Never Been a Day Like It

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man [Joshua]. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! (Joshua 10:13-14, NIV 1984).

My Musings – The physics behind this must be beyond the realm of possibilities. Of course, Joshua did not know this. But he did know his God. “Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: ‘O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’ So, the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies.” (Joshua 10:12-14, NIV). He had seen the Red Sea parted. Walls crumble at vibrations of marching feet, trumpet sounds and shouts of victory. Sandals and clothes that did not wear out for forty-years of wandering in the desert.

And as Job might say, “and these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” (Job 26:14, NIV 1984). Who indeed?! And if you think making the sun “stand still” is impressive, how about making it “reverse” its course? “Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, ‘What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?’ Isaiah answered, ‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?’ ‘It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,’ said Hezekiah. ‘Rather, have it go back ten steps.’ Then the prophet Isaiah called upon the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps.” (2 Kings 20:8-11, NIV 1984).

Apparently, Hezekiah knew a bit more about the laws of physics than Joshua did. Not a “simple matter?” Not for the Lord God Almighty, who spoke the entire universe into existence out of nothing. “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27, NIV 1984). Clearly a rhetorical question.

My Advice – And the most impressive “matter” of all? “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” Acts 26:2, NIV 1984). And that is exactly what God did for His Son, who was crucified dead and buried! “Never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord [secured mankind’s salvation].”

“For what I [Paul] received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, NIV 1984).

“Incredible?” Not for the Creator of all life. Not for the One who said, “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17, NIV 1984). “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, NIV 1984). Nowhere, for those who have trusted Jesus. This is definitely someone you should trust with your eternal life. Then the victory will be yours.