The surrender of Gibeon to Israel filled the kings of Canaan with dismay. They took immediate steps for revenge on those who had made peace with the invaders. Five of the Canaanite kings allied themselves against Gibeon. The Gibeonites were unprepared for defense and sent a message to Joshua at Gilgal: “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us, and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.” The danger threatened not only the people of Gibeon, but also Israel. This city controlled the passes to central and southern Palestine, and Israel must hold it in order to conquer the country.
The overwhelmed Gibeonites were afraid that Joshua would reject their request for help because of the way they had deceived the Israelites. But since they had submitted to Israel and had accepted the worship of God, he felt obligated to protect them. And the Lord encouraged him. “Do not fear them,” was the divine message, “for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” “So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.”
The allied princes had just positioned their armies around the city when Joshua was upon them. The immense host fled from the Hebrews up the mountain pass to Beth Horon, and from the top they rushed down the steep descent on the other side, where a fierce hailstorm burst upon them. “The Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven. ... There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.”
While the Amorites were fleeing in panic, Joshua looked down from the ridge above and saw that the day would be too short to finish his work. If not fully defeated, their enemies would fight them again. “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord ..., and he said in the sight of Israel, ‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. ... The sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.”
Before evening came, God’s promise to Joshua had been fulfilled—the enemy had been given into his hand. The events of that 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 destruction 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” (Revelation 16:17, 21).
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