Look, Listen & Live 3: Victory through GOD (Extended)

Introduction

Hello, friends. (Use the appropriate form of greeting for the language.) On this recording you will hear who succeeded (replaced) Moses as the leader of Israel. You will learn how God led them out of the desert to the land He promised to give them, Canaan, which is modern-day Israel. At that time, many tribes lived in that large area, including the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Midianites, and the Philistines. You will hear how God helped the Israelites to defeat their enemies. These stories come from God’s book, the Bible. Look at the next picture when you hear the signal. (MUSIC)

Picture 1. Joshua Fights the Amalekites

Exodus 17:8-13

When the people of Israel left Egypt, they had no land of their own. They travelled through the desert. But God had promised to give them the land of Canaan to be their own land. Moses was Israel’s leader. He chose a young man named Joshua to be the captain of his army. One day, the Amalekite tribe attacked Israel, so Moses said to Joshua, "Go out to fight the Amalekites. I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand." While Moses prayed and held up the rod of God, Joshua and the Israelites were winning the battle against the Amalekites. But Moses grew tired holding up his arms, and he could not hold them up any longer. Then the Amalekites began to win the battle. So two men held up the arms of Moses until evening, and then God helped Joshua defeat the Amalekites. (Signal)

Picture 2. The Spies with the Fruit of Canaan

Numbers 13:1 - 14:35

When the Israelites came close to Canaan’s border, Moses sent twelve leaders, including Joshua and Caleb, to spy out the land. After 40 days they returned and told the Israelites what they had seen. “We went into the land where you sent us. It is rich and fertile! Here is some of its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are very strong and large.” Many of those listening became astonished and anxious. Then Caleb calmed down the crowd and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it. If the Lord is pleased with us, He will certainly bring us into the land.” But the other ten men said, “We cannot attack those people; they are like giants! We felt like grasshoppers next to them!” They made the people of Israel afraid to enter Canaan. The people cried and complained against Moses and Aaron, and even against God.

Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to all the Israelites and God said to Moses, “How long will these people despise Me? How long will they not believe in Me, in spite of the signs that I have done among them?” He wanted to destroy the Israelites. But Moses prayed for them, and God forgave them. However, for the sake of His honour, God did not let them enter the Promised Land. He led them back into the desert for 40 years. All the Israelites who did not trust God died in the desert. Joshua and Caleb, and all the young people less than twenty years old, were the only ones who would go into Canaan. (Signal)

Picture 3. The People of Israel Cross the Jordan River

Joshua 1:1-9, 3:1-17

After Moses died, God appointed Joshua to be the leader of Israel. Then God said to Joshua, "Now you and all the people get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I promised to their ancestors to give them." God told Joshua what to do. The priests of Israel had a special box called the Ark. It contained the laws of God on the tablets of stone. God told them to carry the Ark into the river. The river was in flood, but as soon as the feet of the priests touched the water, the river stopped flowing and dried up. The priests stood in the middle of the riverbed while all the people crossed over into Canaan on dry land. (Signal)

Picture 4. The Walls of Jericho Fall Down

Joshua 6:1-27

Joshua and the Israelite people were now ready to live in the land of Canaan. But first they had to drive out the people who were living there. God knew that those people would tempt the Israelites to leave God and teach them to worship false gods. The people of Israel camped in Canaan near a city called Jericho, with a high, strong wall around it and very strong gates locked against them. Then God said to Joshua, "I have delivered Jericho into your hands. March around the city with all the armed men for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets in front of the Ark of God. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets. Then have all the people give a loud shout. The walls of the city will collapse and the people can go straight into it." So Joshua and the people did as God commanded. The walls of Jericho fell down and Israel conquered the city. God told the Israelites that they must not take anything from the city for themselves. Everything must be set apart for destruction. (Signal)

Picture 5. Israel Flees from Ai

Joshua 7:1-12

Ai was another enemy city near Jericho. Joshua had to conquer it too, so he sent men to spy out the city. The spies returned and said, "Do not send the whole army to fight against Ai, for there are only a few men there." So Joshua sent only a small army of men to capture Ai. But the men of Ai defeated the men of Israel. Some of the Israelites were killed and the rest had to run for their lives. Then Joshua and the leaders fell on their faces before God in distress. They asked God why He allowed this to happen. Then God said, "Israel has sinned; I commanded them to destroy everything in the city of Jericho. But they have stolen and lied. That is why they are running from their enemies in defeat. I will not remain with you unless you destroy the stolen things that were set apart for destruction." (Signal)

Picture 6. The Judgment of Achan

Joshua 7:14 - 8:29

Joshua gathered all the people of Israel before God. God showed Joshua that it was a man named Achan who had sinned against Him. Joshua said to Achan, "Honour the Lord God of Israel and tell me what you have done." And Achan said, "It is true! I have sinned against God. In Jericho I saw a beautiful robe, some silver and a bar of gold. I took them. They are buried in the ground in my tent." Joshua sent some men and they found those things that Achan had stolen buried in his tent. Then Achan and his family were put to death, as God had commanded. God turned from His anger and said, "Take the whole army. Go up and attack Ai. Don't be afraid, for I am going to deliver the city into your hands." So the people of Israel obeyed God, and this time they were able to defeat Ai. (Signal)

Picture 7. The Sun and the Moon Stand Still

Joshua 10:1-14

The wicked people of Canaan began to fear Israel. Five of their tribes came together to fight against Israel. But God said to Joshua, "Do not fear them. I will help you defeat them. Not one of them will be able to stand against you." So Joshua and his army went out to fight those tribes, and the tribes ran from them in terror. God also threw down great hailstones on the enemy and many of them died. The battle continued all day. Then Joshua said, "Sun and moon, stand still!" So God made the sun and the moon stand still that day until the Israelites had finished defeating their enemies. Never before and never since, has the LORD answered a person's prayer in that way. After that, whenever Joshua and the army of Israel went to battle, the LORD helped them to defeat the wicked tribes and cities of Canaan. (Signal)

Picture 8. Joshua Instructs the People

Joshua 23:1 - 24:29

God allowed Israel to live in peace with its neighbours for a long time. Joshua divided the land so that each tribe of Israel had its own area. The people had their own houses, vineyards, and farmland for their animals. They were very happy that God had given them this good land. When Joshua was old, he called all the people together. He reminded them of all the great things God had done for them and how He had fought for them. He also said to them, "Be strong, and be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of God. Love the Lord your God and keep the agreement He made with you. He will drive out the remaining nations before you and you will inherit the whole land of Canaan. But if you serve other gods, you will be wiped out from the good land that God has given you. Decide today whom you will serve." The people all solemnly promised to worship and serve the LORD. After that, Joshua died. (MUSIC)

Picture 9. Deborah Speaks for God

Judges 4:1-9

These next stories from the Bible show us how God used the leaders of Israel to overcome opposition from the Canaanites. God’s people will often experience opposition and testing, but nothing can stop God from carrying out His plans.

After Joshua died, the people of Israel turned away from God. They worshipped the idols of the Canaanites. So God gave the Canaanites power over Israel, and the Canaanites treated them badly. Then Israel cried out to the Lord God for help. At this time, Deborah was the leader of Israel. The people came to her for advice, and she helped to settle their quarrels. She tried to turn them back to the God of Israel. One day she called Barak, the leader of Israel's army. She said to him, "Take 10,000 men to Mount Tabor. The Canaanite army, with Sisera as its captain, will come to fight you. But God will give you victory over him." Barak was afraid. He said to Deborah, "If you don't go with me, I won't go!" So Deborah said, "I will go with you, but God will defeat Sisera through a woman. The honour will not be yours." (Signal)

Picture 10. God Helps Defeat Sisera

Judges 4:10-17, 5:19-21

Deborah and Barak and the Israelite army went to Mount Tabor. Sisera and his whole army went to fight them. Sisera had 900 war chariots. The Israelites only had swords in their hands. The Canaanites came to the river valley near Mount Tabor. When the Israelites attacked, God threw the Canaanites into confusion. The chariots got stuck in the river. The army of Israel was victorious over Sisera’s army and killed them all. Only Sisera escaped and ran away on foot. (Signal)

Picture 11. Jael Kills Sisera

Judges 4:17-23

Sisera fled to the tent of a woman named Jael, the wife of Heber. She said to him, "Come right in, and rest, sir! Do not be afraid!" Jael was not an Israelite, so Sisera went in to hide in her tent. She gave him milk to drink, and covered him with a blanket and Sisera was so tired that he went to sleep. Then Jael took a tent peg and a hammer. She went quietly to Sisera while he was asleep, and she hammered the tent peg right through his head and into the ground. Soon Barak came searching for Sisera. Jael called him into her tent and said to him, "Come, I will show you the man you are looking for." There lay Sisera dead, with his head pinned to the ground. (Signal)

Picture 12. Israel Celebrates

Judges 5:1-31

It was God who gave Israel power to defeat those Canaanites. Deborah and Barak sang a song to give God thanks. The people rejoiced, also. They were glad to have a leader like Deborah. She was like a mother to them. They praised Jael, too, because she was not afraid of Sisera. God used these two women to save Israel. God often uses those who seem to be weak to overcome those who are strong. (MUSIC)

Picture 13. Gideon and the Angel of God

Judges 6:1-24

There was peace in the land of Israel for forty years. Then again the people of Israel turned away from God and did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshipped the idols of the people of Canaan. So God let the Midianite tribe rule over them for seven years. The Midianites destroyed the crops of the Israelites. Then Israel cried to God to save them. One day, a man called Gideon was threshing some wheat. He was trying to hide it from the Midianites. Suddenly, an angel of God appeared and said to Gideon, "Go and save Israel from the Midianites." But Gideon said, "How can I save Israel? I am nobody!" Then God said, "I will be with you, and you will strike down the whole Midianite army!" Gideon offered some food to the angel. He touched it with his stick. Immediately it burst into flame, and the angel disappeared. So Gideon knew that it was God who had spoken to him. (Signal)

Picture 14. Gideon Destroys the Idols

Judges 6:25-32

Gideon's family also worshipped Baal and Asherah, the idols of the Canaanites. God said to Gideon, "Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper altar to the true God." Gideon was afraid of the people, but he wanted to obey God, so that night he took ten men and they destroyed the idols. When the people saw in the morning what Gideon had done they were angry and wanted to kill Gideon, but his own father protected him and said, “Why does Baal need your help? If the idol really is a god, let him defend himself.” But nothing happened. The people became calm and went away. Later, Gideon told the people what God had asked him to do. They listened to Gideon and some of them went with him to fight the Midianites. God is greater than any idols made of wood, stone or anything else. God deserves our honour and allegiance (loyalty). (Signal)

Picture 15. Gideon's Army Drinks Water

Judges 7:1-7

The Midianites gathered an army together to fight against Israel. The Lord’s Spirit took control of Gideon and he gathered an army of men from Israel. But God said to Gideon, "You have too many men. Israel may boast that it was their own strength that has delivered them. Anyone who is afraid may go back home." Most of Gideon's men went home. God said to Gideon again, "You still have too many men. Take them down to the water and I will reduce their numbers even more." So Gideon took his men to the water to drink. Many of the men knelt down on their knees to drink the water. Only 300 men drank the water from their hands. Then God said to Gideon, "By the 300 men who drank from their hands I will defeat the Midianites." (Signal)

Picture 16. Gideon's Men Surround the Camp of Midian

Judges 7:12-25

The army of Midian was camped in a valley. They had more men and camels than anyone could count. So great was their army that it looked like a swarm of locusts (insects) on the land. Gideon only had 300 men, but God told him exactly what to do. Gideon gave each man a trumpet and a flaming torch (flame of fire) inside an empty clay jar. They surrounded the Midianite camp in the middle of the night. Then all at once they made a great noise. They blew the trumpets and smashed the jars and cried out, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!" The Midianites were surprised and confused. They began to kill each other. They fled from Gideon’s men. Gideon sent messengers to call up the rest of the fighting men of Israel. They pursued the Midianites and killed many of them. (MUSIC)

Picture 17. Samson Kills A Lion

Judges 13:1 - 14:19

Gideon was the leader of Israel for 40 years, and during that time there was no war in the land. But after Gideon died, the Israelites turned away from God again. So God allowed the cruel Philistines to rule over them for 40 years. Then God sent another leader and gave him power to save Israel. His name was Samson. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, he became very strong. Samson never cut his hair. His long hair was the sign that he belonged to God. That was the secret behind his strength. Samson loved a Philistine woman, so he said to his father and mother, "Get this woman for me as a wife.” His parents said to him, “Why don’t you get a wife for you from your own people?” But Samson would not change his mind. His parents did not realize that this was the Lord’s plan to stir up trouble for the Philistines.

As Samson was going to the woman's house, a lion attacked him. Samson was so strong that he killed the lion with his bare hands. Samson married the Philistine woman, but she was not true to him and her friends cheated him. Samson became very angry and he went and killed thirty Philistines. Then he went to his father’s house, and left his wife with her parents. (Signal)

Picture 18. Samson Burns the Philistines’ Crops

Judges 15:1-17

After some time Samson went back to the Philistines to get his wife, but her father had married her to another man. Samson was very angry and said, "This time I have a good reason to harm the Philistines!" He went out and caught 300 foxes. He tied them in pairs by their tails. Then he tied burning torches (sticks) to the foxes and let them go into the wheat fields of the Philistines. All their crops were burnt up. The Philistines hated Samson. Many tried to kill him, but God gave him great strength. In one battle, Samson took the jawbone of a donkey and killed 1000 Philistines with it. (Signal)

Picture 19. The Philistines Cut Samson's Hair

Judges 16:4-22

Samson fell in love with another Philistine woman, named Delilah. The rulers of the Philistines went to her and offered her money if she could find out what made him so strong. So Delilah asked Samson many times, “Tell me, what makes you so strong? How could someone subdue you?” Each time, Samson gave her a wrong answer. She would try it, but when the Philistines attacked him, he would still be strong.

But Delilah kept begging him and crying. And at last he told her the truth: “God told my mother and father to set me apart for God’s service. If my hair is cut off, I will lose my strength.” One night when Samson was asleep, Delilah called the Philistines. They cut off his hair. When Delilah cried, “Samson, the Philistines are attacking,” Samson woke up, but he could not defend himself. God had left Samson, and so had his strength.

The Philistines bound Samson and gouged out his eyes. They kept him in prison, and put him to work grinding wheat with a millstone. But his hair began to grow again. (Signal)

Picture 20. Samson Destroys the Philistines

Judges 16:23-31

The Philistine leaders were very happy that they had victory over Samson at last. They said, “Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us.” So they held a great celebration and made a sacrifice to their idol. They brought blind Samson out of the prison, and put him in the middle of their great house to entertain them. Samson asked a Philistine servant to let him lean against the pillars that supported the idol temple. The temple was full of men and women. All the Philistine rulers were there, and about three thousand men and women were on the roof watching. Samson prayed to God, saying, "Remember me and strengthen me only this once more." Then Samson pushed on the two middle pillars of the great house with all his strength, and the pillars gave way (broke). The house fell down and killed them all. Samson and all the Philistines there died together. When Samson died, he killed more Philistines than all the ones he had killed during his life. On that day God gave Samson victory over the Philistines. (MUSIC)

Picture 21. Jesus Drives Out Evil Spirits

Luke 8:26-39

Many years after Gideon and Samson, Jesus lived in the land of Israel. One day He met a man who was possessed by many evil spirits. The man fell down before Jesus and said, "What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" Those spirits knew that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus commanded the spirits to leave the man. The spirits entered a herd of pigs nearby. The pigs ran into the sea and they all drowned.
Jesus has authority and power over Satan and all evil spirits. The people began to see that power. Yes, even the spirits had to obey Him. The Word of God teaches us that Jesus has received all power in heaven and on earth. He has the power to drive out evil spirits. Evil spirits have great powers, but they can be cast out in the name of Jesus through the power of His Holy Spirit. (Signal)

Picture 22. Jesus Drives out Traders from the House of God

Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-21

One day Jesus went to the House of God in Jerusalem. Traders were there selling animals for sacrifice. But they were making money for themselves by cheating others. Jesus was angry. He said to them, "God says, ‘My house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.’" He drove the traders and the animals all outside.

Jesus is God's eternal Son. He had the authority to drive the traders out of His Father's House. But some of the Jews were angry and said, "Show us that you have the right to do this!" Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will rebuild it!" The Jews did not understand what he meant. (Signal)

Picture 23. Jesus Is Alive after Death

Matthew 27:33 - 28:20

After Jesus had ministered for three years, those Jews had Him killed. Jesus was nailed to a cross of wood, and died. But on the third day He became alive again. This is what Jesus meant when he said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will rebuild it.” He was talking about his own body. God gave Jesus power over death. He will never die again.

Then the people realised that Jesus was really the Son of God. Jesus said to His followers, "All power is given to Me in Heaven and on earth. Go to all people everywhere and make them My followers. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always." Jesus has authority over Satan, sin and death. He gives new life to all who follow Him. And He wants us to share this message with everyone. (Signal)

Picture 24. The Soldier For God

Ephesians 6:10-18

In the stories you have heard, you have seen that Satan is always trying to attack God’s people and frustrate God’s plans. This is still happening. Satan still opposes God’s people. But God sent the Lord Jesus to save us from Satan. When Jesus rose from the dead, He broke the power of Satan.

Jesus gives His people spiritual armour to resist and overcome Satan. We must be prepared like a soldier who is ready for war.

We have the helmet of salvation. This means that our minds and our thoughts are protected by the sure knowledge that God has rescued us from Satan’s kingdom and power. Satan will try to put doubts into our minds, but we can be confident in the salvation we have in Christ.

We wear the body armour of Jesus’ perfection and goodness. Satan will try to accuse us of not being good enough for God. By ourselves (on our own), this is true. We are not good enough for God. But when we trust Jesus and become children of God, God does not look at our sins and failures. Jesus has taken these away. God only sees the perfection and righteousness of Jesus Himself. We are not protected by our good works or achievements, but by the perfect work of Jesus.

We have the belt of God’s truth. God’s truth surrounds us and protects us. It is very important to know what God has said to us in the Bible so we are not deceived by false teachings. Satan will tell us lies. He will try to deceive us. We can recognise his lies only when we know God’s truth.

We have the shield of faith, which we use to protect ourselves against the attacks and lies of Satan. Sometimes we will not understand what is going on or what God is doing. Sometimes we will feel under attack and be in trouble. At such times we must trust God and live by faith and not by what we can see.

We have shoes that make us quick to share Jesus’s good news of peace wherever we go. Lastly, we have the sword of God’s Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is our only offensive weapon. Under the guidance and power of God’s Spirit we can use the truth of God’s Word to defeat Satan and resist his attacks.

With this spiritual armour, the follower of Jesus is kept safe, and equipped to share in God’s victory over Satan.