No one knows what facing one difficult battle after another feels like, more than our beloved war general Joshua. His whole life was characterized by challenges, struggles and endless battles.
Born in Goshen (the lower side of Egypt), Joshua was a Hebrew from the tribe of Ephraim (meaning he was a direct descendant of Joseph, the son of Jacob).
Joshua saw a lot of trauma growing up. Not only was he well versed with the throwing of the young sons of his people into the Nile river, Joshua knew firsthand the mistreating of his people who served the Egyptian workforce as slaves. The tracking down of his people right into the red sea, the heat of the wilderness—wondering for decades, the flooded Jordan, the walls of Jericho too great for him… you name it, Joshua knew it all.
But even with these challenges, Joshua had learned one valuable truth. God heard the cry of His people (“I have seen your suffering, and I have now come…”—Exodus 3). God promised to visit His people at an appointed time. And HE did. He promised to deliver them. And HE did.
And because God had kept this promise. Joshua had learned what you and I must learn in these tough days you and I are facing. EVERY single insurmountable challenge they had faced as a people had elicited the power and greatness of God in a way Israel had never known or seen.
- 10 sequential plagues that completely destroyed Egypt
- The Passover that saved Israel
- The Red sea God parted for Israel to walk through
- The holding up of the waters of the Jordan for Joshua and his people to pass through
- The bringing down of the walls of Jericho supernaturally with Joshua’s leadership
- The cloud by day, and the fire by night that guided and sustained them through dark days
With Jericho in rubbles and Ai burned to the ground—now behind him, Joshua receives news that the five neighboring kings had formed an alliance against him. They say the intimidating league the powerful kings had formed against Joshua boasted:
- 300,000 on foot
- 100,000 on horses
- 20,000 on chariots
Joshua is outnumbered, underfunded and without the proper artillery needed to meet such a coalition. It is easy for our hearts to melt in fear when we see the odds we are facing and those willing to work in partnership to orchestrate our ruin. But this is where we meet the words of the God of all comfort—The God who takes on the battle of the weak to hold the hand of the down-trodden, to lift up their heads and to GIFT them with a victory they would never otherwise know.
“Don’t be afraid of them; for tomorrow about this time I will deliver them up all slain before Israel.” (Joshua 11:6)
For HIS glory!
Journey well.
Marlene Maina 