Heralds Digest

"So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day." (Joshua 10:27 NKJV) From moments of relevance to moments of obscurity, the general operational principle of pride embraces the use of the deceit mechanism. Having wasted their moments of grace, Adoni-zedek and his other four king colleagues decided to shift their respective magnificent palace into a single cave palace. Although pride appears to claim self-sufficiency in moments of relevance, the life of deceit cannot cover the shame of pride in the days of reckoning.

"So Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. And do not stay there yourselves, but pursue your enemies, and attack their rear guard. Do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand.”" (Joshua 10:18-19 NKJV) When the thrones of the five Amorite kings, who have earlier designed the destruction of God's plan for Israel, were suddenly and disgracefully reduced to caves, many would wonder the need for further attack on other fleeing foes by the Lord's army. Instead of celebrating the capture of the kings, Joshua admonished the pursuit of rare guard - the remaining foes on the run - in order to limit the number of escapees, while the execution order on tamed kings was delayed. Celebration of every milestone of victory and deliverance in life remains a relevant display of appreciation, only when the testimony of God's deliverance, rather than the transmission of our...