Joshua 10:18-22: a reflection

18Joshua said, “Roll large stones to cover the cave’s entrance, and set men by it to guard them; 19but don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Don’t allow them to enter into their cities; for the LORD your God has delivered them into your hand.” 20When 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, 21all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. 22Then Joshua said, “Open the cave entrance, and bring those five kings out of the cave to me.”

In the midst of a great victory, with the enemy fleeing, Joseph's army is tempted to stop; five enemy kings have hidden in a cave. But Joshua does not let them stop to deal with the kings, or to rest; he says: Do not stay there; pursue your enemies, and do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD has delivered them into your hand. Seal the kings in the cave for now, he says, but keep pursuing; the work is not finished. Do not stop while there is more to do.

Notice Joshua's insistence: do not stop; keep pursuing. The victory was going well, the enemy fleeing; it would have been tempting to stop, to deal with the trapped kings, to rest in the partial victory. But Joshua would not let them stop short; the work was not finished, and to stop now would let the fleeing enemy escape to their cities. Keep pursuing, he said; do not rest in a partial victory, but press on to finish the work. The trapped kings could wait; the pursuit could not.

That insistence not to stop short is worth taking to heart, for we can be tempted to stop, to rest, to celebrate a partial victory before the work is finished. When things go well, when we have made progress, we can be tempted to stop and rest before the work is done, letting the momentum slip and the task go unfinished. But Joshua would not let his army stop short; keep pursuing, he said, the work is not finished. When you are in the midst of a good work, and progress is being made, do not stop short to rest or celebrate before the work is finished; press on to complete it, as Joshua urged his army to keep pursuing. Do not let a partial victory tempt you to stop before the work is done; keep at it, pressing on to finish, rather than resting in a task half-completed. The work of God often requires this: not stopping short, but pressing on to finish, as Joshua pressed his army to keep pursuing until the work was complete.

Lord, in the midst of a great victory, with the enemy fleeing, Joshua's army was tempted to stop; but Joshua would not let them: do not stay there; pursue your enemies, and do not let them enter their cities, for the LORD has delivered them into your hand. Keep pursuing, he said; the work is not finished. Show me Joshua's insistence: do not stop; keep pursuing. It would have been tempting to stop, to rest in the partial victory; but Joshua would not let them stop short. Keep pursuing, he said; do not rest in a partial victory, but press on to finish the work. Take that insistence to my heart, for I can be tempted to stop, to rest, to celebrate a partial victory before the work is finished. When things go well, when I have made progress, I can be tempted to stop and rest before the work is done, letting the momentum slip and the task go unfinished. But Joshua would not let his army stop short. When I am in the midst of a good work, and progress is being made, keep me from stopping short to rest or celebrate before the work is finished; help me press on to complete it, as Joshua urged his army to keep pursuing. Do not let a partial victory tempt me to stop before the work is done; help me keep at it, Lord, pressing on to finish, rather than resting in a task half-completed. Help me not stop short, but finish the work.