Reading: Joshua 9-10
And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all
Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and
fought against it: And they took it on that day, and smote
it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were
therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that
he had done to Lachish(Josh. 10:34-35).
Today’s reading offers us a study in contrasts. Through
Israel’s mighty victories, we are shown the power of what can
happen when a nation wholeheartedly follows the commands of
God. Yet, as we read of the duplicitous dealings of the Gibeonites,
we are reminded once again of how quickly we can go astray
when we look to the wisdom of men rather than God. Trust in
the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding (Prov. 3:5). After the news of Joshua’s victories over Jericho and Ai,
five kings united together in an attempt to push back against
the Israelites and run them out of the land of Canaan. One
city-state, Gibeon, decided to try a different tactic. Instead of
mounting an assault, they determined to sue for a peaceful alliance.
Having heard rumors of Israel’s intent to clear the land of
its current inhabitants, they opted for an undercover approach.
They disguised themselves as travel-weary ambassadors from
a far-off land and approached Joshua and the elders of Israel
with peace offerings. And the men took of their victuals, and
asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. And Joshua
made peace with them, and made a league with them, to
let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware
unto them (Josh. 9:14-15). By not asking counsel at the mouth of the Lord (who
knew perfectly well who these so-called travelers were), the
Israelites trapped themselves between their sacred vow to
form an alliance with the Gibeonites and the Lord’s strict commands
against showing mercy to or making covenants with the
pagan inhabitants of Canaan (Deut. 7:2). Once the deception
was discovered, Joshua decreed that the Gibeonites would
forever be considered servants of the people of God, but it
was still the Israelites that ultimately suffered the most. The Gibeonites, along with their false religions and pagan lifestyle,
now had protected status in the community of Israel. Temptation
had taken up permanent residence on their doorstep, and
the Israelites had a long history of weakness when it came to
worldly temptations. After their disastrous encounter with Gibeon, Joshua and his
men renewed their faith in the Lord. When faced with the mighty
fighting force of 5 combined kings, they heeded God’s promise
(Josh. 10:8) and confidently marched forward. So great was their
commitment to the will of God that they fought for Him as one,
and His power shone out for all to see. And the sun stood still,
and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves
upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of
Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and
hasted not to go down about a whole day (10:13). God has the wisdom, the power, and the desire to utilize each
of us to our full potential in His glorious service, but the only way
that can happen is if we continually stay in contact with Him. Only
by opening ourselves in ALL things to the influence of His perfect
will can we hope to hold to the path He has set before us. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of Him(Eph. 1:17). Thought For Today:Straying from God is as simple as believing
there is a decision to make that does not require His counsel. Christ Revealed:As the One through whom we have victory (Josh. 10:25).
Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ (I Cor. 15:57). Word Studies:9:1 great sea = Mediterranean Sea; 9:4 wilily = craftily;
wine bottles = wineskins; rent = torn; 9:5 clouted = patched; 9:6 league
= treaty; 9:9 Name = awesome reputation; 9:15 sware = ratified it with an
oath in the Name of God. Pray For Staff:Gilbert Palafox • Government Officials: Rep. Julia Letlow
(LA) • Country: Trinidad and Tobago (1,223,916) Caribbean • Major Languages:
English, Caribbean Hindustani • Religious Freedom • 32.1% Protestant;
21.6% Roman Catholic; 18.2% Hindu; 5% Muslim; 1.5% Jehovah’s
Witness; 8.4% Other; 2.2% None; 11% Unspecified • Prayer Suggestion:
Watch and pray that you may be worthy to stand before the Lord Jesus
Christ (Luke 21:36). Optional ReadingJohn 7