Here’s today’s verse … “Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.” Joshua 11:18

Talk about an ocean in a thimble!

This one line Sentence of Scripture says a lot!

(I heard a scientist, an astronomer, this week tell of a now observable, imploding star … called a supernova … where a single spoonful of matter might weigh a thousand tons! I feel that way about Joshua 11:18, our Text this morning!)

“Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.”

Including the leaders of Jericho, Ai, then that whole “southern” half of the Land of Canaan … and next that militant swing “northward” which followed! One nation, one city-state falling after another! Tribe after tribe … defeated!

“Joshua made war A LONG TIME with all those kings.”

And I am wondering, “How long?”

I consulted my Bibles, my study Bibles.

Several say at least seven years from the beginning of the conquest until Hebron fell … based on the life of Caleb, his chronology! (Comparing Joshua 14:7 with Deuteronomy 2:14 and doing the math!)

That’s a long time to be at war!

Especially for a young, relatively small Nation like Israel!

Another Bible Teacher observed that one can easily read of the Conquest of Canaan in a single sitting, every battle! A “quick” read, indeed!

But, in reality … it took seven long years (meaning seven Passovers, seven Pentecosts, seven Tabernacles) to wage these numerous battles!

A lesson on “time” today?

Time spend in battle!

This all set me to thinking, on a spiritual plane, how much time do we spend “at war” with the enemy?

“In battle” against the world, the flesh and the devil?

I’d say, “Seven years!”

No, I’d say, “Longer than that!”

Truthfully, “as long as we live in these physical bodies” of ours, on this earth prior to the Lord’s Second Coming … we will face (spiritually) battle after battle after battle!

It is an ongoing contest!

Paul’s verb “wrestle” in Ephesians 6:12 is most fully expressed by a present tense verb … an ongoing wrestling match! Not ending anytime soon! “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.” Wow!

No wonder Paul felt, testified … “I die daily!” (1 Corinthians 15:31)

Us, as Christians, in battle?

Listen to Jesus … Who constantly battled evil … “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.” If our dear Lord fought … we must as well, Matthew 10:24.

An elongated war!

Paul, in 1 Timothy 1:18, exhorted young Timothy to “War a good warfare!”

Lifelong … until we reach that City, the City of Peace!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Be a victor today, “in” Christ Jesus our Lord!