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The Day the Sun Stood Still - 171 · Marriage Life and More and Bible Study

• 0:05
  Daniel Moore: Hey guys, this is Daniel with Connecting the Gap Podcast.
• 0:08
  Daniel Moore: In Joshua, chapter 10, 12 through 14, it describes how Joshua commanded the sun to stand still in the sky so that the Israelites could defeat their enemies, the Amorites.
• 0:17
  Daniel Moore: This miraculous event is interpreted by different people in various ways.
• 0:22
  Daniel Moore: In verse 12, it says at that time spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel, son stand still in Gibeon and moon in the valley of Ajalon.
• 0:36
  Daniel Moore: And the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.
• 0:41
  Daniel Moore: Is this not written in the book of Jashar?
• 0:43
  Daniel Moore: The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.
• 0:48
  Daniel Moore: There has been no day like it before or since when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.
• 0:56
  Daniel Moore: That's Joshua 10, 12 through 14, the ESV version.
• 1:00
  Daniel Moore: You know.
• 1:01
  Daniel Moore: One explanation is that the events are literal, that they are a supernatural intervention by God.
• 1:06
  Daniel Moore: Some believe that God paused the rotation of the earth or altered the perception of time in some way to allow the Israelites to achieve victory over their enemies.
• 1:15
  Daniel Moore: This interpretation is supported by the fact that the text explicitly states that the sun stood still in the middle of the day at Joshua's command.
• 1:25
  Daniel Moore: Another perspective is that the language in this passage is figurative and not to be taken literally.
• 1:32
  Daniel Moore: You know, some scholars suggest that the author of Joshua used what they call poetic language to describe a remarkable victory for the Israelites, similar to how other ancients near Eastern cultures used poetic language to describe victories in battle.
• 1:47
  Daniel Moore: Well, in this view, the event should be understood as symbolizing the Israelites' impressive triumph over their enemies, rather than a literal suspension of the laws of nature.
• 1:58
  Daniel Moore: Well, this is a very dangerous view to believe because, as you believe that, you would also believe that many other things in the Bible are figurative as well, and we know that God's word is literal and we must take it for what it says.
• 2:12
  Daniel Moore: He's not figurative in his stories.
• 2:15
  Daniel Moore: From a historical context, it is important to note that this passage is part of a larger narrative of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites.
• 2:23
  Daniel Moore: During this time, the Israelites were engaged in military conflicts with indigenous peoples of the region as they sought to establish their presence in the land that God had promised them, the miraculous events described here in Joshua.
• 2:38
  Daniel Moore: They served to demonstrate God's power and His favor towards the Israelites as they sought to claim their rightful inheritance.
• 2:47
  Daniel Moore: You know, joshua's asking for the sun and moon to stand still is a request typical of celestial omen texts from Mesopotamia.
• 2:55
  Daniel Moore: These texts are concerned with the first day of the full moon, which came at the middle of the month and was observable by the location of the sun and moon in the early morning on opposite horizons.
• 3:07
  Daniel Moore: In Mesopotamian omen texts, the sun and moon are asked early morning on opposite horizons.
• 3:10
  Daniel Moore: In Mesopotamian Omen text, the sun and moon are asked to wait on each other so that they would be on their respective horizons on the 14th day of the month.
• 3:18
  Daniel Moore: Well, when this positioning occurred, it was seen by the Mesopotamians as a sign of good fortune For them.
• 3:27
  Daniel Moore: It indicated that their calculations were accurate, that there would be exactly 30 days in the month and that the days themselves would be full-length days.
• 3:36
  Daniel Moore: Well, on the other hand, when the sun and moon were on their respective horizons any other day, it was considered a bad omen.
• 3:44
  Daniel Moore: And the position of the sun in the east, or Gibeon, and the moon in the west, or the valley of Ajalon, suggests that this event occurred near the middle of the month, and Joshua may be asking God to allow the sun and moon to stand still or wait for each other so that they would be on their horizons on a day other than the 14th day of the month.
• 4:05
  Daniel Moore: If that was the case, that would cause the Canaanites to believe that the day was an evil day for fighting.
• 4:11
  Daniel Moore: They wouldn't want to fight and it would give the Israelites the upper hand before the battle began.
• 4:16
  Daniel Moore: What made this occasion memorable is the fact that the Lord listened to a human being.
• 4:22
  Daniel Moore: God listened to Joshua, and the sun and moon positioned for Israel's advantage.
• 4:28
  Daniel Moore: The Lord was fighting for Israel, you know, just as God did for Israel.
• 4:34
  Daniel Moore: We can apply these scriptures in Joshua 10, 12 through 14 to our lives today by recognizing that, just as God fought for the Israelites in their time of need, he continues to fight for us in our own battles and our struggles.
• 4:48
  Daniel Moore: This passage illustrates that God is powerful and able to intervene on behalf of His people when they call upon Him in faith.
• 4:56
  Daniel Moore: In our daily lives, we may face challenges, obstacles and enemies that seem insurmountable.
• 5:02
  Daniel Moore: It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and defeated by these circumstances.
• 5:07
  Daniel Moore: However, the story in Joshua reminds us that God is with us and is able to provide miraculous interventions and victories in our lives as well.
• 5:18
  Daniel Moore: By trusting in God's power and seeking His guidance and health through prayer and faith, we can experience His presence and deliverance in our own battles.
• 5:26
  Daniel Moore: This scripture serves as a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles and that God is actively working on our behalf to bring about his purposes and plans for our lives.
• 5:37
  Daniel Moore: This story in Joshua encourages us to have faith in God's ability to fight for us, to protect us and bring about that victory in our lives, even in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances.
• 5:51
  Daniel Moore: It reminds us that God is sovereign and that his power is limitless, offering us hope and assurance as we navigate the challenges of life.
• 5:58
  Daniel Moore: Be vigilant and pray dangerous prayers.
• 6:01
  Daniel Moore: God will fight for you.
• 6:03
  Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore with Connecting the Gap, and I'll talk to you later.