The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Joshua 11:6-8,
"The Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel, slain. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.' So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left."
The defeat of these northern kings was assured Israel by the Lord. In a masterful coordinated effort crafted by the Lord himself, Israel conquered her opponents. The comment catches my eye: "the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel."
This reminds me of a passage in Proverbs that speaks to the issue of where victory comes from. "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord." Two verses of Proverbs here that fit so well together. Nothing can succeed against the Lord and victory is found in him.
We are to make ready for the battle, prepare ourselves, and then rely on the Lord for victory: his strength, his power. Paul tells us to prepare for spiritual battle in Ephesians 6:10-18. There we are instructed to put on spiritual armament. But as in the case with Israel, when she took the promised land from the Canaanites, the ability to win the day is found in the Lord. Paul tells us to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Victory comes through him.
How wonderful it is to dwell in the tent of the one who will always bring the victory!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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