La puissance et les bienfaits de l'engagement (2ème partie)
Aujourd’hui, nos engagements sont malmenés et deviennent de plus en plus fragiles ! Dans la 2ème partie de ce message, …
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Victoire sur les rois amorites
1 Now it happened when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;2 that they were very afraid, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,4 "Come up to me, and help me, and let us strike Gibeon; for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel."5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their armies, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.6 The men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, "Don't abandon your servants! Come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us; for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill country have gathered together against us."7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.8 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Don't fear them, for I have delivered them into your hands. Not a man of them will stand before you."9 Joshua therefore came on them suddenly. He went up from Gilgal all night.10 Yahweh confused them before Israel, and he killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth Horon, and struck them to Azekah and to Makkedah.11 It happened, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth Horon, that Yahweh cast down great stones from the sky on them to Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than who the children of Israel killed with the sword.12 Then Joshua spoke to Yahweh in the day when Yahweh delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel; and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still on Gibeon! You, moon, stop in the valley of Aijalon!"13 The sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies. Isn't this written in the book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the midst of the sky, and didn't hurry to go down about a whole day.14 There was no day like that before it or after it, that Yahweh listened to the voice of a man; for Yahweh fought for Israel.15 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal.Josué exécute les cinq rois vaincus
16 These five kings fled, and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.17 Joshua was told, saying, "The five kings are found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah."18 Joshua said, "Roll large stones to the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them;19 but don't stay. Pursue your enemies, and them from the rear. Don't allow them to enter into their cities; for Yahweh your God has delivered them into your hand."20 It happened, when Joshua and the children of Israel had finished killing them with a very great slaughter until they were consumed, and the remnant which remained of them had entered into the fortified cities,21 that all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.22 Then Joshua said, "Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me."23 They did so, and brought those five kings out of the cave to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.24 It happened, when they brought those kings out to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who went with him, "Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings." They came near, and put their feet on their necks.25 Joshua said to them, "Don't be afraid, nor be dismayed. Be strong and courageous, for Yahweh will do this to all your enemies against whom you fight."26 Afterward Joshua struck them, put them to death, and hanged them on five trees. They were hanging on the trees until the evening.27 It happened at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave in which they had hidden themselves, and laid great stones on the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.Josué conquiert les villes du sud
28 Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed them and all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.29 Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah.30 Yahweh delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.31 Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it.32 Yahweh delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel. He took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls who were in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah.33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.34 Joshua passed from Lachish, and all Israel with him, to Eglon; and they encamped against it fought against it.35 They took it on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.36 Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, to Hebron; and they fought against it.37 They took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king and all its cities, and all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but he utterly destroyed it, and all the souls who were in it.38 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir, and fought against it.39 He took it, with its king and all its cities. They struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls who were in it. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to its king; as he had done also to Libnah, and to its king.40 So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded.41 Joshua struck them from Kadesh Barnea even to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even to Gibeon.42 Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time, because Yahweh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.43 Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp to Gilgal. -
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Cinq rois veulent faire la guerre à Gabaon. (Josué 10:1-6)
Quand des pécheurs, comme ces Gabaonites, abandonnent leur service pour Satan et tout lien d'amitié avec les hommes iniques, afin de faire la paix avec Dieu et rejoindre Israël, ils ne doivent pas s'étonner si le monde les hait et si leurs anciens amis s'opposent à eux. Par de tels agissements, Satan tente de décourager ceux qui sont presque persuadés de devenir chrétiens, mais qui hésitent encore à s'approcher de la croix. Tout cela devrait nous inciter vivement à rechercher la protection, l'aide et la délivrance divines !
Josué secourt Gabaon, le soleil et la lune s'arrêtent. (Josué 10:7-14)
Les rois sont pris, leur armée est décimée, tous sont mis à mort. (Josué 10:15-27)
Sept autres rois sont aussi battus et tués. (Josué 10:28-43)7 Les plus méchants et en même temps les plus faibles, parmi les pécheurs qui viennent se confier au Seigneur, ont davantage besoin d'être protégés des attaques du monde, plus que ceux qui Le servent calmement et fidèlement, depuis longtemps. Il est de notre devoir de défendre les affligés, qui, comme les Gabaonites, ont rallié les rangs du Seigneur et la cause de l'évangile. Josué ne voulait pas abandonner ceux qui étaient ses tout nouveaux serviteurs. Quelle pourra être alors la défense de ce « Josué céleste », en la faveur de ceux qui se confient en Lui ! Nous pouvons désirer certaines bénédictions, dans notre confiance en Dieu, mais ce n'est pas pour autant que nous obtiendrons du ciel le succès aux yeux du monde. Les promesses divines ne peuvent tarir ni être vaines, elles sont données pour encourager nos efforts. Remarquez la grande foi de Josué ainsi que la miraculeuse réponse de l'Éternel, avec l'arrêt de la course du soleil, dans le ciel : le jour dédié à la victoire d'Israël a put être allongé ! Josué profita de cette occasion, pour tirer tous les avantages de cette leçon reçue de l'Esprit de Dieu. Il n'était pas nécessaire que le patriarche fasse de grands discours ni de cérémonies spéciales, au sujet de ce miracle, selon la façon de l'astronomie moderne ! Le soleil apparut aux Israélites, sur le territoire des Gabaonites, et la lune, sur la vallée d'Ajalon : il semblerait que les deux astres aient arrêté leur course une journée entière.Y-a-t-il quelque chose qui soit trop difficile à réaliser, pour le Seigneur ? Nous pouvons voir au travers des âges, les différentes réponses divines données aux enfants de Dieu, face aux dizaines de milliers de difficultés qu'ils purent rencontrer, le tout conformément à la Parole et malgré les moqueries faites par les différents objecteurs.
Une proclamation a donc été faite aux différentes nations, voisines du peuple d'Israël : « Contemplez les œuvres de l'Éternel. Qui peut être, comme Lui, aussi près de Son peuple » ?
15 Personne, en Canaan, n'osait tenir des propos hostiles aux enfants d'Israël. Cela révèle la sécurité qui régnait parmi le peuple. Ces rois reçurent la rétribution qu'ils méritaient, en tant que rebelles à Israël. Les refuges des menteurs ne peuvent leur éviter les jugements divins. Dieu punit en effet ces rois maudits à la mesure de leur iniquité.Par ce rendu public de justice, à l'égard de ces dignitaires Cananéens, l'Éternel voulait inculquer à Son peuple la crainte qu'il devait ressentir, après Lui avoir désobéi, comme le firent ces différentes nations, ennemies d'Israël.
Nous avons ici une image des différentes victoires de Christ, sur les œuvres des ténèbres, victoires associées à celles des croyants, en Lui. Dans nos conflits spirituels, nous ne devons pas nous contenter d'importantes victoires sur l'ennemi ; nous devons poursuivre et chasser ce dernier, de façon à ce qu'il ne reste aucune trace, des péchés qu'il aurait pu laisser dans notre cœur. Si nous agissons ainsi, le Seigneur nous comblera de Sa Lumière, tant que durera le combat.
28 Josué fit rapidement la conquête de toutes ces villes. Que de travail nous pouvons accomplir en peu de temps, si nous savons nous organiser et saisir toutes les opportunités ! L'Éternel manifeste ici toute Sa réprobation contre l'idolâtrie et les abominations dont étaient coupables les Cananéens ; cela nous indique également la grande provocation de ces païens envers Dieu, et la terrible destruction qu'ils subirent ensuite. C'est également une image de l'anéantissement de tous les ennemis du Seigneur Jésus, qui après leur avoir offert les richesses de Sa Grâce, leur fera subir le poids éternel de Sa colère. L'Éternel combattit pour Israël : ce dernier n'aurait pu en effet obtenir la victoire, sans Celui qui a dirigé la bataille. Quand Dieu combat pour nous, nous sommes alors conquérants ; s'Il combat en notre faveur, qui peut tenir contre nous ?
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Versions de la Bible
- Segond 21
- Segond 1910
- Segond 1978 (Colombe)
- Parole de Vie
- Français Courant
- Semeur
- Parole Vivante
- Darby
- Martin
- Ostervald
- Hébreu / Grec - Strong
- Hébreu / Grec - Texte original
- World English Bible
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