All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
Joshua 10:42

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READ: Joshua 10:28–43

Historians and military leaders alike have pored over the events that led the United States into World War II. The war had been raging since Hitler’s evil advance into Poland in 1939, but it wasn’t until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war and the US took up arms. Great Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill had been begging Roosevelt to join the war effort for years, but Roosevelt waited until the enemy struck the US before joining in the fight. The Allied Forces then went on to defend itself and the world against Hitler, Mussolini, and Emperor Hirohito (whose country had attacked Pearl Harbor) and the evil of fascism they represented.

Joshua employed a similar strategy to defend against evil in southern Canaan: he let the enemy strike first. Joshua waited until the five kings of surrounding cities and their armies attacked Gibeon (10:5) before rousing his men to fight. And just like the US military in World War II, Israel’s battles reached far beyond defending the one city that had been attacked. God led the way for them to conquer all five enemy cities, armies, and kings.

This long passage (10:28–43) repeats the same scene, city by city, as Joshua and the Israelite army defeat one evil empire after another. In each battle, Joshua records, “they took the city, and everyone was totally destroyed”—or some version of this. It’s not easy reading. Many scholars agree that the hyperbole of Joshua’s language (“totally destroyed,” “no survivors,”) was not a literal retelling of those battles, but a political one. Each victory was certainly complete, but we know many men, women, and children survived because God later cautioned Israel against intermarrying with Canaanite women. And Joshua 13 lists all the people still living in that land.

Remember: These battles weren’t a land grab for Israel; the Canaanites were being destroyed because of their evil culture in which men and women alike attacked innocent cities, mutilated victims, and participated in sexual immorality, bestiality, and child sacrifice. Defending Israel against evil kings and an evil culture was extraordinarily costly, even with God leading the way.

A STORY OF THEN & NOW

Called to Be Present and to Protect | Jared T. | Willow Wheaton

As a parent and youth leader, one truth weighs on my heart: I can’t always be there to defend my kids—or any of the students I serve—from the constant noise and pressure of the world.

When I was growing up, the distractions were limited. Today, students carry around entire worlds in their pockets—YouTube, Instagram, and everything else that never sleeps. And a lot of it is pulling them in directions far from God.

That reality is exactly why I felt called to serve in Willow HSM (High School Ministry). I knew the church needed leaders who could show up consistently, and I wanted to be someone who helped prepare these kids to stand strong when no one else was around. I’ve seen f irsthand how impactful a few hours with my students each week can be—how a word of encouragement, or just showing up to a swim meet or choir concert, reminds them that they’re not alone.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” That’s my hope every week—that through God’s Word and our presence, these students would be equipped to defend their hearts and minds against what the world throws at them.

I can’t shield them from everything. But I can remind them of this: even when we’re not there, God is. And His love is unchanging. That truth is the strongest defense they’ll ever have.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Canaanites weren’t the only people to practice the horror of child sacrifice; Israel, too, joined in this abomination (Judges 11–12; 2 Kings 3; Exodus 22:28–29), with the most notable account being Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son, Isaac (Genesis 22). Many scholars see this account of God stopping Abraham from sacrificing his son as teaching the Israelites that the pagan ritual of sacrificing children was wrong, and was not to be practiced by God’s people.

A PRAYER

God, some things in this world will never make sense to me. Help me trust that someday, all things will be made right. I won’t let difficult passages keep me from seeking You. Amen.

FOR REFLECTION

Describe a time when you distanced yourself from certain people because you knew their influence would bring you down.

With 24/7 access to news stories, we have instant knowledge of every evil in the world. What is one way you defend your peace of mind or emotional well-being against evil?