THE SWORD AND HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

Pastor Jerry Rockwell

THE SWORD AND HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

 

Joshua 10:28–43

Introduction: We are all aware of the importance of having a weapon in the military. Anyone who has served in the armed forces has at some point come into contact with what the military calls a weapon. When I served in the Army, we were issued an M–1 rifle. It was our weapon. We were not permitted to call it a gun. It was either a rifle or a weapon. We were responsible for several things with this weapon. First, we had to know how to "field strip" our weapon. That meant we needed to know how to tear it down and clean it. The second thing we had to know was the significance of this weapon. We had to know how many rounds a clip would hold. We had to know how to set the sights and how to care for it. In basic training, our weapons went everywhere with us, except to the mess hall. It was our constant companion. We had to know its serial number. It was one of the most important pieces of equipment we were to use. It had an attachment essential for “hand-to-hand” combat, called a “bayonet,” which was attached to the muzzle area of our weapon. We went through “bayonet” training to master the art of survival in hand-to-hand combat which some say originated in Egypt and Asia.

There is a parallel in the Bible for us to understand. Let’s look at a couple of versus in the Bible: Psalms 144:1-2 (KJV) 1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: 2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. Psalms 18:34 (KJV) He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. When you read with these two versus and connect them with what we read last week in Judges 3:1-2 (KJV) 1 Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof.”  You find that warfare is a significant part of the instructions for the believer. God has always had enemies, but the major enemy is Satan, who wants to usurp the authority of God and be in charge. In fact, he is the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). 

One aspect of the Christian life is that we are in a battle, a war. This passage emphasizes the weapon of warfare that the Christian uses in warfare. We need to be reminded that the Christian life is not a life of ease and satisfaction. We need to review a few things that are taught in the New Testament about spiritual warfare. Paul instructed Timothy in1 Timothy 1:18 (KJV) This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare. Note that Paul is telling Timothy that the “prophesies” he has learned that “. . .by them mightiest war a good warfare.” The Revelation tells us that there will be “war” by the “dragon” against the people of God. The “beast” out of the bottomless pit will “war against them” who had finished their testimony (Rev. 11:7). The “dragon” (Satan) tried to “devour” the woman and her child (Rev. 12:4-6). This brought about “war in heaven between the “dragon” and “Michael and his angels” (Rev. 12:7). This is war about the truth of God and is provision for eternal life. 

There is something going on in Joshua which has pictures of the major battle of the Universe against Satan and God’s angels. Joshua and the people of Israel were in a battle for the promise God had made to them through Abraham when He told Abram that he would give him and his descendants a parcel of land. That war has continued to this very day and many people who are Christians are totally unaware of this aspect of the Christian life. That is why God told the church in: Ephesians 6:10-17 (KJV) 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [Emphasis added.] This passage teaches us that we have a weapon which is a sword. It is clearly defined as “the word of God.” Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This tells us we have a sharp “twoedged” sword. The word of God becomes a very important piece of equipment for the Christian. We need to realize that the use of the word of God is a significant part of the Christian life. We need to explore what the Bible says about our use of this important weapon. We are in a war and on the battlefield against a forceful enemy. This is why we need to know the importance of the “sword” God has provided for us. That is one of the reasons we see a huge battle going on over the “word” of God, the King James Version. Satan did not like Erasmus, nor William Tyndale who provided for the church the scripture that was important in many ways. 

  1. WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE OUR SWORD IS TO BE. 
  1. In Our Hand.Psalms 149:6 (KJV) Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
  2. In Our Mouth. Joshua 1:8 (KJV) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 
  3. In Our Heart. Psalms 119:11 (KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
  1. WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE OUR SWORD. Jesus gives us an excellent example of how to use the word of God in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Jesus was attacked by the Devil after 40 days of fasting in the desert. Each attack the Devil brought upon Jesus was answered by the word of God. Jesus did something very interesting: He quoted from the book of Deuteronomy each time he answered Satan's attack. When challenged to turn the stones to bread Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 (KJV) And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. When he was challenged to cast himself down from the pinnacle Jesus replied by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16 (KJV) Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. Finally when he challenged Jesus to worship him and he would give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world Jesus replied by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 (KJV) Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Jesus had a reply from the Bible each time. Do you know the Bible well enough to be able to answer each challenge you face?  
  2. WE NEED TO LEARN THE PROCESS OF OUR SWORD’S USE. If you will note in Joshua 10, an important process takes place in the battle with the people of the land. We need to see the progression in battle and victory. Note the following steps of progression as Joshua took each city and its people in battle. 
  1. In Joshua 10:28 Joshua goes against Makkedah and the victory was won by the “edge of the sword.” Note he “smote it with the edge of the sword…as he did unto the king of Jericho.”
  2. In Joshua 10:29, Joshua goes against Libnah and delivers it also and “…did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.” (Josh. 10:30).
  3. In Joshua 10:31, he goes against Libna and smote it “with the edge of the sword,” and notice the process changes. He did this “according to all that he had done to Libnah” (Josh. 10:32). 
  4. In Joshua 10:34 we find Joshua took Eglon and this time he destroyed it “according to all that he had done to Lachish” (Josh. 10:35).
  5. In Joshua 10:36 he fought against Hebron and did unto it “according to all that he had done to Eglon” (Josh. 10:37).
  6. In Joshua 20:38 he goes against Debir and smote it with the edge of the sword and note he “…utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king” (Josh. 10:39). The point of all of this is that we need to realize we learn from our victories and accomplish the battle in the same way we did before.
  7. Illustration: We have seen that we learn from our mistakes and grow from them. The same is true with our victories; we learn from them. Joshua fought each battle and achieved victory in a manner similar to his previous battles. There is a parallel here. When the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl the next year (2010), they found the competition was fiercer. Everyone wanted to beat the World Champions. They found the battle was a little more difficult. When they played the opposing teams, they found that they knew their weaknesses and usually exploited them. We need to learn an important lesson. You cannot win battles simply because you won the last one. The enemy will not lay down because you beat the other people. I’m sure the battle was fiercer each time. 

Conclusion: We need to learn that each battle leads to winning the war. A battle is not war; it is part of the war. We have to take each battle and build on each victory. We need to learn the progression that occurs in each battle so we can reach the point where we win the war. That comes when we stand face to face with our Lord Jesus Christ, and he says, “Well done…” How are you doing in the battle? Do you have your sword ready? Do you know how to use your sword?