The Day the Sun Stood Still
Steve W. Reeves
stevereevesoutlines.blogspot.com
A. “Have you ever stood at the sunset with sky billowing red? Seen the clouds
suspended like feather? Then I say you’ve seen Jesus my Lord.” The words of that
son remind all of us of the beauty of sunset. Do you have a favorite place to view
sunsets? One evening I had been preaching in Kingstown, St. Vincent in the West
Indies. As the sun began to set over the Caribbean Sea I had bever seen such a
magnificent sight. A little closer to home I enjoy going to Sunset Point on Mount Nebo
in Yell county to watch the sun set over the Boston mountains of West Arkansas.
1. Inn this message I want us to consider a day unlike any other in the hist4ory of the
world.
2. It was a day when the sun stood still and did not set at its usual time.
B. This amazing day is recorded in Joshua 10.
1. Israel is on the march through Canaan. After crossing the Jordan river, conquering
Jericho and Ai and renewing God’s covenant of blessings and cursings,, they
begin to cut through the central part of the land. Joshua’s strategy was to “divide
and conquer.” After conquering the cities in the middle part of Canaan the
Israelites will turn their attention to the south and then to the north until the possess
the entire land.
2. It was during this military campaign led by God Himself with Joshua as the earthly
commander, that this astonishing event occurred.
C. Perhaps, more than any other event in Scripture this particular one is the target of
the skeptic’s scoprn and the doubter’s dismay. They may scoff at the idea of a great
flood or the parting of the waqters of the RTed Sea. They may chuckle at the idea of
a large fish swallowing a man or a man alking on water. Whyen you talk about the
sun standing still in the sky for hours unbelievers howl with doubt and derision.
1. Be careful before you dismiss this story as folklore or fairy tale.
2. I believe it is helpful to understand it from three different perspectives.
together in an attempt to stop them. According to Joshua 9:1-2, Now it came
lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the
Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, 2 that
they gathered themselves together with [a]one accord to fight with Joshua and with
Israel.”
1. One of the groups, however, decided to double-cross the others. The Hivites,
also known as Gibeonites, deceive Israel.
2. Although they lived only fifteen miles away they disguised themselves by
dressing in old, torn clothes, taking old, worn out animals, growing long beards,
covering themselves with dust and taking old, molded bread and sour wine to
the Israelites .
3. They told the sons of Israel that they had come from a long journey and that
they had heard of Israel’s defeat of the Amorites beyond the Jordan and the
defeat of two kings Sihon and Og. You will notice they did not mention Jericho or
Ai, for this would have give away their disguise. They said that their hearts
melted when they heard of the God of Israel and they had come to make a
covenant with the Israelites.
4. Immediately there is a practical application for us. Things are not always what
they appear to be. This is especially true regarding Satan and his deceitful ways.
He makes temptation look very appealing and sin very pleasurable. He is not
who he seems to be. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:14, “No wonder, for even
Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
5. It is extremely important to notice verse14. The Gibeonites continued their
deception by saying, “When we left home our clothes were new and clean, our
bread was warm from the oven and our wineskins were news.” However,
aaccording to verse 14 the Israelites did not seek the counsel of the Lord. The
result was that they made a foolish covenant to protect the very people they
were supposed to destroy. When Joshua learned of the deception he
commanded that the Gibeonites be enslaved for the prupose of cutting wood
and carrying water for the house of the Lord.
B. How do you suppose the other kings reacted when they learned they had been
double crossed by the Gibeonites? Notice verses 1-5 of chapter 10. “Now it came
about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai,
and had utterly destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had
done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with
Israel and were within their land, 2 that he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a
great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its
men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent word to Hoham
king of Hebron and to Piram king of Jarmuth and to Japhia king of Lachish and to
Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us attack
Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the sons of Israel.” 5 So the
five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of
Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went
up, they with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.”
1. When the people of Gibeon heard that the five Amorite kings were going to
attack them they sent word ot Joshua saying, “Come save us” (verse 6).
2. Joshua was a man of his word. Israel had made a mistake in establishing a
covenant with the people of Gibeon but now that the cogvenant had been made
Joshua was not going to go back on it. He took all of his men of war, all of hiss
valient warriors and set out for Gibeon. In verse 8 God told him, “Do not fear
them, for I have given them into your hands.”
3. Herein lies another important application. God is faithful even when we are not.
Aren’t you grateful? Even in times when wee have failed and sinned God
remains true to His covenant. As Jeremiah said, “ The steadfast love of the Lord
never ceases, His mercies never come to an end” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
II. THE THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
told Joshua, “Do not fear for I have given them unto your hands.” This was the
consisteant message of the conquest of Canaan. “I have given them…” Verse 10
descrives how Israel came upon the Amorites suddenly. They overwhelmed them
and began pursuing them as they fled. Be sure to notice verse 11 where God
began killing the Canaanites with great hail stones. More were killed by the hail
than had been killed by the Israelites. This was the fulfillment of God’s promise.
Lord was fighting for Israel.”
B. The next scene in this event is one that has been the object of discussion for
centuries.
1. After an all night march from Gilgal thee Israelites surpised their enemies
causing them to become confused. The battle was a rout for Israel and they
began chasing the Amorites. As the day progressed Joshua called out to the
Lord in the presence of Israel “O sun, stand still at Gibeon,And O moon in the
valley of Aijalon.”So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies Is it not written in the
book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten
to go down for about a whole day. 14 There was no day like that before it or after
it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.
15 Then Joshua and all Israel” IJoshua 10:12-14).
the rotation of the earth creates day and night. We sometimes call these “laws of
nature.” People object to this account saying, “You cannot change the laws of
nature. It’s impossible.”
3. Who created nature? Who set in order the laws of nature? Who is the one who
created the heavens and thee earth (Genesis 1:1) and set the two great lights in
the sky (Genesis 1:14-16). If God is the creator of these things does He not
have the power to control them according to His will?
4. Liberal theologians content that this story is myth or folklore. This is a dangerous
position. If God cannot rule his own creation how can we find validity for any of
the miracles of Jesus, including the resurrection .
C. Our basic problem is, “Who is God?” Karl Barth, a Sweedish theologian said there
are two ways of looking at God. Wheen you look at God from a human perspective
you limit His power because our minds are finite. When you look at God from a
Divine perspective you realize that His capabilities are unlimited. Jeremiah said,
“Ah, Lord God, you have made the heaven’s and the earth by Your great power
and outstretched arm. Nothing is too ddifficult for you” (Jeremiah 32:17).
down long enough for the sun to remain in the sky an extended period of time,” I
would answer, “No, but I believe in a Godd who is powerful enough, strong
enough, wise enough and knowledgeable enough to make it happen.”
1. I will give the same answer for any other miraculous event in the Bible.
2. I will give the same answer when somone says, “Can Ggod heal sickness, can
God intervene in history, Can God solve the problems we experience in the
world and in our personal lives. My answer is still the same. “Yes! Yes! He is
God! “
a. “Why doesn’t he do it in every case?”
b. The prophet Isaiah answers that in Isaiah 55:9, “For as the heavens are
higher than the earth,So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts
than your thoughts.”
B. Because the Bible does not confirm human wisdom there will always be skeptics.
1. Century after century critics have sought to discredit the Bible. Still, it stands.
2. It has been banned, burned, and barred. Still, it stands.
3. It has been attacked and accosted. Still, itt stands.
4. It has been ripped and ridiculed. Still, it stands.
C. I believe the Bible because I believe in the Almmighty Ggd who inspired it.
A. When I was in the second grade some older boys began “picking on me” one day
after school. I do not remember why they chose topick on me but I do remember how
bad it felt. What I remember most, however, was when my big sister showed up. She
is six years older than me. As an eighth grader it did not take her long to drive those
pests away. Although she and I might pester one another at home when the battle
was on the line she was ready to fight for me.
1. Perhaps many of us have forgotten that God is not only willing to fight fgor us but
does fight for us every day.
2. The one who made the sun stand still fights for you with an everlasting love and a
determined commitment. Nothing demonstrates that determinataion in greater
measure than the sacrifice of His only begotten Son on the cross.
B. You are fighting a great battle today. Aren’t you ready for someone to fight for you?
Come to Christ today in faith, repenting of your sins and be baptized into Him. Come
back to Him if you have left. He stands ready to do the fighting for you.
