Today’s Blog looks at an interesting passage of Scripture in the Old Testament.

THE TEXT

Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.' Joshua 11:6

THE CONTEXT

  • Joshua and the people up this point have defeated Jericho and Ai, Joshua 6-8.
  • The Israelites had made peace with the inhabitants of Gibeon, Joshua 10:1.
  • God defeated the five kings of the Amorites (by confounding them, with large stones from heaven, and by making the Sun and the Moon to stand still for one day so Joshua and the men could destroy them) and the king of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, Joshua 10
  • In Joshua Chapter 11, the king of Hazor heard of these events he gathered numerous kings from Madon, Shimron, Achsaph, the kings of the north in the hill country, and more!  “They came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.” Joshua 11:4.

QUESTIONS FROM THE TEXT

  • Q: What does it mean to hamstring horses?
  • A: This is when they would sever the hamstring muscles to cripple the animal.
  • Q: Why did God tell Joshua to hamstring the horses and burn the chariots?
  • A: There could have been a temptation for the people to put their trust in the horses and chariots instead of in God! See 2 Samuel 8:4 and Deuteronomy 17:16.

THE APPLICATION

  • Burning the chariots and hamstringing the horses for a lot of people may not make a lot of sense! If they kept them, would this not make their conquest of the promise land go even faster?
  • Man’s wisdom is not God’s wisdom! While things God instructs and commands may not make a lot of sense to us (See Joshua 6 and the instructions to walk around Jericho), we must trust in what He says. God is always right! We are often wrong. 
  • Have you ever questioned God’s word? His instructions? His wisdom? Have you ever said, “That doesn’t make much sense?” Trust in Him fully! His way is always RIGHT!

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