Sun and Moon Stand Still - Joshua 10:12

In the book of Joshua, we learned about the Amorite armies, “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”, and in chapter ten and verse twelve of the book of Joshua, we learn how Joshua said, “Sun, stand you still upon Gibeon; and you, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon” where we read, 

Then spoke 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 you still upon Gibeon; and you, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

The verse reads, “Then spoke 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, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “then spoke Joshua” which means “at that time uttered, declared and proclaimed Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation” “to the LORD” or “toward Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “in the day” which means “within the sunrise to sunset” “when the LORD delivered up” or “at the time and moment Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God gave, bestowed, consecrated, dedicated and entrusted” “the Amorites” whose name means “a sayer and were one of the peoples of east Canaan and beyond the Jordan who were dispossessed by the Israelite incursion from Egypt” “before the children of Israel” or “in front and in the presence of the offspring and progeny belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob”, “and he said in the sight of Israel” which means “and he, Joshua, uttered, declared and proclaimed within the vision belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and  is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” the following words. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” talked to Jehovah God within the sunrise to sunset that He gave the “Amorites” over to the offspring of “Israel” and uttered the following words in their presence. 

 

The verse continues, “Sun, stand you still upon Gibeon; and you, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “Sun, stand you still” which means “Sun in the sky, tarry and wait silently and quietly” “upon Gibeon” or “on Gibeon whose name means hill city and was a Levitical city of Benjamin, modern 'el-Jib', which lies five miles or eight km from Jerusalem”; “and you, Moon” which means “and you also, Moon in the nighttime sky”, “in the valley of Ajalon” or “within the vale, lowland or open country belonging to Ajalon whose name means field of deer and was a Levitical city in Dan, fourteen miles or twenty five km NW of Jerusalem, later ruled by the Amorites, then the Benjamites of Judah, then by the Philistines”. Joshua told the “sun” in the sky to remain in place on “Gibeon” and the “moon” in the sky to remain in place within the lowland belonging to “Ajalon”. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover an interesting request from “Joshua” to Jehovah God. He told the “sun” to remain in it’s place over “Gibeon” and the “moon” to remain in it’s place over the lowland of “Ajalon”. This extended day would allow Israel’s armies to totally defeat the armies of the “Amorites”, and we shall see how God responded to “Joshua’s” request in our next verse. God made the “sun and moon”, and He set them in orbit. He is able to disrupt them any time He desires, and because He loves the people of Israel so much, we shall see how He came through for “Joshua”. God loves us as well, and He proved His love toward us by sending His perfect Son Jesus who was without sin into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him 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 equip us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and lead us according to His Divine purpose and will. This work is greater than making the “Sun and moon” stand still for the purposes of gaining a victory over our enemies. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Next time we learn how, “the sun stood still, and the moon stayed”, 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".