Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured and completely destroyed Ai and killed its king, just as he had destroyed the town of Jericho and killed its king. He also learned that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and were now their allies. He and his people became very afraid when they heard all this because Gibeon was a large town—as large as the royal cities and larger than Ai. And the Gibeonite men were strong warriors.
So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings…“Come and help me destroy Gibeon,” he urged them, “for they have made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel.” So these five Amorite kings combined their armies for a united attack. They moved all their troops into place and attacked Gibeon. The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal. “Don’t abandon your servants now!” they pleaded. “Come at once! Save us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have joined forces to attack us.”
So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon. “Do not be afraid of them,” the LORD said to Joshua, “for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.”Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise. The LORD threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the LORD destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword. On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the LORD answered such a prayer. Surely the LORD fought for Israel that day! JOSHUA 10:1-14 NLT
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? MATTHEW 6:27 NLT
Fear of the LORD lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. PROVERBS 10:27 NLT
Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”EPHESIANS 6:1-3 NLT
Don’t be overly wicked, do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? ECCLESIASTES 7:17 NLT (See also Job 22:16)
Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you… May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 1 TIMOTHY 1:18 NLT
Fight the good fight for the true faith. 1 TIMOTHY 6:12 NLT
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 2 TIMOTHY 4:7 NLT
Find a quiet place where you can be alone with God. Think about how you want to grow in your faith, in your relationship with God and in the way you live your life. Spend a few moments with God and ask him these questions: Who is God to you? What does he want from and for you? Now, read and ponder the story from Joshua 10:1-14. How can seeing God’s power over his creation help your faith grow? Now spend a few moments considering Joshua’s response. Joshua faced five fierce armies, but did not hesitate to run into the fight. How can seeing Joshua’s response help you respond to what God might be asking of you? As you move through your week, share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust.