1 Corinthians 15:24–27 (ESV) - Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.”

1 Peter 2:13–14 (ESV) - Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Deuteronomy 9:5 (ESV) - Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Why the shift in pace?

God has proven He is going before Israel and He is with Israel.

Joshua and the leaders of Israel have proven their faithfulness and obedience.

Joshua 11:6 (ESV) - And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will give over all of them, slain, to Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”

Joshua 11:7–9 (ESV) - So Joshua and all his warriors came suddenly against them by the waters of Merom and fell upon them. 8And the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel, who struck them and chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. And they struck them until he left none remaining. 9And Joshua did to them just as the Lord said to him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

Deuteronomy 17:16 (ESV) - Only he must not acquire many horses for himself…

Psalm 20:7–8 (ESV) -Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

Joshua 11:18 (ESV) - Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

Joshua11:19-20 - There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took them all in battle. 20For it was the Lord’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

Joshua 11:22 (ESV) - There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain.

Joshua 11:23 (ESV) - So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.

Discussion Questions

1. Share with the group if you have a horseback riding story (because it goes with horses in Joshua 11).

2. When studying a passage like Joshua 11, why is it important to remember that all Scripture is inspired by God and given for our instruction and knowledge of who God is and the unfolding of His redemptive plan?

3. Why is it important to realize God gave Moses and Joshua clear directive for a specific time, a specific land and a specific people?

4. What insight does Deuteronomy 17:16 and Psalm 20:7-8 give into why God told Joshua “hamstring” the horses? What lesson can we take from this in our relationship with God?

5. Read Joshua 11:19-20 and discuss your response. After some discussion, read Romans 9:19-24 and discuss how this text provides understanding of God’s work.