The Battle Belongs to the Lord

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Israel enters the promised land

Song with lyrics:

Here are some scriptures related to the song lyrics.

Isaiah 59:19 KJV:
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard [banner] against him.

Isaiah 54:17 KJV:
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Map of Israel's entrance into the promised land

What was it about the Canaanites that was such a risk to Israel? First, they worshipped Baal and made him look a lot like Yahweh—as a provider who helped with fertility, crops, and so on. Second, their worship included orgies and extreme sexual practices. Third, they sacrificed their own children. They would kill their children, put them in an earthenware container, and bury them in the wall of their house, believing it would provide protection for their house. They threw their children into fires.

Although sin has consequences, God withholds His judgment for sin as long as possible, giving people chance after chance to repent (change their minds). Even way back in the time of Abraham (then called Abram), God knew the iniquity of the Canaanites and warned Abram about it. Surely, God knew in his foreknowledge that they would not repent, but he gave them chance after chance, delaying judgment for as long as possible (hundreds of years in this case). Joshua, when going up against a Canaanite city, even gave them another chance to repent before conquering.

Think about the time of Jericho. Jericho represents the things that just seem impossible to us. It had huge double-thickness walls all around it.

God told them to march around the city each day for six days. Don’t say anything; just blow the trumpets (shofars). On the seventh day. they marched around it seven times and then shouted. The walls came tumbling down.

In the example of Jericho, we see praise knocking down the walls. We see people trusting God in a situation that seems impossible.

Joshua 6:17–19 KJV:
¹⁷ And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. ¹⁸ And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. ¹⁹ But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

Image of the walls of Jericho collapsing

They were to kill everyone except Rahab and those with her, even all the animals. But everything of silver, gold, brass, and iron was to be consecrated to God.

Jericho was like the first fruits of the conquest of the promised land.

The next city is called Ai. Jericho was a well-protected stronghold with seemingly impenetrable walls. Ai was a small town that, compared to Jericho, was almost defenseless.

Israel compared Ai to Jericho and expected it to be easy, so they sent only 3,000 fighters—they were defeated and forced to retreat. Their second battle was a complete failure.

In their discouragement, God immediately told them what the problem was. There was sin in the camp of Israel, someone who had refused to believe God when He said that Jericho was devoted to Him. Also, their pride led them to fight the battle themselves, rather than let God fight for them.

They learned that one man had taken some of the gold and silver and garments and hid them in his tent. He refused to believe that the first fruits belonged to God!

Joshua 7:25–26 KJV:
²⁵ And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. ²⁶ And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor [trouble], unto this day.

After dealing with this problem, they again attacked Ai and won the victory.

Joshua 8:30–32 KJV:
²⁵And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. ²⁶And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

The people were divided, with half standing by Mount Gerizim and half by Mount Ebal, and Joshua read the law of Moses to them. They basically had to choose.

Next came the city of Gibeon. The Gibeonites deceived Israel, carrying moldy bread and pretending they had come from a far country.

Joshua 9:14–16 KJV:
¹⁴And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
¹⁵And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. ¹⁶And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

The Gibeonites deceived Joshua because he did not ask counsel of the Lord.

Five kings of five cities then banded together. So, instead of fighting one city at a time, Israel had to fight the combined armies of multiple cities.

Joshua 10:8–10 KJV:
⁸And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. ⁹Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. ¹⁰And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.

On the map you can see who Israel pursued them. In the end, giant hailstones killed more of the enemy than Israel had.

When your enemy presses in hard, that’s the time when there will be miracles. Fear not. Trust God.

The five kings hid in a cave. So, Israelite soldiers rolled stones to trap them in the cave until they were ready to deal with them.

Joshua 10:15–24 KJV:
¹⁵And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. ¹⁶But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. ¹⁸And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: ¹⁹And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. ²⁰And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. ²¹And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. ²²Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. ²³And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. ²⁴And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.

Ephesians 1:22 KJV:
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Joshua 10:25–27 KJV:
²⁵And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. ²⁶And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. ²⁷And 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.

Joshua 10:42 KJV:
And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.

Israel were servants; we are sons. Don’t you think God will fight for us? The key to victory is not having fear; trusting in God.

The last battle, the northern campaign, is in Joshua 11.

Joshua 11:5–8 KJV:
⁵And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. ⁶And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. ⁷So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. ⁸And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.

Joshua is a great example of a man who was completely obedient to what God said. Joshua never quit believing. He never stopped trusting that what God said would come to pass. Joshua also taught the leaders under him to follow God.

Sometime, go back and read Joshua Chapters 6–12.

The people Israel fought in this northern campaign had many horses and chariots and thought that would give them victory. After Israel defeated them, then God told them to hamstring the horses and burn the chariots. Why? Why not add the horses and chariots to their own army? God did not want them to trust in chariots and horses but to trust in God alone.

Hebrews 14:5–6 KJV:
⁵Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ⁶So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

We’ve seen some keys in these records.

Praise God and rely upon Him.
The first fruits belong to God.
Go to the written Word.
Don’t be deceived by not asking counsel of God.
Fear not.
Don’t rely on chariots and horses.

Song with lyrics:

This teaching is also available on the Acts Now Fellowship website.

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