Sermon Notes - Joshua 10:1-27 - Littleby Baptist Church - October 12, 2025

1.        Before we got into the whole deception of the Gibeonites, we heard that the kings of Canaan were going to gang up on Joshua and the people.

a.        Joshua 9:1-2

b.       They thought if they could combine their forces, that they could defeat God’s people.

c.        As we continue in the next couple of chapters, we will see how that works out.

2.        The Gibeonite’s took a different approach.

a.        They lied.

b.       They deceived Joshua and the leaders.

c.        They got them to agree to peace.

d.       In the long run they became Israel’s servants.

e.        To them, that was better than death.

3.        Joshua and the leaders made a major mistake.

a.        They did not seek God’s guidance.

b.       Here they were in the Promised land.

c.        In an area where they knew God was using them to punish the people of the land.

d.       A wicked people.

e.        And they did not seek God’s guidance.

f.          At one point it seemed they suspected something.

g.        But they looked at the evidence.

h.        And trusted the people.

i.          They should have turned to God.

4.        Scripture tells us to ask God for wisdom.

a.        We are to turn to Him when in need.

b.       It does not need to be some long prayer.

c.        It does not have to be complicated.

d.       We simply need to turn to our God.

e.        Asking Him to lead us.

f.          Trusting in Him.

g.        Seeking His guidance.

h.        Regardless of the decision before us.

i.          We need to be praying to our God.

5.        We are going to pick up and see how the other kings respond to all of this.

a.        Israel has destroyed Jerico.

b.       Destroyed Ai and has now enslaved the Gibeonite cites.

6.        Joshua 10:1-2

a.        God had spread fear across the land.

b.       He has made the name of Israel great.

c.        First Jerico.

d.       Then Ai, but Ai was not that big.

e.        But then all of the Gibeonite cities are servants to Israel.

f.          The king is worried.

g.        This cannot continue.

h.        Something must be done.

7.        Joshua 10-3-5

a.        Here we have a portion of those listed in the first 2 verses in chapter 9.

b.       They gather their armies.

c.        Instead of attacking Joshua and Israel head on.

d.       They attack Gibeon.

e.        They punish them for not fighting against Israel.

8.        We are arguably seeing one of the first major tests for Israel.

a.        Jericho was a single town, and God did most of the work.

b.       Ai was only 12,000 people.

c.        Gibeon would have been a battle, but they did not seek God’s wisdom.

d.       Here Joshua and the others will be facing 5 kings and their people at once.

e.        They will need to depend on God.

f.          They will need to trust in Him.

9.        Joshua 10:6-7

a.        Gibeonites ask for help.

b.       Joshua and ALL of his troops respond.

10.   I really like verse 8.

a.        What it tells us is that Joshua sought out God’s guidance.

b.       Seems like he learned his lesson from last time.

11.   Joshua 10:8

a.        He asked for God’s wisdom on what to do.

b.       In some ways this could have gone two different ways.

c.        Do we let the kings wipe them out to bring judgement to them.

d.       Or do we rescue them since they are our servants.

e.        God, show us what to do.

f.          God told Joshua that He was going to hand them over to him.

g.        God was going to take care of it.

12.   We are to turn to our God in times of need.

a.        To trust in Him.

b.       Sometimes the answer will be just like this.

c.        Where we will be triumphant on this side of eternity.

d.       Sometimes, as we know, that is not the case.

e.        Sometimes our victory is found when we are standing in the presence of Jesus.

f.          Either way we need to turn to our God and trust in Him.

13.   Joshua 10:9-10

a.        The guys were tired.

b.       But God intervened.

c.        He threw their enemies into confusion.

d.       He caused them to panic.

e.        Fear took over.

f.          They did not know what they were doing.

g.        Scripture does not tell us exactly what this looked like.

h.        Did they drop their swords and run?

i.          Did they turn on each other?

j.          Did they simply run away?

k.        Whatever happened God was handing them over to Israel.

14.   Joshua 10:11

a.        As if the fear was not enough.

b.       God stepped in and literally crushed them.

c.        God miraculously intervened.

15.   The people of Canaan may have questioned God’s help after Israel was defeated the first time at Ai.

a.        When they compared the size of Israel’s army to the 12,000 people of Ai, they could even discount the success of the second battle.

b.       The people of Canaan may even question God’s blessing over Israel with them being deceived by the Gibeonites.

c.        How could God let that happen?

16.   But there could be no doubt that God was helping the Israelites now.

a.        He caused the confusion and fear of the combined Amorite army.

b.       He crushed more soldiers than the Israelite soldiers killed.

c.        God was at work.

17.   When God is at work in someone’s life it is obvious.

a.        If you are watching.

b.       If you are paying attention.

c.        You can normally see a calling that is placed on someone’s life.

d.       You can normally see if someone is using a gift that God has given them.

e.        On the day we are reading about, it was obvious to everyone that God was at work.

18.   Joshua 10:12-15

a.        Joshua prayed boldly asking for God’s favor.

b.       God heard Joshua’s prayer.

c.        It fit with proving God’s greatness.

d.       To showing the world that God is worthy of praise.

e.        So, God stopped the sun.

f.          The prayer fit with God’s will.

19.   As Christ followers we should be praying BOLD prayers.

20.   James 5:16b

a.        “The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”

21.   Ephesians 6:18

22.   As we seek God in prayer.

a.        As we pray bold prayers.

b.       Interceding for others.

c.        Praying in the Spirit, asking for the Lord’s will to be done.

d.       Praying with perseverance.

23.   God will work.

a.        I am not saying we will get what we are asking for.

b.       But if we believe the Word of God.

c.        We should believe that He answers our prayers.

d.       We should pray bold powerful prayers.

e.        Trusting God to work according to His will.

f.          Victory will come.

g.        On this side of eternity or the other.

h.        We need to pray for God to work in our lives and the lives of others.

24.   Joshua 10:16-21

a.        Israel was victorious.

b.       By God’s strength.

c.        They were victorious.

d.       Look at the last bit of verse 21.

e.        That is a lot different than just a bit a go.

f.          People wanted to wipe them out.

g.        Now they are afraid to threaten them.

h.        God is with Joshua and the people.

25.   When God is with someone, it can change people’s perspective sometimes.

a.        Some people will walk away and not dare to cause problems as we see in this.

b.       But we also know that the devil is out to get those who follow God.

c.        Being a Christ follower, doing what God wants us to do will bring opposition.

d.       Which is why we need to draw near to our God.

26.   Joshua 10:22-27

a.        Victory has been had.

b.       Joshua encourages the people.

c.        Like he has been encouraged.

d.       Be strong and courageous.

27.   1 Thessalonians 5:11

a.        Joshua was modeling what Paul is writing in this letter.

b.       That we are to encourage one another.

c.        To build each other up.

d.       Helping each other grow as Christ followers.

e.        When one of us is struggling, we are to be there for the other.

f.          When our faith is weak, we are to hold each other up.

g.        As we are learning, which we all are, we are to help each other learn.

28.   We are to encourage each other as we walk this life.

a.        We will always have a need for each other.

b.       We are going to need fellow Christ followers to come along side of us.

c.        Those who will say, be strong and courageous.

d.       Those who will remind us that we are not alone.

e.        Those who can help us stand when we have fallen.

f.          That is what our brothers and sisters are here for.

29.   If you do not know Jesus, I want you to know that He loves you.

a.        That He died for you.

b.       He died to pay for all of our sins.

c.        But what is better than that is that He defeated death giving us new life.

d.       Jesus is looking forward to spending forever with us.

e.        If you would like to know more about Him.

f.          I would love to talk to you about Him.