This chapter talks about why weaker people form alliances for their own protection. Deceit was used in approaching the stronger nation meaning these people wanted to remain separate, verse 14 not becoming the same religion, yet they wanted a treaty of alliance to coexist. Verse 23 calls them cursed because they have the wrong religion but they are accepted to be hewers of wood which I think symbolically means to be soldiers that will support Israel and drawers of water symbolically meaning bringing people to support Israel through negotiations. This chapter is about forming treaties and alliances in war.
The inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai so they feared for their lives, and figured out a way to remain alive. They believed God was all powerfully, and they would be destroyed. We need to keep our patience and keep in prayer to avoid making rash decisions that we may regret.
When the deal is too good think twice! No matter what is presented to us,whether in Gold or Silver,we should seek God first.He knows who are for or against us.May god help us.
Joshua 3 talks about lying and the consequences of lying. I was reading Andre Murray's book which talks about 3 sins which will grieve the holy spirit, lying, anger and stealing. The tribe who lied to Joshua till today lives in poverty. Secondly, even when you walk closely with the Lord when we forget to take counsel from Him for our dealings, the deceiver will deceive us and take us away from God's presence.
Given what Moses in Deuteronomy 33:8 calls "thy Thummim and thy Urim" is called in Joshua 9:14, "the mouth of the Lord", can help us to read Exodus 15-16, "15And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God." The way of the Seer that is established with the burning bush anointing is comfirmed in Exodus 7:1," 1And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet." Note: "Maimonides writes that the Urim and Thumim, although present in the Second Holy Temple, did not perform their intended function because in order for one to receive a message through the Urim and Tumim, one must posses the "holy spirit", Ruach HaKodesh[3], which no one possessed during that time period. "
16And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God." The way of the Seer that is established with the burning bush anointing is comfirmed in Exodus 7:1," 1And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet." Note: "Maimonides writes that the Urim and Thumim, although present in the Second Holy Temple, did not perform their intended function because in order for one to receive a message through the Urim and Tumim, one must posses the "holy spirit", Ruach HaKodesh[3], which no one possessed during that time period. "
Do you have a Bible comment or question?
Posting comments is currently unavailable due to high demand on the server.
Please check back in an hour or more. Thank you for your patience!
Report Comment
Which best represents the problem with the comment?