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Joshua 11:4-6, 23 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. 5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. 6 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. … 23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

How big is your God?

The God of the Scripture is bigger than anything or anyone in this universe. I need to continually remind myself of this. And you do, too. I often find myself wanting to despair, to back off, to quit. Then the Lord reminds me. I am to do my part and trust Him. He tells me:

Galatians 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Oh Beloved, you must DO. You must SOW.
You must SOW the right SEED.

What you sow – the seed you plant – shall eventually bring forth a harvest. If you sow evil, you will harvest evil. If you sow good, you will reap good. Many years may pass before you see the harvest. But you should continue faithfully doing good. As we are told, let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

In Joshua Chapter 11 we see the last battle fought for the Promised Land. The Book of Joshua can be divided into two parts. The first part – chapters 1-12 – cover the first 7 years of Joshua’s military campaign to take Canaan. The first 10 chapters of the Book cover a period of less than one year. Israel quickly took the land and Joshua suffered only one defeat – the first battle at Ai – because of the sin of Achan’s family. After God’s people came together in one accord and in one purpose …

God’s People Are Called To CONTINUED
Unity Of Purpose And Service

Did you know God calls us to BE IN ONE ACCORD?
In ONE ACCORD with Him, and in ONE ACCORD with one another?

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be NO DIVISIONS among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

As a retired Airman I can assure you it is impossible to defeat the enemy if you are not in one accord both vertically (Godward) as well as horizontally (manward).

America lost in Vietnam because the military was in disharmony with it’s leadership. God’s people MUST be in harmony with GOD and with ONE ANOTHER.

God calls US to serve Him.
Let US not be weary in well doing.
For in due season WE shall reap.

The only blot on Joshua’s impeccable record of victory was at Ai, and that was not his fault, but the fault of Achan and his family. Oh, how many times has ONE FAMILY destroyed a Church? I know of churches right now – some that I tried my best to pastor – who never understood the principle of unity. Some of these churches cannot find a pastor, and won’t be able to find a pastor until they come into one accord. Others have shut their doors. Oh, how disharmony destroys a people! One of the tiniest hymns in the Hebrew hymnbook – only three verses long – says:

Psalm 133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Unity with God and unity with one another – it is here that the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore . Most people miss the point of heaven. Heaven is a place where there is no sickness, sadness, or pain. Heaven is a place where death is banished, and life is good and eternal. Why is that? Because:

Revelation 22:3 … there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him

Jesus shall dwell with His people, and we shall be His people, and God Himself will be with us, and be our God (Revelation 21:3). The Lord shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there shall be no more pain (Revelation 21:4). Why? Because we as God’s people will be in ONE ACCORD in God’s ultimate Promised Land. Oh Beloved, that day is coming. That blessed day is coming. But it is not yet.

As we come to Chapters 11 & 12 of this blessed Book we might think that these chapters are but as short a time as Chapters 1 through 10 were. Remember I told you the first 10 chapters of the Book cover a period of less than one year. These last two chapters however cover around 6 years of battle. We are told:

Joshua 11:18 … Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

Joshua did not see a win come quickly. Now God promised Joshua a win.

Joshua, your job is YOUR job.
My job is My job, saith the Lord!

Joshua 1:3-7 … Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

When God made His promise to Joshua the Lord said “as I promised Moses, so I promise you”.Question

If God made the same promise to MOSES,
Why is JOSHUA and not MOSES going into Canaan?

God told Joshua “as I was with MOSES, so I will be with YOU. I WILL NOT fail thee or forsake thee”. So why in the world is JOSHUA now leading Israel into this final battle and not Moses? Very simply:

Moses failed to stay in harmony with God.
Moses parted from God’s Word.
The Leader or Church that departs from God’s Word
need not expect the blessings of God.

There is a little church not far from us, a church the Lord loves as much as He loves us. I’ve been at Riverview now going into my 7^th year. This little church not far from us has gone through three pastors since I’ve been here. Why? Beloved, when Joshua went into the Promised Land God repeatedly warned him to keep his eyes upward. God loved Moses. See it:

Joshua 1:13 … Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you …

Joshua 3:7 … as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

Joshua 4:10 … according to all that Moses commanded Joshua …

Joshua 8:31 … As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel ..

Joshua 9:24 … the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses …

Joshua 11:15 … As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua …

Joshua 12:6 … Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD …

This is just a few instances where we see Moses mentioned in the Book of Joshua. In many of the occurrences where Moses name is he is called “Moses, the servant of the Lord”. FIFTY EIGHT TIMES in the Book of Joshua the Lord mentions “Moses, the servant of the Lord”. I was reading something a fellow Christian and children’s book author Steve Hart wrote the other day that is so significant. He told his three year old son August to put his shoes away before going to bed. When checked later he found that his son had put his little shoes inside of his daddy’s shoes. This is such a graphic illustration as to what is going on in the Book of Joshua. For forty years Moses daily walked in God’s footsteps. Before he went to bed at night Moses took off his shoes and put them in God’s shoes. For forty years. Then one day Moses – Moses the servant of the Lord – forgot to put his feet in the footprints of God. Imagine if you would having a small child with you, and hearing the account of Moses – mentioned FIFTY EIGHT times in this Book. Now imagine that child saying,

Daddy – Momma – where is Moses?
Why isn’t Moses leading us now?
If God loves Moses
why is Joshua NOW leading us?

Beloved, it is because Moses stepped away from God. Moses put his shoes in the wrong place.

God promises to give victory, to bless His children, to give us the Promised Land. But this promise of blessing is conditional to our obedience. Though Moses failed God and lost the blessing he did not lose the eternal promise of salvation. Salvation is a gift from God. It is always a gift from God. But blessing is CONDITIONAL on obedience.

We sing:     “When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
what a glory He spreads on our way!
When we do His good will, He abides with us still,
and with all who will TRUST and OBEY.
TRUST AND OBEY, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to TRUST AND OBEY.”

Oh Beloved, strive to finish well. Keep your feet in God’s footprints during the day. When you go to bed at night, take off your shoes and put them in your Heavenly Father’s shoes. Be not weary in well doing. Reject sin – confess it quickly – and stay in His Word!

God’s People Are Called To FOCUSED
Purpose And Service To God ALONE

Joshua 11:4-5 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. 5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

God’s people often lose the Presence of God when they – like Moses – depart from His Word. But another reason we lose the Presence of God is when we focus on the enemy and not on the Lord.

The darkness does not relent. In Joshua chapter 6 the walls of Jericho – a fortified city – fall when God’s people are focused upon the Lord. I preached this sermon a few weeks ago and will not preach it again. Then we came to Joshua chapter 10 when Joshua prayed for a long day, saying:

Joshua 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord… Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

God caused the sun not to set nor the moon to rise until Joshua defeated the enemy. After all this you would think that the enemy would just back off and leave the land. Yet this was not the case. The Bible says:

Joshua 11:1-3 … And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, 3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.

Hazor was the leading city in northern Canaan, and Jabin was it’s king. The name “Jabin” (Hebrew יָבִין Yâbîyn, {pronounced yaw-bene}) is not a name but a title. The “Jabin” was like the “Governor” or “Pharaoh”. He was the exalted ruler of this huge city. Hazor had around 40,000 people – and most of the walled cities of Northern Canaan had populations of 200 people per acre of land. Israel came into the Promised Land and within a year destroyed all the enemies that they came against. Jabin heard of this destruction. Rather than repent and vacate the premises he became the tip of the spear, calling the other walled cities into a united army against Israel! How big was this army? No one really knows, but the Bible tells us:

Joshua 11:4 … they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

If you have ever been to the seashore or the beach you know you cannot count the number of grains of sand on that shore. Dr. W.A. Criswell – a pastor whom I have long admired who is now with the Lord – said in his sermon “The Final Victory”:

“(The first century Romano-Jewish historian) Josephus says that that army had 300,000 foot soldiers, that they had 100,000 cavalry, and that they had 20,000 iron chariots. Josephus said that what terrified Israel was the iron chariots. They had never faced them before. And Josephus says that the prospect of warring against thousands of chariots terrified Israel. For the great historian says that when the chariots were driven by the warriors into the rank of the opposing soldiers and the men in the chariots had such wonderful opportunity to throw their javelins, and to shoot their arrows, and to cut down with their sword; he said the affect of the driving of chariots furiously into the ranks of an opposing army was devastating in the extreme. And I can think of that for myself. Just imagine you with a sword in your hand, or a spear, or a javelin, or a dart, or a bow and an arrow and there is driving toward you furiously great horses with iron chariots. And in the chariots, in the car several soldiers and they themselves at a height and at an advantage and driving on you furiously, throwing their spears, and javelins, and darts and letting go of their arrows. Well, it was a thing like that that Israel faced; a tremendous, a tremendous foe.”

If you are doing God’s work God’s way there will always be resistance – furious resistance – but trust God, focus on Him, and keep on going!

The opposition to Israel was as the sand that is upon the sea shore . Where have we heard this before? Did not God tell Abraham – that grand old father of faith on the day he offered up his son Isaac to the Lord:

Genesis 22:16-18 … because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son {Isaac}: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed My voice.

Joshua and Israel were confronted with as the sand that is upon the sea shore – but didn’t God promise them in Abraham that they would be victorious? Didn’t God promise:

Joshua 11:6 … Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel …

Israel can focus on the enemy or Israel can focus on the promise of the God Who is always faithful to Himself. God cannot lie. Man can, but God cannot. God has promised to be with you, dear believer. Are your eyes on God or on the enemy? What else did Israel face? We read:

Joshua 11:21 … at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims …

Who were the Anakim? They were a nation of giants that the first generation of Israel were afraid of. Israel refused to enter the Promised Land because of these giants, saying:

Deuteronomy 1:28 … The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

Because Israel heard a bad report by ten of the spies who entered the Promised Land, they refused to obey God. God caused all of Israel to wander for 40 years until that unbelieving generation died off. What was Joshua’s attitude against the Anakims?

The Anakims were just somebody
else that God will defeat.

Beloved, our God is faithful. God was faithful when the first generation of Israel stood at the Jordan and God is faithful now. God told Joshua (11:6) Be not afraid because of them . God tells us who are His:

2 Timothy 1:7 … God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Hebrews 13:6 … The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

How big is YOUR God? Do you trust in chariots and horses, or do your trust in God (Psalm 20:7)? Do you believe you are more than a conquerer through Him (Romans 8:37)?

Jesus Christ came from Heaven to earth to save you. He gave His life so that you can enter His family. He rose again so that you can live in victory. God is greater than the giants that face you. God is greater than the overwhelming odds against you. Look unto Him and trust Him. Have an OVERCOMING faith. Has not our Lord told us:

1 John 5:4 {whosoever} is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

In Christ we are overcomers. In Christ we are able. Apart from Him we can do nothing. But in Him we can do all things. Give yourself fully to God this day. If you do not know Him as Lord and Savior, call upon Jesus and trust Him. You will be saved. Whosoever. Whosoever. Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life! Praise Him. Praise Him.

May God lead you to victory and power for living in Him. Amen and Amen!