In the book of Joshua, we learned about Israel fighting the five kings of the Amorites who fled from the army of Israel and hid in a cave, and Joshua told his men to bring the kings to him. He killed them and hung them on trees, “and it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day”, and in chapter ten and verse twenty-eight of the book of Joshua, we learn, “that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword” where we read,
And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.
The verse reads, “And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and that day” which means “” “Joshua took Makkedah” or “Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation seized, possessed and took hold of Makkedah whose name means place of shepherds and was the location of a cave in Judah where Joshua captured and executed five Canaanite kings during the conquest; located near Bethhoron and Libnah”, “and smote it” which means “and struck, hit, beat, slayed and killed it, Makkedah” “with the edge of the sword” or “by the use of the extremity or end belonging to the sharpened knife or cutting instrument”, “and the king thereof” which means “and the royal ruler and leader of the city of Makkedah” “he utterly destroyed” which means “he, Joshua completely banned, exterminated and mutilated”, “them” or “the army of Makkedah” and the following. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” conquered “Makkedah” and slayed it by the use of the extremity belonging to a sharpened war instrument, and he completely exterminated the royal ruler there and their army.
The verse continues, “… and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “and all the souls” which means “and each, every and the whole of the living beings and people” “that were therein” or “who existed as located within the city of Makkedah”; “he let none remain” which means “he, Joshua, did not allow or permit anyone to continue or remain alive”: “and he did to the king of Makkedah” or “and he, Joshua, performed and acted upon the royal ruler of Makkedah whose name means place of shepherds and was the location of a cave in Judah where Joshua captured and executed five Canaanite kings during the conquest” “as he did unto the king of Jericho” which means “in a similar and like manner to the way he, Joshua, performed and acted toward the royal ruler belonging to Jericho whose name means place of shepherds and was the location of a cave in Judah where Joshua captured and executed five Canaanite kings during the conquest; located near Bethhoron and Libnah”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” completely destroyed the army of “Makkedah”, and he performed the same act upon the royal ruler of “Makkedah” as he did with the royal ruler of “Jericho”.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover how “Joshua” was fulfilling God’s will within the promise land once again. This time it was the army and “king” of “Makkedah” who were completely destroyed. One by one these rulers and their lands were being defeated, and Israel was possessing the land. God gave them this ability because He had a relationship with them. He desires a relationship with us as well through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and help us conquer area after area in our lives that are like enemies to our “soul”.
Next time we learn how, “Joshua passed from Makkedah … unto Libnah”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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