I invite you to turn to Joshua chapter 11 tonight, and I'm continuing to struggle with a terrible allergy outbreak. I've not had one here like this, so at Sunday supper today I was getting roasted by my family telling me how I'm supposed to sneeze from the pulpit, and I tried to explain to them, My mom even said, she said, I taught him how to sneeze, but you're supposed to go like this. I understand that. But if I do that with the microphone on, I'm just going to be a loud thud. So I'm trying to vindicate myself right now, okay? That's why I was sneezing into my hand. Hopefully you didn't shake it today afterward. But I'm not sick. I'm sure you of that. So Joshua chapter 11 tonight, Joshua chapter 11, and we'll be looking at the first 15 verses of this great chapter. And then the second half of Joshua chapter 11 is a conclusion of all the battles that we have been studying and the conclusion of the warfare and the conquest of Canaan. And so that's where we are tonight. I'm going to read Joshua chapter 11 verses 1 through 15. 1 through 15. This is the word of the Lord. When Jabin, king of Hazor heard of this, he sent to Jobab, king of Madon, and to the king of Shemron, and to the king of Ashpashath, and to the kings who were in the north hill country, and in the Ereba south of Cheneroth, and in the lowland, and in Napath door on the west, to the Canaanites in the east and the west, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, in the hill country, and the Hivites under Hermon in the land of Mizpah. And they came out with all their troops, a great horde, a number like the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. And all these kings joined forces and came in and camped together at the waters of Merim to fight against Israel. And the Lord said to Joshua, do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them slain to Israel, you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire. So Joshua and all his chariots came suddenly against them by the waters of Merim and fell upon them. And the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel who struck them and chased them as far as great Sidon and Misrepoth Maim and eastward as far as the valley of Mezbe. and they struck them until they left none remaining. And Joshua did to them, just as the Lord said to them, he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. And Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword. For Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms. And they struck with the sword all who were in it, devoting them to destruction. There was none left that breathed. and he burned Hazor with fire. And all the cities of those kings and all their kings Joshua captured and struck them with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction, just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded. But none of the cities that stood on mounds did Israel burn, except Hazor alone that Joshua burned. And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock the people of Israel took for their plunder. But every person they struck with the edge of the sword until they had destroyed them and they did not leave any who breathed just as the lord had commanded moses his servant so moses commanded joshua and so joshua did he left nothing undone of all that the lord had commanded moses and there will end the reading of his word well i hope tonight that i can be as um as clear as possible on this great passage that we are studying uh as we move through the book of joshua that if i were to summarize all of this tonight what we are seeing is a sort of forecasting um a shadowy sketch if you will be looking at that in hebrews uh something that is a type but but also something that captures for us the victory of christ over the nations the conquering of the nations that all of the enemies are put under his feet. It's a big theme, obviously, in the scriptures. We've been reading that from Psalm 110, and we're considering really what that looks like. You'll remember last time that we concluded with the conquering of the southern kingdom, and there was a crucial passage there in the conquering of the southern kingdom, and you'll notice there that we took a very important passage of that and looked at the nations and the kings being put under the feet of Joshua and Israel. That was a great emphasis in that particular passage. Remember, Joshua said, take these five kings and come near. Put your feet on the necks of the kings. And they drew near. And they picked up their feet. And they put them on the necks of these kings. And then Joshua went to destroy the kings. he hung the kings and he buried the kings he threw them in a tomb in a cave and put them back in it that was a very symbolic action wasn't it and one of you came up so i wasn't quite clear on what did that mean i'm glad i'm glad somebody said that i want to make sure we get that did you understand what we're looking at the heart of it is psalm 110 heart of it is psalm 110 1 the lord said to my lord sit in my right hand until i make your enemies a footstool for your feet well there's the imagery you have you understand what it means everything's under his feet his feet are on the necks of kings jesus's feet are over all the kings and the kingdoms of the of the world it's symbolic of course but it's representing something to us that jesus is lord overall and that any king or king that stands in opposition to him that bars his way as we're saying we'll be thrown down and that's why the psalms celebrate this great truth uh psalm 2 kiss the sun lest you oh kings of the earth kiss the sun lest you perish in the way and so we're looking at the big picture of the kings and kingdoms of the earth the the system of the world the darkness of the world and those under the control we're looking at the cosmic battle um cosmic implications of this of the kings and kingdoms in the darkness under satan's great charge and the lord's great victory over them now what psalm 110 says is that christ is ruling the nation and the peoples that he rules that he is ruling in the midst of his enemies even now until the final day of wrath This has been confusing for some post-mill theonomist who they have taken that verse and they said he will rule until all of his enemies are put under his feet. And that is taken out of 1 Corinthians 15, which is teaching that on the final day, he will destroy all enemies in judgment, including the last enemy of death. But for now, Psalm 110 tells us he rules in the midst of his enemies. That's why we have so much affliction. That's why we have so much difficulty in this life. That's why there's so much hardship from wicked rulers and wicked tyrants throughout history. And wickedness in places of rule and authority and power. Well, Joshua is helping us understand the kingdom reign of Christ. And that ultimately is what we're studying here. We're studying now, as we've been looking at this development, we're studying the battle of the ages. we're studying the last battle all this is is put in its right order for a reason that what you have now is the last battle and then you have what god giving israel its inheritance well we're going to be looking at some revelation to see how this all is fulfilled but that ultimately is what we're seeing here the last battle and then what's promised the land is given to them and so when you think of canaan you should think of heaven we've been looking at a lot of that when they crossed over um into into the land of canaan and what that meant when the memorial stones were set up but for this is exactly what we have before us tonight is what will happen on the last day in the new heavens in the new earth listen to revelation 21 at the end of the story At the end of the world, this is what Revelation 21 says, the nations of those who are saved, very important, shall walk in its light. And the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And nothing that ever defiles will enter again. That's the cleansing of the land forever. We have a sort of preview of that here. Now, it's not complete. Judges is going to show that in those remaining territories where the Canaanites remained, Israel did not obey. So that's another time as we get there. But what we're looking at tonight is the last battle of the book of Joshua, the great and most significant battle that is before us. And the southern kingdom now by this time has all been conquered. That's what the last section showed us. And now we come to the northern kingdom. And the most fierce battle is now before us. It's a remarkable battle to study. We learn from this. We learn something important about life, about the kingdom of God, and here the evil that comes up against us and the battle that belongs to the Lord. And that's what I want you to see tonight. We're going to look at this briefly by this fierce coalition that mounts up before Israel ready to take them on in this last final battle and then this command that the Lord gives and then concluding with this final conquest that happens as Israel celebrates. Notice this coalition. One pastor titled this, and I think he was right, Canaan's Last Stand. That was a play off Custer's last stand. This was Canaan's last stand. It's again important to see the structure. The structure here is interesting. We almost have the very same structure of what was reported in chapter 10 with the southern kingdom. This fierce king is mentioned up front. In that case, it was Adonai Zedek, king of Jerusalem in the southern kingdom. You see how this all kind of sets up what is to come, southern and northern kingdoms. But in the southern kingdom, Adonai Zedek was there. And he was the great king that mounted up the five kings. And created a great battle against Gibeon and Joshua. And the Lord did the fighting, didn't he? The Lord plundered those nations and kings and their kingdoms. We have the same structure here, but some different emphases. And that's always important to see. What is the different emphases that the author wants us to meditate on and think about? And that's what we don't want to miss. While the conquest of the southern kingdom had the emphasis on the sun standing still. which made it a very significant battle. When we think about Joshua, we always think of Joshua 10 and the sun standing still. That's the battle we think about. And that's what makes it probably one of the most significant battles for Joshua. For the great reason that in Joshua chapter 10, the Lord was sending a message to the nations in doing that. Listen, nations. The God who plundered Egypt. The God who plundered Pharaoh. He is the God who held all the stars and the sun in his hand. All of creation in his hand as he was able to use creation against them. This same God is fighting for Israel again. You should repent. Like Rahab, you should repent. Like Gibeon, you should flee in any way you can to escape the wrath of God. The battle became, in Joshua chapter 10, this is my idea and conjecture here, but the battle in chapter 10 became Canaan's last call when the sun stood still. And I say this because there was a provision in the law as we studied with Gibeon for people to be delivered and become subjects under Israel. This is what happened in Egypt when the people were brought out. Egyptians came out and were put under Israel, under their tribute. So notice here, there were provisions. We studied that. And you say this all throughout history. God is long-suffering. God is patient. The gospel has gone out. How many preachers have we seen in the United States of America? And we beat the church up endlessly today for failures. The reality is, it's been a remarkable success around the world. really has the church God has published a news to the ends of the earth and here you are to this day and he has made the announcement come enter my kingdom repent and believe the gospel believe my son he took the judgment he's risen from the dead indeed but the time is short time is short and i think what made that previous battle so significant was it really was a last call for the nations of canaan stop fighting why do i say that look down at verse 19 and i didn't read it look down at verse 19 of chapter 11 well i don't know if that's the verse yes it is it is the verse it's 20 but look at 19 there was not a city that made peace with the people of israel except the hivites inhabitants of gibeon they took them all in battle for here it is it was the lord's doing to harden their hearts so that they should not come against israel in battle in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed just as the lord commanded moses whoa all that mercy all that pleading there's an end Romans 1 says God gives people over and can harden the hearts of people to execute his righteous judgment and so people should come today I think that's the crucial point between the two battles we should believe today while he may be found lest we find ourselves fighting against the Lord on that day and that's the nations of the earth this is what's pictured here that's why this battle is so significant now it becomes the largest and most fierce battle for Israel in their conquest of Canaan what a scene as the southern kingdom and Adonai Zadak he is now buried in a cave Adonai Zadak is off the scene he's done the southern kingdoms conquested now we come to Jabin king of Hazor king of the the great king of Hazor of the northern kingdom and another king is named here must have been another great figure Jobab king of Maidon these are the only two names mentioned here so they were obviously incredible figures here in the northern kingdom very formidable especially Jabin whose name means God has built remember Adonai Zedek mean God is righteous these kings these wicked kings had taken for themselves righteousness and here we have jabin who is the head of the whole thing he's the head of the snake so these great kings this figurehead is mentioned and then this vast summary of all the nations of canaan are listed here in an amazing way but they're unique aren't they this is the whole enchilada all the power that canaan represents now comes and stands against the lord and against his anointed there's crucial detail here isn't there that's different verse 4 so they went out and all their armies with them now listen to this as many people as the sand on the seashore in multitude with very many horses and chariots they all went to the waters of merim to fight israel you ever watch any of these more war movies and you've seen you've read war novels and read books you have described of the vast array when armies are in fighting when just by the great way of intimidation is just sheer number and if you've ever seen the warriors out on hillside just covering like a sheet all the land of just warriors and then you see a smaller army you think there's just no way boys and the girls might think of lord of the rings and the orgs here's this Jabin figure leading them the hordes are there the swords are out they're breathing fire now here comes the Lord in the face of this what is the command that is given to Joshua and Israel again in the midst of this he says to joshua do not be afraid do you know um be strong and courageous this whole formula be strong courageous which is always accompanied with do not be afraid that he has said this now since the beginning of the book seven times seven times as we come to the last battle do not be afraid in some form here where he encourages Israel be strong and courageous do not be afraid the Lord is with you the seventh time we've come to that's not insignificant talk about the spirit's inspiration seven times last battle the Lord has encouraged them this way and I think it's an crucial a crucial point for us that what is absolutely clear here is that the Lord, no matter the odds, no matter what is coming up against us, no matter how great and terrible it is, no matter, as we considered this morning, if it's absolutely impossible to defeat ourselves, which it always usually is, I don't ever want you living in fear. I don't want you to fear. What a wonderful thing he says to us. I couldn't say that to you. If you're facing an awful enemy of death, could I walk up and say, don't fear? It's the Lord saying it to you. The God who made you. The God who holds the sun in his hands. The God who holds all of creation in his hands. When all of the odds are against us, when all the wickedness rises up against us, I don't want you to fear, he says. Have you heard him seven times now? we feel pretty powerless, I think, today in the face of many things. Many things come at us. You know, what if you could imagine, what if a worldwide alliance happened and all the nations sought to rid from the earth anyone who doesn't bow down to a golden ideology they set up? What if that happened? You will bow. what if we were all threatened with death you know what the lord would say do not fear do not fear notice what he said to them for i'm going to deliver them all slain before israel there is something much greater at stake that we don't realize and i'm going to give you a reason now that motivates this great call who is the battle really against in this life it was the lord jesus who said it they don't hate you they hate me did you notice that under this wicked figurehead are multitudes as numerous as the sand on the seashore and included in that list are the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hittite and the Jebusite and the Hivite. Why does that matter? Well, you studied it this morning because a promise was made to Abraham in Genesis 15. And if you remember that promise, to your offspring, I'll give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Canaanites, the Cadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephime, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. That was all promised to Abraham, the nations and the land. And what did God promise to Abraham? Now listen, here's the encouragement. What did God promise to Abraham? Your offspring will be as what? The sand on the seashore. No, they're your offspring, Abraham. Not Jabin's. Who is this guy? And who was Abraham looking forward to? His son, who is the seed, who is Christ. No, the Lord said to my Lord, they're your lands. They're your people. Now what's Israel called to do? Joshua, here's what you're supposed to do. I love this. This is just great. You get to go hamstring their horses and burn their chariots. You know, we like to talk a lot about God's sovereignty and human responsibility. And almost every time, I came across this again when I studied this passage this week. We always try in this discussion to somehow make compatible, figure it out. God's sovereignty, human responsibility. And the writers are so afraid that we've got to make sure that human responsibility gets into this mix because there's human responsibility. Amen. There's human responsibility. Here's what your responsibility is in this fight. Go hamstring their horses. And burn their chariots. We're so afraid to speak too much of God's sovereignty, I think. I'm tired of that. Reality is, yes, you're called to battle. But listen to me, the only thing you're doing ultimately in something like this is taking down chariots and burning horses because God lets you do it. The slaying of dragons belongs to him. He's the one drinking by the brook and lifting up his head. Why is he calling you not to fear? Because he's putting the battle on your shoulder? Really? because he's the one doing the fighting and he's doing all the heavy lifting. That's what's in front of us. Again, that's the parallel here to the southern kingdom defeat. Verse 8, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel. It's the same thing. And then he chased them again. Remember, he chased them along the road in the last battle. So the Lord starts chasing them again. Remember the last time he threw down big boulders from the sky on them. He defeated them to the greater Sidon, to the brook. You'll notice there the valley of Mezpah and attacked them and left none remaining. There's a change even in person here going back and forth. They did and then he did. You'll notice that. And Joshua says, Joshua did to them as the Lord told him to do. He hamstringed their horses and chariots, but the Lord handed them over. This was no battle. beloved this was no battle you know um think think again the the just as the sand of the seashore all this was no battle the lord fought and they won and what you have is a record for future generations of israel to study this and for us to study this and to study the final conquest of canaan and leave this taste in your mouth the lord is fighting the battle belongs to him strength cometh from the lord that was used to say now in joshua what does he do what does the lord instruct him to do go after the head of the snake hazer is burned jabin is struck down with the sword notice the mention for hazer was formerly the head of all those kingdoms he's making us understand this was the greatest of all the kingdoms joshua went right for the head he went right for the head of the snake and he cut it right off all the people were destroyed and there was nothing left breathing all the cities were taken the kings were struck down israel plundered the cities taking the livestock and the spoil and the cities and and notice this themselves so that they could live in them so so so the cities in this time the plunder was taken and these cities were actually given to israel you know him who has will be taken and to him who does not have what he does have even more will be given the lord's giving the kingdom to them do not fear little flock it's my father's pleasure to give you the kingdom all that the lord had commanded to moses the conquest of the land has happened sure there's territories to occupy that's what judges will show us israel's failure but the conquering of the land is over in principle right here it's done joshua 11 it's done now come land allotments what do we take from this tonight well what you have here is a picture of a much larger cosmic battle a battle over the right of the nations means it's very important whose are they whose are they what did the father in the council of redemption the covenant of redemption we speak of that important covenant of the father and the son what did the father ask the son Ask of me, my son, and I shall give you the nations as your inheritance. What we have in the Old Covenant is the crushing of the nations to give the holy nation the promise, Israel. but from that nation israel what did the lord promise to israel what he promised to abraham that through them through abraham all the nations of the earth would be what less not crushed they are represented as under his feet everything's under his feet he's ruling in the midst of his enemies ask of me said the father to the son and i'll give the nations to you as your inheritance instead of judgment to destroy my son you will come down and when your head is lifted up from the brook the nations will flow to you and in the heart of psalm 110 is the nations will be willing servants in the day of your power you know that was celebrated at pentecost being therefore exalted at the right hand of god having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit. He has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. Who is it being poured out on in Acts 2? The nations. That's what Pentecost is all about. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, the Lord said to my Lord, sit in my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet. Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. When they heard that, what did the nations do? Did He crush them? No. What do we do? Repent and believe the promises to you and to your children. Be baptized for the washing away of all your sins. to the nations that's the fulfillment of psalm 110 everyone see in verse 20 again that the lord's judgment command in our text tonight was to receive no mercy that's what we deserve we're getting what you know we don't deserve in our day as the nations of the peoples and gentiles which is mercy let me be clear the lord jesus is ruling today in the midst of his enemies he has been seated over all everything's put under his feet but the day is coming when the kingdom of god will come in all of its fullness and those who've not bowed those who are not clad in the robes of righteousness this does picture the final judgment isn't that what revelation describes at the very end At the second coming, a last battle, a last stand. Listen to it. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun with a loud voice. This is right after the image of the one on the white horse coming who has on his thigh written the word of God. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice, he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, Come, gather together for the great supper of God to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, the flesh of all men both free and slave both small and great and i saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered together to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army and the beast was captured that's jabin and with it the false prophet with its presence who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur and the rest were slain by the sword that came out of the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. It wasn't even a battle. The sword comes out and it's over. It's over. It's over. Revelation 21 then says this right after that. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light. And the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it and nothing that ever defiles will enter again. That's the purified Canaan. That's what Jesus will accomplish. Israel couldn't do it. So we should be encouraged to remember tonight who owns the nations. we need to remember that in our day who owns the nations who has a right to the nations who has been given the nations and who's who are under his feet it's everywhere the good news is is you can bow today and confess him with the mouth and be saved and the king says to you today these same words beloved to close do not fear terrible things may mount up against you i will cleanse this i will cleanse the land i will provide a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness shall dwell so let us be about my father's business which is to do what take the gospel to the ends of the earth For when the last of the elect have come in, then the end will come. And there is salvation in no one else. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. And then, when all the believing elect from the nations have come in, then you will enjoy the land allotments. Then you will enjoy your Canaan. Then you will enjoy the heavenly city that has been prepared for you that we've been studying. Then you will rest from your labors and there will be no more sin or death or opposition forever. Let's pray to the Lord. Heavenly Father, thank you for helping us tonight to understand the bigger picture and to celebrate with the Messiah the victory over the nations in his life, death, and resurrection everything has been put under his feet and this is the name to which everyone must bow and confess that he is Lord thank you for Lord defending us thank you for giving us encouragement to not fear and thank you that the battle ultimately belongs to you may we follow Lord not with a sword but with the good news of the kingdom knowing that as we share our faith and tell others of the gospel you are fulfilling that word and that promise to Abraham and taking a people to yourself of all the multitude of the nations to be saved into glory. Prepare us for that. Give us encouragement in the weeks this week as we go out and we do your will. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.