Joshua 10:9

Joshua 10:9 says, Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.  Joshua went by night tis time.  We should be ready to go when God leads us, whether it is by day or by night.  Verse ten declares,  And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.  Joshua did not defeat those who came against him, but God did.  We today as followers of Christ must rely on the strength of God to defeat our enemies.  Joshua and the people of Israel were involved in the battle, but God gave them the victory.  Verse eleven states, And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.  This part of the victory Joshua and the children of Israel had nothing to do with.  God killed more with great hailstones from heaven than were killed by the swords of the people of Israel.  We mat never know how many people were killed in this world by acts of God against evil.  I don't believe that we should think that every time something bad happens in a place that we think is evil that we should attribute it to God punishing those who live there though.  I believe that when God acts there will no be question that He is the One doing it.  Verse twelve declares, Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.  Joshua spoke to God and asked that the sun stand sill in Gibeon, and the moon stand still in the valley of Ajalon.  This was indeed to be a longest day, and Joshua asked this in the presence of the people of Israel.  This could not happen with the universe coming into existence by some cosmic accident, but could only occur by the power of the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  God is in control of all that He created, except for mankind, whom He gave free will.  It is not that God cannot force us to do His will, but that He chooses to allow us the choice of whether to follow Him or not.  Verse thirteen adds, And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.  I am not sure what the book of Jasher is, but the fact that this happened was recorded elsewhere.  The sun stayed up until the enemies of Israel were defeated, because Joshua had asked God to cause it to.  Joshua had faith in the power of God and gave God the credit for that victory over the enemies of Israel.  We need to rely on God's power when we engage the enemy today, and we must also give Him the  credit when we are victorious.  Verse fourteen continues, And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.  This says that this was a one time thing, where God listened to what Joshua asked, and that the LORD fought for Israel.  I don't believe that this means that God will never hear our requests again, but that when we pray, that we must pray for God's will to be done.  This would seem to be more that Joshua wanted God to endorse his plan, which God did.  Verse fifteen concludes, And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.  Joshua and the people of Israel returned to camp at Gilgal.  God was giving them victory over their enemies, just as He had said He would.  It had taken the people of Israel another forty years to claim what God had already promised them.  God has already promised us victory if we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, and there is no reason to delay accepting this gift.  When we do, we can rest at ease, no matter what is going on in the world around us.