusalem? A king-priest by
the name of Melchizedek. First
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time you hear about Jerusalem
it is inhabited by a king and a
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priest named Melchizedek. His
name means king of righteousness
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Well now there are pagans there
that don't worship Jehovah.
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Melchizedek did. Abraham paid
tithe to him but of course that
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is hundreds of years earlier.
Adoni-Zekek, king of Jerusalem
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heard how Joshua had taken Ai,
how he had utterly destroyed it
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as he had done to Jericho and
its king so he had done to Ai
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and its king and how the
inhabitants of Gibeon had made
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peace with Israel and were
among them. Now they are freely
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trading among them. They feared
greatly because Gibeon was a
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great city like one of the
royal cities and because it was
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greater than Ai and all its
men were mighty men. They said,
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Gibeon, Gibeon, that's where all
the champions live. There was a
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fortified city. If
they surrendered what hope
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is there for me. Then Adoni-
Zedek, in verse 3, king of
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Jerusalem sent to Hoham king
of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth
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Japhia king of Lachish and Debir
king of Eglon saying, Come up to
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me and help me that we may
attack Gibeon for it has made
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peace with Joshua and all of the
children of Israel. I don't want
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to disturb you but I've got
an announcement too make. You're
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all in trouble. You're ALL
in trouble. You're all going to
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make someone mad. You are
either going to experience the
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wrath of Joshua when he comes
or you're going to make peace
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with Joshua, Jesus, and you're
going to be the target of the
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enemies that are still in the
land. And so they send a message
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Oh well, I want to read verse 5.
Therefore the five kings of the
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Amorites, the king of Jerusalem
the king of Hebron, the king of
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Jarmuth, the king of Lachish,
the king of Eglon gathered
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and went up, they and all their
armies and they encamped before
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...They're not going against
the Israelites. They're going
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against the people who were now
serving Joshua. So how does the
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devil take out his wrath? Does
he try to fight against Joshua
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and his angels, Jesus and his
angels, or does he fight against
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those that made a covenant?
You think, why didn't you go
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against the problem. The problem
is Joshua. They said, Naw, we
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can't beat Joshua, but
we're going to get even with the
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Gibeonites. So they attacked
Gibeon. I like this in verse 6:
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And the men of Gibeon, they said
to Joshua who was at the camp of
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Gilgal... they sent someone to
escape to get a message to him.
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Do not forsake your servants.
Come to us quickly and save us
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and help us for all the kings of
the Amorites that dwell in the
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mountains have gathered
together against us. Come, save
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us quickly. So Joshua comes to
the rescue. They send a message.
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Do we pray when we're being
persecuted, when we're being
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attacked for our faith? Does the
Lord forsake us? Joshua could
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have said, Well you guys did
trick me, it serves you right.
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He doesn't treat them that
way does he? He says we made a
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covenant with you to spare you
and I guess that means you're
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our servants and as our servants
we're going to fight for you.
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And he goes to defend them. Not
only that they say come quickly.
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How does the New Testament end?
Even so come Lord Jesus. And
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aren't we praying come quickly.
Save us from this world. Joshua
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ascended from Gilgal, he and
all the people who were with him
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and all the mighty men of valor
and they marched all night to
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get there and to deliver them.
That's pretty hard for an army
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to do. And it says not a
man would stand before them. So
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who came? Now notice what
happens here in the battle.
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First of all there is
a confederacy, you'll see
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that come up again, of all
the nations there in the land to
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annihilate the Israelites. And
before I go any further, let me
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tell you what I'm doing. I'm
going to draw a lot of parallels
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between what Joshua and the
Israelites experienced as they
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came into the Promised
Land and what is going to be the
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experience of God's people in
the last days based on prophecy.
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Okay? In the last days when our
Joshua comes to this world is
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there going to be a confederacy
of the nations in this world to
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exterminate God's people?
Doesn't it tell us the beast,
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the dragon, the false prophet
and all the kings of the earth
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that reigned with that woman
in Revelation 17, they all align
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themselves together to form this
confederacy and everybody's got
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to worship the way they say and
there's one group that stands
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out. They're the servants of
Joshua and they're going to seek
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to destroy them. First they
can't buy or sell and ultimately
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they'll be killed. But there is
a confederacy, there's a union
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that is formed to attack God's
people. So that's one parallel
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I want you to notice. God's
people are praying that Joshua
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comes quickly. Don't miss that
also. And it says in verse 9:
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Joshua therefore came to them
suddenly. How does it say Jesus
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is going to come. Mark 13
verse Lest coming suddenly.
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They were surprised. As a thief
came upon them. Now in this
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battle he begins to fight
them just a basic deeply engaged
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intense battle and it says they
fled, verse 11 of chapter 10:
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They fled before Israel and were
on the descent of Beth Horon
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and the Lord cast down large
hailstones from heaven on them
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as far as Azekah and they died.
There were more who died from
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the hailstones than the children
of Israel killed with the sword.
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Now do you read in your Bible
that hailstones have anything
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to do with the second coming
of Jesus? Are you catching some
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parallels here? Revelation
16:21: And there fell upon the
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men a great hail out of heaven,
every stone about the weight of
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a talent. The scholars
all disagree on this but it's
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somewhere between 56 and 78
pounds what these hailstones
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are. I've got a picture there
of one hailstone a little bigger
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than a hard ball and can you
imagine getting bludgeoned with
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a sky full of those? How many
of you remember the hail we had
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last week? Did some of you
get hail in your yards? We were
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having thunderstorms last week.
The water was running down our
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street. It was amazing. And it
was hailing a little bitty non
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threatening hail. Matter of fact
Stephen wanted to go out and
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feel what it was like. He went
outside when it was hailing.
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But you wouldn't be going
outside if they were as big as
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golf balls. I've been in Texas
when they had walnut-sized hail
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and it will wreck your car. Have
any of you ever had hail damage
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on your car before. Yah. Matter
of fact, I think you have to
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a special clause in your
insurance there in tornado alley
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about hail damage because
it can absolutely bankrupt the
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insurance companies. Can
you imagine if the sky is filled
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with hailstones that are as
big as soft balls or a 56-pound
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block of ice? You can see where
the Lord fought for Israel out
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of the heavens. You know God
said in prophecy that he would
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do that. Job 38 verse 22: Have
you entered into the treasury
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of snow? Or have you seen the
treasury of hail which I have
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reserved... God is speaking
to Job here... which I have
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reserved for the time of
trouble for the day of battle
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and war. When God said this
to Job before the experience of
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Joshua and God is predicting in
advance that in times of war I
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can reign hail down on my enemy
and decimate them. But they
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weren't done yet. They wanted
to make sure this army wasn't
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coming back again. So in the
midst of the battle Joshua does
00:12:21.65\00:12:25.03
something that had never
happened before and has never
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happened since. Verse 12, they
are still fighting, Then Joshua
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spoke to the Lord in the day
when the Lord delivered up the
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Amorites before the Children
of Israel. And he said in the
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sight of Israel, he was right in
the midst of his soldiers when
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he said, everybody heard him
pray this prayer: Sun stand thou
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still upon Gibeon and thou moon
in the Valley of Aijalon. Now in
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the midst of the battle the sun
is going down. He realizes that
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as twilight approaches and if it
goes dark many of their enemies
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are going to escape. Not all
of them have been killed by the
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hail. But many of them would
escape and they could probably
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remuster their forces and come
and be a problem in the future.
00:13:07.50\00:13:10.46
Or they'd join some of the other
nations that weren't conquered
00:13:10.50\00:13:13.43
yet. And he said we've got
to make sure that this battle
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doesn't repeat itself. So he
prays that the sun would not go
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down. It's just above the hills
of Gibeon but the land is still
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illuminated and so he prays that
the sun would stand still and
00:13:25.67\00:13:29.47
the moon would stop moving as
well. I guess evidently it must
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have been... I remember one time
when Karen and I were courting
00:13:33.43\00:13:36.44
we had a day I'll never forget.
We were over on the coast and
00:13:36.47\00:13:39.96
we sat down on the coast up
by 101 and we could look to the
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west and see the sun going down
and we could look to the east
00:13:44.41\00:13:47.73
and see a full moon coming up.
Have any of you ever seen that
00:13:47.77\00:13:50.79
before? Sun is going down red
and the moon is coming up blue.
00:13:50.82\00:13:54.31
It's really something. It's not
that uncommon. But it's a sight
00:13:54.35\00:13:57.81
to see. This was one of those
days. The moon is coming up so
00:13:58.41\00:14:01.97
he had the benefit of the
sun and the moon and he asks for
00:14:02.00\00:14:05.19
them to stand still so that
he could defeat their enemies.
00:14:05.23\00:14:08.81
What does that represent? Well
you know you read in Revelation
00:14:08.84\00:14:12.39
12 it talks about his church,
a woman clothed with the sun
00:14:13.78\00:14:17.78
standing on the moon and she's
got 12 stars around her head.
00:14:19.49\00:14:23.49
Here you've got the sun standing
still, the moon standing still,
00:14:24.26\00:14:28.23
and the 12 tribes of Israel
attacking their enemies. It's a
00:14:28.26\00:14:31.81
symbol for the word of God being
used by the church to defeat...
00:14:31.85\00:14:35.85
the light of God's word, the
light, the Lord made the sun.
00:14:36.03\00:14:40.03
the Lord made the moon, right?
That's the natural light that he
00:14:41.39\00:14:45.31
made. They word is a lamp
unto my feet. Jesus said to the
00:14:45.34\00:14:47.55
church you are the light of
the world and it's talking about
00:14:47.59\00:14:50.25
how in the last days how do we
overcome the enemy? It's going
00:14:50.29\00:14:52.92
be through the light of
his word. Now some of you are
00:14:52.95\00:14:55.58
going to say Pastor Doug...
Oh I want to finish reading my
00:14:55.62\00:14:57.27
verse here. He prays this prayer
and the sun stood still and the
00:14:57.31\00:15:01.31
moon stayed, it's not moving
until the people had avenged
00:15:03.88\00:15:07.35
themselves upon their enemies.
Is this not written in the book
00:15:07.39\00:15:10.19
of Joshua? So the sun stood
still in the midst of heaven and
00:15:10.22\00:15:13.60
hasted not to go down about a
whole day. Now the reason they
00:15:13.64\00:15:16.99
say about a whole day, it
may have been just a little bit
00:15:18.07\00:15:20.66
short of a day. I don't
know. Maybe like a railroad car
00:15:20.69\00:15:23.36
getting going. The Lord needs
to jump start the sun when he
00:15:23.39\00:15:26.71
gets it moving again. I'm just
teasing here. But you know I
00:15:26.74\00:15:30.03
think it's interesting. There is
one other time in the Bible when
00:15:31.36\00:15:33.58
the sun dial went backwards
10 degrees. And I've heard it
00:15:33.61\00:15:37.58
argued by some astronomers
that when they look at ancient
00:15:39.34\00:15:42.21
history, certain great events
in ancient history, they can
00:15:42.25\00:15:45.09
actually be measured
by astronomical times that
00:15:45.12\00:15:49.09
are unchanging. There seems to
be a missing day. Have you heard
00:15:49.19\00:15:53.19
this before? There seems to be
a missing 24-hour period. Well
00:15:54.43\00:15:58.43
if you add together the miracle
in the days of Hezekiah with the
00:15:58.86\00:16:02.29
miracle of Joshua that would
account for one day that is
00:16:02.32\00:16:05.58
this missing day of history.
Very interesting. Now you might
00:16:05.61\00:16:08.84
be asking Pastor Doug, come
on. This is a little fantastic.
00:16:09.45\00:16:13.15
I mean when you think about it
does the sun really go up, does
00:16:13.19\00:16:16.86
the sun go down? Or don't we
know that it's the earth that
00:16:17.52\00:16:20.74
is actually turning and should
the Lord stop the earth from
00:16:20.78\00:16:23.97
turning, what would happen
to the tides? It would cause
00:16:24.08\00:16:28.08
massive tsunamis. The mantle
of the earth would shift on its
00:16:28.12\00:16:31.66
surface and would
cause horrendous earthquakes
00:16:31.69\00:16:34.41
and how could God possible
do that because it would violate
00:16:34.45\00:16:37.85
all these natural gravitational
astronomical laws. Well I don't
00:16:37.89\00:16:41.26
know. How do you walk on water?
I mean that kind of violates a
00:16:42.83\00:16:46.37
law too doesn't it? How do you
ascend up to heaven in a cloud?
00:16:46.41\00:16:50.16
I mean, the Lord is the Lord. He
can speak and make a world with
00:16:50.20\00:16:53.92
his voice. If he says all right,
I want to just freeze up all the
00:16:55.05\00:16:58.23
tides and tectonic plates
so nothing moves. He could have
00:16:58.26\00:17:01.30
done it. I mean, it's not a
problem. You know what else I
00:17:01.33\00:17:03.80
thought. What God could
have done, the earth could have
00:17:03.83\00:17:06.23
continued spinning I'm going to
do something now. I'm going to
00:17:06.27\00:17:09.95
make the moon and the sun
go around the earth so it looks
00:17:09.98\00:17:12.90
like they're standing still
and make the whole solar system,
00:17:12.94\00:17:16.38
at least for one day, revolve
around planet earth. See what
00:17:16.42\00:17:19.83
I'm saying. He could have done
it that way and we would have
00:17:20.03\00:17:23.24
never felt the difference. The
thing is people who ask those
00:17:23.27\00:17:26.45
questions what they're doing
is they're doubting the power of
00:17:26.73\00:17:29.93
God over the laws of nature
he created. How do you animate a
00:17:29.97\00:17:33.14
dead body like Lazarus after
four days? Explain that to me.
00:17:34.06\00:17:37.38
The miracles in the Bible
are called miracles because they
00:17:37.41\00:17:40.69
can't be explained because
they're miracles. So the folks
00:17:40.72\00:17:43.69
who are trying to figure
out astronomically how all this
00:17:43.73\00:17:46.69
happened, well help yourself.
I don't know. I can't wait to
00:17:46.73\00:17:49.66
get to heaven and ask him
myself. You know what I love
00:17:49.69\00:17:53.90
about this story is just
the childlike faith of Joshua.
00:17:53.94\00:17:58.08
I mean he went beyond anything
Moses had ever done. This was
00:17:58.12\00:18:01.69
bigger than any of the plagues
that fell on Egypt. This was
00:18:01.73\00:18:06.88
bigger than the manna coming
down. It was bigger than the
00:18:06.92\00:18:12.00
fire on Mount Sinai, bigger than
the Red Sea parting. I mean this
00:18:12.04\00:18:15.14
is the greatest miraculous sign
in the Bible when you really
00:18:15.17\00:18:20.76
think about it. All of
time stood still for a whole day
00:18:20.79\00:18:25.95
so that God's people could get
the victory over their enemies
00:18:25.99\00:18:30.90
and inhabit the Promised Land.
Now you know the Bible also
00:18:30.94\00:18:35.78
tells us Malachi chapter 4, unto
you that fear my name shall the
00:18:35.82\00:18:43.82
sun of righteousness arise
with healing in his wings. Don't
00:18:43.85\00:18:47.85
misunderstand. I don't believe
in sun worship, but there are a
00:18:47.89\00:18:52.52
few arguments in the Bible that
the sun is a type of Christ and
00:18:52.55\00:18:58.08
the sun standing still, time
standing still, so that we could
00:18:58.12\00:19:03.14
be saved. I mean Jesus would do
anything to save his people and
00:19:03.18\00:19:07.60
give them the promised land, to
give them the victory. How far
00:19:07.63\00:19:12.90
will God go for you to give you
a victory. God will not suffer
00:19:12.94\00:19:16.83
you to be tempted above what
you're able but will with every
00:19:16.87\00:19:20.41
temptation provide a way of
escape that you can bear it.
00:19:20.45\00:19:23.92
And if you're being overwhelmed
by temptation and you need help
00:19:23.96\00:19:28.44
and you pray and say Lord, help
me get the victory, how far will
00:19:28.47\00:19:33.20
God go to give you the victory?
If for Joshua and God's people
00:19:33.23\00:19:36.87
back then he'd make the sun
stand still and the moon stand
00:19:36.91\00:19:40.45
still, he'd stop time to give
them the victory, what will he
00:19:40.48\00:19:43.99
do for you? So don't make
excuses for being overcome.
00:19:44.02\00:19:47.79
If God says I'm going to give
you the Promised Land and you've
00:19:47.83\00:19:50.80
got a battle that means he will
give you the means to win the
00:19:50.84\00:19:54.64
battle. Whatever you need to
win he'll give it to you. That's
00:19:54.67\00:19:58.77
good news. That's a great story.
You think about the miracles of
00:19:58.80\00:20:02.87
Joshua, this is really the
culmination of the miracles.
00:20:02.90\00:20:05.92
You've got the miracle where
Joshua leads them across the
00:20:05.95\00:20:10.15
Jordan, and that you might say
is a type of baptism. That's a
00:20:10.19\00:20:15.27
miracle in the water. Then there
is the miracle where there's an
00:20:15.30\00:20:20.35
Jericho's walls fall, no
explanation physiologically
00:20:20.38\00:20:24.75
how that can happen. That's
a miracle in the land. Now he
00:20:24.79\00:20:29.28
prays and there's a miracle
in the heavens. Are you with me?
00:20:29.32\00:20:32.39
You've got the miracle in the
water, you've got the miracle
00:20:32.42\00:20:34.77
in the earth, you've got
the miracle in the heavens. When
00:20:34.81\00:20:37.09
you go to Genesis it talks about
those elements right there. By
00:20:37.13\00:20:40.83
the way, when Christ comes back
again, listen. We just found
00:20:40.87\00:20:44.41
that when Joshua came into
the Promised Land there was an
00:20:44.44\00:20:48.41
earthquake, Jericho fell. Is
there an earthquake when Jesus
00:20:48.45\00:20:51.65
comes back so might an earth
quake so mighty and so great
00:20:51.69\00:20:54.06
every island is moved out of
it's place and the mountains are
00:20:54.09\00:20:56.80
swallowed up. I'm paraphrasing
but there's a big earthquake
00:20:56.83\00:20:59.72
when Jesus comes. There was
an earthquake when Joshua came.
00:20:59.76\00:21:03.25
Hailstones come down on the
enemies. Do hailstones fall on
00:21:03.29\00:21:07.19
the enemies when Jesus comes?
Are there signs in the sun and
00:21:07.22\00:21:11.75
the moon when Jesus comes? Yes,
there are heavenly signs; not
00:21:11.79\00:21:16.21
only historically as the sun got
dark during the dark day and the
00:21:16.25\00:21:20.20
moon came up like blood. But it
tells us when Jesus comes back
00:21:20.24\00:21:23.46
there will be signs in the sun
and the moon and the stars in
00:21:23.49\00:21:27.21
quick succession to herald this
miracle of victory for God's
00:21:27.24\00:21:30.93
people. And will that
happen at a time when there's a
00:21:30.96\00:21:34.11
confederacy trying to annihilate
God's people? There will be
00:21:34.15\00:21:37.67
signs in the sun and the moon
then too friends. There are a
00:21:37.70\00:21:43.24
lot of parallels here. Luke
21 verse 25: And there shall be
00:21:43.27\00:21:47.75
signs in the sun and in the moon
and in the stars and upon the
00:21:47.78\00:21:51.93
earth distress of nations
with perplexity. The sea and the
00:21:51.96\00:21:57.23
waves roaring. There are a
lot of signs here. But we're not
00:21:57.26\00:22:02.24
done. Go to chapter 11 now.
Joshua chapter 11. I'm going to
00:22:02.28\00:22:06.21
back and forth here between
my notes and between the Bible
00:22:06.25\00:22:11.24
passage itself. Now this gave
them basically victory over the
00:22:11.27\00:22:15.71
central southern part of the
Promised Land. But there were
00:22:15.75\00:22:20.12
still the northern kingdoms. Now
listen to what happened. Verse 1
00:22:20.16\00:22:24.07
chapter 11: And it came to pass
when Jabin king of Hazor heard
00:22:24.10\00:22:28.39
these things that he sent to
Jobab king of Madon, to the king
00:22:28.42\00:22:32.41
of Shimron, to the king of
Achshaph, even I struggle with
00:22:32.44\00:22:36.36
some of these, and to the kings
that were from the north in the
00:22:36.40\00:22:39.42
mountains, in the plain south
of Chinneroth, in the lowlands,
00:22:39.46\00:22:42.30
in the heights of Dor on the
west, to the Canaanites in the
00:22:42.34\00:22:45.11
east and the west, the Amorite,
the Hittite and the Hivite below
00:22:45.15\00:22:50.96
Hermon and the land of Mizpah.
So they went out, before there
00:22:51.00\00:22:56.78
five now there are 12,
interesting biblical number.
00:22:56.81\00:23:00.86
They went out and all their
armies with them as many people
00:23:00.90\00:23:05.43
as the sand that is on the
seashore in multitude with very
00:23:05.47\00:23:09.93
many horses and chariots. They
said, Oh look what happened when
00:23:09.97\00:23:13.43
those five nations assembled.
We're going to have to put aside
00:23:13.47\00:23:17.26
our squabbling as neighbors
and we're going to have to join
00:23:17.30\00:23:21.06
together and see if we can
develop an army that's even
00:23:21.09\00:23:24.92
bigger than the army of
the southern kingdom because it
00:23:24.95\00:23:28.71
seems like the Israelites keep
winning. Now it says this number
00:23:28.75\00:23:33.63
is like the sand on the seashore
By the way, Josephus in his
00:23:33.66\00:23:37.56
commentary on this, that's sort
of hyperbole, the sand on the
00:23:37.60\00:23:40.67
seashore. I doubt there were
as many soldiers as there are
00:23:40.70\00:23:43.65
grains of sand on the sea.
You all understand that's and
00:23:43.69\00:23:46.57
illustration. He says there were
300,000 soldiers. They had about
00:23:46.61\00:23:52.28
20,000 chariots and the chariots
back then had scythes, knives.
00:23:52.32\00:23:56.79
If any of you ever saw Ben Hur
you know what I'm talking about.
00:23:56.83\00:24:00.72
That actually comes from history
The Canaanites would put these
00:24:00.75\00:24:04.86
knives off the outriggers on
their chariot wheels and as they
00:24:04.90\00:24:08.71
rode among the soldiers on
the ground it would just butcher
00:24:08.75\00:24:13.94
them. They had 20,000 of those
and the horses as well. And it
00:24:13.97\00:24:17.75
didn't look good. Now they're
fighting against an army that's
00:24:17.78\00:24:22.40
bigger than any army they'd ever
seen in their experience. And
00:24:22.43\00:24:26.85
God said to Joshua, verse 6,
chapter 11, verse 6, do not be
00:24:26.88\00:24:31.28
afraid. Isn't that how the book
of Joshua starts? Be thou very
00:24:31.32\00:24:36.02
courageous. Don't be afraid.
Don't live by sight. I mean if
00:24:36.06\00:24:40.73
David looked at how big
Goliath was he would have been
00:24:40.76\00:24:42.11
intimidated. Don't look at how
big the problems are. You figure
00:24:42.15\00:24:45.46
out what God wants you to
do and then have faith. He will
00:24:45.49\00:24:47.80
help you get the victory, Amen?
He said do not be afraid of them
00:24:47.84\00:24:53.93
for tomorrow about this time
I will deliver all of them slain
00:24:53.96\00:25:00.02
before Israel. Whew, that's
a pretty confident prophecy,
00:25:00.05\00:25:04.39
300,000 of those soldiers. You
will hamstring their horses and
00:25:04.43\00:25:09.08
by the way, they used to cut a
nerve on the back of the horses
00:25:09.12\00:25:13.19
so that they could still work
in the farms but you could never
00:25:13.23\00:25:17.48
ride them in war. They couldn't
gallop any more. He said, you
00:25:17.52\00:25:21.38
should hamstring the horses
and destroy their chariots with
00:25:21.41\00:25:24.85
fire. So Joshua and all the
people who were with him came
00:25:24.89\00:25:27.60
against them suddenly. There
you've got it again. How does
00:25:27.63\00:25:30.31
Jesus come? Suddenly. By
the waters of Merom and they
00:25:30.34\00:25:34.57
attacked them and the Lord
delivered them into the hand
00:25:34.61\00:25:38.77
of Israel who defeated them
and chased them to Greater Sidon
00:25:38.81\00:25:42.34
to the brook Misrephoth and
to the Valley of Mizpah eastward
00:25:42.37\00:25:46.55
and they attacked them until
they left none of them remaining
00:25:46.59\00:25:50.74
So Joshua did to them
as the Lord had told him.
00:25:50.77\00:25:52.95
He hamstrung their horses and
burned their chariots with fire.
00:25:52.99\00:25:56.35
You always find that Joshua did
what the Lord said. Joshua did
00:25:56.38\00:26:00.45
as Moses commanded. Like Jesus
he said I have kept my Father's
00:26:00.49\00:26:04.03
commandments. And Joshua turned
back at that time and he took
00:26:04.07\00:26:07.58
Hazor and he struck the
king with a sword for Hazor was
00:26:07.61\00:26:10.79
formerly the head of all those
kingdoms. And they struck the
00:26:10.83\00:26:13.62
people who were in it with
the edge of the sword, utterly
00:26:13.66\00:26:16.75
destroying them. I know this
sounds brutal. It's in effect
00:26:16.79\00:26:20.97
genocide. Let me explain. There
was none left breathing and
00:26:21.01\00:26:25.03
burned Hazor with fire. So all
the cities of those kings, those
00:26:25.07\00:26:28.79
12 kingdoms and all their kings
Joshua took and he struck with
00:26:28.82\00:26:32.51
the edge of the sword.
He utterly destroyed them as
00:26:32.54\00:26:34.62
Moses the servant of the Lord
had commanded. Now as you go
00:26:34.66\00:26:39.79
through chapter 11, it basically
says they went from city to city
00:26:39.83\00:26:42.79
and they totally annihilated
everybody that lived in those
00:26:42.82\00:26:47.01
cities. Sounds awful brutal. For
one thing keep in mind if they
00:26:47.05\00:26:51.07
left any surviving they were
avowed enemies. They and their
00:26:51.10\00:26:55.09
offspring would be avowed
enemies and in order to have
00:26:55.12\00:26:58.36
peace in the future they
had to go to some pretty extreme
00:26:58.39\00:27:02.28
lengths. These nations also
had been marked by the Lord for
00:27:02.31\00:27:06.15
extermination because of
their terrible heathen grotesque
00:27:06.19\00:27:09.96
perverted practices. There was
rampant disease among them. They
00:27:10.00\00:27:13.84
offered their children to pagan
gods. They used to set their
00:27:13.87\00:27:17.08
babies on burning altars and it
was terrible what these people
00:27:17.12\00:27:20.82
did. And God said they are to be
destroyed. I've given them grace
00:27:20.85\00:27:24.21
to repent for hundreds of years
and they've not repented. God
00:27:24.24\00:27:27.44
had been sending messages and
prophets to them too. So this
00:27:27.48\00:27:31.51
was a judgment. Now the reason
I say that: Notice where it says
00:27:31.54\00:27:35.54
like the sand of the sea.
You know another place you find
00:27:35.57\00:27:38.66
that? Remember I said we're
going to make some comparisons
00:27:38.69\00:27:42.56
with Revelation. Revelation
20 verse 8: And will go out to
00:27:42.60\00:27:45.76
deceive the nations that are
in the four corners of the earth
00:27:45.80\00:27:49.52
Gog and Magog to gather them
together to battle. The number
00:27:49.56\00:27:53.21
is as the sand of the seashore.
Now notice what's happening here
00:27:53.25\00:27:58.94
Biblically there are
two prominent campaigns in
00:27:58.97\00:28:02.78
the last days, two big battles.
You've got the battle just
00:28:02.82\00:28:06.71
before Jesus comes. That's
happening when the devil and the
00:28:06.75\00:28:10.78
earthly forces try to annihilate
God's people and the Lord saves
00:28:10.81\00:28:14.81
us by this great victory,
the sun, moon and signs and
00:28:14.84\00:28:18.16
hailstones, right? But at the
end of the 1000 years there's
00:28:18.20\00:28:22.11
another big battle. This is the
second main... These are the two
00:28:22.15\00:28:25.83
major campaigns we're looking
at. Everything else was a small
00:28:25.87\00:28:29.52
skirmish compared to
this. That's where they gathered
00:28:29.55\00:28:32.27
together like the sand of the
seashore. At the end of the 1000
00:28:32.31\00:28:35.55
years when the devil sees all
the wicked resurrected, they're
00:28:35.58\00:28:38.79
called Gog and Magog and they
make this final assault on the
00:28:38.83\00:28:42.51
people of God, spiritual Israel
inside the city, right? And at
00:28:42.55\00:28:46.00
that time what happens to them?
They are judged and they are
00:28:46.03\00:28:50.07
annihilated. The same thing
Joshua did is a perfect parallel
00:28:50.11\00:28:54.07
for the last day chronology
of what's happening. Can you see
00:28:54.11\00:28:57.57
the similarities here? There's
a lot we can learn from this
00:28:57.61\00:29:02.54
both in the way of warning and
encouragement. That's the final
00:29:02.57\00:29:07.47
large campaign. And I want
to read verse 19 of Joshua 11:
00:29:07.50\00:29:12.77
There was not a city that
made peace with the children of
00:29:12.80\00:29:17.38
Israel except the Hivites,
inhabitants of Gibeon. All the
00:29:17.41\00:29:21.49
others they took in battle
for it was of the Lord to harden
00:29:21.52\00:29:25.53
the hearts that they should come
against Israel in battle that he
00:29:25.57\00:29:28.60
might utterly destroy them that
they might receive no mercy.
00:29:28.63\00:29:32.94
Why do the wicked have the
audacity at the end of the 1000
00:29:32.98\00:29:37.22
years. You'd think they know hey
I'm in the wrong resurrection.
00:29:37.26\00:29:40.13
Wouldn't you say Lord give
me another chance. I'm sorry, I
00:29:40.16\00:29:43.85
blew it or at least just
fall down and die. Why would you
00:29:43.88\00:29:47.71
listen to the devil to go
against the city of God and
00:29:47.74\00:29:51.35
Jesus and the angels? You
know one reason? The Lord is
00:29:51.38\00:29:54.62
demonstrating their hearts
are hardened and there are no
00:29:54.66\00:29:58.14
redemptive qualities left. So
when he rains fire down out of
00:29:58.18\00:30:02.25
heaven on them, he had no
other choice. Their hearts were
00:30:02.28\00:30:06.17
totally unrepentant. They
could not change. There were no
00:30:06.21\00:30:11.08
redeemable qualities. Why did
Joshua annihilate the nations
00:30:11.12\00:30:15.06
that did not make peace with
him. He had no alternative. They
00:30:15.09\00:30:19.00
kept gathering together to
battle against him. They were
00:30:19.03\00:30:22.41
determined to fight against
Israel. There are only two
00:30:22.45\00:30:25.53
choices, you make peace
and you serve Joshua or you're
00:30:25.56\00:30:28.80
annihilated. Those choices
they had back then are the same
00:30:28.83\00:30:32.70
choices you and I face.
Make friends with Joshua. I keep
00:30:32.74\00:30:35.84
saying this. I'm assuming you
all remember Joshua and Jesus
00:30:35.88\00:30:40.05
same name, one Hebrew, one Greek
Make friends with Joshua or
00:30:40.09\00:30:44.68
we're doomed. Amen? Jesus said
he that has the Son has life. He
00:30:44.72\00:30:49.28
that does not have the Son
does not have life. Those are
00:30:49.31\00:30:52.85
the two choices we all have.
Now it talks about some of the
00:30:52.88\00:30:56.39
smaller battles and skirmishes
and the dividing of the
00:30:56.42\00:30:58.50
Promised Land. Now in the midst
of dividing the Promised Land
00:30:58.54\00:31:03.49
you can read in Joshua chapter
14, Caleb comes to Joshua and he
00:31:03.52\00:31:08.44
has a special request. Now
you've got to wind your tape
00:31:08.47\00:31:11.37
back to the book of Numbers. You
remember that Joshua has a long
00:31:11.41\00:31:14.87
time friend. Only two
individuals survived from
00:31:14.90\00:31:19.43
Egypt to the Promised Land
that were above 20 years of age.
00:31:19.47\00:31:23.45
What were their names? Caleb and
Joshua. Caleb now is an old man
00:31:23.49\00:31:28.29
and they're beginning to subdue
and divide up the Promised Land
00:31:28.33\00:31:32.73
There are still some hot spots
they need to put down and in
00:31:32.76\00:31:37.93
chapter 14 in verse 6 Caleb
comes to Joshua with a request.
00:31:37.97\00:31:43.07
Then the children of Judah came
to Joshua in Gilgal and Caleb...
00:31:43.11\00:31:47.27
Think about this who was
obviously... Caleb's from Judah
00:31:47.30\00:31:50.08
Who was the patriarch of
Judah now? Who's the oldest one?
00:31:50.12\00:31:54.76
Everybody was 65 or under except
Caleb who is 85. Isn't that
00:31:54.79\00:32:00.42
interesting. And Caleb the son
of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said
00:32:00.46\00:32:06.27
to him. I'm jumping ahead here.
Here I am this day 85 years old
00:32:06.31\00:32:11.85
as yet I am as strong this day
as on the day that Moses sent
00:32:11.89\00:32:17.21
me. Just as my strength was then
so is it now both for war, for
00:32:17.24\00:32:21.72
going out and for coming in.
I hope I can say that when I'm
00:32:21.75\00:32:25.93
85. He probably understood the
health message. Of course he was
00:32:25.97\00:32:29.66
eating bread from heaven every
day, right? But something needs
00:32:29.69\00:32:32.91
to be said for when you've got
faith. He had faith in God. God
00:32:32.95\00:32:36.98
sustains you. Here's this
guy 85 years old and he was just
00:32:37.01\00:32:41.01
as strong as the whipper
snappers that were fighting
00:32:41.04\00:32:42.79
along with him. He was as strong
as he was 40 years earlier. I'm
00:32:42.83\00:32:48.10
as strong this day as I was then
when God sent me to first spy
00:32:48.13\00:32:52.12
out the Promised Land. And I
expect when Caleb first looked
00:32:52.15\00:32:56.03
over the Promised Land 40 years
earlier with Joshua and the
00:32:56.06\00:32:59.79
other faithless spies that
he went through the mountains of
00:32:59.83\00:33:03.20
Hebron where the Amiken lived,
the giants, and it didn't bother
00:33:03.23\00:33:06.41
him that giants lived there.
He was looking at how lush the
00:33:06.44\00:33:09.63
country was, how fertile the
soil was, and the springs galore
00:33:09.67\00:33:13.23
were there and he said this is
where I want to pitch my tent.
00:33:13.26\00:33:16.89
This is where I'd like to retire
and he made up his mind and
00:33:16.92\00:33:19.69
you know how much that must
have broken Caleb's heart when
00:33:19.73\00:33:22.27
they got back and God says
you guys have to wander 40 years
00:33:22.31\00:33:24.78
because the people don't believe
Caleb said I believe Lord. Can I
00:33:24.82\00:33:28.34
go? He said, let's go up at once
You remember Caleb's speech?
00:33:28.38\00:33:32.19
Let's go, we're well able,
let's go right now and he had to
00:33:32.23\00:33:35.42
wander with those stubborn
people until they all died off
00:33:35.46\00:33:38.58
40 years. Now he comes back and
they've begun to start to divide
00:33:38.62\00:33:42.31
up the promised land and he's
got his eye on that country and
00:33:42.34\00:33:46.56
he goes to Joshua, his buddy,
and I love this. He says my
00:33:46.59\00:33:50.94
strength is as good now as
it was then both for war and for
00:33:50.97\00:33:55.29
going out and coming in.
Underline this in your Bible.
00:33:55.32\00:33:59.57
Do you underline in your Bible?
Now therefore give me this
00:33:59.60\00:34:04.99
mountain. And that mountain was
actually a mountain range that
00:34:05.03\00:34:10.28
would include Jerusalem, Hebron
and that territory. Give me this
00:34:10.32\00:34:14.54
mountain of which the Lord spoke
in that day. For you heard in
00:34:14.58\00:34:18.05
that day how the Anakim were
there. The people were so afraid
00:34:18.09\00:34:20.62
of the Anakim. They said we
could never fight them. We're
00:34:20.66\00:34:23.12
like grasshoppers and the cities
were great and fortified. It may
00:34:23.16\00:34:27.32
be the Lord will be with me and
I shall be able to drive them
00:34:27.35\00:34:31.53
out as the Lord said. And Joshua
blessed him and gave Hebron to
00:34:31.57\00:34:35.72
Caleb the son of Jephunneh
as an inheritance. Hebron
00:34:35.75\00:34:39.24
therefore became the inheritance
of Caleb and the children of
00:34:39.28\00:34:43.23
Judah and to this very day
the Jews, Jews are not Hebrews,
00:34:43.26\00:34:47.00
Jews are the descendants from,
well Jews are all Hebrews, but
00:34:47.04\00:34:50.28
Hebrew may not be a Jew. Jews
come from the tribe of Judah
00:34:50.32\00:34:53.80
Judah principally, that's where
you get the word. They're in
00:34:53.84\00:34:56.89
that vicinity today because
of what you're reading in your
00:34:56.93\00:35:00.33
Bible right now. Joshua chapter
14. An old man comes to Joshua
00:35:00.37\00:35:03.57
and says give me that country
and that became the allotment
00:35:03.61\00:35:06.74
of Judah because of the faith of
Caleb, Amen? And he took on the
00:35:06.78\00:35:13.12
country. Hebron therefore
became the inheritance of Caleb
00:35:13.15\00:35:16.00
the son of Jephunneh the
Kenizzite to this day because he
00:35:16.03\00:35:18.81
wholly followed the Lord God of
Israel. Now if it's possible for
00:35:18.85\00:35:22.80
him to wholly follow God, is it
possible for us to be holy and
00:35:22.84\00:35:28.73
wholly follow God? A little foot
note. Joshua 11 verse 22: There
00:35:28.76\00:35:33.65
were none of the Anakim, the
Anakim were giants. The king had
00:35:33.69\00:35:38.63
a bed 12 feet tall. Keep in mind
Goliath was only nine-and-a-half
00:35:38.66\00:35:43.57
feet tall. The king of the
Anakim had a bed 12 feet long.
00:35:43.60\00:35:49.43
And it tells us that there were
none of the Anakim left in the
00:35:49.47\00:35:56.07
land. They all had to flee.
They were all defeated by the
00:35:56.10\00:35:59.25
children of Judah and Israel.
Only, and catch this little
00:35:59.29\00:36:02.24
footnote you might remember.
Only in the country of the
00:36:02.28\00:36:06.80
Philistines, which was Gath.
Who came out of Gath. Goliath.
00:36:06.83\00:36:11.53
Remember Goliath of what? Gath.
Gath, Gaza, Ashdod. You know
00:36:11.57\00:36:16.24
that's where Goliath and
his brothers lived. They were
00:36:16.27\00:36:19.18
descendants of the Anakim.
Probably a recessive gene that
00:36:19.22\00:36:22.06
popped up again around the time
of David. Anyway so Joshua was
00:36:22.10\00:36:25.41
given the mountain because of
his faith. I love this story. So
00:36:25.45\00:36:28.50
then they began to divide up the
land. It tells us that Joshua
00:36:28.53\00:36:32.29
gave them the land. You can read
in your New Testament about this
00:36:32.33\00:36:36.06
in Acts chapter 13 verse 19:
I believe Paul is speaking here
00:36:36.09\00:36:40.12
and he says, And when he had
destroyed seven nations in the
00:36:40.16\00:36:44.42
land of Canaan, he distributed
their land to them by allotment.
00:36:44.45\00:36:48.04
That's speaking about Joshua.
Those seven nations, that's sort
00:36:48.08\00:36:52.16
of a perfect picture of how
the territories are given to the
00:36:52.19\00:36:56.89
seven ages of the church. Joshua
chapter 11 verse 16: So Joshua
00:36:56.93\00:37:01.30
took all that land and the hills
and all the south country and
00:37:01.33\00:37:05.19
all the land of Goshen and
the valley and the plain and the
00:37:05.23\00:37:09.53
mountains of Israel and the
valley of the same. Little by
00:37:09.57\00:37:13.32
little he took the land and
he gave it to the children of
00:37:13.35\00:37:17.17
Israel. Matthew chapter
5 verse 5, who is going to
00:37:17.21\00:37:21.06
ultimately inherit the land?
Blessed are the meek. They will
00:37:21.09\00:37:24.85
inherit the earth. Jesus is
going to give us an inheritance.
00:37:24.88\00:37:28.57
Not only did Christ say, I go to
prepare a place for you and if I
00:37:28.61\00:37:32.39
go and prepare a place for
you I will come again. In my
00:37:32.42\00:37:34.74
Father's house are many mansions
There is the new Jerusalem where
00:37:34.78\00:37:37.94
a mansion is prepared for every
believer and he's prepared a
00:37:37.97\00:37:42.04
mansion for you there. But then
it says they go forth and they
00:37:42.07\00:37:45.50
inhabit the earth. What did God
say to Adam and Eve? He said go
00:37:45.53\00:37:48.46
forth, be fruitful and multiply.
And even after the tower of
00:37:48.50\00:37:52.09
Babel, go and subdue the earth.
Multiply, be fruitful. God wants
00:37:52.12\00:37:55.67
us to inherit the land and
in the new earth not only are we
00:37:55.71\00:37:59.14
going to have our country homes,
we're going to go forth from our
00:37:59.17\00:38:01.68
mansions in the new Jerusalem
outside of the gates of the city
00:38:01.71\00:38:04.18
and we're going to inherit
the earth. It says we'll plant
00:38:04.22\00:38:06.97
vineyards and eat the fruit
of them, we'll build houses and
00:38:07.00\00:38:10.23
inhabit them. It's going to be
very real. Our Joshua is going
00:38:10.26\00:38:13.74
to cause us to inherit the land,
Amen? You know what I think is
00:38:13.78\00:38:17.22
also interesting? God
specifically promised a
00:38:17.26\00:38:20.66
territory of land to Abraham and
his descendants; Abraham and his
00:38:20.70\00:38:25.34
seed, spiritual Israel. When the
New Jerusalem comes down, what
00:38:25.37\00:38:29.98
part of the earth does it
land on. Jesus' feet touch what
00:38:30.01\00:38:34.66
mountain? The Mount of Olives,
which is in the territory of
00:38:34.70\00:38:39.32
Judah. It splits and forms
a great valley. That valley is
00:38:39.35\00:38:42.86
even bigger than the territory
inhabited by Solomon, which was
00:38:42.90\00:38:47.83
Israel at its peak of glory.
Meaning that the borders of the
00:38:47.87\00:38:52.75
New Jerusalem, 375 miles on each
side, when it settles down it's
00:38:52.79\00:38:57.64
about the size of Oregon. When
it settles down on the earth
00:38:57.67\00:39:01.55
with the middle east, or Israel,
right at the center, within the
00:39:01.59\00:39:05.68
city of God, Central Park, in
the city of God is going to be
00:39:05.71\00:39:09.33
the territory God had promised
his people. He's going to keep
00:39:09.36\00:39:12.96
his promise and really give them
that land blessed in a special
00:39:12.99\00:39:16.04
way. I think the Garden of Eden
will be right in the middle.
00:39:16.07\00:39:20.76
Amen? But then we inherit the
whole earth. I get excited about
00:39:20.80\00:39:25.74
these things. You know in case
you think this is all a legend
00:39:25.78\00:39:30.69
or fairy tale, Joshua is
a historical figure. I found
00:39:30.72\00:39:34.84
something I thought you would
find very interesting. I don't
00:39:34.88\00:39:37.84
know how many of you have
heard of Numidia, Numidia. It
00:39:37.88\00:39:42.04
is a region near Algeria on
the west north part of present
00:39:42.07\00:39:46.07
day Africa. There are a lot of
ancient ruins in that country.
00:39:46.11\00:39:50.07
It was a territory that was
inhabited by the Phoenicians
00:39:50.11\00:39:53.51
thousands of years ago. In
Numidia there are two pillars
00:39:53.55\00:39:56.92
that have very ancient
Phoenician inscriptions on
00:39:56.95\00:40:00.46
them but they can be read
clearly. This is what it says in
00:40:00.49\00:40:03.66
one portion of that ancient
inscription from the Phoenicians
00:40:03.70\00:40:08.04
Now the Phoenicians lived more
along the coasts of that land.
00:40:08.07\00:40:12.37
Here's what it says:
00:40:12.41\00:40:15.13
You've heard of Joshua the son
of Nun. Many of them, as Joshua
00:40:24.42\00:40:28.30
inhabited the land were
annihilated. Those who didn't
00:40:28.34\00:40:30.75
run for their lives were killed.
But some of the Phoenicians
00:40:30.78\00:40:34.48
being a seafaring people may
have been off at sea during some
00:40:34.51\00:40:37.73
of these battles and realized
they lost their land and they
00:40:37.77\00:40:41.46
had to flee from Joshua and
his armies and some of them made
00:40:41.49\00:40:45.15
their homes around the
Mediterranean including this
00:40:45.19\00:40:48.13
place in Numidia. Isn't that
interesting. It's in history
00:40:48.17\00:40:52.25
even extra biblical history that
Joshua lived and he was the one
00:40:52.29\00:40:56.13
God used to take possession
of the Promised Land. I always
00:40:56.17\00:41:00.11
liked some of this scholarly
reinforcement for these things.
00:41:00.14\00:41:03.74
Now we're going to get near
the end of Joshua's life here.
00:41:03.78\00:41:07.24
Go with me to Joshua chapter
23. A lot of the book then has
00:41:07.27\00:41:11.79
talked about the dividing of
the land and the giving of the
00:41:11.83\00:41:16.28
inheritance, the various little
battles. As Joshua begins to age
00:41:16.31\00:41:23.19
he says in chapter 23 verse 11:
Take good heed therefore unto
00:41:23.23\00:41:28.74
yourselves that you love the
Lord your God. He brought all
00:41:28.77\00:41:32.51
the children of Israel together
and he wanted to give them a
00:41:32.55\00:41:36.65
final charge. That you love the
Lord your God. Else if you do
00:41:36.69\00:41:40.12
in anywise go back and
cleave unto the remnant of these
00:41:40.15\00:41:43.51
nations, meaning the pagan gods
they had just dispossessed, even
00:41:43.55\00:41:47.16
these that remain among you,
there were still some fragments
00:41:47.20\00:41:50.87
that were held out in little
pockets, if you make marriages
00:41:50.91\00:41:54.91
with any of them, know for a
certainty, I'm still in Joshua
00:41:54.95\00:41:59.35
23 between 11 and 14, know for
a certainty that the Lord your
00:41:59.39\00:42:03.29
God will no more drive out
any of these nations from before
00:42:03.32\00:42:07.71
you. But they will be snares and
traps unto you and scourges in
00:42:07.75\00:42:11.76
your side and thorns in your
eyes until you perish off the
00:42:11.80\00:42:15.77
good land that the Lord your
God has given you. Now did that
00:42:15.81\00:42:20.41
happen? They got comfortable
and you know what often happens?
00:42:20.45\00:42:25.02
I've got a friend help me
build a house and as we were
00:42:25.06\00:42:27.48
building the house I want
to move in. I was so excited to
00:42:27.52\00:42:29.87
move in and he said
don't move in. I said why?
00:42:29.91\00:42:32.60
He said wait until your done.
00:42:32.64\00:42:33.67
He said if you move in before
you're done you'll never finish
00:42:33.70\00:42:37.49
it. How many of you know that?
And I though ah come on. Base
00:42:37.52\00:42:40.98
board. I mean I can finish
the base board in a few rooms.
00:42:41.02\00:42:44.40
There were a few little light
fixtures in the closet, a little
00:42:44.44\00:42:47.07
dressing. I said, we're
ready to move in. We can't wait.
00:42:47.11\00:42:51.08
So we moved in. Here we are
20-something years later. The
00:42:51.11\00:42:55.98
baseboard is not done. Light
fixtures are still not up and I
00:42:56.01\00:43:00.84
could go through a
litany of other things. You get
00:43:00.88\00:43:04.14
comfortable and you say ah it's
working, it's good enough. And
00:43:04.18\00:43:07.22
what happened is they settled
down in the Promised Land and
00:43:07.26\00:43:09.96
they said, Ah yeah, we know
there's still a few pockets of
00:43:10.00\00:43:13.05
resistance, a few pagan camps
here and there, but hey, we're
00:43:13.09\00:43:16.75
on top of things. We rule.
And they got comfortable and the
00:43:16.79\00:43:20.21
nations began to multiply again
and they began to make friends
00:43:20.25\00:43:23.64
and they began to intermarry
and you know what? Go to the
00:43:23.67\00:43:26.22
Book of Judges. Next thing
you know some of those same
00:43:26.25\00:43:28.72
kingdoms that you thought that
you had completely done away
00:43:28.76\00:43:32.38
with are now occupying them
and enslaving them because they
00:43:32.42\00:43:36.01
didn't make a clean
sweep. By the way. There's an
00:43:36.04\00:43:40.43
application for you. When you
allow Jesus in your heart give
00:43:40.46\00:43:45.27
him every corner. Any area that
you still give to the enemy in
00:43:45.30\00:43:49.92
the Promised Land in your heart
it will grow until it finally
00:43:49.95\00:43:54.53
enslaves you again. You've
got to be scraping it clean.
00:43:54.56\00:44:00.50
Get every unclean, impure
area of your life taken over by
00:44:00.53\00:44:05.01
Joshua. Give it to Joshua.
You have got to absolutely
00:44:05.04\00:44:08.90
exterminate. Like when you're
getting rid of cockroaches.
00:44:08.93\00:44:12.42
If you let a couple of them
live and what happens? Just whew
00:44:12.46\00:44:15.78
pretty soon it's infested again.
And that's the way it is with
00:44:15.82\00:44:19.00
sin in our lives. Anything that
you allow to go unchecked or
00:44:19.03\00:44:22.91
cherished or tolerated will
grow and what you thought was no
00:44:22.94\00:44:26.56
threat you'd be surprised. Like
a boa constrictor. It will get
00:44:26.60\00:44:30.49
bit until it wraps itself around
your neck. So he said they'll
00:44:30.52\00:44:34.64
be thorns in your eyes, pain
in your side. And behold this
00:44:34.67\00:44:38.19
day I am going the way of all
the earth, meaning all that have
00:44:38.22\00:44:42.53
lived before me and died, except
Enoch. I am going the way of all
00:44:42.56\00:44:46.61
the earth and you know in your
hearts and your souls that not
00:44:46.65\00:44:50.49
one thing has failed of all the
good things which the Lord your
00:44:50.52\00:44:54.33
God spoke concerning you.
All have come to pass unto you.
00:44:54.36\00:44:57.39
Not one thing has failed.
You know, one reason I wanted to
00:44:57.43\00:45:00.95
read that to you again is
because how confident can we be
00:45:00.98\00:45:04.48
about the word of God? It
will all come to pass including
00:45:04.51\00:45:08.45
Jesus coming back again. Amen?
Then that famous statement in
00:45:08.48\00:45:12.67
chapter 24, last chapter of
Joshua. And if it seems evil to
00:45:12.71\00:45:16.96
you to serve the Lord, he
charges them again, choose for
00:45:17.00\00:45:21.19
yourselves this day who you will
serve, whether the gods which
00:45:21.22\00:45:24.81
your fathers served that were
on the other side of the river,
00:45:24.84\00:45:28.03
meaning the Euphrates, or the
gods of the Amorites in whose
00:45:28.06\00:45:31.88
land you now dwell. But as for
me and my house we will serve
00:45:31.92\00:45:35.31
the Lord. Now there's a lot in
this verse. For one thing up to
00:45:35.35\00:45:38.71
this point there's been no
reference made to Mrs. Joshua
00:45:38.75\00:45:41.18
or Joshua's children; they
are never named in the Bible.
00:45:41.22\00:45:43.58
But evidently he had a family
and a house or he wouldn't have
00:45:43.62\00:45:46.13
said that, right? We never
hear any more about Joshua.
00:45:46.17\00:45:49.62
He suddenly appears. We don't
know much about his ancestors.
00:45:49.66\00:45:53.14
He's the son of Nun and then he
disappears. We don't ever hear
00:45:53.18\00:45:56.62
about his posterity. It tells
where he is buried. Another
00:45:56.66\00:46:01.94
thing about this verse, it says
we get to choose. Why would God
00:46:01.98\00:46:05.23
ask us to choose. You know those
who are largely Calvinistic say
00:46:05.27\00:46:08.49
you have no choice. It's
all done by the arbitrary
00:46:08.52\00:46:10.91
sovereignty of God. I believe
in the sovereignty of God but he
00:46:10.94\00:46:14.23
gives us a choice. Otherwise
why would Jesus say whosoever
00:46:14.26\00:46:18.16
will? You get to address, you
get to exercise your will, your
00:46:18.20\00:46:23.58
choice in deciding to serve
the Lord have made a choice.
00:46:23.62\00:46:28.93
But as for me and my house, we
will serve the Lord. What more
00:46:28.97\00:46:32.14
do we find here? No matter what
anyone else does you can still
00:46:32.18\00:46:36.35
serve the Lord. Don't blame your
apostasy on the apostasy in the
00:46:36.38\00:46:40.23
church. Right? So many say ah
the church is in such a state of
00:46:40.26\00:46:43.25
apostasy. I'm a little better
than them but that's why I'm
00:46:43.29\00:46:46.24
you know a little
bit compromising now.
00:46:46.27\00:46:49.12
You can say you do what you
want but as for me and my house,
00:46:49.16\00:46:52.61
we're going to serve the
Lord. You have a choice to make.
00:46:52.64\00:46:55.74
What everyone around you
is doing is not your problem.
00:46:55.78\00:46:59.64
Well it can be a problem
but I mean it's not your excuse.
00:46:59.67\00:47:03.46
If you want to serve the Lord,
you can serve the Lord no matter
00:47:03.50\00:47:06.65
what everyone else is doing
Amen? Even if you seem to stand
00:47:06.68\00:47:11.14
all alone. And then it says they
buried him. He died and they
00:47:11.17\00:47:14.56
buried him in the mountains of
Ephraim. Keep in mind Joshua was
00:47:14.60\00:47:17.95
not from the tribe of Judah
as Jesus was. He was from the
00:47:17.98\00:47:21.45
tribe of Ephraim, a son of
Joseph. Now don't forget that.
00:47:21.48\00:47:25.85
Can you imagine that last 30
years of Joshua's life where he
00:47:25.88\00:47:30.09
enjoyed the Promised Land.
Probably around 1406 B.C. they
00:47:30.12\00:47:33.51
conquered the Promised Land.
He got to settle down and enjoy
00:47:33.54\00:47:37.42
himself in his old age for
about 30 years. He died at 110.
00:47:37.45\00:47:41.16
By the way, the same age as
Joseph when he died was the same
00:47:41.19\00:47:45.37
age of Joshua. Can you imagine
how the children of Israel in
00:47:45.40\00:47:49.04
the next generations would
come and listen to that old man?
00:47:49.08\00:47:53.64
Can you imagine being able to
talk to Joshua? You know I love
00:47:53.68\00:47:57.55
history and you've heard me
talk about one of my favorite
00:47:57.59\00:48:00.62
episodes in history is the
story of the Lewis and Clark
00:48:00.66\00:48:04.32
expedition. There was one
character, he was the carpenter,
00:48:04.36\00:48:08.12
Sergeant Patrick Gass was
the carpenter for the Lewis and
00:48:08.16\00:48:11.93
Expedition. That's actually
a photograph of this, the only
00:48:11.97\00:48:15.05
photograph of anybody from
the Lewis and Clark expedition.
00:48:15.09\00:48:17.89
You know how they got a
photograph of him? Because the
00:48:17.92\00:48:20.66
Lewis and Clark expedition was
1804. There was no photography
00:48:20.69\00:48:27.26
then. This fellow was born in
1771 and he lived until 1870, 99
00:48:27.30\00:48:32.92
years. Not only can you imagine
living through the Lewis and
00:48:32.95\00:48:38.54
Clark expedition all that
you would see. He knew George
00:48:38.57\00:48:42.61
Washington. He knew Thomas
Jefferson. Matter of fact,
00:48:42.64\00:48:46.61
Jefferson commissioned the whole
group. Matter of fact, he voted
00:48:46.64\00:48:49.77
in elections all the way from
Washington, he was probably too
00:48:49.81\00:48:52.90
young for Washington, but
he lived during the time of
00:48:52.94\00:48:55.09
Washington to Ulysses Grant.
He fought alongside, get this,
00:48:55.12\00:48:59.30
Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett
and they was a big gap between
00:48:59.34\00:49:03.48
them. He fought in the
war of 1812, he fought in the
00:49:03.51\00:49:08.01
Revolutionary War and he
volunteered for the Civil War.
00:49:08.04\00:49:12.47
But by that point he was in his
80's and they thanked him but
00:49:12.50\00:49:17.92
turned him down. Can you
imagine talking to Patrick Gass
00:49:17.95\00:49:23.40
and saying what was it like
with Thomas Jefferson? What did
00:49:23.44\00:49:27.50
Washington really look like?
I mean this guy was a walking
00:49:27.54\00:49:31.23
history book. All of the
stories. I mean he watched the
00:49:31.26\00:49:34.89
country basically be born. I did
the funeral for my grandfather
00:49:34.92\00:49:38.62
a few years ago. He lived to 93.
Not so old but the generation.
00:49:38.66\00:49:41.70
There are some of you here today
that are in the same ball park.
00:49:41.74\00:49:44.75
We've got a sister here
today over 100, Mable Crawford.
00:49:44.78\00:49:49.54
Can you imagine living in
a generation where you see
00:49:49.57\00:49:55.03
World War I, World War
II, going from kerosene to
00:49:55.07\00:50:00.46
fluorescent bulbs, going
from horses to space station?
00:50:00.49\00:50:05.78
Can you imagine living in that
generation. I sometimes don't
00:50:05.82\00:50:08.15
think we appreciate the
people who have experienced the
00:50:08.19\00:50:11.17
greatest transition in the
history of the world. Can you
00:50:11.21\00:50:14.08
imagine talking to Joshua?
Saying what was it like back
00:50:14.11\00:50:16.91
when you were slaves? What was
it like when the plagues fell on
00:50:16.94\00:50:19.50
Egypt? I mean, what was it
like going through the Red Sea?
00:50:19.54\00:50:21.98
What was it like going through
the Jordan? What was it like
00:50:22.01\00:50:24.04
when the pillar of fire was
there and the manna came down
00:50:24.07\00:50:27.10
from heaven? Can you imagine
the experience that man had?
00:50:27.13\00:50:31.08
And that's why the Bible says
that all that generation served
00:50:31.11\00:50:34.59
the Lord. Because they could
go to Joshua and they could talk
00:50:34.63\00:50:37.60
about wonderful things that
God had done and see this man
00:50:37.64\00:50:41.30
glowing with the faith and
courage of God. We don't have
00:50:41.34\00:50:45.61
too many Joshuas left these
days. Now we're not done, almost
00:50:45.65\00:50:49.89
done. You know how the
book of Joshua ends. It's very
00:50:49.92\00:50:52.05
interesting. Joshua 24:32: And
the bones of Joseph which the
00:50:52.09\00:50:58.82
children of Israel brought up
out of Egypt, stop! I've got to
00:50:58.86\00:51:04.17
take you back to the last words
of Genesis. You know what the
00:51:04.21\00:51:09.49
last words of Genesis
are? They're not talking about
00:51:09.52\00:51:11.71
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The last words in Genesis are
00:51:11.74\00:51:13.86
Joseph's, another type of Christ
The last words in Genesis are in
00:51:13.89\00:51:19.04
a coffin in Egypt. Because
the last thing that happens in
00:51:19.07\00:51:23.49
Genesis is Joseph charges his
people. He says: I am dying but
00:51:23.53\00:51:27.32
God will surely visit you and
bring you out of this land to
00:51:27.36\00:51:31.12
the land which he swore
to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
00:51:31.15\00:51:34.33
Then Joseph took an oath from
the children of Israel saying
00:51:34.37\00:51:38.37
God will surely visit you and
you will carry up my bones from
00:51:38.41\00:51:43.25
here. Don't leave me in Egypt.
Don't leave me in Egypt. I was
00:51:43.28\00:51:47.72
carried down here as a slave.
I'm not coming forth in the
00:51:47.75\00:51:52.12
resurrection in the land of my
captivity. I'm coming forth in
00:51:52.16\00:51:55.27
the resurrection in the
Promised Land. Promise me.
00:51:55.31\00:51:58.48
So they made a promise. From
the time that happened of course
00:51:58.52\00:52:01.71
hundreds of years went by, they
were slaves. But they embalmed
00:52:01.75\00:52:05.08
Joseph. They had his body. When
they finally had the Exodus they
00:52:05.12\00:52:08.34
had not forgotten their promise.
During that 40 years in the
00:52:08.37\00:52:11.32
wilderness along with watching
them lug around the tabernacle
00:52:11.36\00:52:14.50
they probably had an oxen cart
or something, I've got a picture
00:52:14.53\00:52:17.81
here where they were actually
dragging it on a sled. But I
00:52:17.85\00:52:21.03
don't think they did that. They
were carrying the sarcophagus
00:52:21.06\00:52:24.90
He was embalmed like King Tut
probably, I mean this was the
00:52:24.94\00:52:28.09
prime minister of Egypt. They
are carrying this coffin for 40
00:52:28.12\00:52:31.54
years in the wilderness to keep
a promise. And now after all the
00:52:31.58\00:52:34.96
years of conquest, finally
when Joshua settled down, they'd
00:52:35.00\00:52:38.85
taken possession of the Promised
Land, like a seed they plant the
00:52:38.88\00:52:46.19
remains of Joseph in the
Promised Land. And bones of
00:52:46.22\00:52:49.14
Joseph, I'm back to Joshua
chapter 24, which the children
00:52:49.17\00:52:52.23
of Israel brought up out of
Egypt, the book ends by saying
00:52:52.27\00:52:55.26
a promise is kept, they buried
in Shechem in a parcel of ground
00:52:55.29\00:52:59.41
which Jacob bought from
the sons of Hamor the father of
00:52:59.45\00:53:02.90
Shechem for 100 pieces of silver
and it became the inheritance of
00:53:02.93\00:53:06.23
the children of Joseph. Jacob
before they ever went to Egypt
00:53:06.26\00:53:10.27
had bought a place to bury.
Joseph said, that's where I want
00:53:10.30\00:53:13.63
to be buried and that's where I
want to come forth. I want to be
00:53:13.66\00:53:17.99
raised in the Promised Land next
to my family. You know, another
00:53:18.02\00:53:23.17
bit of history. I'll close with
this. David Livingston was not
00:53:23.21\00:53:27.60
that successful as a missionary.
He was a missionary, dedicated
00:53:27.64\00:53:32.02
Christian, Godly man, but he
was really more successful as an
00:53:32.06\00:53:36.65
explorer. He spent all those
years opening up Africa for the
00:53:36.69\00:53:40.18
missionaries is what he really
did. And he had a couple of
00:53:40.21\00:53:43.63
servants that loved him. He was
such a godly man they loved him
00:53:43.66\00:53:46.00
with all their hearts. They were
a couple of his converts; he
00:53:46.03\00:53:49.37
only had a few. As went back
there even though his health was
00:53:49.41\00:53:52.12
very poor, he left England on
his last trip and went back to
00:53:52.15\00:53:55.94
Africa to try and do some
more work charting around Lake
00:53:55.98\00:53:59.93
Victoria and he realized he
was dying from malaria that had
00:53:59.96\00:54:04.98
bothered him for years and he
extracted a promise from his two
00:54:05.01\00:54:09.73
servants and he said, bury
my heart in Africa, but take my
00:54:09.76\00:54:13.80
body back to England. He didn't
know how they were going to do
00:54:13.84\00:54:16.63
it. They didn't know how they
were going to do it but they
00:54:16.67\00:54:19.60
promised they would do that.
Well one day they heard a sound
00:54:19.64\00:54:22.20
in his tent and took candles
and they went and they found
00:54:22.24\00:54:25.79
that he had died on his knees
with his Bible open praying.
00:54:25.83\00:54:30.81
His servants, and I've got their
names here, Shuma and Suzzi,
00:54:30.84\00:54:35.76
they buried his heart under
a tree. They took salt, they
00:54:35.79\00:54:40.61
embalmed his body and they
wrapped his body up. They sewed
00:54:40.64\00:54:45.39
it in sail cloth. These are two
primitive friends that loved him
00:54:45.42\00:54:48.69
very much, they weren't experts
at this, but they did the best
00:54:48.73\00:54:53.00
they could. They then strung a
long pole between the sail cloth
00:54:53.03\00:54:56.70
that they had sewed his body in;
it was all mummified basically.
00:54:56.74\00:55:02.34
They carried his body 1000 miles
on their shoulders to Zanzibar.
00:55:02.37\00:55:07.94
They gave it to the British
consul there and they said
00:55:07.98\00:55:11.29
you're kidding. This can't
be Dr. Livingston. They examined
00:55:11.32\00:55:14.34
the body. They saw the wounds
from a lion wound everyone knew
00:55:14.38\00:55:17.62
he had; it was him and they took
it to Westminster Abbey where it
00:55:17.65\00:55:20.85
was buried. But talk about
that dedication. He wanted to be
00:55:20.89\00:55:25.86
raised back at home. Why did
Joseph say, take my bones out of
00:55:25.90\00:55:30.31
this place? You know what that's
telling us? God is saying no
00:55:30.35\00:55:34.73
matter what battles we've
got in this life, we can look
00:55:34.76\00:55:38.25
forward to a resurrection in
the Promised Land. We want to be
00:55:38.28\00:55:42.52
raised in a different
world don't we? And that's what
00:55:42.56\00:55:46.26
Joseph wanted that he could come
forth and be at home surrounded
00:55:46.30\00:55:50.66
by his family when he came forth
The story of Joshua is such a
00:55:50.70\00:55:54.77
beautiful story because it's
a story of coming out of slavery
00:55:54.81\00:55:58.98
and coming home. It's a story
of victory. It's a story of
00:55:59.01\00:56:02.74
courage. It's a story of faith
and God put it in the Bible
00:56:02.78\00:56:06.44
because he wants it to be your
story. He wants you to be in the
00:56:06.47\00:56:10.20
Promised Land. He wants you to
have that faith. He wants you to
00:56:10.24\00:56:13.24
have that victory and he'll make
the sun and the moon stand still
00:56:13.28\00:56:16.25
to give it to you. You can
be there. You need to say, like
00:56:16.28\00:56:20.21
Caleb, Lord give me this
mountain. Though your sins
00:56:20.25\00:56:23.32
might be like a mountain, if
you've got faith you could say
00:56:23.35\00:56:25.76
be removed and that mountain
will be plucked up and cast in
00:56:25.80\00:56:29.01
the midst of the sea, Amen? You
can be there and by God's grace
00:56:29.04\00:56:32.98
your bones can be planted in the
Promised Land and you can come
00:56:33.02\00:56:36.92
forth with your
friends and with Joshua. Amen?
00:56:36.95\00:56:40.63
Oh, loving Lord, We're so
thankful for the power and the
00:56:40.66\00:56:44.94
beauty of your word that
inspires us. And we can see
00:56:44.98\00:56:49.19
shadows when Joshua first came
and took the Promised Land that
00:56:49.22\00:56:53.00
will be repeated in our day.
Lord, I pray we can learn from
00:56:53.03\00:56:56.31
these lessons and more than
that I pray that we will apply
00:56:56.34\00:56:59.75
the truths to our lives. Help
us to have lives of victory.
00:56:59.79\00:57:03.13
Help us Lord to trust in you, to
make a covenant with you and I
00:57:03.16\00:57:08.12
pray that you'll give us
the power, work miracles of
00:57:08.16\00:57:11.50
deliverance in our behalf. A lot
of needs are represented Lord
00:57:11.53\00:57:15.18
both in this house of worship,
in the lives of every person,
00:57:15.22\00:57:18.20
those who are in their pews
still and those who have come
00:57:18.24\00:57:21.98
forward for the appeal and I
pray that you'll bless them Lord
00:57:22.02\00:57:25.72
Be with them in their families,
bring peace and power into their
00:57:25.75\00:57:29.42
families that we might live
Christian lives. I pray Lord
00:57:29.45\00:57:33.09
you'll strengthen our faith,
give us more courage and help us
00:57:33.12\00:57:37.09
live like a people that are
on our way to the Promised Land.
00:57:37.12\00:57:41.61
Bless us Lord, each one, as we
go from this place. We pray for
00:57:41.64\00:57:46.09
the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit that will sense you're
00:57:46.13\00:57:48.97
with us wherever we go. Lord
I wouldn't be afraid to go into
00:57:49.01\00:57:51.86
battle with Joshua at my
side and that's essentially what
00:57:51.89\00:57:55.13
you're saying today. We can go
from this place with Joshua at
00:57:55.16\00:57:58.67
our side, our Jesus. Thank
you for this promise and we pray
00:57:58.71\00:58:02.19
these things in his name, Amen
00:58:02.22\00:58:06.24