得勝有餘的獨居之民(5) ：
敵雖四佈，享恩如恆
于宏潔 8/07/2022
主題經文：約書亞記 第 9-12 章
背誦經文：34 祂教導我的手能以爭戰，甚至我的膀臂能開銅弓。
35 你把你的救恩給我作盾牌；你的右手扶持我；你的溫和使我為大。(詩 18:34-35)
【前言】：屬靈的爭戰乃一生之久，爭戰的積極目的乃是為了 神的榮耀與我們得以承受產業－就是基督。我們需要真知道且經歷「爭戰的勝敗全在於 神」－祂不僅是大能的神，也是愛我們，總願意施恩幫助我們得勝的 神。
從約書亞記第 9-12 章，我們可以再次看到 神如何藉著祂恩典與大能的介入，親自帶領百姓爭戰，勝過應許之地南、北的強大聯軍，同時也看到 神是何等在乎我們與祂的關係和對祂的態度。
一．認識並經歷爭戰的勝敗在乎 神，而 神在乎人對祂的態度
基遍之役，不戰而敗
因為「受了他們些食物，並沒有求問耶和華」，因而中了基遍人的詭計(書 9:14)
如何面對失敗、化危機為轉機，也是爭戰中必學的功課
當日約書亞使他們在耶和華所要選擇的地方，為會眾和耶和華的壇作劈柴挑水的
人，直到今日。(書 9:27)
五王之役
因為耶和華親自為以色列爭戰而大勝
8 耶和華對約書亞說：「不要怕他們；因為我已將他們交在你手裏，他們無一人能在你面前站立得住。」
9 約書亞就終夜從吉甲上去，猛然臨到他們那裏。
10 耶和華使他們在以色列人面前潰亂…
11…耶和華從天上降大冰雹在他們身上…被冰雹打死的，比以色列人用刀殺死的還多。
12 …約書亞就禱告耶和華，在以色列人眼前說：日頭啊，你要停在基遍；月亮啊，你要止在亞雅崙谷。
13 於是日頭停留，月亮止住，直等國民向敵人報仇…
14 在這日以前，這日以後，耶和華聽人的禱告，沒有像這日的，是因耶和華為以色列爭戰。…(書 10:8-15 )
北方諸王之役
因為 神恩典、大能的介入與約書亞完全的信而順服而大勝
▪ 5 這諸王會合，來到米倫水邊，一同安營，要與以色列人爭戰。
6 耶和華對約書亞說：「你不要因他們懼怕。明日這時，我必將他們交付以色列人…」
7 於是約書亞率領一切兵丁，在米倫水邊突然向前攻打他們。
8 耶和華將他們交在以色列人手裏…(書 11:5-9)
▪ 耶和華怎樣吩咐他僕人摩西，摩西就照樣吩咐約書亞，約書亞也照樣行。凡耶
和華所吩咐摩西的，約書亞沒有一件懈怠不行的。(書 11:15)
二. 勇敢隨主爭戰，喜樂得主賜福▪ 5 你平生的日子，必無一人能在你面前站立得住。我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在；我必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。
6 你當剛強壯膽！因為你必使這百姓承受那地為業，就是我向他們列祖起誓應許賜給他們的地。(書 1:5-6) 這樣，約書亞照著耶和華所吩咐摩西的一切話奪了那全地，就按著以色列支派的宗族將地分給他們為業。於是國中太平，沒有爭戰了。(書 11:23)
三. 敵雖四佈，享恩如恒 – 恩上加恩，力上加力在我敵人面前，你為我擺設筵席；你用油膏了我的頭，使我的福杯滿溢。(詩 23:5) 你使我能大膽誇，敵雖四佈，享恩如恆；我頭油潤，我杯酒溢，我神從來不會吝惜。 (聖徒詩歌 468 首 v5)
People Dwelling Alone Who Are More Than Conquerors (5):
Though the Enemies Surround, Enjoying His Grace as Always
Key Scriptures: Joshua Ch 9-12
Memorization Scripture: He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow
of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great. (Ps 18:34-35)
[Intro] Spiritual warfare is for a lifetime, and the purpose of warfare is for God’s glory and our
inheritance—that is Christ. We need to truly understand and experience that “the battle
belongs to the Lord”—that He is not only the Almighty God, but also a God who loves us and is
always willing to help us overcome by grace. From Joshua chapters 9-12, we can once again see
how God, through the intervention of His grace and power, personally led the people to fight
against the mighty coalition forces from the north and south of the Promised Land. At the same
time, we also see how much God cares about our relationship with Him and our attitude
toward Him.
- Understand and experience that the battle belongs to the Lord, and God cares about
our attitude toward Him
a. Battle of Gibeon, lost without a fight
i. Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask
counsel of the Lord. (Josh 9:14)
ii. How to deal with failures and turn crisis to opportunities are compulsory lessons
in spiritual war fares
27 And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the
congregation and for the altar of the Lord, in the place which He would choose,
even to this day. (Josh 9:27)
b. Battle with the Five Kings
i. A great victory because the Lord Himself fought for Israel
▪
8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into
your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9
Joshua therefore came
upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 10 So the Lord routed
them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them
along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah
and Makkedah. 11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the
descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on
them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the
hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 12 Then Joshua spoke
to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children
of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon,
in the Valley of Aijalon.” 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of
Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to
go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or
after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.
(Josh 10:8-14)
c. Battle with the Kings of the North
i. A great victory because of God’s grace and mighty intervention along with
Joshua’s complete trust and obedience
▪
5 And when all these kings had [a]met together, they came and camped
together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.
6 But the Lord said
to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time
I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses
and burn their chariots with fire.” 7 So Joshua and all the people of war with
him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they
attacked them. 8 And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel … (Josh
11:5-9)
▪
15 As the Lord had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded
Joshua, and so Joshua did. [a]He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had
commanded Moses. (Josh 11:15) - Battle bravely with the Lord and rejoice in the blessings from the Lord
▪
5No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with
Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and
of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land
which I swore to their fathers to give them. (Josh 1:5-6)
▪
23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said to
Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions
by their tribes. Then the land rested from war. (Josh 11:23) - Though the enemies surround, enjoying His grace as always – grace upon grace,
strength upon strength
▪ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. (Ps 23:5)
In spite of all my foes, Thou dost my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflow;
And joy exalts my head (Hymn 468 verse 5)