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The Beginning of the End
day would remain in the memory of Israel for a long time. “There
has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded
the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.” “The sun and
moon stood still in their habitation; at the light of Your arrows they
went, at the shining of Your glittering spear. You marched through
the land in indignation; You trampled the nations in anger. You went
forth for the salvation of Your people” (
Habakkuk 3:11-13
).
Joshua had received the promise that God would overthrow these
enemies of Israel, yet he put as much effort into it as though success
depended on the armies of Israel alone. He did all that human energy
could do, and then he called out in faith for divine aid. The secret of
success is the blending of divine power with human effort. The man
who commanded, “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the
Valley of Aijalon,” is the man who lay flat on the earth for hours in
prayer at Gilgal. People of prayer are people of power.
This mighty miracle shows that the creation is under the control
of the Creator. In this miracle, all who put nature above the God of
nature are rebuked.
At His own will God gathers the forces of nature to overthrow
the strength of His enemies—“fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy
wind, fulfilling His word” (
Psalm 148:8
). We are told of a greater
battle to take place in the closing scenes of earth’s history, when
“the Lord has opened His armory, and has brought out the weapons
of His indignation” (
Jeremiah 50:25
).
John, who wrote the book of Revelation, describes the destruc-
tion that is to take place when the “loud voice ... out of the temple of
heaven” announces, “It is done!” He says, “Great hail from heaven
fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent” (
Revela-
tion 16:17, 21
).
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