JULY 24, 2016
ISRAEL HONORS THE COVENANT WITH THE GIBEONITES
INTRODUCTION:
1. The Gibeonites, sensing their impending doom, devised a clever scheme hoping thereby to secure a treaty of peace with Israel, their soon-to-be destroyer. Because of their very convincing performance, aided by Israel’s willingness to take them at face value, the escapade proved to be successful. (Verses 3-15) To engage in unethical behavior was a very small matter to these heathen people who were trying to avoid being destroyed.
2. The Gibeonites volunteered to become perpetual servants to Israel as part of the deal, but considering the alternative, a life of servitude could hardly be considered a sacrifice. Their reasoning was probably somewhat the same as that of the leprous men who sat outside the gate of Samaria. (See II Kings 7:3, 4)
3. Joshua would later sternly reprove these deceivers for beguiling him, but who could fault them, considering their dire circumstances? The fault in this case lay more with Joshua and his officers for allowing themselves to be duped. (See Ex. 34:12) It is easier to try and lay the blame for out troubles elsewhere, rather than to admit that we brought them upon ourselves because we “asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.” (Verse 14)
4. The Gibeonites not only gained their objective, but Joshua and the elders bound themselves by an oath. (Verse 19)
a) These Gibeonites, being confident that a true Israelite was no covenant breaker, could have wanted no greater security. (See Josh. 2:12, 17; Jud. 11:35)
b) The Israelites might well have been expected to live by a higher standard than other men. Had they not, after all, published the holy Law of their God upon Mt. Ebal? (Ch. 8:30-32)
c) May we also, as Christians, who have that law written in our hearts, strive to live up to its high standard, not only because the world expects it of us, but our God demands it.
I. THE DECEPTION OF THE GIBEONITES WAS SOON TO BE DISCOVERED. (VERSES 16, 17)
A. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THESE STRANGERS OF UNSPECIFIED NATIONALITY WERE, IN FACT, HIVITES.
1. The Hivites were a people with whom Israel was specifically forbidden to form a treaty. (Deut. 7:1, 2)
2. The Hivites were a people who were marked out for destruction by name. (Deut. 20_16, 17)
B. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PRETENDED AMBASSADORS FROM A VERY FAR COUNTRY WERE FROM THE NEARBY HIVITE CITY OF GIBEON. (VERSES 4, 6, 9; SEE ALSO 10:6-9)
1. While the king of the Hivites was busy consulting with the other Canaanite kings, forming a coalition to go against Israel, the Hivite city of Gibeon was going with a plan of their own, one that did not involve taking up arms against the people of God in a war they were sure to lose.
2. It was essential that the Gibeonites make it appear that they were not from anyplace that had been marked for execution. Had they revealed their true identity, Israel’s responsibility to destroy them was quite clear.
3. How wise it was on their part to seek peace, the deception notwithstanding. They were the only Hivites to survive. Sinners ought to be so wise to seek terms of peace with Him Who has power to destroy the soul.
4. The men of Israel came ever so close to detecting the fraud, but stopped just short of actually suspecting their petitioners. (Verse 7)
C. THE GIBEONITES WERE QUITE SKILLED IN THE ART OF DECEPTION.
1. In this they lived up to their name. Hivite signifies serpent, therefore beguiling ought to have come quite naturally for them.
2. Like the master deceiver, they too seem to have had a knowledge of the Scriptures.
D. IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE GIBEONITES HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE OF ISRAEL’S LAW.
1. It is remarkable how well informed the people of the world sometimes seem to be with respect to what we profess to believe.
2. The great error of the heathen is that he does not seem to understand that God’s Holy Law is also binding upon him.
II. THE MEN OF ISRAEL MAINTAINED HONOR EVEN WHILE KNOWING THAT THEY HAD BECOME VICTIMS OF DECEPTION. (VERSES 18-21)
A. THE OATH TAKEN BY THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL WAS LAWFUL, AND THEREFORE IT WAS BINDING.
1. One lesson that we can learn from this is that, as God’s people, we cannot respond to the evil actions of the world in kind. If we are treated wrongly, we must not return evil for evil. (I Thess. 5:15)
2. We also see how serious it is to swear an oath in God’s name. Such a covenant broken would cause the name of God to be blasphemed among the heathen. Incidentally, considering what Jesus said on this matter in the Sermon on the Mount, any breaking of our word, with or without an oath, brings reproach upon the name of our Lord. (Matt. 5:33-37)
3. In spite of the somewhat justifiable complaint of the people against their leaders (Verse 18), to the credit of the princes, they agreed unanimously that the covenant should be honored. (Verse 19)
4. They also understood the just displeasure of God should they go back on their word, and the righteous judgment that it would entail. (Verse 20)
B. IT WAS SETTLED THAT THE GIBEONITES SHOULD LIVE, YET THEY WOULD BE BONDMEN TO THE ISRAELITES ALL THEIR DAYS. (VERSE 21)
1. This would serve as punishment for their deceiving actions, and also to pacify the murmuring congregation.
2. Scripture bears out that honoring this covenant was absolutely the right thing to do. (See II Sam. 21:1-9)
III. A LIFE OF SERVICE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE GIBEONITES. (VERSES 22, 23)
A. THE REPROOF WHICH THEY RECEIVED FROM JOSHUA WAS DIRECT, BUT SOMEWHAT GENTLE. (VERSE 22)
1. His question was asked as if he thought all men to be as careful regarding honesty and integrity as himself; as if he expected even heathen people to respect God’s Law. Sadly, even in America where the Gospel has had such influence in the past, we have now come to the place where we almost expect dishonesty.
2. Actually, Joshua was by this question laying the grounds for the sentence that he was about to impose upon the Gibeonites.
B. THE PARTICULAR SERVICE ASSIGNED TO THEM WAS THAT THEY WOULD SUPPLY WOOD AND WATER FOR THE TABERNACLE. (VERSE 23)
1. This would involve continuous and toilsome labor. Just think what enormous supplies of wood and water that the daily washings and sacrifices that were performed would require.
2. Yet, theirs was a blessed work, because it kept these former heathen idolaters very near the ministry and worship of the tabernacle. Surely, many became true worshippers of Jehovah through the years. Let us not complain about our lot in life, for we might be complaining against what God intends for our eternal good.
3. The Gibeonites apparently performed their service well and without complaint. If they murmured about their life and labor Scripture is silent about it.
IV. THE GIBEONITES RESPONDED TO THEIR SENTENCE WITH FULL SUBMISSION TO JOSHUA’S WILL. (VERSES 24, 25)
A. FIRST, THEY GAVE THEIR RESPONSE TO JOSHUA’S QUESTION TO THEM. (VERSE 24)
1. Joshua asked, “Wherefore have ye beguiled us…?” (Verse 22) Their spokesman gave a most reasonable answer. (Verse 24)
2. Their spokesman’s answer almost makes the question sound silly. A people for whom death seems to be a certainty, will be willing to do whatever it takes to save their lives. God says to the sinner, “Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?”
B. THEIR ACTIONS THUS EXPLAINED; THEY THEN GAVE THEMSELVES WITHOUT RESERVATION TO JOSHUA. (VERSE 25)
1. Their lives were in his hands.
2. They were his servants to use as he saw fit.
3. May we, who owe our very lives to covenant mercy, find it to be our reasonable service to submit ourselves fully to the will of our great Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ.
V. THE GIBEONITES DID SUCCEED IN GAINING THEIR OBJECTIVE. (VERSES 26, 27)
A. THEIR DISHONEST BEHAVIOR NOTWITHSTANDING, THE GIBEONITES WOULD NOT DIE, BUT LIVE. (VERSE 26)
1. Regardless of what people might say about them, they would live and not die.
2. If only sinners who are under the sentence of death would be so determined to have lift.
3. Jesus Himself commended an unjust steward for his wisdom and shrewdness in securing a future for himself, even though the scheme used was, in fact, shady. He in no way endorsed the dishonesty of the unjust steward, but he did use the fact of his industry to exhort his disciples to make unrighteous mammon their friend. (Luke 16:1-9)
B. THE GIBEONITES WOULD, IN EFFECT, LOSE THEIR LIVES, IN ORDER TO SAVE THEM. (VS. 27; MATT. 16:25)
1. They were now to serve the Israelites in the place and manner of Joshua’s choosing.
2. The tabernacle was moved from place to place, and they were to serve it with wood and water, in whatever place it was pitched.
C. THEIR WOULD-BE EXECUTIONERS WOULD NOW BE THEIR PROTECTORS.
D. THEIR SECURITY WAS BASED IN THE SURENESS OF COVENANT MERCY.
1. Here we see pictured that divine covenant mercy in which our security is fixed.
2. Covenant mercy is sure mercy. Recipients of this mercy do save their lives by losing them. (Matt. 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; I Cor. 6:19, 20)
3. As always, the ante-type is far superior to the type.
a) It is God Who takes the initiative, not the sinner.
b) It is the sinner that must be made willing, not the Savior, and it certainly requires no trickery. (Matt. 11:28, 29)
c) Full knowledge of the accursed sinner, his condition, his sentence is not deterrent at all.
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