How does Joshua 10:27 connect with God's commands in Deuteronomy 21:22-23? The Battlefield Moment • After a long day of miraculous victory, Joshua orders the five Amorite kings hanged. • When the sun starts to set, he fulfills Deuteronomy’s burial rule: – ‘Take them down’ (Joshua 10:27) – ‘Do not leave the body overnight’ (Deuteronomy 21:23) • The bodies are removed, thrown into the cave where they had hidden, and sealed with stones—public proof that the Lord had judged them. Echoes of Moses’ Law • Deuteronomy 21:22-23 was given decades earlier on the plains of Moab. • Joshua, Moses’ successor (Joshua 1:7-8), shows immediate, literal obedience. • The command applied even to foreign kings; God’s moral standards are universal. • By not leaving the bodies overnight, Israel avoids bringing ceremonial defilement on the land (cf. Numbers 35:33-34). Why This Matters Theologically • Hanging signified that a person was “under God’s curse” (Deuteronomy 21:23). • Swift burial prevented prolonged public disgrace and removed impurity from Israel’s camp—preserving covenant blessing (Deuteronomy 23:14). • Joshua’s compliance demonstrates that victory never excuses neglecting God’s Word; triumph and obedience go hand-in-hand. Seeing Christ Foreshadowed • Paul links Deuteronomy 21:23 to the cross: “Christ redeemed us from the curse… by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). • Like the Amorite kings, Jesus hung publicly; unlike them, He was without sin (1 Peter 2:22-24). • His body, too, was taken down before nightfall (John 19:31-42), fulfilling the same Torah principle and underscoring that He bore our curse in our place. Living It Out Today • God’s commands remain consistent and trustworthy; partial obedience is not enough. • Sin always brings a curse; only Christ’s atoning work removes it. • Celebrated victories (personal or corporate) must be followed by faithful adherence to Scripture. • Remember the gravity of judgment and the mercy offered at the cross—both are displayed when Joshua obeys Deuteronomy. |
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