In the book of Joshua, we learned how Joshua was old, and he told the people of Israel, “the LORD has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man has been able to stand before you unto this day”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse ten of the book of Joshua, Joshua said, “One man of you shall chase a thousand”, where we read,
One man of you shall chase a thousand:
for the LORD your God, he it is that fights for you, as he has promised you.
The verse reads, “One man of you shall chase a thousand:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “one man of you” which means “a single and particular male human being belonging to you, the people of Israel” “shall chase a thousand” or “will run after, pursue and put to flight a thousand male human beings”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” said a single male human being belonging to Israel would put to flight a “thousand” pagan foreign people.
The verse continues, “for the LORD your God, he it is that fights for you, as he has promised you.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “for the LORD your God” or “because, since and on account that Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God your, the people of Israel’s, Supreme Deity”, “he it is” which means “he, Jehovah God, exists as the One” “that fights for you” or “who does battle and makes war on behalf of you, the people of Israel”, “as he has promised you” which means “even and indeed like he, Jehovah God, spoke, declared, commanded, and took an oath to you, the people of Israel”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” said Jehovah God was the One who battled on behalf of the people of Israel even like He took an oath that He would.
When we consider the words in this verse, we see how the people of Israel were to be so powerful, that a single male human being among them would put to flight “a thousand” pagan Gentile men. This was because Jehovah God was battling their foes. God plus one makes a majority, and because He does the fighting, those aligned with Him are victorious. God won the battle over sin and death when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected 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 grant us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to live in a manner that realizes God’s victory within us regardless of what we encounter in the world. (See John 3:16; 1 John 4:4)
Next time Joshua says, “Take good heed therefore unto yourselves”, 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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