Suffering and Deliverance (Part 16) - Israel is Delivered from Their Enemies

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13. Israel from enemies in the wilderness A. Immediately after the LORD delivered Israel from dying of thirst by giving them water out of the rock in Rephidim, they were attacked by Amalek (Exo 17:8). B. Moses told Joshua to choose out men and go fight with Amalek (Exo 17:9-10). C. When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed in the battle; when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (Exo 17:11). D. Aaron and Hur helped hold up Moses' hands until the end of the day, and Joshua and his army defeated Amalek (Exo 17:12-13). E. God had Moses write down the account of Israel's success in battle with Amalek for a memorial (Exo 17:14). F. Memorial n. - 1. Preserving the memory of a person or thing; often applied to an object set up, a festival (or the like) instituted, to commemorate an event or a person. G. There are some lessons we can learn from this. i. God's people are tried with divers (Jam 1:2) and manifold (1Pe 1:6) temptations. a. Divers adj. - 1. Different or not alike in character or quality; not of the same kind. Obs. in this form since c1700, and now expressed by diverse a. 1. b. Manifold adj. - 1. a. Varied or diverse in appearance, form, or character; having various forms, features, relations, applications, etc.; complex. 2. Qualifying a plural n. (or collective noun): Numerous and varied; of many kinds or varieties. Formerly simply: Numerous, many. c. Temptation n. - 1. The action of tempting or fact of being tempted, esp. to evil; enticement, allurement, attraction. (Sometimes with more or less approach to senses 2 and 3.) 2. The action or process of testing or proving; trial, test. 3. A severe or painful trial or experience; an affliction, a trial. d. Temptation in these verses is used in senses 2&3 (Jam 1:3; 1Pe 1:7). e. God brings about growth and patience in us by trying us with many different kinds of tests and trials. ii. Many times God expects us to fight our own battles with the resources we have. He doesn't always fight them entirely by Himself for us. iii. God will use our feeble efforts to deliver us through His strength. iv. God will send us helpers when we get weak to help us fight our battles. v. The battles will not be over in an instant, but if we keep fighting with God's help, we will prevail (Gal 6:9). vi. We must not give up the fight even when we are tired and feel like giving up (Pro 24:10; Jer 12:5; Heb 12:1-4; 2Ti 4:7). vii. God wants us to remember the great deliverances that He has wrought in our lives (Psa 111:4). 14. Israel from the Canaanites in the promised land A. The five kings of the Amorites i. Early on when Israel entered the land of Canaan, five kings of the Amorites banded together to attack them at Gibeon after the men of Gibeon made peace with Israel (Jos 10:1-5). ii. The LORD assured Joshua that He had delivered them into his hand (Jos 10:8). iii. Joshua believed the LORD and attacked them (Jos 10:9-10). iv. The LORD cast down great hailstones from heaven and killed more of the Amorites than Israel killed (Jos 10:11). v. The LORD then made the sun stand still for an entire day at Joshua's request until Israel had defeated the Amorites (Jos 10:12-14). vi. There are some lessons we can learn from this. a. God will allow enemies far more numerous and powerful than we to attack us. b. The LORD gives us assurance in His word that He is with us and will deliver us from our troubles (Isa 41:10; Isa 43:2; Isa 54:17). c. If we believe Him and go out to battle, the LORD will fight for us. d. God can use acts of nature to fight our battles for us. e. God can do miraculous things that would seem absolutely impossible to deliver us. B. A huge confederacy of kings i. After slaying the five kings of the Amorites, Joshua and Israel had great success in battle. a. They destroyed the kingdoms of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Horam, Eglon, Hebron, Debir (Jos 10:28-39). b. They slew all the inhabitants of the lands surrounding them because God fought for them (Jos 10:40-43). ii. After hearing of those great victories, Jabin king of Hazor made an alliance with at least 14 kings in the surrounding lands who assembled all their armies together, being as numerous as the sand of the seashore, to fight against Israel (Jos 11:1-5). a. Joshua had defeated the five kings of the Amorites who had banded together to fight against him. b. He had also defeated seven kingdoms one at a time after that. c. But now, there are at least 14 kings that are confederate against him with an innumerable multitude of soldiers ready to make war against him. (i) If there was ever a time to be afraid and feel overwhelmed, this was it. (ii) But even in a situation as dire as this there is no reason to fear if God is on your side (Psa 27:3). (iii) There is no record of Joshua being afraid when seeing this great multitude assembled against him. d. God commanded Joshua to be not afraid and promised him that He would deliver them all slain before Israel the next day (Jos 11:6). e. Joshua believed God and led his army against them suddenly (Jos 11:7). f. Suddenly adv. - 1. Without warning or preparation; all at once, all of a sudden. In some contexts the implication is rather ‘At an unexpected moment, unexpectedly’. 2. Without delay, forthwith, promptly, immediately, directly, at once. g. The LORD delivered them into his hand, and they slew them until none remained (Jos 11:8-9). iii. There are some lessons we can learn from this. a. As we grow in Christian maturity, God will bring greater trials into our lives. b. As we mature, things that would have made us fear or worry aforetime will not be as big of a deal. c. We must face our enemies boldly in faith, trusting God to keep His word to deliver us. d. We must not delay to keep God's commandments when facing a great trial or enemy (Psa 119:60). e. God can perform miraculous deliverances when He is with us and we trust Him to do so.