“THE BOOK OF JOSHUA ~ a Type & Shadow” A-055 (08-10-22) Joshua 11:1-5
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This week’s episode was lesson #55 from Joshua 11:1-5 as we continue in this study.
● Joshua 11:1 (New English Translation) says, “When King Jabin {yāḇîn, yăw–vēnē’ used as whom God observes} of Hazor {ḥāṣôr, khăwt–swōrĕdd’ used as castle} heard the news about Israel’s victories, he organized a coalition, including {or Heb. he sent to} King Jobab {yôḇāḇ, yō–văwv’ used as a desert} of Madon {māḏôn, măw–dōhn’ used as strife}, the king of Shimron {šimrôn, shĭm–vddrōnĕ’ used as watch-height}, the king of Acshaph {aḵšāp̄, ăk–shăwf’ used as I shall be bewitched},”
● Therefore, we see a picture of how the focus was about hearing “the news about Israel’s victories,” but instead commentary implies that it was not about the victory of Israel at all. However, what we do see is that Israel had overtaken the southern region, and now, a coalition of northern tribes are organized against Israel. Any time you attempt to conquer those unrenewed thoughts in your mind, opposing thought can and do rise up to stop truth from invading the soul.
● Joshua 11:2 (NET) says, “and the northern kings who ruled in the hill country {Heb. in the north}, in the rift valley south of Kinnereth {kinnᵊrôṯ, kĭn–nĕr–ddrŏth’ used as harps}, in the foothills, and on the heights of Dor {dôr, dŏredd used as generation} to the west.”
● History is fun, but also looking beyond history or what we see and read with the eye, takes us to another level of understanding, just like seeing the type and shadow, or even an allegorical version of what God is trying to show us.
● Joshua 11:3 (NET) says, “Canaanites came from the east and west; Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites from the hill country; and Hivites from below Hermon in the area {or, land} of Mizpah {miṣpâ, mĭts–păw’ used as watchtower}.”
● When it comes to military tactics, “hill country” provides a strategic advantage over any enemy.
The same is true when we choose to think on things above, or a higher realm of thought, it simply provides a better position for overtaking thoughts that do not line up with our Creator’s thoughts.
● Joshua 11:4 (NET) says, “These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses {interpreted as to skip and used as swift} and chariots {implies a team}.”
● Now, there are a couple of things I see here, which are 1) there seemed to be a massive amount of people gaining up on Israel, “a people as numerous as the sand which is on the edge of the sea in multitude,” and 2) they had horses and chariots, which is an allegory for being swift and unified.
● Joshua 11:5 (NET) says, “All these kings gathered {Lit. assembled by appointment} and joined forces at the Waters of Merom {mērôm, māy–ddrōmĕ’ used as high place} to fight Israel.”
● Personally, I think battles can benefit you only if you do not cave-in while in the midst of a battle, but that you eventually learn to rest no matter what challenge you face. I DO NOT believe that battles are from God, but only that they happen to the magnitude of how our emotions react to the challenges we deal with.
● In the case of Joshua and the armies of Israel, the allegory here is that they easily dealt with the lower-realm or southern thoughts, and easily won. But now they are dealing with the higher-realm or northern thoughts and face a number of individuals they had never faced before.
● The type and shadow here is that sometimes negative or unrenewed thoughts can seem to be like an army of lower-realm thoughts fighting against higher-realm thoughts where you want to grow, learn, and become enlightened to the truth of Father’s mind, and yet this tough and rough and impossible scenario seemed to stack the odds against them, and yet God…as always God speaks to Joshua providing the answer, just like He does for you, if you will listen to His voice within.
● I hope you were enlightened and inspired to “dig deep into the well of Father’s mind within” as you watch this video lesson!