Joshua 10:16-43

Introduction

Victory! Many claim that victory is available to the Christian today. This we should not dispute. However, many times victory takes a shape unheard of in Scripture. A person is promised a larger house, better job, better behaving children and more income simply by claiming the victory before them. But is this the kind of victory the Bible promises?

In this passage of Joshua, we see Israel is victorious, is promised more victories and those victories are recorded in detail. There also appears to be a greater victory that has not yet been realized.

Commentary

verses 16-19
After the Gibeonite treaty (Joahua 9), Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, gathered up four other kings and armies to fight against Israel. Undoubtedly, these kings were perched up on a hilltop, watching the battle unfold. As it becomes obvious that the Lord is fighting for Israel, these kings flee to a nearby cave. Their men are left without command, abandoned to fight until their death. Meanwhile, the kings hope to find refuge in a cave. However, Joshua gets word of their retreat (undoubtedly from his army). Joshua commands members of the army to trap the kings in the cave, by sealing it with large stones. Then he tells his army to pursue the enemy quickly; before they can flee into protected cities. Joshua does not want to waste time dealing with the kings when there is a host of enemy soldiers to conquer, but he's not about to let the kings free either.

verses 20-21
Joshua and the Israelites are successful in their campaign. They are able to capture and kill most of the fleeing enemy, though some made it back to fortified cities. However, those who escaped were no longer violently oppossing Israel, for the text says no one even spoke a word against the sons of Israel.

verses 22-24
Once they had returned to Makkedah in peace, Joshua is ready to deal with the rebellious kings. Joshua calls for the cave to be opened and for the kings to be brought out. The author lists each king individually, making sure we realize that no one escaped. Each govenor responsible for this rebellion will be dealt with. Then Joshua calls for commanders of the army to come forward. They are to place their feet on the necks of the kings. Is this showmanship? Are the Israelites getting arrogant? Is Joshua trying to humiliate these kings? (More below in the Exposition.)

verses 25-27
The people encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous several times (Joshua 1), but this is the first recorded incident of Joshua directing the exhortation at the people. As in chapter one, the strength is due to the promise that the Lord will grant future victories. After exhorting the people, Joshua then strikes the opposing kings dead. These men were hung, but the text indicates they were striken dead before the hanging. Therefore, their hanging does not appear to be their form of execution, but a display for others. Joshua commands them to take the kings down before sunset. All of their actions are in obedience to Deuteronomy 21:22-23. These kings had commited a trespass worthy of death, therefore they were hung, to symbolize they were accursed, but were taken down before sunset to prevent the land from suffering a curse.

Of course, since each of us have sinned, we too are accursed and deserve to be hung. However, Galatians 3:13-14 tells us that curse does not have to befall us. Christ, Who knew no sin, took our sin curse upon Himself. He hung there, to show that He became cursed. This was done so that we might receive the blessing of Abraham, who was called God's friend. We do not continue to picture Christ on the cross (as Catholics do), for He know longer is accursed of God.

The kings were thrust back into the cave and the rocks were again returned to the opening. This served as a reminder to the Israelites that God had indeed been faithful to grant victory.

verses 29-39
Joshua then continued his campaign through influential cities. Several times, the Israelites' victories are compared to the conquest of Jericho (Joshua 6:20-27). This is probably just a statement in regard to the people, that they killed all who drew breath in the city. It is unlikely that they burned the cities, since there is no mention, as their was with Ai (8:28) and will be with Hazor (11:13). Jericho was also unique in that spies first entered the land and that Rahab was spared. Therefore, the author seems to be illustrating the complete destruction (king and commoner) of these cities. The author lays out an interesting pattern:

As with Jericho, so with Makkedah
As with Jericho, so with Libnah
As with Libnah (which was like Jericho), so with Lachish
Horam, king of Gezer is listed without comparrison
As with Lachish (which is like Libnah, which is like Jericho), so with Eglon
As with Eglon (like Lachish, like Libnah, like Jericho), so with Hebron
As with Libnah (which was like Jericho), so with Debir

When it is understood that Joshua and the troops returned to Makkedah to deal with the rebellious kings, they then dealt with the people in the city. Libnah appears to be the beginning of their aggressive campaign. As the campaign wraps up in Debir, the author seems to tie it together by comparing once again to the city of Libnah.

verses 40-42
Of course, the Isrelites did not only conquer peoples, but they also assumed control of the land as they took the victories as well.

verse 41
With the kings of the central territories taken, Joshua and the people return again to Gilgal.

Exposition--Getting "Mop-up" Time on Earth

By the time we reach verse 16, the battle is already primarily over. Joshua and the Israelites are left to chase after the deserters and the kings. The fact that Israel must chase the enemy is proof that the main resistance is over. However, there are a couple of interesting dynamics in the victory.

Stepping on necks--As Joshua defeats the kings, he calls for the chiefs of the men of war to place their foot on the necks of the kings. For one who has so struggled with courage (Joshua 1), is Joshua finally acting with confidence. Could this be a display of over-confidence? Worse yet, could this be arrogance?

Though today we may not see people place their foot on a person's neck, the implications are strong enough to transcend culture. The king would be laying on the ground without any power. He would be submitted to the lowest portion of the ordinary Israeli citizen. Joshua's actions are clearly intended for Israel. There is no reason to convince the enemy kings of Israel's superiority. They've conquered their armies, captured the kings and are prepared for their execution. Likewise, Joshua offers no words to the kings, but directs all of his statements to the Israelites. But this display of power is not merely the creative genius of Joshua, it appears to be divinely ordained action when we consider other passages.

Consider 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. Paul exposes the lie of some who claim the believer cannot count on the resurrection. If there is no resurrection, then Christ is still dead. If Christ is still dead, you have no hope! In verse 20, he procedes with his arguement. It is not merely Christ's death that is important, but His resurrection is critical as well. For through His resurrection, life can be offered to all who believe. His resurrection is the first-fruits for the resurrection of the church.

Paul states that He is reigning even as His enemies are in the process of being placed under His feet. He then quotes Psalm 8:6, joining David in painting the same imagery as Joshua. The sign of supreme authority is that an emeny is placed at the victor's feet. Of course, Paul does not mean that God Himself is subjected to Christ, for the authority to place all things under Christ's feet shows His supreme authority. However, verse 26 lays out that the last enemy to be defeated is death.

We see this in vivid detail in Revelation 20:11-15. Known as the Great White Throne Judgment, all of the unrepentant from all of history will stand before Jesus Christ. Two books are used in the judgment. One unidentified book lays the person's life before them. Through this book, a person's sin becomes undeniably apparent. Then, the Book of Life is opened, revealing they never trusted Christ to remove their sin. They are judged for their deeds, for their sinful deeds are not applied to the cross of Christ.

Upon this final judgment of all the unregenerate of history, Christ then casts the condemned into the Lake of Fire. However, victory is not complete until death and Hades are thrown into the Lake as well. The victory over death has been secured, but like the Israelites standing on the necks of kings, it is not yet complete.

So, who's fighting?--As stated above, in verses 28-39 the author lays out a pattern. After working from Makkedah--the city they were already in--he next moves to Libnah. The conquest with Libnah is compared to the conquest of Jericho. Next, he moves through six more cities, ending by comparing Debir to Libnah. He seems to be drawing a complete picture for the reader. However, there is another pattern which is a little harder to draw out.

At times, the author fully credits the Lord with the battle (30, 32). Other times, Joshua and the Israelites are credited for exploits (33, 35, 37). But the author does not always present the subject clearly. Consider verse 35. The verse begins with a plural subject (they captured it), but then moves to a singular pronoun (he). To whom is the author directing? Joshua? God? Looking closer only blurs the line more, for we see the "they" is clearly Israel, but the victory is compared to Lachish. When one reads about Lachish (32), the verse begins by crediting the Lord. One can almost picture the author--smiling wryly--as the reader asks, "To whom is "he" directed?"

While the syntax may be difficult, the concept is not unique to Christian understanding. We know that God has done all the work in producing our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). We also know that He is the One at work within us to produce sanctification (Philippians 1:6). However, we are not to sit idly back, lazily watching God work. Ephesians 2:10 tells us we were created to do good works for Him, works He established beforehand. God has won the victory, and only God can grant the victory. Yet, God desires that we work in accomplishing His victory.

Conclusion
I remember once sitting on the losing side of a basketball game. The score was so out of hand (78-7) that it was obvious we were not going to win. I don't remember at what point it became obvious that we would not win (though it couldn't have been too long after the jump ball), but I do remember the entire game provided an awful feeling. I've often wondered what it must have felt like on the other bench. As the clock wound down to a clearly impossible figure for us to make up a 71 point deficit, victory had been sealed, but the game was not quite over.

Christ's victory is infinitely superior to that. The victory is completely won and there is nothing the enemy can do to reverse that fortune. However, the clock is still ticking. Why is it that God has not sounded the "final buzzer?" It is important that the believer understands that it is not because He is incapible. Neither the Church, nor the world are capable of delaying the schedule of God. However, God is patiently delaying the inevitable so that people still have time to repent (2 Peter 3:9). In God's grand mercy, He offers to the enemy reconcilliation (Romans 5:10). When we are again reminded that our victory was not self-won, we are all the more motivated to call others to allow God to grant them victory as well.

And our victory is not for cars, houses or careers. It isn't even just for the promised land. The victory is much greater, for our Savior has His foot placed squarely on the neck of death!