Joshua 10-11

Joshua 10 has a one of a kind experience in all of human history contained in it.  Joshua calls out to the Lord for the "Sun to stand still..." in the midst of war until Israel would have victory over its enemies.  I have heard this scripture interpreted in many ways from many different perspectives, and to tell you the truth, I can't say that I haven't left the interpretation a little uneasy.  I have heard, "look at the righteousness of Joshua and God's hearing of the righteous".  I have heard, "look at the audacious prayer of Joshua.  Do we pray like Joshua, with great expectations?"  I can see where they would get these teachings in this passages, but I think a major portion of the this prayer by Joshua is ignore.  I see it in the phrase, "...until the nation took vengeance on their enemies."  If we look at this phrase, it is clear the purpose of the Sun staying in its place and the reason why God would respond to Joshua in the first place. 

The purpose of the Sun standing still was to display that the Lord was going to get victory in this situation over the enemies that were against Israel.  I wouldn't say that the prayer was audacious as we think.  Joshua was simply asking for God to show his glory to these nations that he already was going to get his glory through the defeat of these enemies.  It seems like Joshua was asking God to even display more of his greatness and more of who he was by keeping the Sun where it stood until he fulfilled the work that God said he was going to do.  This is the very same principle we see in John 14-15 where Jesus says the phrase, "ask anything in my name and I will do it."  Jesus is not talking about giving stuff we want, when we want it.  God is not a genie to "poof" whatever we want to happen.  Jesus says this in response to the disciples spreading the revelation and glory of God to the world. Ask for what will be used to bring me glory, and I will give it.  The same principle is enacted with Joshua in this battle.  God hears him because the glory of God will be displayed and God keeps the Sun from moving for his own glory to be shown.  This historical event is about God, not simply the prayer of Joshua.  All of these victories and conquering reminds me of a popular song that displays the heart of God destroying these peoples and the false gods that they worship.  The chorus of the song reads: "Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other."  God truly is greater and mightier than anything else we could even fathom.