How does Joshua 11:1 connect with God's promises in Deuteronomy 7:24? Setting the Scene: Two Key Passages • Joshua 11:1—“When Jabin king of Hazor heard about this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph.” • Deuteronomy 7:24—“He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand against you; you will destroy them.” God’s Promise in Deuteronomy 7:24 • Spoken forty years earlier on the plains of Moab. • Guaranteed three things: – God Himself would “deliver” Canaanite kings into Israel’s hand. – Israel would “wipe out their names,” removing their influence. – Resistance would be futile; “no one will be able to stand against you.” • The promise presupposes covenant faithfulness and total obedience (Deuteronomy 7:1–5, 17–21). Joshua 11:1—Enemies Mobilize • Word of Israel’s northern victories reaches Jabin, king of Hazor. • Jabin rallies a coalition of kings from Madon, Shimron, Achshaph, and “all their troops” (Joshua 11:2–5). • Humanly speaking, Israel now faces the largest, most technologically advanced army yet, complete with horses and chariots (11:4). Thread of Fulfillment: Promise Meets Reality 1. God brings the kings together—then hands them over. – The coalition that Jabin forms sets the stage for a single, decisive victory (cf. Judges 14:4). 2. Precise echoes of Deuteronomy 7:24: • “I will deliver them all slain before Israel” (Joshua 11:6) mirrors “He will deliver their kings into your hand.” • Joshua “captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword” (11:10) = “wipe out their names.” • “Joshua left no survivors” (11:14) = “No one will be able to stand against you.” 3. Chronological link: Roughly five years after crossing the Jordan, every northern king listed in Joshua 11 falls, just as Moses foretold. 4. Covenant obedience on Israel’s part (11:15, 23) unlocks the promise—Israel “did not omit a word of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.” Additional Scriptural Reinforcements • Joshua 21:43–45—“Not one word of all the good promises…” completed. • Psalm 135:10–12—retells the same campaign as evidence of covenant faithfulness. • Hebrews 10:23—“He who promised is faithful,” using Israel’s conquest history to ground Christian assurance. Lessons for Today • God’s promises are not vague hopes; they are specific and time-bound, anchored in His unchanging character. • Opposition often intensifies just before fulfillment, as with Jabin’s coalition. • Obedience and trust place believers in the flow of God’s unstoppable plan (John 14:21). |
    |