Joshua 10:22-27 Be Strong and Courageous!

 22Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.

24When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.”

So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.

25“Do not be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua said. “Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all the enemies you fight.”

26After this, Joshua struck down and killed the kings, and he hung their bodies on five trees and left them there until evening. 27At sunset Joshua ordered that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave in which they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day.

Be Strong and Courageous 

“Adoni-Zedek, was among these five kings. This would be the end of his reign and his life. Taken together, he is a fascinating picture or type.

· His name means, “Lord of Righteousness.”

· He was the pagan king of Jerusalem.

· He led a confederation of kings.

· He fought against Joshua.

· He resisted God’s occupation of the land.

· He kept with other kings in caves.

ii. The Bible tells us of a coming false messiah (Revelation 13:3), who will rule over Jerusalem (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), who will lead a confederation of kings (Revelation 17:12-13), fighting against Yeshua (Revelation 17:14), resisting His occupation of the land (Revelation 19:19), and hiding in caves (Revelation 6:15-17). All in all, Adoni-Zedek is a fascinating picture of the coming Antichrist.” (Guzik)

“Hanging alive seems a barbarous custom: among the Hebrews, criminals were first deprived of life; this was the debt required by justice: then they were hanged up, perhaps generally by the hands, not by the neck; this was done by way of example, to deter others from committing the crimes for which those had suffered.” (Clarke)

I thought David Guzik’s picture was fascinating with king Adoni-Zedek and the coming Antichrist. With the lawlessness in our country we need to have the same spiritual strength of Joshua, Be Strong and Courageous! Strengthen your faith and keep on, keeping on for Jesus’s kingdom.

Blessings