Huge Hailstones

O. T. #465  "Huge Hailstones"
February 23, 2015
Joshua 10
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.  Joshua 10:8

LET IT GLOW

Have you experienced the falling of hailstones? I have, only they were small ones, yet large enough to make dents in automobiles. Maybe they were the size of a golf ball. I have never seen a huge hailstone the size of a basketball. Have you? Apparently Israel did. Read this unusual happening in this chapter.

Verse 8-Now that is a promise of God to His children. Read the key verse again. When Joshua was preparing to battle the five king-league of Canaanites, God assured him there was no need to fear them. The outcome had already been predetermined by Almighty God-Israel would win. Israel was allowed to fight, but was there confidence in the camp! Can we have the same confidence?

In their devotional book, Experiencing God Day-by-Day, the Blackabys expound:

• No greater confidence will ever come to you or to any other Christian than the confidence of knowing you are doing God's will. God will no commission you to do anything without ensuring your success.
• God does not promise you victory in every task you devise, but He does promise that you will be successful whenever you follow His will (Deut. 28:7,25).
• Is God working in you to produce His peace, develop a forgiving spirit, eliminate a particular sin in your life?
• Does it appear that people are keeping you from obeying God's will? Rest assured that God will not allow anyone or anything to prevent His children from accomplishing His purpose.
• When you face opposition but know you are doing what God has asked, have confidence that He will accomplish everything that He desires.

The key is doing God's will, God's way. Are we?


LET IT GROW

The Gibeonites tricked the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them. They became servants to the Israelites. So when the Amorite league of five kings threatened the city of Gibeon, they sent word , then to Joshua in camp Gilgal asking, "Come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us," then Joshua readied his troops. That is when and why the LORD gave the encouragement of victory.

What happened?

• Joshua led his army on a 25 mile all-night forced march, to Gibeon, taking the enemies by surprise.
• The LORD discomfited the enemies before Israel and they slew the enemies, pursuing them to the cities mentioned in verse 10. Discomfitted means to throw into confusion or to rout. (Liberty Bible Commentary)
• Then the LORD cast down hailstones from heaven upon the enemies and more were killed than by the swords of Israel.

Falwell mentioned in the above, that the largest American hailstone ever recorded (as of 1982) was 17" in circumference, weighing 1 1/2 pounds. These stones could have been even larger, so their destruction was devastating.

I had to get out the yardstick and see how long 17" is. Those hailstones would have been bigger than a basketball! Wow!!! All I can say is God did it! A chunk of ice that large definitely would have killed a man any size.

Where else have we encountered God raining down hailstones? The story is found in Exodus 9:18. It was the seventh plague He brought upon Egypt. The rain were described as a very grievous hail. It killed cattle and men out in the fields.
Falwell described it as a very unusual occurrence in Egypt, since rain is infrequent in Egypt and along the Mediterranean coast. 

Nothing is impossible with God nor is anything too difficult for Him. Have you noticed that in the Old Testament, He did some extraordinary things so the people knew it was God who did them?

Are we trusting God to work extraordinarily in our life? Are we look for His working and answering our prayers?

LET IT GO

Don't focus on my circumstances, but focus on an All-powerful God.

Fear not, God is in charge.

When doing God's will, have confidence that He will give me victory.

Give glory to God for the victory!