- When they hear of the defeat of Ai, the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites gather together to fight Israel.
- The people of Gibeon, however, conspire to pretend they are from a distant country by donning old clothes and carrying old bread and presenting themselves before Joshua and the other leaders, offering their servitude and asking for a peace treaty. It seems to me they are showing more respect here than those who gathered together to fight, because the Gibeonites realize they won't win.
- The leaders do not ask direction from the Lord, and they make a treaty with the Gibeonites. So if they had consulted God, it is supposed he would have destroyed these people, even though they, among all the people, swallowed their pride and willingly offered their servitude? Or maybe he would have excused them. I'm trying to find a spiritual application here, if the Israelite defeat of the pagan nations is a type of our overcoming sin. So if some sinful thing or influence recognizes the power of God within us, we agree to tolerate it, and make it a servant? We use it in some way for good? (Maybe everything can't be "spiritualized.")
- Three days after the treaty is made, the leaders hear that the Gibeonites actually live in the land. They go to Gibeon and verify that fact, and -- to the dismay of the Israelite people -- honor the treaty.
- When Joshua asks the Gibeonites about their deceit, they answer: "...it was a certainty that the LORD your God [would]...destroy all the inhabitants of the land...so we were in great fear for our lives...now...do as it seems good and right in your sight to do for us."
- Joshua curses the Gibeonites to a history of servanthood -- hewers of wood and drawers of water.
1-15 The Sun Stands Still
- Another reaction to the defeat of Jericho, Ai, and now Gibeon (a large city, and all its men were warriors)
- King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem gathers with 4 other kings (Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon) to attack Gibeon.
- The Gibeonites call on Joshua's help (apparently part of their treaty), and God promises Joshua they will defeat them.
- The attackers panic, and Israel chases them. As they flee, God throws down "huge stones" from heaven. More die from the stones than by the sword.
- Joshua asks God to make the sun stand still until the armies are defeated. God responds, and "the sun stopped in midheaven, and did not hurry to set for about a whole day."
- The Israelites return to Gilgal.
16-43 Defeat of the 5 Kings
- While their people are being defeated, the 5 kings hide in the cave at Makkedah.
- Joshua instructs that exit from the cave be blocked while Israelite armies follow enemy armies to their cities to destroy them. When "survivors had entered into the fortified towns" (I don't understand this; I thought they were supposed to be destroyed before they could enter their towns.)
- Joshua brings the kings out of the cave, and in the presence of the Israelites, the chief warriors put their feet on the kings' necks, Joshua declaring "Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous; for thus the LORD will do to all the enemies against whom you fight."
- Joshua kills the kings and hangs them on 5 trees until sunset, takes them down, throws their bodies into the cave and replaces the stones.
- They then destroy Makkedah with its king
- They then defeat Libnah, Lachish, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron and Debir, leaving no survivors. And this answers my previous question.
- Joshua defeats all, from Kadesh-barnea, to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon.
1-15 Next - The Kings of Northern Canaan
- King Jabin of Hazor gathers the kings of Madon, Shimron, Achsphaph, and others in the north to join forces, camping together at the waters of Merom.
- God promises to help Joshua defeat them, to "hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire." And he does.
- They kill all the people of the towns, and take the spoils. They burn only Hazor.
- All the defeated lands are mentioned here. Joshua has killed all the kings and made war for a long time.
- No town makes peace with the Israelites except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon.
- "It was the LORD's doing to harden their hearts so they would come against Israel in battle...."
- Special mention: The Anakim from the hill country (the people of whom 10 of the original spies had been so afraid in Numbers 13).
- "And the land had rest from war."
1 - "Fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they commit abominable acts; there is no one who does good." Question: Are all unbelievers corrupt because that is the nature of man, and only God makes them good, because "no one does good"? Or is this talking about characteristics of particular evildoers, and one of their characteristics is that they don't believe in God? I understand that no one can be good enough to deserve spiritual blessings that come only from God, but does that make all their works abominable, just because they don't acknowledge him?
1 Corinthians 6 (Speaking of evil -- it's certainly enumerated here)
1-12 Lawsuits among Believers
- If believers have disputes, settle it among yourselves. It's a shame to take it to an outsider.
- Actually, even to have disputes indicates a character weakness. Act like spiritual beings and rather be wronged.
- A reminder of other sins, by the way: Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers -- That's what you used to be.
- But now -- you're different -- and you don't need to be acting as if you were still in the world.
- Now? You've been washed, sanctified, justified. Isn't that much better than wallowing in selfish desires?
- Following the same theme: Just because it's legal doesn't make it wise.
- When you're a Christian, you have a different perspective on physical wants and needs -- they are of no importance anymore.
- What you do with your body as a Christian indicates the level of your spirituality; Christ is your head, and what you do with your body affects your Savior.
- This is especially true of the sin of fornication, where the whole body is involved. When you commit such an act as a Christian, you are engaging Christ in the same act. This is unthinkable.
- Whoa! Looking at sin with this perspective shames us all, because at some time we have all abused our bodies in some way, even if it's been gorging ourselves on pizza. I think this passage is saying when we do it with our own bodies, it's like we're making Christ do it, too.
- V. 12 -- I will not be dominated by anything. Is this something only a disciple with Paul's fervor and self-discipline can say or even try to say?
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