1. The Stopping of the Sun and Moon, and the Footsteps of Faith That Recover Lost Time
In Joshua 10, we encounter the miracle where the sun and moon stand still—one of the most striking and unique events recorded in the Old Testament. Pastor David Jang underscores that we ought not merely highlight the historical fact of this miracle; more importantly, we must imprint in our hearts the deeper spiritual message that “God is the owner of time.” During the war against the Amorite alliance, Joshua realized the battle would become unfavorable if night fell. In faith, he commanded the sun to stand still over Gibeon and the moon to remain in the Valley of Aijalon. This extraordinary prayer—and God’s answer to it—proclaims that the One who rules over history also transcends physical time and the laws of nature. Pastor David Jang stresses that we should see beyond a mere literal reading of this miracle to grasp the spiritual principles and message woven within. Regardless of how many achievements people accumulate or how diligently they manage time, the only One who can truly stop or reverse time is God alone.
This insight poses a powerful challenge to us even now. Especially when reflecting on a church community that has ministered in the United States for over two decades, we must ask whether we have fully utilized the time granted by God. Pastor David Jang provides a candid and sobering evaluation of American missions over the past 20 years. Many endeavors were unsuccessful; business initiatives for self-sustainability did not readily flourish, and although seminaries, language schools, music colleges, and other institutions were established, disappointments far exceeded tangible fruit. Amid this, certain leaders, unable to discern God’s intentions, fell prey to personal ambition or complacency, placing even heavier burdens on their community. Hence Pastor David Jang repeatedly poses the question: “Did we truly spend our years well? Has the time God granted us slipped by in vain?“
In this situation, the bold faith decision demonstrated by Joshua resonates directly with our present reality. By causing the sun and moon to stand still, God revealed that He fights for His people and intervenes in their circumstances. No matter our situation, when we pray earnestly, fix our eyes on God’s mighty purpose and power, and strive wholeheartedly, it is possible to recover “lost time” through restoration. Indeed, Scripture testifies to many moments when God’s people face great challenges but experience astonishing reversals and renewal through sin, repentance, and faith. To grant victory to the Israelites, God even transcended natural law. He is the Lord of all power, who does not treat even the smallest matter carelessly. We see from Joshua 10 that He never forsakes those who seek His will, obey Him, and call on Him fervently.
In meditating on this passage, Pastor David Jang observes that the incident of the sun and moon standing still was not just a singular, once-in-history event in the distant past. Rather, he views it as a “symbolic event” even for today, showing that “God can certainly flip or halt our time whenever He wills.” Perhaps we have already wasted too much time trying to do God’s work. We may have faced multiple failures, or the mission field may have been devastated by leadership divisions and avoidance of responsibility. Yet even now, if there is “sincere repentance and a rekindled passion,” God can open a pathway to miracles. The paramount question then becomes: “What shall we do now?” Merely blaming past failures or remaining mired in hurt and anger will not stop time from passing. The only way to recover lost time is to humble ourselves in prayer before God, re-examine the calling He has given us, and commit ourselves wholeheartedly so that His will is fulfilled.
Pastor David Jang also stresses that this renewal of faith must transcend the individual level and be practiced corporately in the community. From the Book of Joshua, it is clear that the sun standing still and the moon ceasing in place was not simply for Joshua’s personal benefit. Rather, it served to bring victory and survival to all Israel and further the divine covenant within history. In the same way, the earnest faith of one person can spark a watershed moment for an entire community today. Yet the faith of that individual must ultimately lead to communal prayer; when leaders and all members collectively repent and commit, then true and enduring fruit emerges.
Looking back on 20 years of missions in America, Pastor David Jang notes that there were many opportunities and challenges; however, most leaders hesitated in spiritual awakening and resolution or failed to set the correct course. Consequently, various ministries stagnated or collapsed, accompanied by practical hardships, financial burdens, and a general weakening of faith among members. Precisely at such a juncture, we need Joshua’s kind of faith to command the sun and moon to stop—the confidence that God can overturn our present circumstances and even reverse time to pour out His grace.
Although most churches and communities struggled during the pandemic, there were still accounts of God’s dramatic guidance—for instance, acquiring land in the Midwest or securing a business center in the West. Pastor David Jang insists that we should never dismiss these stories as mere “luck,” but receive them as living proof that “God’s time and ways differ from human calculations.” Moreover, in Pasadena, California, new doors opened: a dormitory near Fuller Theological Seminary was put on the market, renowned churches introduced possibilities for partnership, and so forth. What does all this mean? It reaffirms the spiritual reality that “when one era closes, another begins—and those entrusted with God’s mission continue to be raised up.”
Nevertheless, the wounds from past failures and disappointments may linger among leaders. Some recall their earlier ministries that ended in failure, leaving them hesitant to attempt new endeavors. Others have grown cold and resigned themselves to thinking “it’s too late now.” Yet the critical message of Joshua 10 is that even at the point we judge it to be ‘too late,’ if God deems it necessary, He can still initiate new history by halting the sun and moon. Believing and obeying this is the posture of a true leader and represents the essence of faith that the church must embrace today, says Pastor David Jang.
From a temporal standpoint, we often speak of the “lost 20 years,” as though we have come away empty-handed. Yet in God, these “lost 20 years” can still be put to use. If we pray and repent wholeheartedly now, we can reap even belated fruit from that time. The miracle of the sun standing still and the wonder of the moon ceasing instill a powerful hope: “Time that seems irreversibly gone can still be restored in God’s hands.” Some leaders have fallen due to sin, others have grown apathetic and brought disaster to their ministries, and still others have turned to worldly strategies only to experience failure. Yet Pastor David Jang reiterates that if we lay all these shortcomings and failures before God with repentance and fervent prayer, we too can witness miracles akin to the sun standing still and the moon halting.
Thus, the conclusion to this first section is clear: Even today, God is the Master of time, ready to intervene decisively in our lives and ministries as He wills. Through Joshua’s story, we witness this truth, and even in our chaotic, post-pandemic world, we must look to the God who remains at work. Pastor David Jang’s exhortation—“Seek the will of the Lord, repent, and go forward with all your heart”—is an invitation to trust God, who can make even the impossible possible. Our task now is to pray for the sun to stand still and to advance in action as we fight the good fight of faith. Then comes the reversal we never anticipated, one that can rewrite the past decades. Such is the central message of the first subsection, as well as the practical challenge of “recovering lost time” that Pastor David Jang consistently stresses.
2. Hezekiah’s Repentance and the Extension of Life, and a New Vision for Ministry
The account in 2 Kings 20—King Hezekiah’s healing from illness and the miracle of the sundial moving backward—parallels the story in Joshua 10 where the sun stands still. Both narratives illustrate vividly that “the sovereignty over time and life belongs to God.” Although Hezekiah initially served the Lord faithfully, his faith weakened later, and he committed sin. At this point, he fell gravely ill. In that crisis, he turned to weeping, heartfelt prayer, and repentance. Pastor David Jang uses this scene to emphasize that anyone, even a devout king, can fall into sin and be driven to the brink of life. Yet crucially, “repentance that turns back to God” arose out of that crisis. When Hezekiah cried out in tears, God heard his prayer and healed his illness, extending his life by 15 years. God even performed the supernatural sign of reversing the sundial, further confirming that His promises would be faithfully fulfilled.
This informs us clearly of what we must do in times of failure, disappointment, or spiritual malaise. From Hezekiah’s story, Pastor David Jang highlights “what happens when God hears our prayer,” especially pointing out that leaders must be the first to repent and pray. The collapse of many ministries in American missions over two decades was not caused solely by external hardships; internal sin and weakened faith likely played a more significant role. Perhaps leaders relied on human methods rather than God’s, chased after worldly success, or let spiritual pride overshadow order and love. Such responsibilities are far from trivial. Therefore, our current plight is not so different from Hezekiah’s deathly illness. When a church community faces severe crisis, the first and foremost step is “tears of repentance in prayer.”
When Hezekiah wept in prayer, God healed him, granted 15 more years of life, and promised to deliver Jerusalem from the Assyrian Empire. Moreover, He confirmed this promise by moving the sundial backward—literally reversing time. Pastor David Jang deems this story a prime demonstration of “the magnitude of God’s grace for those who repent.” We may believe our sin is too great, our ministry field is irreparably ruined, and that failed endeavors can never be resurrected. But in truth, God can even turn back time for those who repent and return to Him.
Restored by such grace, Hezekiah once again took up his faith and royal responsibilities. He would face subsequent challenges and make mistakes, yet he did not waste the extra years God provided. Pastor David Jang underscores a vital question here: “If God grants us additional years, how then will we use them?” Hezekiah’s extra time was not given for personal well-being alone. It was for continuing God’s story, safeguarding His people, and guiding the faith community in righteousness. Similarly, if our repentance and prayer give us new opportunities today, that time must likewise be devoted to community restoration and the expansion of God’s kingdom—not private gratification, Pastor David Jang affirms.
Even if much has ended in failure—if leaders have been negligent or ignorant, or some still refuse to repent—God is able to miraculously replenish empty nets. Just as Hezekiah’s life was prolonged and he beheld the sundial reversed, we toocan witness God’s ongoing work if we sincerely repent and pray.
Pastor David Jang makes a fervent appeal, especially to leaders: time is short. Leaders can crumble overnight, and a ministry nurtured for 20 or 30 years may bear no fruit in the end. However, if we still have breath to pray and call on God, “Hezekiah’s sign” can be realized here and now. This sign is not simply, “The sundial moved backward—how amazing!” Instead, it is “God, hearing our repentance and prayer, grants unimaginable grace and fresh possibilities.” Just as Joshua experienced supernatural favor in the sun standing still, and Hezekiah gained 15 bonus years and supernatural protection from Assyria, we too can see light breaking through spiritual darkness. This is the profound message offered.
Hence, the central teaching of these two biblical passages is intertwined. Joshua 10 proclaims, “God can halt the sun and moon for His people,” while 2 Kings 20 reveals, “God can respond to one person’s prayer by extending his life and turning back time.” Both converge on the truth that “God can transform our time.” Applying this to real ministry, Pastor David Jang asserts, “Even if it appears we have wasted 20 years with no result, if we repent and pray now, God can ignite a new revival that compensates for all that lost time.” This is the fresh opportunity granted to us, sealed by the promise that will come to pass when we cry out in tears for God’s mercy, as Hezekiah did.
Finally, Pastor David Jang urges us to practice this spiritual principle by “returning to the place of prayer.” Although the pandemic has dispersed and weakened churches and communities in various ways, now is precisely the moment we need to pray in utmost sincerity. In every mission field, sanctuary, and campus, even if the lament over wasted time is overwhelming, we can begin again right there. As Hezekiah turned to repentance and prayer when faced with mortal illness, our place of despair can itself become a springboard to grace. For as Pastor David Jang has long proclaimed, God does not reject those who earnestly seek Him; He delights in reversing their time in extraordinary ways. At that turning point, we inevitably face the questions: “For what purpose does He grant us this time? Why give Hezekiah 15 extra years? Why stop the sun?” All roads lead back to this conclusion: so that we may fulfill our commission for the kingdom of God.
Therefore, rather than focusing only on 20 years of stagnation and failure—unrepentant leaders and divisions, bankrupt enterprises and financial crises—we must fix our eyes on God’s power to overcome all these obstacles. With the image of the sundial reversed by Hezekiah’s repentance and the miracle of the sun and moon stopping at Joshua’s prayer, we must cry out at this very moment: “God, please turn back our time as well. We repent; open the path to new life for us.” As Pastor David Jang urgently declares, although there may be little time remaining, if God moves, that limited time is fully sufficient for miracles. The crux is whether we trust in God’s intervention, acknowledging that “just as the battle could only be finished if the sun stood still, so our ministries can only be restored if God acts.”
Such is the significance of the “sundial moving backward” witnessed by Hezekiah in his tearful prayer, and of the “sun and moon standing still” that Joshua experienced. God, who reigns as the Sovereign of time, is the same One who can overturn time and natural order for the sake of those who repent. We must trust in Him anew and seize the opportunity He extends. Missing this chance condemns us to remain stuck, never moving beyond the failures of the past 20 years. But if we learn from the faith of Hezekiah and Joshua—if we imitate their repentance and fervent petitions—then even now God can restore our lost time and barren years into abundant harvest. This is the central message Pastor David Jang has consistently championed and forms a major pillar in the new era and vision for ministry following 20 years of missions in America.
Ultimately, these two accounts converge on a single conclusion. First, we must humbly bow before the God who stops the sun and moon. Second, before the God who can turn the sundial backward, we must repent sincerely and seize the new opportunities He sets before us. Realizing that little time remains only heightens our urgency for desperate prayer. This applies especially to leaders, who must lay down honor and authority and weigh soberly, “How much time remains for me to accomplish God’s will?” Those who truly seek that answer can, like Hezekiah, transform their entire life with one earnest, tearful prayer. God replies, “I have seen your tears,” and further declares, “I will add 15 years to your life. I will still the sun for you. I will turn the sundial backward—now go and preserve Israel and restore My people.” Through this, God reveals that our time is not sealed off. The moment our tears flow toward Him, even time can run in reverse, and His work begins anew. Clinging to this hope—that time can be reversed when our tears are shed before Him—lies at the heart of Hezekiah’s story, Joshua’s story, and Pastor David Jang’s unwavering message of repentance.