And it happened that when all the Kings of Jordan up to the seas of Lebanon (Hittites, Amorite, Canaanite, Perrizite, Hivite & Jebusite) gathered together as one to fight w/ Joshua & Israel. But the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho & Ai. They acted cunningly by disguising themselves w/ worn out sandals & garments together w/ their rent sacks, old wineskins & dried moldy foods. And went to Joshua & the Israelites at Gilgal and said, “We came from a far country, make a covenant with us.” The men of Israel said to them, “Perhaps you dwell among us, why shall we make a covenant w/ you?” And they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” & Joshua asked who they are & where they came from. They replied, “From a far country, for we heard the name of the Lord your God & all he did to Egypt same w/ the 2 king of Amorites, King Sihon of Heshbon & Kong Og of Bashan. Our elders & countrymen advised us to take a long journey to meet you & to say that we are your servants & asking you to make league w/ us, see the bread that still warm when we left is now dry & moldy, the wineskin were new & now was rent while our garments & shoes are worn out becoz of a long journey.” So the Israelites took their victuals & did not ask council from the Lord. Joshua made peace & covenant w/ them to let them live, & the princes of congregation swore to them…Why did the Gibeonites have to make all the trouble just offer to Joshua & to the Israelites to be their servants? Why he have to abandon his allies & treacherously become their enemy? Reading the bible (w/c religious people discarded, wanting more of themselves & less of God) nourishes us physically, emotionally & spiritually while having a dynamic & joyful connection w/ God. It is about life & God’s love for us, it is where our problem can be directed to God & through His Word our problems are being solved. It is where we can feel His heart & what He wants us to be (surely for our best)… The Gibeonites knew that they are bound to destruction together with his allies (6 kings pertaining to our flesh) if they will fight against Joshua (symbolizing Jesus) & the Israelites (God’s people), knowing that God commanded the Israelites to destroy the inhabitants of the land, there is no other way but to disguised themselves & offer themselves to be servants. Though Israelites never did inquire the Lord about this (proving only that God’s grace is not intended for them) still Joshua did signed the treaty w/ his blood (blood of Jesus for the salvation of all & the undeserving) in the name of God. After 3 days they found out that they were tricked & their pact w/ them is irreversible. A time came when the Gibeonites’ former allies is going to attack them, in haste they called Joshua for help, (becoz they are now one w/ them) Joshua in their defense prayed to God to make the sun to be still in Gibeon for 24 hours while moon was on the side of their enemy that made them triumphant in their battle. They became loyal believers, which even David in his time has defended them to their persecutors & they had stayed in God’s temple blessed in hearing His words that strengthened their faith…Like the Gibeonites we are all undeserving from God’s forgiveness & not even eligible to be His servant. It is so touching how tremendous & gracious is God’s love for us, for Jesus showed how He turned our curse (to die for wage of sin) into a blessing (by His sacrifice He died on the cross taking our place, we became worthy). It is only right that, like the Gibeonites, we must came throw out our pride come humbly to Jesus & make a compromise to be His servant certified by His blood we can richly take advantage all the He have (Salvation, forgiveness, righteousness). He will even dare to make the sun to shine still, in wait for you to be delivered safely in Heaven…Aren’t you ashamed that someone undeserving like you is making all the delays to accept Jesus, the Son of God, to be your Savior? Who do you think you are? …IYF, Good News Mission…
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 06:35:12 +0000
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