God brings good out of brokeness. #1
Our passage for today starts a chain of events and raises some very interesting questions but also some amazing insights. It's about the people of the city of Gibeon who deceive Joshua and the Israelites by pretending that they have come from a far-away land to make a peace treaty with the Israelites.God had instructed the Israelites NOT to make treaties with the people of the land, but to destroy them, lest the people of the land tempt them into idolatry and the worship of false gods. (See Deut.7:1-5)
The ESV Study Bible points out that Israel's 'bending of the rules' with Rahab of Jericho and now the Gibeonites, could be justified because both groups express faith in the power of Israel's God and submit to Israel.
But the Gibeonite story is more complicated because they deceived the Israelites into thinking that they were from a far-away land. The deception is described in detail: worn out sacks and wine-skins with stale bread and cracked sandals. They present themselves a minor threat. There is an important lesson here: Things are seldom as they seem...
While we should not be negative and cynical about others, we should also not be too naive. The secret to getting the right balance between cynicism and naivety is to do what the Israelites didn't do, which was to ask God for guidance.
The Israelites enter into a treaty with the Gibeonites and when the ruse is revealed, the Gibeonites once again declare their faith in the power of God, and submit to a future of servanthood to Israel - they become "woodcutters and water-bearers" for the Israelites, but, in a divine 'twist of fate' they have the honour of providing wood and water for the tabernacle and the temple - a very elevated status for servants.
The Gibeon treaty sets off a fascinating chain of events which we'll look at tomorrow.
The three important lessons from today's reading are:
- There will always be deceptive people in the world.
- It's vital to listen to God when we make important decisions
- God can use our mistakes and a little bit of faith and bring about great good (we'll see this more clearly tomorrow.)
| However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us." 7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?" 8 "We are your servants," they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, "Who are you and where do you come from?" 9 They answered: "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, 10 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. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, 'Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; make a treaty with us." ' 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and mouldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey." 14 The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. (Joshua9:3-14) |
