Joshua 10:16-27

TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

A Coalition of Five Kings is Defeated

BACKGROUND NOTES

What did Joshua do first when he found that the kings were hidden a cave and the enemy troops were running away in defeat? Then what did he do?
What other historical event happened in the same area where the caves were located?
Why did Joshua have his army captains place their feet on the necks of the kings?
Why is it said that when Joshua shut the five kings up in the cave he was being efficient in defeating these pagan nations?
What is the spiritual lesson in Question #4?
What is the particular spiritual lesson in Joshua 10?
What are root sins?

The first thing Joshua did was to temporarily seal the kings in the cave, then he pursued the enemy forces.
This was where David and his men hid from Saul, who wanted to kill David.
It was a symbolic gesture in that culture that the pagan nations had been conquered by Israel.
Rather than dealing with these kings immediately, he put them under guard so they were checked and ineffective. Meanwhile, he used his energies and forces to deal with the armies of these kings, more of an immediate problem before the troops could escape.
Remember, the Book of Joshua is a handbook for spiritual warfare. All of the enemies in the land of Canaan picture in some way the opposition that we face in spiritual warfare - the world, the flesh and the devil.
Our battle with the sins of the flesh. Some sins are more open and some are more hidden, like the kings in the cave.
In most cases, the hidden sins of the flesh are root sins; the more open sins usually trace their origin and power to the root sins.

Just as Joshua dealt with both the kings and the enemy troops, the faithful believer should be efficient in spiritual warfare. The sins in our lives and in the life of the church must be dealt with, both the open and hidden sins. Recall some of the sins that your church has had to deal with. Recall some of the sins that you have had to deal with in your own life.
Consider some of the results of hidden sins, and discuss how you would deal with the hidden sins of pride, the love of money, selfishness, self-righteousness and evil thoughts.

Joshua had his captains put their feet on the necks of the defeated kings. The God of peace will crush Satan under His feet shortly. In the meantime, put your foot down on sin, realizing that sin and Satan have been conquered on the cross.