The Bible Is All About Jesus
(And Yes, The Old Testament Too)

I want to read you a story today, a story in the life of Israel and Joshua, their leader. We will be in Joshua 10:1-14. But before we go there, I want us to read a couple of texts that are important to this story. Please stand in honor of this reading:

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Some people think that the Old Testament was written about a different God than the New Testament. Some Christians think that the Old Testament has no purpose now that we have the New Testament. They couldn’t be further wrong. Our Lord Jesus said:

John 5:39 (KJV) SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and THEY ARE THEY WHICH TESTIFY OF ME.

What was “THE SCRIPTURES” when Jesus said this? There was no New Testament, and no established Church until after the Day of Pentecost. When Jesus said “SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES”, He was talking about the Old Testament. Moses wrote about Jesus. Our Lord said:

John 5:46 (KJV) had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me.

Moses wrote of Jesus. Jesus foreshadowed in every animal sacrifice, every feast, every thing that God did through Israel. Moses wrote of Abraham, and Jesus said to the Pharisees:

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad.

The whole of the Bible is about Jesus. Billy Graham said, “”You may ask me today, ‘What is the message of the Bible?’ The message of the Bible is Jesus Christ. The Bible is concerned only incidentally with the history of Israel or with a system of ethics. The Bible is primarily concerned with the story of man’s redemption as it is through Jesus Christ. If you read Scripture and miss the story of salvation, you have missed its message and its meaning.”

So as we turn to Joshua Chapter 10 today, we’re going to read a wonderful story in the life of Israel. But the focus of the story is the Gospel of salvation. The Bible is about Jesus. We’re going to see Jesus in this text.

Joshua 10:1-2 KJV Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how JOSHUA had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her 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, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

Jesus is easy to find in this text. “JOSHUA” has led Israel into the Promised Land. Joshua was a man who loved the Lord, and who tried to be like Jesus. He listened to God and did as God told him to do. God called Joshua and told him,

Joshua 1:2, 5-6 NKJV Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them–the children of Israel. … 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. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for TO THIS PEOPLE YOU SHALL DIVIDE AS AN INHERITANCE THE LAND WHICH I SWORE TO THEIR FATHERS TO GIVE THEM.

God promised Abraham this land, that His descendants would have it. God promised that the Messiah would come from this land, of the Seed of David, from the Town of Bethlehem. The unbelievers of Canaan were approached with Gospel of the coming Messiah through Abraham.

When Abraham and Lot separated, and Lot went to Sodom, Lot knew about the coming Jesus (2 Peter 2:7). Five Kings gathered and captured Lot, carrying him and his family into captivity. Abraham and 318 of his men went to free Lot, and return him home (Genesis 14:14). Why was Lot captured? I suspect it was because he was telling those of Sodom about the coming Christ.

Where was Abraham when he learned that Lot was abducted? Abraham was “dwelling by the trees of Mamre the AMORITE, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner” (Genesis 14:13). Lot was evangelizing the Sodomites, but Abraham had made peace with the Amorites. They were believers in the Lord, living for the Lord.

People have been hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the time of Abraham. This Gospel has never changed. The Old Testament saint was saved believing on the PROMISED Messiah. The New Testament saint is saved by looking to the Jesus Who has come.

Abraham was reaching out to the Amorites with the Gospel. They were initially friendly to the Gospel, but in time, they turned against Jesus. From the time of Abraham to the entering of Israel under Joshua into Canaan, God waited 470 years for the Gospel to reach the Amorites. Our God is gracious. He wants the lost to be saved. But after they continued to reject the Gospel, God told Joshua when he entered the Promised Land:

Deuteronomy 20:16-17 NKJV But of the cities of these peoples which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall LET NOTHING THAT BREATHES REMAIN ALIVE, 17 but YOU SHALL UTTERLY DESTROY THEM: the Hittite and the AMORITE and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite…

God gave the Amorites, as well as the other inhabitants of the Promised Land, time to hear the Gospel under Abraham, Moses, and Joshua. Then God closed the door. God will not wait forever.

God Will Close The Door On The Nation
That Rejects Jesus

Joshua 10:1-2 KJV Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how JOSHUA had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and HOW THE INHABITANTS OF GIBEON MADE PEACE WITH ISRAEL, and were among them; 2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

Now you see what is happening in our text. Joshua has been sent by God into Canaan to clean house. Those who will not repent and turn to the Coming Messiah are to be eradicated. That offends our delicate American natures – but when God judges, His judgment is harsh.

Adonizedek KING OF JERUSALEM had heard how JOSHUA had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king

Jerusalem is going to be the City of King David, but it cannot be until the Amorites are chased out of there. Jerusalem is where God will allow Solomon to build His Temple, to further the Gospel of the Coming Messiah. Ai was a Canaanite stronghold, who worshiped false gods and practiced child sacrifice. God had Joshua destroy 12,000 people because they would not repent. They had to get out!

The Amorite King heard “HOW THE INHABITANTS OF GIBEON MADE PEACE WITH ISRAEL”. The Gibeonites – who were of the Hivite Nation – were supposed to be destroyed by Joshua. These people were very smart. They disguised themselves as travelers from another land and made a peace treaty with Joshua (Joshua 9:3-6).

Joshua didn’t pray or seek God’s counsel before making that treaty with Gibeon (Christians can mess up, too), but once he found out he had been tricked he made them woodcutters and water carriers.

God in His Grace allowed that. God in His grace often allows those who are unsaved into our fellowships, dear believers. Sometimes we are tricked by the Hivite or the Canaanite. We accept the testimony that they love Jesus, and receive them as members only to later find out we were deceived.

There are always Judas Iscariots.

Joshua 10:3-5 KJV Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 Come up unto me, and help me, THAT WE MAY SMITE GIBEON: for IT HATH 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, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.

The Amorites are upset with the Gibeonites because “IT HATH MADE PEACE WITH JOSHUA”. It might interest you to know that the Hebrew name for “JOSHUA” {yᵊhôšûaʿ} means “Jehovah is salvation”. When the Angel of God told Joseph that Mary was going to bear the Messiah, he told him:

Matthew 1:21-23 NKJV {Mary} will bring forth a Son, and YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

The name “JESUS” is the Greek iēsous, which means “Jehovah is salvation”. The Gibeonites made peace with “Jehovah is salvation”, with the Gospel. They were not believers per se, but they were not battling against the Gospel. So the world attacked them. The Amorites wanted them dead.

Joshua 10:6-7 KJV And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; COME TO US QUICKLY, and SAVE US, and HELP US: for ALL THE KINGS OF THE AMORITES THAT DWELL IN THE MOUNTAINS ARE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST US. 7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.

Though these people of Gideon were Hivites, a lost people, they were nonetheless people the Lord was willing to reach with the Gospel. We know this because of the promise that Jesus makes to Joshua in just a moment. Our Lord Jesus was asked the question once:

Mark 9:38-40 KJV Master, WE SAW ONE CASTING OUT DEVILS IN THY NAME, and HE FOLLOWETH NOT US: and WE FORBADE HIM, because he followeth not us. 39 But Jesus said, FORBID HIM NOT: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 40 For HE THAT IS NOT AGAINST US IS ON OUR PART.

The Gibeonites may not be saved – but they are open to salvation. The Amorites hate them for it, and want to destroy them. Those who are seeking – who are open to the Gospel – must be protected by the people of God. The Bible says “Pray for all people, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our savior, WHO DESIRES ALL TO BE SAVED AND TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH” (1 Timothy 2:1-3, Paraphrase).

The World Cannot Stand Against A People Surrendered To Jesus

Joshua 10:8-10 KJV the LORD said unto Joshua, FEAR THEM NOT: for I HAVE DELIVERED THEM INTO THY HAND; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. 10 And the LORD DISCOMFITED {hāmam, crushed} 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.

God tells us as His people “FEAR THEM NOT – I HAVE DELIVERED THEM INTO THY HAND”. Don’t let fear reside in your hearts. Just do what God says – step out in faith – and give glory to Him. So many who profess Christ are afraid to speak up, afraid to offend, afraid to stand up for Jesus. But when you stand up and speak up and DO as the Lord commands, then God Himself will do the work. Empty yourself, and let God do the work! Notice in verse 10:

The LORD crushed them
The LORD slaughtered them
The LORD chased them
The LORD smote them

A Christian empowered by God is used by God. And God will overcome. Dear ones, the Bible tells us:

Isaiah 41:10 KJV FEAR THOU NOT; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; yea, I WILL HELP THEE; yea, I WILL UPHOLD THEE with the right hand of my righteousness.

Do you not know, dear Christian, that God loves you? Do you not know that God will fight for you, that He will go with you. Do you not know that Jesus has resurrected, and sits on the right hand of God the Father, making intercession for you? Do you not know that the Spirit of God is with you? Fear has no place in the believer, in the follower of Christ. “There is NO FEAR IN LOVE; but PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR … HE THAT FEARS IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE” (1 John 4:18). God is fighting THROUGH His people. God is fighting FOR His people. Notice what happens next:

Joshua 10:11 KJV 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.

God started throwing “GREAT HAILSTONES” from the skies – but only down on the Amorites, the enemies of the Gospel. This was precision bombing of the highest type.

We’ve Never Done It That Way Before

There are many great enemies of the Christian faith. There are fear and doubt. We’ve talked about these. There is also pride, where we don’t surrender to God but instead try and be God. The Bible says:

James 4:6 (Paraphrase) God GIVES MORE GRACE. He says, GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, but GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE

Phobia. Pride. Procrastination. To not DO what God said DO. To let something keep you from completing your task. The stepbrother of Christ wrote:

James 1:22 NKJV But be DOERS OF THE WORD, and NOT HEARERS ONLY, deceiving yourselves.

The first generation of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years until all died off because they would not cross the Jordan as God ordered. They let their phobia of giants and their pride lead them to not doing. Look where it got them!

Who are blessed, according to Jesus? “Blessed are those who HEAR THE WORD OF GOD, and KEEP IT” (Luke 11:28). God said, “Go get the Amorites. You’ve got this. I’ve already defeated them. Just GO!”. And Joshua went. But there’s a problem.

The Sun is going down.

The battle is going well, and God is defeating the enemy. The forces of Jesus Christ and the Gospel are winning. But the sun is going down. This is back in the day of oil lamps and candles. When the sun sets, the warriors of Israel will be in the dark. They can’t fight in the dark. They have a sword in one hand, a shield in the other. So what do we do? The human thing to do would be to say:

“God doesn’t expect us to fight in the dark. Let’s take a break, and start again in the morning. God will understand. There’s nothing we can do.”

Yes there is. God told Joshua to take Israel into battle. God told Joshua that He had already given the enemy into his hands. God said I’ve got this. So the sun is setting. Who controls the sun? Well, Who made the Sun and the moon? Wasn’t it God (Genesis 1:16; Psalm 136:7-8)? So Joshua does something unheard of.

Joshua 10:12 KJV 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.

This prayer was not hidden. Joshua needed light to fight. Now I’m sure there were some there that day who said:

“We’ve never done it that way before. There’s no way that God will make the sun and the moon stand still”.

Do you know what would happen if the sun stopped setting abruptly? That means that the earth would stop rotating. The earth is spinning at 1000 miles per hour at the equator. You don’t feel it because everything is spinning equally. When you are in a car traveling at 70 miles per hour, you are moving at the same speed as the car. Slam on the brakes, and what happens? Think about the earth stopping suddenly:

Normally, people, cars, building, trees, water – everything would be thrown eastward. The atmosphere would create supersonic winds that would scour the earth. Oceans would slosh out of their basins, and a massive tsunami would sweep over all land masses. In short, most everyone would die.

Joshua didn’t know what he was asking. He didn’t know that it was scientifically impossible. He just knew he needed more light – and he asked God to give it. And God did. God stopped the rotation of the earth …. and the forward momentum of everything and everyone on the earth. The earth froze in place.

Joshua 10:13 KJV 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 (a lost book quoted also in 2 Samuel 1:18)? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and HASTED NOT TO GO DOWN A WHOLE DAY.

God made the sunset delay for about 12 hours. Why? Because Joshua asked. We are told in:

Habakkuk 3:11-13 NKJV The SUN AND THE MOON STOOD STILL IN THEIR HABITATION; At the light of Your arrows they went, At the shining of Your glittering spear. 12 You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled the nations in anger. 13 YOU WENT FORTH FOR THE SALVATION OF YOUR PEOPLE, For SALVATION WITH YOUR ANOINTED. You struck the head from the house of the wicked, By laying bare from foundation to neck. Selah

God’s judgment day is coming. He wants to save whosoever will come to Christ – and God will move the earth to do it. Following this battle – once the normal rotation of the earth was restored – the Bible tells us that the five Amorite Kings were captured, and brought before Joshua. These Kings were made to lay down, and the leaders of Israel were told to “put your feet on the necks of these kings”. Joshua told the people:

Joshua 10:25 KJV … Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

We who are saved by faith in Christ have His Gospel, and His assurance. We need not fear this world. We need to pray impossible prayers for the glory of Christ. We need to live for Jesus, knowing that He will fight for us, if we will but trust in Him.

Following this, Joshua had the five kings killed, and “hanged them on five trees”. They hung on the trees as a judgment from God. “Cursed is the one who hangs on a tree” (Deuteronomy 21:23). These men were cursed because they rejected the salvation that Jesus Christ offers to all who believe. We are told:

1 Peter 2:24 Jesus Himself bore our sins in His body ON THE TREE, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.

Do you know Him? If not, TODAY is the day to call on Him and be saved. God will not wait forever. But He will move Heaven and earth to save you, if you will let Him. Amen.