B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER # 104

In Josh. 10:12-14 we have Joshua commanding the sun to stand still. And truly “there has been no day like it before or since.” The Lord listened to Joshua and granted his ‘command’ so there would be a total defeat of the Amorites. It is a lot easier to defeat the enemy army in daylight than in darkness when the enemy could sneak away.  “The sun stayed in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.” There are those who say this is impossible. Of course with God nothing is impossible. We think how He created everything out of nothing by the power of His Word. There are those who say that the sun could not stand still as the earth revolves around the sun. But the language used is the language in which people spoke as even today we say the ‘sun set’ or there is ‘sundown’. Each of these expressions is simply the language of people as they see things. By God’s power the sun remained visible for nearly a whole day.

This story is found in 2 Kings 20:8-11 and Is. 38:7-8. Simply put the sundial shadow went in the opposite direction, going ten degrees backward. The God who brought light out of darkness and had light in heaven before there was a sun, moon and stars is certainly ableto do such a minor thing as have a small shadow go backwards. It was given as a sign for the sick king that God would give him good health again and fifteen more years of life. For any who would doubt this miracle, it is simply a matter of our God being the God who is operating in time for His people. In this case to a faithful king a little miracle is given to point out how God can and will give more living time to serve Him.

Did she or did she not call up the real Samuel from the dead? In l Sam. 28:5-20 we see King Saul going to inquire of the witch. No longer trusting in God and no longer being answered by God, Saul turns to one he had previously condemned to death. The woman is consorting with evil spirits and getting them to help her to fool people or to lead them astray. It would seem that God brought the real Samuel to the scene, the woman cried out with a loud voice; …Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” v.12 The real Samuel discloses to the despondent Saul his doom as prophesied. It is God alone who can bring people back from the dead. Think of on the Mount of Transfiguration when Moses and Elijah appeared. Here there was no question in Saul’s mind that Samuel had appeared. It was not by the power of the devil or any of his evil spirits as they provide lying wonders whereas this spirit spoke the truth as it had been spoken before.