Protecting the Deceivers; Joshua 10-12

May the mumbling commence!

And, now, Israel was to protect the deceivers!  The men of Gibeon, who had deceived Israel, came under attack from the surrounding kingdoms.  The other kings feared that Israel and Gibeon would combine forces and be unstoppable.  (Like Israel hadn’t been unstoppable before.  Yes, there was that episode with Ai; but that was Israel’s failings NOT the failing of the Lord of Israel.)

With five kingdoms at their doorstep, Gibeon sent for aid from Israel.  Israel could have thought, “Serves you right.  You not only deceived us.  You betrayed your neighbors.”  Israel’s oath to the Lord had only to do with Israel not destroying the Gibeonites.  Why should they rise up and protect them?  It seems to be a debatable question.  Yet, Israel did not hesitate to come to Gibeon’s aid.

Gibeon had not shown fear of Israel.  They had shown fear and trust in the Lord of Israel – like Rahab.  Note these verses:

"Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt,  and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan – Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.” (Josh 9:9b-10)

Rahab received protection from the Lord, and Gibeon would receive the same protection.  The entire Israel army went to rescue Gibeon.  But the Lord fought for Israel and for Gibeon.  Read this passage from Joshua 10:

So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.  The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you." 

After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.  The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.  As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. 

On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

 "O sun, stand still over Gibeon,

O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon." 

So the sun stood still,

and the moon stopped,

till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.  There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! (Verses 7-14)

Neither Israel nor Gibeon had any need to fear.  The Lord fought for them.  Because of their faithfulness to each other and their faithfulness to the Lord, the Lord won the day.  Confusion in the enemy ranks ruled.  Large hailstones fell from the sky and crushed the opposition – more so than the swords of Israel.  The Lord even listened to the prayer of Joshua and made time stand still – both sun and moon.

Let us give thanks and seek to protect all who place their trust in the Lord – regardless of misguided reasons and methods to communicate that trust and damage to our self-image.  

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out