Joshua 10:12-14
12-13 The Lord was helping the Israelites defeat the Amorites that day. So about noon, Joshua prayed to the Lord loud enough for the Israelites to hear:
“Our Lord, make the sun stop
in the sky over Gibeon,
and the moon stand still
over Aijalon Valley.”
So the sun and the moon
stopped and stood still
until Israel defeated its enemies.
This poem can be found in The Book of Jashar. The sun stood still and didn’t go down for about a whole day.
14 Never before and never since has the Lord done anything like that for someone who prayed. The Lord was really fighting for Israel.
Since crossing over the Jordan, God has been partnering with Israel to defeat her spiritual enemies. A confederation of five Canaanite kings and their armies are coming to make war against the Israelites. They have heard about Israel’s God who brings freedom, as well as fights for them and delivers them. In partnership with the Lord, Israel will face and fight this Canaanite rebellion against Yahweh and His ways. The Lord commands Joshua, “Fear not!” And then God gives Joshua a promise, “I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.” So, Joshua responds with faith and calls his men to march all night (20 miles) towards Gibeon; the location of the spiritual battle. God causes the enemy to retreat away from Israel and He sends a hailstorm from heaven that rains upon the enemy and destroys many of them. Joshua wants to fight for the Lord, so he continues in faith.
The Canaanites worshiped pagan gods associated with nature. When God begins to destroy evil with the hailstorm, Joshua is so filled with gratitude and love for the Lord—the commander of heaven’s armies—he prays a very bold prayer. He asks God to make the sun stand still over Gibeon and the moon over Aijalon, so Israel can accomplish a complete victory against the sin, wickedness, and demonic spirits that have been ruling the Canaanites. God answers Joshua’s courageous prayer. No one really knows how God caused the sun and moon to remain still in the sky, but it did. Maybe it was an eclipse; definitely it was a miracle God used to provide time. Everyone looked up and no one missed the message that Gibeon would now be under the command of Almighty God—Yahweh—the Lord of heaven and earth!
Prayer: Lord, you are the God of all miracles and we come and bow before you today. You love us and care for us. You do not tolerate evil; you never will. We, too, should be intolerant of the evil that tries to rob us; the work of evil to dishonor your leadership in our lives and in your world. Help us to have the faith of Joshua and to pray boldly to partner with you in taking down the sin in our lives, as well as the wickedness and demonic spirits that occupy this land. In Jesus’ name. Amen.