TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE WHEN GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE

TIME IS ON MY SIDE WHEN GOD IS ON MY SIDE

In Joshua 10, some of the surrounding Kings were beginning to get just a little concerned to say the least.  They had heard how Joshua and the armies of Israel had defeated Ai and Jericho.  They're thinking, "Man are we next?"  On top of that, a strategic city, and a great city, Gibeon had entered into covenant with the Israelites! 

In the context of 2011, just think about how it makes the devil and his demons feel when someone is converted to a genuine covenant relationship with Christ. 

Someone who was strategic in the devil's kingdom and instrumental in keeping people from Christ is no longer useful for the devil but on the contrary is now increasing the Kingdom of God!

Joshua 10:1 Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.

The situation here is that Joshua and the armies of Israel have entered into their promised land and they are in the process of taking cities.  They are dispossessing enemy armies and taking possession.

That's what we do today as we walk through our promised land.  The bible says we tread on serpents and scorpions as we possess all God has given us!

We convert the hearts of men from the grip and hold of the devil and translate them into another kingdom. 

If you trace the Gibeonites, they are hard to find in history.  It seems they may have just been absorbed into Israel.  Truly when those that are strangers of Christ come to him, they are made new and are made a part of another kingdom! Hallelujah!

That's exactly what Jesus came to do!  He came to destroy the works of the devil and drive him from territories in the hearts of people.  He then absorbs them into him!

THE ENEMIES HAD HEARD THE BUZZ

Joshua 10:2  that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.  3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying,4 “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

The kings of the surrounding nations had HEARD and were in FEAR about the covenant of peace Israel had made with Gibeon (covered in previous blogs.)  They decided to come against Gibeon in a united front.

It said they heard!  What did they hear?

• They heard a word of destruction!
• They heard their God fought for Israel.
• They heard they were unbeatable.
• They heard of how Gibeon had joined Israel.
• They feared!
• How did they hear?

THE BUZZ

It was as we call it "the talk of the town!"

Joshua 10:3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 "Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.”

You know you've got something going on when you're the talk of the town.  There's a story being played out and you're one of the players and the players are:

• The ones creating the stir
• The ones wisely joining with the winners
• The ones gossiping and spreading the news- truth, fear, rumor
• The ones fighting the losing battle- the enemies
• The ones that joined with Israel in covenant

At the end of the day, there was a buzz as one king told another who told another who told another.

THEY ATTACKED THE FRIENDS- THE ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED

Remember from the previous chapter, the Gibeonites were the ones that joined with Israel.  This nation eventually disappears in history having been absorbed into the nation of Israel (I think.)  Gibeon had decided it was better to serve Israel than fight them.  Therefore they entered into covenant obligating Joshua to fight for them.  You will see how God viewed this covenant momentarily.

Because Gibeon was large and strategic, the kings of the surrounding cities joined together in a unified front to attack Gibeon, the new covenant friends of Joshua and Israel!

Anyone is welcome to join themselves to God in truth. They always have been and always will be. When you seek to join with God in truth you will not be denied and even your history as an enemy doesn't stop God!

You may have a history but God holds the future in his hands! In Joshua 10 God made the sun stand still for Gibeon, a former enemy!

  

Jesus is our new testament Joshua. It's the same name in Hebrew and it means savior of the world!  These men entered into covenant with Yeshua even though the were strangers and foreigners. Because they agreed to be friends and not to fight against Israel, Israel would protect them.

Josh 10: 6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.” 

They reminded Joshua of the covenant. In the covenant they were made servants!  They said, "Hey! Don't forget us!" 

That's all it took for them and that's all it takes for us!

NOT FORSAKEN

Time is on your side because you are not forsaken.  It doesn't matter how long your battle takes, God has already given and promised victory!

They were not forsaken and we are not forsaken!

What have you been through that makes you feel as if you are forgotten and forsaken?

It's time to do three things.  1- Call upon the name of the Lord and 2-Believe his Word and 3-Watch what he does!

Here's just a few scriptures you can hang onto.  Sometimes it's easy to believe the lies and the rumors. 

These kings got together and they were talk talk talking but it says the Gibeonites called on Joshua (Yeshua) and reminded him of covenant.  Look at the truth:

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8
And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

Joshua 1:5
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

Joshua was given the same promise as Moses and Joshua knew the he had to give this Gentile nation the same promise he had from God and that was to NOT be forsaken.  Before hearing from God, Joshua understood covenant.  

Today we have the same promise:

You may feel forsaken at times but listen to the Word of God!

2 Corinthians 4:9
persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

Look forward for this blog to continue tomorrow!  Stay tuned for Part 2!