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TOPIC: Pink, Arthur - Gleanings in Joshua (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 12.2-Honor Amidst Deception (Concluded) 9:1-27
Other Subjects in this Topic:
Gleanings In Joshua
12. Honor Amidst Deception (Concluded)
Joshua 9:1-27
Joshua's Failure
In our last article (upon the early verses of Joshua 9) we saw how that Israel's supernatural crossing of the Jordan and the victories which the Lord gave them at Jericho and Ai had struck terror into the hearts of the Gibeonites. Consequently, those Canaanites who resided in that part of the land which Israel must very soon reach determined, by means of a piece of trickery, to outwit the hosts of God, and thereby preserve their own lives. They decided to pose as those who dwelt in "a far country"-that is, beyond the bounds of Canaan itself-and who wished to enter into a league of peace with the Hebrews. Accordingly, they attired themselves in tattered garments and came to Israel's camp at Gilgal. They told a plausible tale, saying that the fame of Jehovah had reached their ears-thereby intimating their desire to come under His protection and become proselytes to His religion. They apologized for their sorry appearance, explaining that it was due to the long and fatiguing journey they had come. It was a subtle appeal to Israel's pride that tidings of the wonder-working power of their God had gone so far abroad that even these remote strangers were acquainted with the same, and therefore sought union with His favored people. In reality it was a tempting of Israel to act at direct variance with an injunction from Jehovah which expressly forbade their doing any such thing.
These Gibeonites belonged to the tribe of the Hivites (Josh. 9:7). and the renowned Hebraist, John Gill, tells us that "The name Hivites signifies serpents"! They certainly acted here in complete accord therewith, conducting themselves "wilily" (Josh. 9:4), telling downright lies, and succeeding in thoroughly deceiving Joshua and his princes. Yet Israel ought not to have been imposed upon by them. Even from a natural standpoint their conduct was excuseless. Only recently they had themselves resorted to a subtle strategy in the taking of Ai, and therefore it now behooved them to be doubly on the alert lest they be paid back in their own coin. 'I he men of Israel were indeed suspicious, for they said, "Peradventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a league with you?" (Josh. 9:7). Evidently they remembered those words, "When the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them" (Deut. 7:2). Nor was Joshua himself satisfied with the first account they gave of themselves, as his "Who are ye? and from whence come ye?" (v. 8) evidenced. Yet the suspicions of both the one and the other were soon lulled to sleep.
"And they said, From a very far country thy servants are come, because of the name of the Lord thy God" (Josh. 9:9). It is to be noted that though Joshua had specifically asked them, "Who are ye? and from whence come ye?" in their reply they neither declared their nationality nor named the place of their birth. Thus, typically considered, their credentials were unsatisfactory at the vital point, for it is the spiritual birth of those applying for fellowship that the churches need to inquire most closely into. "We have heard... all that He did in Egypt... and to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond Jordan" (v. 10), intimating that a deep impression had been made upon them thereby. "Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants, and therefore now make ye a league with us" (v. 11). Thus they pretended that their senate had been formally convened and had unanimously appointed their ambassadors to enter into this covenant with Israel-i.e. they were vouched for by reliable authorities, so that Joshua need have no fear of being imposed upon by charlatans.
If the tale told by these Gibeonites was really true, and they had come from "a very far country," then the extreme measures which Jehovah had commanded His people to take with the inhabitants of the land (Deut. 7:1, 2) would not have to be executed against them. This is clear from Deuteronomy 20:15, 16, where a very definite distinction was drawn between the two cases: "Thus shalt thou do [offer "peace" unto it (vv. 10, 11)] unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. But of the cities of those, people which the Lord thy God hath given thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth. But thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hivites, and the Amorites," etc. Yet these Gibeonites were not the inhabitants of another country, but belonged to the tribe of the Hivites (Josh. 9:7), and as Genesis 10:15, 17, makes known, "the Hivite" was an immediate descendant of the accursed Canaan (Gen. 9:25). "This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is moldy. And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be tent; and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey" (vv. 12, 13).
Their repeated "behold" or "see" was an appeal to Israel's senses. The present condition of the food and clothing of these Gibeonites was appealed to in corroboration of the account which they had given of themselves. But there was no more reason why Israel should be deceived through their eyes than their ears. Had they walked by faith instead of sight, it would have been impossible. For faith always has to with God and is regulated by His Word. Faith is the expression of a spirit of dependence upon Him, and that, in turn, issues from the realization of our own insufficiency. It was doubly inexcusable that Israel were imposed upon here, for they were in "the camp at Gilgal" (Josh. 9:6), where the tabernacle of the priesthood resided, and therefore the place where the mind of the Lord could be obtained if they sought Him in the way of His appointment. That way had been plainly made known unto Joshua, for through Moses God gave orders to him, "He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him" (Num. 27:21). It was the failure of Israel, and especially of Joshua on this occasion: to avail themselves of God's gracious provision that rendered their conduct so blamable.
In like manner, there is no excuse for a Christian's being deceived by appearances, or left in ignorance concerning God's will as to his path of duty. The Lord has made ample provision for his instruction. It is our holy privilege to go unto the antitypical Eleazar and ask counsel of Him, and the great High Priest of the spiritual Israel will, through the Urim and Thummim (which signify "lights and perfections ") of His Word, lead us in a plain path. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge Him" are His requirements, and if we meet them-by His grace, which He is ever ready to give unto those who humbly seek it (James 4:6)-then His sure promise is, "and He shall direct thy paths (Prov. 3:5, 6). As another has aptly expressed it, "This is the polar-star of a child of God-faith in his Father's providences, promises, and grace. Let the eye look upward, and all will be light (Matthew 6:22; cf. Ps. 32:8; 34:5). To "trust in the Lord with all our heart" is to make Him our entire and exclusive confidence. To "lean not unto our own understanding" is to renounce our own wit and wisdom and refuse to rely upon the proud dictates of reason. To "acknowledge God in all our ways" is to own His proprietorship and supremacy, to ask counsel of Him, to seek His glory, and to be conformed unto His will. Comply with those conditions and Divine guidance is guaranteed-His Spirit will bring to our mind the verse which is exactly suited to our case, and cause us to be regulated by the same.
But alas, instead of trusting in the Lord with all our hearts we are prone to put our confidence in anyone or anything else. How lamentably we fail in looking alone unto God in each fresh trial and emergency, and counting upon His supplying our every need. It is just because we are so slow in casting all our care upon Him and so reluctant to draw strength from Him day by day, and hour by hour, that we stand in need of this very exhortation. Equally so with the one which immediately follows. The understanding has indeed been given us by God, and it is our duty not only to exercise the same, but diligently to cultivate it. Nor will anything else so sharpen and refine it as will the study of and meditation upon the Scriptures. Nevertheless, it must not be depended upon, for the mind has been degraded by the fall and darkened by indwelling sin, and therefore is, at best, an unsafe guide. Even in a regenerated man, a prophet of God, it proved a mistaken counselor (2 Sam. 7:2-5). As a fallen creature, it is still the tendency of a believer to lean unto his own understanding-to his foolish notions and false fancies; to make a god of reason. Just in proportion as we yield to that tendency are we remiss in acknowledging God in all our ways. If we be regulated by natural prudence much trouble shall we make for ourselves, for God will justly suffer us to reap the consequences of our folly. It was at these very points Israel failed in the incident we are now considering.
"And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord" (Josh. 9:14). Here was the crux of the whole matter. Israel failed sadly: failed to give the Lord His proper place; failed to avail themselves of His gracious provision to make known His will via the high priest. And the cause of their failure is here plainly revealed, for the two halves of this verse are inseparably connected. By "the men took of their victuals" we are not to understand that they sampled the same by eating thereof, for obviously there was no need to do that with moldy bread. No, it signifies that they took it into their hands for a closer inspection in order to confirm what the Gibeonites had told them. In other words, they walked by sight and relied upon the testimony of their senses. They acted naturally and not spiritually. Instead of seeking guidance from the Lord through His servant, as they were in duty bound to do by His Word, they confided in their own wisdom, relied upon their own judgment, and thus a looking unto God was precluded. They "asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord": had they done so there had been no need for them to test the food of these Gibeonites! Had they clone so they had not been deceived by them! The whole blame rested upon themselves.
This was Israel's second failure after their entrance into Canaan, and in neither of them was Joshua guiltless. The previous one occurred in connection with their first assault on Ai. Those who had reconnoitered the place had said unto Joshua, "Let not all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to labor thither, for they are but few" (Josh. 7:3). Flushed by their victory at Jericho, possessed by a spirit of self-confidence, they too much lost sight of the fact that the capture of Jericho was due not to the brilliance of their strategy or the valor of their arms, but to the miracle-working power of Jehovah. They now deemed themselves to be invincible and were assured that the taking of the remainder of Canaan would be a simple task. They therefore felt that a single battalion of their soldiers would be sufficient to capture that town-even though there were "twelve thousand men" in it (Josh. 8:25). And their leader, instead of seeking counsel from the Lord, foolishly adopted their suggestion. As may well be anticipated, God blew upon their carnal policy and suffered their proud hearts to be humiliated. They were put to shame before their enemies, fled in panic, and the whole congregation of Israel was thoroughly dismayed (Josh. 7:4-6).
We would naturally think that if there were another failure on the part of Joshua and Israel it would be quite dissimilar from the former one, arising from a different cause. Surely, after having had their eyes opened to see the reason for their first defeat, they would now be doubly on their guard against a repetition of the same. Alas, human nature is slow to learn and profit from its failures. Even the father of the faithful repeated his initial fault, for though he did wrong in going down into Egypt to sojourn there, and committed a yet worse offense in denying his relationship to Sarah, and though he was there put to shame by Pharaoh for his deception (Gen. 12:10-20), yet he was guilty of the selfsame thing when he went and sojourned in Gerah (Gen. 20:1, 2)! The same was true of poor Peter: as it was a sprat of cowardice which led to his denial of Christ, so he yielded to the same weakness at Antioch, separating from the Gentile believers when certain ones came from Jerusalem, "fearing them which were of the circumcision" (Gal. 2:12). In each case it was "the fear of man" that ensnared him (Prov. 20:25), and as that verse clearly intimates, such ensnaring is the consequence of our not "trusting in the Lord." Thus it was too in the incident we are now pondering: Joshua relapsed into his former fault.
In the very next test presented to Israel and their leader, they failed in the same way its they did in connection with Ai. Instead of consulting the Lord, they used their "common sense." As the result, Israel and Joshua too were deceived by the plausible story told by the Gibeonites, and misled by their appearance and the condition of their victuals. And this too has been recorded for our instruction: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning" (Rom. 15:4). Yet it is not the mere reading of them that is required: if we are really to profit therefrom, we must examine each incident closely, pondering each detail carefully, and taking it home unto ourselves. The failures of eminent saints have not been chronicled either to encourage slackness on our part or to discourage us, but rather to illustrate and demonstrate that though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak, and especially to give point to that exhortation, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). If after some painful disillusionment we say, "I believe I have learned my lesson this time," it is a sure sign we have not done so if we now proudly assure ourselves, "I shall not be deceived again in that way."
That which supplies such solemn warning to us in the cases alluded to above is that in each instance the failure was not committed by a young and inexperienced disciple, but was the lapse of a mature saint; for Abraham, Peter and Joshua had long walked with God. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear-heed! But, more particularly, that which is now engaging our attention is to be viewed in the light of the book in which it is found, and the special theme which is developed therein. As we have so often stated, the book of Joshua sets forth in both a typical and practical manner the spiritual warfare of the saints, and their present entrance into and enjoyment of their spiritual heritage. And in it the Holy Spirit has described not only Israel's victories but their defeats also, and a prayerful study of the same makes known to us both the secrets of success and the causes of failure in fighting the good light of faith. It is only as we keep these facts steadily, in mind as we pass from chapter to chapter and from one episode to another, and faithfully make a personal application of the same unto our own hearts and lives, that we shall really be advantaged by the same. Let us then observe carefully the nature of Joshua's failure on this occasion.
It was more of a negative than a positive one. In nowise was it an act of deliberate disobedience or defiant pitting of his own will against the Lord's. Where those elements exist, the offense is very much graver, and the resulting chastisement from God will be much sorer. What Joshua did here was not by studied premeditation, but was more of a case of being "overtaken in a fault" (Gal. 6:1). That in nowise excused him, yet we must not regard him as being guilty of something worse than what he actually did. Both in Joshua 7:3, 4 and here (Josh. 9:14, 15) he acted too impulsively and precipitately. Instead of waiting upon the Lord and seeking direction from Hint, in each instance he acted "on the spur of the moment," and on the ground of mere nature, walking by sight instead of by faith. What point this gives to the Divine injunction, "He that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16)! If we act in too big a hurry to pray over anything and work in the energy of the flesh, we displease the Lord, hinder His cause, and bring trouble upon ourselves. The principal lesson taught us in this incident is that, in order to light the good fight of faith successfully, we must maintain the place of dependence upon God and be constantly seeking wisdom from above.
"And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord" (v. 14), and therefore acted in independence of Him-possibly because he regarded this as too trivial a matter to take unto God. But there also we must not lean unto our own understanding: "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:4)-big as well as little, the least matters as well as the greatest. What a holy privilege! But "prayer and supplication" is very much more than perfunctorily offering up a petition unto heaven: it is a definite waiting upon God, a diligent seeking from Him. It involved time and trouble for Joshua to ask counsel of the Lord: for it required him to go unto the high priest and inquire His mind through him. As we read in Judges 20:27, 28, The children of Israel inquired of the Lord [for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days] saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand"-and cf. 1 Samuel 23:9, 12. Observe how frequently "the man after God's own heart" inquired of Him: 1 Samuel 22:10; 23:2, 4; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1, 5, 19. Beautiful too is the picture set forth in Ezra 8:21.
"And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the princes of the congregation sware unto them" (v. 15). This is not recorded to Joshua's honor, but it manifests the inflexible fidelity of the Divine historian. Scripture is impartial in relating the blemishes of its most famous characters. Joshua ought to have said to these Gibeonites what a loyal servant of God said to the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin: "Ye have nothing to do with us" (Ezra 4:3). In order to maintain a testimony unto the holiness of God, His people are required to walk in separation from the world; but here we behold Joshua entering into an alliance with those who were under the Divine curse. That is the grand aim of Satan: to destroy the witness of the saints as those who are called to walk apart from the ungodly. Alas, that they so often permit him to succeed! What communion has light with darkness? What concord is there between a people in covenant relation with the Holy One and those who are idolaters? None whatever. Therefore let the former be much on their guard at this point, conduct themselves accordingly, strenuously resist every temptation from Satan to compromise. Finally, let us remember that the Christian is never to "make peace" with his inward enemies, but must ceaselessly fight against them.
It was said by James Durham, the Puritan, "It is hard to know, in spiritual exercises, whether it be more difficult to attain some gracious frame or to maintain it when it is attained, whether more seriousness is required for making peace with God, or for keeping it when made." That observation is confirmed both in the teaching of God's Word and the experience of His children: as it is easier in natural things to squander than acquire, so spiritually to retain is as hard a task as to obtain. In Psalm 85:8, we read, "I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, but let them not turn again to folly." Alas that we should need such an injunction as that. When a child has burned his fingers he is afraid of the fire, and when a believer has dishonored the Lord. and brought trouble upon himself by foolish conduct, he ought to be doubly on his guard against a repetition thereof. Yet only too often, instead of decreasing self-confidence and walking softly before the Lord, he relaxes his efforts to mortify pride, becomes careless in the use of God's appointed means for maintaining fellowship with Himself in the paths of righteousness, and therefore falls again into the same sin.
The very fact that believers are here dehorted "let them not turn again to folly" intimates their proneness to do so. Yet that is so far from making any allowance for the same, it expressly forbids it. Moreover, what immediately precedes renders a repetition of the fault the more excuseless. When the Lord has so graciously "spoken peace to His people," that is, has pardoned their transgressions and allayed their consciences, a spirit of gratitude should cause them to be more careful in avoiding everything which would displease and grieve Him. As Matthew Henry rightly pointed out, "The remission of sins past is not a permission for sins to come, but a great bridle and restraint to it." Peace is spoken by God unto those who turn from sin, and therefore we have a clearly implied warning here that if we return thereto peace will depart from us. Just so far as we really valve God's peace will we diligently endeavor to avoid whatever destroys it. Sin is a breach of the Law (1 John 3:4), God-ward it is an "offense" (Rom. 5:17) or affront, self-ward it is folly or acting contrary to our interests, "forsaking our own mercies" (Jon. 2:8).
All sin is foolish, but backsliding is doubly so, and it is because of our corrupt tendency unto it that such a caution as the above requires to be taken to heart by all of us. The more so because of sin's insidiousness-ever ready to trip us up if we are the least bit off our guard. As pointed out at the close of our last, sin is by no means always premeditated. Joshua's failure in the making of a covenant with the Gibeonites was no deliberate act of disobedience, but was more a case of being "overtaken in a fault" (Gal. 6:1)-through hurried action, instead of seeking counsel from the Lord. To be "overtaken in a fault" is a very different thing from resolving and contriving the same: the one is inadvertent, the other planned. It is ever to be borne in mind that the Christian has no inherent strength of his own: he stands by faith (Rom. 11:20), and faith is directly opposed to self-confidence. Therefore it is that, unless he maintains a constant prayerful vigilance and self-discipline, he is ever in danger of a sudden surprisal from the force of temptation, or being overborne by the heat of his passions.
Joshua had not only failed in a similar way previously, but he had been rebuked for it by the Lord, and convicted of his folly (Josh. 7:10, 11). The repetition of such failure has been recorded by the Holy Spirit to bring home to us our weakness and fickleness. If one so highly favored of God as he who had so signally honored Him by. the general tenor of his character and conduct was capable of these momentary lapses, then how much do both writer and reader need to heed that exhortation "Be not high minded, but fear." The sad fact is that a believer may not only fall into sin, but-unless he preserves a spirit of entire dependence upon the Lord-he may, through the infirmity of the flesh, fall into the same sin. Samson (who was a believer-Hebrews 11:32) did so, first by marrying a Philistine woman (Judg. 14), which was expressly forbidden by the Divine Law, and later by consorting with a Philistine harlot (Judg. 16.), for which he paid dearly. Jehoshaphat committed a great sin in joining affinity with the wicked Ahab (2 Chron. 18:1-3) and was reproved for the same (Josh. 19:2); yet in Joshua 20:35, we find him relapsing into the same sin. When we are guilty of similar folly, it should lead us to deeper repentance, though not to despair.
"And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them" (Josh. 9:15, 16). As Gill pointed out, "The league seems to have been made the same day they came. The Gibeonites were no doubt in haste to have it confirmed, lest they should be discovered; and Joshua and the princes of Israel took no pains and gave themselves no great trouble to inquire about them, but made peace with them at once." And now the deception of the one and the folly of the hasty action of the other were discovered. With rare exceptions, lies are quickly exposed. Only truth wears and lasts. Impostures are speedily found out, as Jacob's by his father Isaac, Jeroboam's wife's by the prophet (1 Kings 14:1-6), that of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Then how utterly vain must be every attempt to impose upon Him unto whom "all things are naked and opened"! It is impossible to deceive Omniscience by masquerading before Hint in the garb of a hypocritical profession, nor will His people be deceived thereby if they carefully weigh them in the balances of the Scriptures.
The terrible times in which we are living call for a further word on this practical subject. "The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (Prov. 12:19). Then how important it is to eye eternity in all our words-doubly so in the case of preachers! The profession of the Truth may indeed occasion present inconvenience and trouble from men, but it shall receive an eternal reward from God. On the other hand, the preacher who, for momentary gain and popularity, represses the Truth and is a purveyor of lies shall reap a harvest of everlasting shame and woe. But that verse applies to all of us. As Matthew Henry tersely expressed it, "Those that make a lie their refuge, will find it a refuge of lies." Falsehoods and deceits are not only evil in themselves, but a foolish expedient, for they expose the perpetrator to speedy detection, which renders him suspect and distrusted in everything. Even though his fellows should fail to disprove him unless he sincerely repents, "He that speaketh lies shall perish." (Prov. 19:9). Nothing makes us more like the Devil than this, for he was a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). How earnestly we should pray, "Remove from me the way of lying" (Ps. 119:29)!
"And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them" (v. 16). That may well be viewed from another angle. Not only is it a fact that, as a general rule, deceptions are quickly discovered, but it is equally true that, where the heart beats true to Him, God will not long suffer His people to be imposed upon. They are children of the day and not of the night, and therefore there is no reason why they should stumble over any obstacles in their path. As their Master declares, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). But to follow Christ means very much more than "believing" in Him: it signifies to commit ourselves unreservedly to His government, to walk in His precepts, to emulate the example which he has left us. And in the main, and with few deviations, that is exactly what Joshua and Israel had done since their entrance into Canaan. They had been obedient to Jehovah, complying with His revealed will in all things. And though they had temporarily failed to seek counsel from Him, and in consequence had been beguiled by the Gibeonites, yet because the main course of their lives was pleasing to God, He soon allowed them to learn their mistake. How gently the Lord deals with us!
"And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon," etc. (v. 17). This is explanatory of the foregoing verse and, by implication, shows us how unnecessary was Israel's precipitate action-had they withheld their judgment and decision but a very short time, they would have learned that these Gibeonites had by no means come from a very far country. By the children of Israel" here, we are not to understand the entire congregation-for the camp still remained at Gilgal (Josh. 10:17)-but rather their fighting-men with the responsible heads of the tribes. Most probably they had advanced this distance in order to investigate the report they had received. It should be pointed out that this was not the "third day" from setting out on their journey-for it was but a night's march from Gilgal to their cities (Josh. 10:9)-but from the time when they first "heard" that the Gibeonites were their neighbors. Definite confirmation of this was now before them, for here were "their cities." The Holy Spirit's emphasis here by the repetition of "the third day" intimates that this is a detail which the reader should duly ponder. A further word thereon.
It should be carefully noted that in John 8:12, Christ did not simply say that the one who followed Him should have light, but "the light of life," and this is exactly what is typically portrayed here in verses 16 and 17, for at the end of three days" brings us (symbolically speaking) on to resurrection ground. Joshua and his fellows had acted by sight instead of faith, and here the Spirit supplies demonstration of that fact. They had conducted themselves on the ground of mere nature, being regulated by their senses, and not as quickened souls whose privilege it was to enjoy unbroken communion with God and be guided by Him. They had, for the moment, relapsed into carnality, but now "on the third day" they were back on resurrection ground and given to see things in a true light. So the Christian has, by God's grace and power, been brought from death unto life, and is henceforth called upon to "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4) and to "put on the new man" (Eph. 4:24), which means to act as one who is a new creature in Christ, to be governed by heavenly principles. If he fails to do so, then he will lack discernment and wisdom for his path, and be left to his erring natural judgment. Only so long as his eye be "single" to God's glory will he be full of light.
"And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel" (v. 18). Here is further evidence that the rulers in Israel were back again on resurrection ground-in communion with the Lord, conducting themselves as regenerated men. The fear of God was upon them, and they acted accordingly! Had they now been walking according to the flesh, they had argued that "circumstances alter cases," that because the Gibeonites had lied to them they were now automatically released from keeping their part of the compact. The carnal mind would reason that a covenant was surely not binding when one of the parties entering into it had acted under false pretences. But no such corrupt principles regulated these princes. Their word was their bond. "Though we have been imposed upon, we must not think ourselves at liberty to retaliate: solemn engagements made, even to our own hurt, must be conscientiously adhered to" (Thomas Scott). Two wrongs never make one right, and for a child of God to descend unto the sinful level of worldlings is doubly heinous. The deception practiced by these Canaanites did not excuse Israel's hasty action: they had been foolish in so rashly committing the nation, and now they must suffer the consequences of the same.
"And the congregation murmured at the princes" (v. 18). The fault was entirely their own that Israel's leaders had been ensnared by such a piece of trickery, and though by grace they had respect unto the Lord's honor and refused to perjure themselves, yet they were made to feel the evil results of failing to "ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord" (v. 14). There is no previous mention of "murmuring" on the part of any of the Israelites; but now their unity was disturbed! This was no casual incident, but a Divine providence, designed to speak loudly unto those who had ears to hear. It was a Divine chastisement, an outward mark of the Lord's displeasure-yet how mild a one! The immediate reason for this "murmuring" is fairly obvious: the soldiers were chagrined at being withheld from seizing and plundering these cities; nevertheless, had not Joshua and the princes offended against the Lord in acting on their own judgment instead of waiting upon Him for-directions, His restraining hand had prevented such an exercise of the carnal cupidity of the rank and the of the people, and no spirit of discontent and division would have been shown. Though God judicially pardons our failures, in His governmental ways He often makes us to eat the fruits of our folly.
"But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them" (v. 19). It is blessed to behold the harmony and unanimity of the princes, that none of them were weakened by the opposition which was encountered. It was not only their own word which was involved, but their word under Divine oath, and to violate that would both perjure themselves and grossly discredit their God in the estimation of the heathen. It can hardly be doubted that the congregation itself must have known of their oath, but charity requires us to believe that they had temporarily forgotten it. By way of illustration we may see in this murmuring of the congregation against these princes that, when either religious or political leaders are actuated and regulated by holy and lofty principles, it must not be expected that those under them will appreciate and seek to further their motives, but rather will criticize and oppose. Blessed it is to see how these princes stood their ground, fearing God and not the people. And the Lord honored them therein, for no further murmurings against them are mentioned-the Lord subduing the people's lusts!
An Honored Oath
"This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them" (Josh. 9:20). In the preceding verses we saw how Israel had been deceived by some of the Canaanites, who, pretending to be from a very far country, posed as ambassadors authorized to treat with Joshua and enter into a treaty of peace for their people. Those impostors had not only prepared a very plausible tale, but were carefully made up in keeping with the part they played, appearing in tattered garments and with moldy bread as evidences of the long journey they had taken. Instead of seeking counsel at the mouth of the Lord. Joshua and the responsible heads of the nation walked by sight and relied upon their senses (v. 14). Instead of deferring their decision and taking the trouble to carefully investigate the claims of the Gibeonites, Israel hurriedly entered into a covenant with them to spare their lives. Instead of making them a conditional promise, the princes solemnly ratified the agreement by oath (v. 15). All of this should be regarded by us as a pointed warning to avoid precipitate action, and as showing the wisdom of heeding that injunction, "He that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16).
Within three days the folly of Israel was made manifest, for upon penetrating a little deeper into Canaan they came to the cities of the Gibeonites (vv. 16, 17). It is to be duly noted that Israel's discovery of the trick that had been played upon them was not made by any spiritual discernment of theirs-which had assuredly been the case had a "single eye" been maintained to God's glory (Matthew 6:22)-but by external means. Moreover, though the Lord did not allow them to be deceived for any length of time, He made evident, even if in a comparatively mild and gentle way, His displeasure against the princes through His providential dealings with them. The "murmuring" against them by the congregation, though "very natural under the circumstances," should be regarded as a Divine chastisement-God's suffering the people to voice their discontent, instead of working in them a spirit of acquiescence. Thus, for the moment, the harmony of Israel was disturbed and their unity seriously threatened. But it is good to see that, with one accord, the princes feared God rather than men, and, so far from desiring amity at any price, recognized that "the wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable" (Jam. 3:17).
Instead of yielding to the desire of the rank and the of the People, who obviously wanted to avenge themselves upon the Gibeonites, and plunder their cities, all the princes stood their ground, and said, "We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them" (v. 19). Matthew Henry pertinently remarked that they "did not apply themselves to Eleazar for a dispensation, much less did they pretend that no faith is to be kept with heretics-with Canaanites; no, they were strangers to the modern artifices of the Roman Church to elude the most sacred bonds and even to sanctify perjuries." No, they were determined to honor the engagement into which they had entered. Happy the nation whose leaders and governors abide by their obligations. The testing of these princes was a very real one, but though their fidelity should occasion a mutiny of the people, they refused to go against their consciences. There can be little room for doubt that it was their unanimity which God used to pacify the murmuring congregation, teaching us that the best way to suppress discontent by the governed is for there to be a solid and firm front presented by the governors. Yet it was no mere policy of expediency which regulated these princes, but rather the fear of God and their determination not to dishonor Him.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain" (Ex. 20:7). There is the original and fundamental law concerning oaths, and with it should be linked, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him. and shalt swear by His name" (Deut. 6:13). An oath, then, is a solemn appeal to the dread name of Jehovah, which, by awakening the spirit of the swearer to a consciousness of the awe-inspiring presence and cognizance of the Most High, gives all its sanctity and power to it. Properly speaking there are four things in an oath. First, a formal asseveration of the truth-which should always be spoken even though no oath be taken. Second, an acknowledgment of the presence of the thrice Holy One, who is solemnly called upon as a Witness in confirmation of the statement that we make. Third, an invocation, whereby we request God to testify unto our conscience that what we swear to is nothing but the truth (Rom. 9:1). Fourth, an imprecation, in which the swearer calls upon God to be the Revenger of all lies, binding himself to Divine punishment if he swear falsely. Since an oath be the invoking of God, it is an act of worship, an ascribing glory and owning Him as Judge.
It is therefore evident that the violation of an oath is a sin of the first magnitude, for it is a breach of the third commandment, a taking of God's name in vain, which He will not hold guiltless. As Leviticus 19:12, informs us, to commit perjury in the name of God is an act of profanity. From such awful considerations it follows that an oath is to be feared (Eccl. 9:2), and that once made it is binding (Num. 30:3)-a solemn example of which is seen in the case of Jephthah (Judg. 11:25). Consequently, it is not to be entered into lightly, nor should one be taken at all except in matters of real importance, and then only in the gravest spirit and manner. There are times, as Deuteronomy 6:13, shows, when it becomes our duty to appeal unto God by solemn oaths, for deciding matters which cannot be adequately settled without one (Heb. 6:16). It is to be observed that, when occasion required and men were warranted in the taking of an oath, such obtained centuries before the giving of the Law at Sinai. Thus Abraham swore to Abimelech (Gen. 21:23, 24), and required an oath to be taken by his servant when seeking a wife for Isaac (Gen. 24:8, 9). Jacob swore to Laban, and Joseph to his father. Since these instances had no respect unto the legal institutes of Moses, they lead us to conclude that there would be nothing in the Gospel to forbid such a practice in this Christian era-again and again Paul confirmed his testimony by calling on God as Witness (2 Cor. 1:23; Gal. 1:20).
"This we will do to them: we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them" (v. 20). One of the distinguishing marks given of those who shall abide in the Lord's tabernacle (enjoy intimate communion with Him) and dwell in His holy hill (spend eternity in heaven) is, "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not" (Ps. 15:1, 4): that is, who will not go back on his oath no matter what temporal loss might be involved. On the other hand. "perjured persons" are classed with murderers of fathers and mothers, whoremongers, slave dealers, etc. (1 Tim. 1:9, 10). Very far were these princes from now treating their engagement with the Gibeonites as "a mere scrap of paper"-the Kaiser, Hitler and Mussolini brought down Divine wrath upon themselves and their people by just such perfidy. It is exceedingly solemn to observe that this was one of the crimes which characterized Israel during the closing days of their Old Testament history-see Zechariah 5:4; Malachi in. 5; 2 Chronicles 36:11-13-"until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy" (2 Chron. 36:16). Only so long as Britain honors her treaty obligations-no matter what sacrifices be involved-is there any hope of "remedy" for its people.
"And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them" (v. 21). These princes were twelve in number, one at the head of each of Israel's tribes (Num. 1:15, 16, 44). That God was pleased with their sparing the lives of the Gibeonites is clearly evidenced from the sequel, for the very next chapter records how He gave them the most glorious victory in all their wars. Furthermore, we find that, centuries later, He severely avenged the wrong which Saul did unto the descendants of this tribe, manifesting His sore displeasure against that king's injuring of them in violation of this very league (2 Sam. 21:1)-mark how David, the "man after God's own heart," honored his oath to Jonathan in this connection, exempting Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, from the just avengement (v. 7). Though the lives of these Gibeonites were spared, their liberty was taken from them, and they were made bondmen-not only tributaries, but under the yoke of servitude. To be "hewers of wood and drawers of water" would not only be wearisome employment, but regarded as a very low and menial one (cf. Deut. 29:11).
From what has been before us in the above incident, as well as from its sequel, we may perceive how that we are never the ultimate losers by fearing the Lord and honoring His name. Folly was committed by Joshua and the princes in so hastily concluding a league with the Gibeonites, and it was too late to rectify it: nevertheless, God overruled the same to His own glory and the benefit of His people, providing both Himself and them with useful servants. God can, and in His own wondrous way often does, turn our mistakes into advantages. That way will not be as good and glorious as His first best for us, yet it will not be without blessing. The same incident also teaches us the needlessness of taking things into our own hands and seeking to anticipate the Divine appointment. The congregation suffered no injury by restraining their desire to seize and plunder the cities of the Gibeonites mentioned in Joshua 9:17, for if the reader will consult Joshua 18:25-28, he will find that in the end, when the land came to be divided, the first three cities there mentioned were obtained by them, and the fourth in Joshua 15:2. It is never to our detriment to wait the Lord's time!
"And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you: when ye dwell among us?" (v. 22). Let us duly observe and admire: the blessed restraint which Israel's leader here placed upon himself. Though these Gibeonites were now entirely at his disposal, he used not his power tyrannically. Nor did he give way to an outburst of temper because of their chicanery, and harshly denounce them as base liars. Instead, he mildly reproved them for their fraud and gave them opportunity to explain their conduct. As Matthew Henry rightly pointed out, "A just cause needs not anger to defend it, and a bad one is never made the better by it." The Lord forbids us rejoice (malignantly) when our enemy falls (Prov. 24:17), and severely chastised the Edomites because they had "spoken proudly in the day of Judah's distress" (Obad. 1:12). This was the sin of Shimei, scorning his humiliated sovereign (2 Sam. 16:5-9), for which he paid with his life (1 Kings 2:9, 10) How very differently was the Lord Jesus dealt with when He was arraigned before His judges! In Joshua's mild treatment of the Gibeonites we may behold blessedly shadowed forth "the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:1).
"Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God" (v. 23).
Those words do not signify that Joshua now pronounced a curse upon them, but rather that it would henceforth be made to appear that they belonged to an accursed posterity. In a previous article we pointed out that the reason why these Gibeonites are designated "'Hivites" in Joshua 9:9, was to intimate that they were the descendants of Canaan (Gen. 10:5-7), and here we have set before us an illustration of the sentence pronounced upon him because of his father's sin. By the spirit of prophecy Noah had declared, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren" (Gen. 9:25). The curse, then, consisted of servitude, and here we behold one part of its fulfillment in these Gibeonites being made the manual servants of Israel. How mysteriously yet wondrously does God order His providences unto the fulfillment of His Word, guiding the princes to select or determine this particular form of punishment upon these men! In Joshua's confirmation of the sentence of the twelve princes we have a striking adumbration of Christ making good His promise to the twelve apostles, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound [ratified] in heaven" (Matthew 18:18).
"And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing" (v. 24). Let us first notice that in this part of their reply they bore witness to God's having made good one of His promises to Israel and fulfilled a prophecy made through Moses, to the effect that such reports would reach their ears of the irresistible power of Israel's God, and the fame of His wondrous works on their behalf, that the inhabitants of Canaan would be filled with dismay and their hearts sink within them. "I will send My fear before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come" (Ex. 23:27). "This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon all nations" (Deut. 2:25), Jehovah had declared, thereby fulfilling the prediction of Exodus 15:14: "The people shall hear and be afraid, sorrow shall take hold of the inhabitants of Palestina.'" Such terror would fill them that their spirits would sink completely and they would be panic-stricken at the prospect before them. Such was the case here.
"There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as He hath said unto you" (Deut. 11:25). God would strike such terror into the Canaanites, and make them so conscious of their impotency, that He would render the same subservient to the success of His people. Rahab had, previously, avowed the accomplishment of this, acknowledging that tidings of Jehovah's miracle-working power had reached them, that "your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you" (Josh. 2:9). In like manner will God yet make good every prophecy He has made and every promise that He has given. It is therefore to be duly noted that these Gibeonites freely testified that the nation of Israel was now acting according to the commandment of the Lord their God, and not from a spirit of personal blood-thirstiness and greed. They made no attempt to justify the lies which they had told, but frankly owned that they were in dread of losing their lives, and that the principle of self-preservation had moved them to resort to such a device.
"And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do" (v. 25). That was tantamount to saying, We are fully in thy power and entirely at thy disposal, and readily submit ourselves to thy discretion. Their foregoing statement evinces that they had not only "heard" but also believed that God's promises to His people and threatenings to His enemies would certainly be fulfilled. They realized God's word was inviolable and His power invincible, and therefore nothing remained but for them to cast themselves upon His clemency. In their "as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do" unto Joshua, one can see they hoped for the best: treat with us according to the laws of justice and kindness, and especially act consistently with the league made and the oath taken. It is in precisely such a spirit and attitude that sinners are to come before God in Christ-convicted of their sins, convinced of the verity of God's threatenings, casting themselves upon His good pleasure, hoping in His mercy, submitting unreservedly to His will, ready to take His yoke upon them.
"And so He did unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord" (vv. 26, 27). How blessedly the and-typical Joshua was there foreshadowed! Though the guilt of these men was established, and though they belonged to an accursed race, yet he spared their lives, and that on the ground of a covenant made by oath! Thus he did what was both good and right": yea, he went beyond what they "asked or thought," showing them favor and conferring honor upon them, by appointing them to minister unto the "altar of the Lord"; and thus they would be taught the worship of the true God and delivered from idolatry. It is striking to note that the only ones who acknowledged what they "heard" about the Lord (Josh. 2:10; 9:24) were delivered from His judgments. The descendants of these Gibeonites-termed "Nethinim" or "devoted persons"-had a place of honor in the service of the temple centuries later (1 Chron. 9:2; Ezra 8:20; Neh. 7:60).
12. Honor Amidst Deception (Concluded)
Joshua 9:1-27
Joshua's Failure
In our last article (upon the early verses of Joshua 9) we saw how that Israel's supernatural crossing of the Jordan and the victories which the Lord gave them at Jericho and Ai had struck terror into the hearts of the Gibeonites. Consequently, those Canaanites who resided in that part of the land which Israel must very soon reach determined, by means of a piece of trickery, to outwit the hosts of God, and thereby preserve their own lives. They decided to pose as those who dwelt in "a far country"-that is, beyond the bounds of Canaan itself-and who wished to enter into a league of peace with the Hebrews. Accordingly, they attired themselves in tattered garments and came to Israel's camp at Gilgal. They told a plausible tale, saying that the fame of Jehovah had reached their ears-thereby intimating their desire to come under His protection and become proselytes to His religion. They apologized for their sorry appearance, explaining that it was due to the long and fatiguing journey they had come. It was a subtle appeal to Israel's pride that tidings of the wonder-working power of their God had gone so far abroad that even these remote strangers were acquainted with the same, and therefore sought union with His favored people. In reality it was a tempting of Israel to act at direct variance with an injunction from Jehovah which expressly forbade their doing any such thing.
These Gibeonites belonged to the tribe of the Hivites (Josh. 9:7). and the renowned Hebraist, John Gill, tells us that "The name Hivites signifies serpents"! They certainly acted here in complete accord therewith, conducting themselves "wilily" (Josh. 9:4), telling downright lies, and succeeding in thoroughly deceiving Joshua and his princes. Yet Israel ought not to have been imposed upon by them. Even from a natural standpoint their conduct was excuseless. Only recently they had themselves resorted to a subtle strategy in the taking of Ai, and therefore it now behooved them to be doubly on the alert lest they be paid back in their own coin. 'I he men of Israel were indeed suspicious, for they said, "Peradventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a league with you?" (Josh. 9:7). Evidently they remembered those words, "When the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them" (Deut. 7:2). Nor was Joshua himself satisfied with the first account they gave of themselves, as his "Who are ye? and from whence come ye?" (v. 8) evidenced. Yet the suspicions of both the one and the other were soon lulled to sleep.
"And they said, From a very far country thy servants are come, because of the name of the Lord thy God" (Josh. 9:9). It is to be noted that though Joshua had specifically asked them, "Who are ye? and from whence come ye?" in their reply they neither declared their nationality nor named the place of their birth. Thus, typically considered, their credentials were unsatisfactory at the vital point, for it is the spiritual birth of those applying for fellowship that the churches need to inquire most closely into. "We have heard... all that He did in Egypt... and to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond Jordan" (v. 10), intimating that a deep impression had been made upon them thereby. "Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants, and therefore now make ye a league with us" (v. 11). Thus they pretended that their senate had been formally convened and had unanimously appointed their ambassadors to enter into this covenant with Israel-i.e. they were vouched for by reliable authorities, so that Joshua need have no fear of being imposed upon by charlatans.
If the tale told by these Gibeonites was really true, and they had come from "a very far country," then the extreme measures which Jehovah had commanded His people to take with the inhabitants of the land (Deut. 7:1, 2) would not have to be executed against them. This is clear from Deuteronomy 20:15, 16, where a very definite distinction was drawn between the two cases: "Thus shalt thou do [offer "peace" unto it (vv. 10, 11)] unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. But of the cities of those, people which the Lord thy God hath given thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth. But thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hivites, and the Amorites," etc. Yet these Gibeonites were not the inhabitants of another country, but belonged to the tribe of the Hivites (Josh. 9:7), and as Genesis 10:15, 17, makes known, "the Hivite" was an immediate descendant of the accursed Canaan (Gen. 9:25). "This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is moldy. And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be tent; and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey" (vv. 12, 13).
Their repeated "behold" or "see" was an appeal to Israel's senses. The present condition of the food and clothing of these Gibeonites was appealed to in corroboration of the account which they had given of themselves. But there was no more reason why Israel should be deceived through their eyes than their ears. Had they walked by faith instead of sight, it would have been impossible. For faith always has to with God and is regulated by His Word. Faith is the expression of a spirit of dependence upon Him, and that, in turn, issues from the realization of our own insufficiency. It was doubly inexcusable that Israel were imposed upon here, for they were in "the camp at Gilgal" (Josh. 9:6), where the tabernacle of the priesthood resided, and therefore the place where the mind of the Lord could be obtained if they sought Him in the way of His appointment. That way had been plainly made known unto Joshua, for through Moses God gave orders to him, "He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him" (Num. 27:21). It was the failure of Israel, and especially of Joshua on this occasion: to avail themselves of God's gracious provision that rendered their conduct so blamable.
In like manner, there is no excuse for a Christian's being deceived by appearances, or left in ignorance concerning God's will as to his path of duty. The Lord has made ample provision for his instruction. It is our holy privilege to go unto the antitypical Eleazar and ask counsel of Him, and the great High Priest of the spiritual Israel will, through the Urim and Thummim (which signify "lights and perfections ") of His Word, lead us in a plain path. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding; in all thy ways acknowledge Him" are His requirements, and if we meet them-by His grace, which He is ever ready to give unto those who humbly seek it (James 4:6)-then His sure promise is, "and He shall direct thy paths (Prov. 3:5, 6). As another has aptly expressed it, "This is the polar-star of a child of God-faith in his Father's providences, promises, and grace. Let the eye look upward, and all will be light (Matthew 6:22; cf. Ps. 32:8; 34:5). To "trust in the Lord with all our heart" is to make Him our entire and exclusive confidence. To "lean not unto our own understanding" is to renounce our own wit and wisdom and refuse to rely upon the proud dictates of reason. To "acknowledge God in all our ways" is to own His proprietorship and supremacy, to ask counsel of Him, to seek His glory, and to be conformed unto His will. Comply with those conditions and Divine guidance is guaranteed-His Spirit will bring to our mind the verse which is exactly suited to our case, and cause us to be regulated by the same.
But alas, instead of trusting in the Lord with all our hearts we are prone to put our confidence in anyone or anything else. How lamentably we fail in looking alone unto God in each fresh trial and emergency, and counting upon His supplying our every need. It is just because we are so slow in casting all our care upon Him and so reluctant to draw strength from Him day by day, and hour by hour, that we stand in need of this very exhortation. Equally so with the one which immediately follows. The understanding has indeed been given us by God, and it is our duty not only to exercise the same, but diligently to cultivate it. Nor will anything else so sharpen and refine it as will the study of and meditation upon the Scriptures. Nevertheless, it must not be depended upon, for the mind has been degraded by the fall and darkened by indwelling sin, and therefore is, at best, an unsafe guide. Even in a regenerated man, a prophet of God, it proved a mistaken counselor (2 Sam. 7:2-5). As a fallen creature, it is still the tendency of a believer to lean unto his own understanding-to his foolish notions and false fancies; to make a god of reason. Just in proportion as we yield to that tendency are we remiss in acknowledging God in all our ways. If we be regulated by natural prudence much trouble shall we make for ourselves, for God will justly suffer us to reap the consequences of our folly. It was at these very points Israel failed in the incident we are now considering.
"And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord" (Josh. 9:14). Here was the crux of the whole matter. Israel failed sadly: failed to give the Lord His proper place; failed to avail themselves of His gracious provision to make known His will via the high priest. And the cause of their failure is here plainly revealed, for the two halves of this verse are inseparably connected. By "the men took of their victuals" we are not to understand that they sampled the same by eating thereof, for obviously there was no need to do that with moldy bread. No, it signifies that they took it into their hands for a closer inspection in order to confirm what the Gibeonites had told them. In other words, they walked by sight and relied upon the testimony of their senses. They acted naturally and not spiritually. Instead of seeking guidance from the Lord through His servant, as they were in duty bound to do by His Word, they confided in their own wisdom, relied upon their own judgment, and thus a looking unto God was precluded. They "asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord": had they done so there had been no need for them to test the food of these Gibeonites! Had they clone so they had not been deceived by them! The whole blame rested upon themselves.
This was Israel's second failure after their entrance into Canaan, and in neither of them was Joshua guiltless. The previous one occurred in connection with their first assault on Ai. Those who had reconnoitered the place had said unto Joshua, "Let not all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to labor thither, for they are but few" (Josh. 7:3). Flushed by their victory at Jericho, possessed by a spirit of self-confidence, they too much lost sight of the fact that the capture of Jericho was due not to the brilliance of their strategy or the valor of their arms, but to the miracle-working power of Jehovah. They now deemed themselves to be invincible and were assured that the taking of the remainder of Canaan would be a simple task. They therefore felt that a single battalion of their soldiers would be sufficient to capture that town-even though there were "twelve thousand men" in it (Josh. 8:25). And their leader, instead of seeking counsel from the Lord, foolishly adopted their suggestion. As may well be anticipated, God blew upon their carnal policy and suffered their proud hearts to be humiliated. They were put to shame before their enemies, fled in panic, and the whole congregation of Israel was thoroughly dismayed (Josh. 7:4-6).
We would naturally think that if there were another failure on the part of Joshua and Israel it would be quite dissimilar from the former one, arising from a different cause. Surely, after having had their eyes opened to see the reason for their first defeat, they would now be doubly on their guard against a repetition of the same. Alas, human nature is slow to learn and profit from its failures. Even the father of the faithful repeated his initial fault, for though he did wrong in going down into Egypt to sojourn there, and committed a yet worse offense in denying his relationship to Sarah, and though he was there put to shame by Pharaoh for his deception (Gen. 12:10-20), yet he was guilty of the selfsame thing when he went and sojourned in Gerah (Gen. 20:1, 2)! The same was true of poor Peter: as it was a sprat of cowardice which led to his denial of Christ, so he yielded to the same weakness at Antioch, separating from the Gentile believers when certain ones came from Jerusalem, "fearing them which were of the circumcision" (Gal. 2:12). In each case it was "the fear of man" that ensnared him (Prov. 20:25), and as that verse clearly intimates, such ensnaring is the consequence of our not "trusting in the Lord." Thus it was too in the incident we are now pondering: Joshua relapsed into his former fault.
In the very next test presented to Israel and their leader, they failed in the same way its they did in connection with Ai. Instead of consulting the Lord, they used their "common sense." As the result, Israel and Joshua too were deceived by the plausible story told by the Gibeonites, and misled by their appearance and the condition of their victuals. And this too has been recorded for our instruction: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning" (Rom. 15:4). Yet it is not the mere reading of them that is required: if we are really to profit therefrom, we must examine each incident closely, pondering each detail carefully, and taking it home unto ourselves. The failures of eminent saints have not been chronicled either to encourage slackness on our part or to discourage us, but rather to illustrate and demonstrate that though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak, and especially to give point to that exhortation, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). If after some painful disillusionment we say, "I believe I have learned my lesson this time," it is a sure sign we have not done so if we now proudly assure ourselves, "I shall not be deceived again in that way."
That which supplies such solemn warning to us in the cases alluded to above is that in each instance the failure was not committed by a young and inexperienced disciple, but was the lapse of a mature saint; for Abraham, Peter and Joshua had long walked with God. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear-heed! But, more particularly, that which is now engaging our attention is to be viewed in the light of the book in which it is found, and the special theme which is developed therein. As we have so often stated, the book of Joshua sets forth in both a typical and practical manner the spiritual warfare of the saints, and their present entrance into and enjoyment of their spiritual heritage. And in it the Holy Spirit has described not only Israel's victories but their defeats also, and a prayerful study of the same makes known to us both the secrets of success and the causes of failure in fighting the good light of faith. It is only as we keep these facts steadily, in mind as we pass from chapter to chapter and from one episode to another, and faithfully make a personal application of the same unto our own hearts and lives, that we shall really be advantaged by the same. Let us then observe carefully the nature of Joshua's failure on this occasion.
It was more of a negative than a positive one. In nowise was it an act of deliberate disobedience or defiant pitting of his own will against the Lord's. Where those elements exist, the offense is very much graver, and the resulting chastisement from God will be much sorer. What Joshua did here was not by studied premeditation, but was more of a case of being "overtaken in a fault" (Gal. 6:1). That in nowise excused him, yet we must not regard him as being guilty of something worse than what he actually did. Both in Joshua 7:3, 4 and here (Josh. 9:14, 15) he acted too impulsively and precipitately. Instead of waiting upon the Lord and seeking direction from Hint, in each instance he acted "on the spur of the moment," and on the ground of mere nature, walking by sight instead of by faith. What point this gives to the Divine injunction, "He that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16)! If we act in too big a hurry to pray over anything and work in the energy of the flesh, we displease the Lord, hinder His cause, and bring trouble upon ourselves. The principal lesson taught us in this incident is that, in order to light the good fight of faith successfully, we must maintain the place of dependence upon God and be constantly seeking wisdom from above.
"And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord" (v. 14), and therefore acted in independence of Him-possibly because he regarded this as too trivial a matter to take unto God. But there also we must not lean unto our own understanding: "In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God" (Phil. 4:4)-big as well as little, the least matters as well as the greatest. What a holy privilege! But "prayer and supplication" is very much more than perfunctorily offering up a petition unto heaven: it is a definite waiting upon God, a diligent seeking from Him. It involved time and trouble for Joshua to ask counsel of the Lord: for it required him to go unto the high priest and inquire His mind through him. As we read in Judges 20:27, 28, The children of Israel inquired of the Lord [for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days] saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand"-and cf. 1 Samuel 23:9, 12. Observe how frequently "the man after God's own heart" inquired of Him: 1 Samuel 22:10; 23:2, 4; 30:8; 2 Samuel 2:1, 5, 19. Beautiful too is the picture set forth in Ezra 8:21.
"And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the princes of the congregation sware unto them" (v. 15). This is not recorded to Joshua's honor, but it manifests the inflexible fidelity of the Divine historian. Scripture is impartial in relating the blemishes of its most famous characters. Joshua ought to have said to these Gibeonites what a loyal servant of God said to the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin: "Ye have nothing to do with us" (Ezra 4:3). In order to maintain a testimony unto the holiness of God, His people are required to walk in separation from the world; but here we behold Joshua entering into an alliance with those who were under the Divine curse. That is the grand aim of Satan: to destroy the witness of the saints as those who are called to walk apart from the ungodly. Alas, that they so often permit him to succeed! What communion has light with darkness? What concord is there between a people in covenant relation with the Holy One and those who are idolaters? None whatever. Therefore let the former be much on their guard at this point, conduct themselves accordingly, strenuously resist every temptation from Satan to compromise. Finally, let us remember that the Christian is never to "make peace" with his inward enemies, but must ceaselessly fight against them.
It was said by James Durham, the Puritan, "It is hard to know, in spiritual exercises, whether it be more difficult to attain some gracious frame or to maintain it when it is attained, whether more seriousness is required for making peace with God, or for keeping it when made." That observation is confirmed both in the teaching of God's Word and the experience of His children: as it is easier in natural things to squander than acquire, so spiritually to retain is as hard a task as to obtain. In Psalm 85:8, we read, "I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His people, but let them not turn again to folly." Alas that we should need such an injunction as that. When a child has burned his fingers he is afraid of the fire, and when a believer has dishonored the Lord. and brought trouble upon himself by foolish conduct, he ought to be doubly on his guard against a repetition thereof. Yet only too often, instead of decreasing self-confidence and walking softly before the Lord, he relaxes his efforts to mortify pride, becomes careless in the use of God's appointed means for maintaining fellowship with Himself in the paths of righteousness, and therefore falls again into the same sin.
The very fact that believers are here dehorted "let them not turn again to folly" intimates their proneness to do so. Yet that is so far from making any allowance for the same, it expressly forbids it. Moreover, what immediately precedes renders a repetition of the fault the more excuseless. When the Lord has so graciously "spoken peace to His people," that is, has pardoned their transgressions and allayed their consciences, a spirit of gratitude should cause them to be more careful in avoiding everything which would displease and grieve Him. As Matthew Henry rightly pointed out, "The remission of sins past is not a permission for sins to come, but a great bridle and restraint to it." Peace is spoken by God unto those who turn from sin, and therefore we have a clearly implied warning here that if we return thereto peace will depart from us. Just so far as we really valve God's peace will we diligently endeavor to avoid whatever destroys it. Sin is a breach of the Law (1 John 3:4), God-ward it is an "offense" (Rom. 5:17) or affront, self-ward it is folly or acting contrary to our interests, "forsaking our own mercies" (Jon. 2:8).
All sin is foolish, but backsliding is doubly so, and it is because of our corrupt tendency unto it that such a caution as the above requires to be taken to heart by all of us. The more so because of sin's insidiousness-ever ready to trip us up if we are the least bit off our guard. As pointed out at the close of our last, sin is by no means always premeditated. Joshua's failure in the making of a covenant with the Gibeonites was no deliberate act of disobedience, but was more a case of being "overtaken in a fault" (Gal. 6:1)-through hurried action, instead of seeking counsel from the Lord. To be "overtaken in a fault" is a very different thing from resolving and contriving the same: the one is inadvertent, the other planned. It is ever to be borne in mind that the Christian has no inherent strength of his own: he stands by faith (Rom. 11:20), and faith is directly opposed to self-confidence. Therefore it is that, unless he maintains a constant prayerful vigilance and self-discipline, he is ever in danger of a sudden surprisal from the force of temptation, or being overborne by the heat of his passions.
Joshua had not only failed in a similar way previously, but he had been rebuked for it by the Lord, and convicted of his folly (Josh. 7:10, 11). The repetition of such failure has been recorded by the Holy Spirit to bring home to us our weakness and fickleness. If one so highly favored of God as he who had so signally honored Him by. the general tenor of his character and conduct was capable of these momentary lapses, then how much do both writer and reader need to heed that exhortation "Be not high minded, but fear." The sad fact is that a believer may not only fall into sin, but-unless he preserves a spirit of entire dependence upon the Lord-he may, through the infirmity of the flesh, fall into the same sin. Samson (who was a believer-Hebrews 11:32) did so, first by marrying a Philistine woman (Judg. 14), which was expressly forbidden by the Divine Law, and later by consorting with a Philistine harlot (Judg. 16.), for which he paid dearly. Jehoshaphat committed a great sin in joining affinity with the wicked Ahab (2 Chron. 18:1-3) and was reproved for the same (Josh. 19:2); yet in Joshua 20:35, we find him relapsing into the same sin. When we are guilty of similar folly, it should lead us to deeper repentance, though not to despair.
"And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them" (Josh. 9:15, 16). As Gill pointed out, "The league seems to have been made the same day they came. The Gibeonites were no doubt in haste to have it confirmed, lest they should be discovered; and Joshua and the princes of Israel took no pains and gave themselves no great trouble to inquire about them, but made peace with them at once." And now the deception of the one and the folly of the hasty action of the other were discovered. With rare exceptions, lies are quickly exposed. Only truth wears and lasts. Impostures are speedily found out, as Jacob's by his father Isaac, Jeroboam's wife's by the prophet (1 Kings 14:1-6), that of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Then how utterly vain must be every attempt to impose upon Him unto whom "all things are naked and opened"! It is impossible to deceive Omniscience by masquerading before Hint in the garb of a hypocritical profession, nor will His people be deceived thereby if they carefully weigh them in the balances of the Scriptures.
The terrible times in which we are living call for a further word on this practical subject. "The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (Prov. 12:19). Then how important it is to eye eternity in all our words-doubly so in the case of preachers! The profession of the Truth may indeed occasion present inconvenience and trouble from men, but it shall receive an eternal reward from God. On the other hand, the preacher who, for momentary gain and popularity, represses the Truth and is a purveyor of lies shall reap a harvest of everlasting shame and woe. But that verse applies to all of us. As Matthew Henry tersely expressed it, "Those that make a lie their refuge, will find it a refuge of lies." Falsehoods and deceits are not only evil in themselves, but a foolish expedient, for they expose the perpetrator to speedy detection, which renders him suspect and distrusted in everything. Even though his fellows should fail to disprove him unless he sincerely repents, "He that speaketh lies shall perish." (Prov. 19:9). Nothing makes us more like the Devil than this, for he was a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). How earnestly we should pray, "Remove from me the way of lying" (Ps. 119:29)!
"And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them" (v. 16). That may well be viewed from another angle. Not only is it a fact that, as a general rule, deceptions are quickly discovered, but it is equally true that, where the heart beats true to Him, God will not long suffer His people to be imposed upon. They are children of the day and not of the night, and therefore there is no reason why they should stumble over any obstacles in their path. As their Master declares, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). But to follow Christ means very much more than "believing" in Him: it signifies to commit ourselves unreservedly to His government, to walk in His precepts, to emulate the example which he has left us. And in the main, and with few deviations, that is exactly what Joshua and Israel had done since their entrance into Canaan. They had been obedient to Jehovah, complying with His revealed will in all things. And though they had temporarily failed to seek counsel from Him, and in consequence had been beguiled by the Gibeonites, yet because the main course of their lives was pleasing to God, He soon allowed them to learn their mistake. How gently the Lord deals with us!
"And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon," etc. (v. 17). This is explanatory of the foregoing verse and, by implication, shows us how unnecessary was Israel's precipitate action-had they withheld their judgment and decision but a very short time, they would have learned that these Gibeonites had by no means come from a very far country. By the children of Israel" here, we are not to understand the entire congregation-for the camp still remained at Gilgal (Josh. 10:17)-but rather their fighting-men with the responsible heads of the tribes. Most probably they had advanced this distance in order to investigate the report they had received. It should be pointed out that this was not the "third day" from setting out on their journey-for it was but a night's march from Gilgal to their cities (Josh. 10:9)-but from the time when they first "heard" that the Gibeonites were their neighbors. Definite confirmation of this was now before them, for here were "their cities." The Holy Spirit's emphasis here by the repetition of "the third day" intimates that this is a detail which the reader should duly ponder. A further word thereon.
It should be carefully noted that in John 8:12, Christ did not simply say that the one who followed Him should have light, but "the light of life," and this is exactly what is typically portrayed here in verses 16 and 17, for at the end of three days" brings us (symbolically speaking) on to resurrection ground. Joshua and his fellows had acted by sight instead of faith, and here the Spirit supplies demonstration of that fact. They had conducted themselves on the ground of mere nature, being regulated by their senses, and not as quickened souls whose privilege it was to enjoy unbroken communion with God and be guided by Him. They had, for the moment, relapsed into carnality, but now "on the third day" they were back on resurrection ground and given to see things in a true light. So the Christian has, by God's grace and power, been brought from death unto life, and is henceforth called upon to "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4) and to "put on the new man" (Eph. 4:24), which means to act as one who is a new creature in Christ, to be governed by heavenly principles. If he fails to do so, then he will lack discernment and wisdom for his path, and be left to his erring natural judgment. Only so long as his eye be "single" to God's glory will he be full of light.
"And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel" (v. 18). Here is further evidence that the rulers in Israel were back again on resurrection ground-in communion with the Lord, conducting themselves as regenerated men. The fear of God was upon them, and they acted accordingly! Had they now been walking according to the flesh, they had argued that "circumstances alter cases," that because the Gibeonites had lied to them they were now automatically released from keeping their part of the compact. The carnal mind would reason that a covenant was surely not binding when one of the parties entering into it had acted under false pretences. But no such corrupt principles regulated these princes. Their word was their bond. "Though we have been imposed upon, we must not think ourselves at liberty to retaliate: solemn engagements made, even to our own hurt, must be conscientiously adhered to" (Thomas Scott). Two wrongs never make one right, and for a child of God to descend unto the sinful level of worldlings is doubly heinous. The deception practiced by these Canaanites did not excuse Israel's hasty action: they had been foolish in so rashly committing the nation, and now they must suffer the consequences of the same.
"And the congregation murmured at the princes" (v. 18). The fault was entirely their own that Israel's leaders had been ensnared by such a piece of trickery, and though by grace they had respect unto the Lord's honor and refused to perjure themselves, yet they were made to feel the evil results of failing to "ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord" (v. 14). There is no previous mention of "murmuring" on the part of any of the Israelites; but now their unity was disturbed! This was no casual incident, but a Divine providence, designed to speak loudly unto those who had ears to hear. It was a Divine chastisement, an outward mark of the Lord's displeasure-yet how mild a one! The immediate reason for this "murmuring" is fairly obvious: the soldiers were chagrined at being withheld from seizing and plundering these cities; nevertheless, had not Joshua and the princes offended against the Lord in acting on their own judgment instead of waiting upon Him for-directions, His restraining hand had prevented such an exercise of the carnal cupidity of the rank and the of the people, and no spirit of discontent and division would have been shown. Though God judicially pardons our failures, in His governmental ways He often makes us to eat the fruits of our folly.
"But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them" (v. 19). It is blessed to behold the harmony and unanimity of the princes, that none of them were weakened by the opposition which was encountered. It was not only their own word which was involved, but their word under Divine oath, and to violate that would both perjure themselves and grossly discredit their God in the estimation of the heathen. It can hardly be doubted that the congregation itself must have known of their oath, but charity requires us to believe that they had temporarily forgotten it. By way of illustration we may see in this murmuring of the congregation against these princes that, when either religious or political leaders are actuated and regulated by holy and lofty principles, it must not be expected that those under them will appreciate and seek to further their motives, but rather will criticize and oppose. Blessed it is to see how these princes stood their ground, fearing God and not the people. And the Lord honored them therein, for no further murmurings against them are mentioned-the Lord subduing the people's lusts!
An Honored Oath
"This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them" (Josh. 9:20). In the preceding verses we saw how Israel had been deceived by some of the Canaanites, who, pretending to be from a very far country, posed as ambassadors authorized to treat with Joshua and enter into a treaty of peace for their people. Those impostors had not only prepared a very plausible tale, but were carefully made up in keeping with the part they played, appearing in tattered garments and with moldy bread as evidences of the long journey they had taken. Instead of seeking counsel at the mouth of the Lord. Joshua and the responsible heads of the nation walked by sight and relied upon their senses (v. 14). Instead of deferring their decision and taking the trouble to carefully investigate the claims of the Gibeonites, Israel hurriedly entered into a covenant with them to spare their lives. Instead of making them a conditional promise, the princes solemnly ratified the agreement by oath (v. 15). All of this should be regarded by us as a pointed warning to avoid precipitate action, and as showing the wisdom of heeding that injunction, "He that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16).
Within three days the folly of Israel was made manifest, for upon penetrating a little deeper into Canaan they came to the cities of the Gibeonites (vv. 16, 17). It is to be duly noted that Israel's discovery of the trick that had been played upon them was not made by any spiritual discernment of theirs-which had assuredly been the case had a "single eye" been maintained to God's glory (Matthew 6:22)-but by external means. Moreover, though the Lord did not allow them to be deceived for any length of time, He made evident, even if in a comparatively mild and gentle way, His displeasure against the princes through His providential dealings with them. The "murmuring" against them by the congregation, though "very natural under the circumstances," should be regarded as a Divine chastisement-God's suffering the people to voice their discontent, instead of working in them a spirit of acquiescence. Thus, for the moment, the harmony of Israel was disturbed and their unity seriously threatened. But it is good to see that, with one accord, the princes feared God rather than men, and, so far from desiring amity at any price, recognized that "the wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable" (Jam. 3:17).
Instead of yielding to the desire of the rank and the of the People, who obviously wanted to avenge themselves upon the Gibeonites, and plunder their cities, all the princes stood their ground, and said, "We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them" (v. 19). Matthew Henry pertinently remarked that they "did not apply themselves to Eleazar for a dispensation, much less did they pretend that no faith is to be kept with heretics-with Canaanites; no, they were strangers to the modern artifices of the Roman Church to elude the most sacred bonds and even to sanctify perjuries." No, they were determined to honor the engagement into which they had entered. Happy the nation whose leaders and governors abide by their obligations. The testing of these princes was a very real one, but though their fidelity should occasion a mutiny of the people, they refused to go against their consciences. There can be little room for doubt that it was their unanimity which God used to pacify the murmuring congregation, teaching us that the best way to suppress discontent by the governed is for there to be a solid and firm front presented by the governors. Yet it was no mere policy of expediency which regulated these princes, but rather the fear of God and their determination not to dishonor Him.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain" (Ex. 20:7). There is the original and fundamental law concerning oaths, and with it should be linked, "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him. and shalt swear by His name" (Deut. 6:13). An oath, then, is a solemn appeal to the dread name of Jehovah, which, by awakening the spirit of the swearer to a consciousness of the awe-inspiring presence and cognizance of the Most High, gives all its sanctity and power to it. Properly speaking there are four things in an oath. First, a formal asseveration of the truth-which should always be spoken even though no oath be taken. Second, an acknowledgment of the presence of the thrice Holy One, who is solemnly called upon as a Witness in confirmation of the statement that we make. Third, an invocation, whereby we request God to testify unto our conscience that what we swear to is nothing but the truth (Rom. 9:1). Fourth, an imprecation, in which the swearer calls upon God to be the Revenger of all lies, binding himself to Divine punishment if he swear falsely. Since an oath be the invoking of God, it is an act of worship, an ascribing glory and owning Him as Judge.
It is therefore evident that the violation of an oath is a sin of the first magnitude, for it is a breach of the third commandment, a taking of God's name in vain, which He will not hold guiltless. As Leviticus 19:12, informs us, to commit perjury in the name of God is an act of profanity. From such awful considerations it follows that an oath is to be feared (Eccl. 9:2), and that once made it is binding (Num. 30:3)-a solemn example of which is seen in the case of Jephthah (Judg. 11:25). Consequently, it is not to be entered into lightly, nor should one be taken at all except in matters of real importance, and then only in the gravest spirit and manner. There are times, as Deuteronomy 6:13, shows, when it becomes our duty to appeal unto God by solemn oaths, for deciding matters which cannot be adequately settled without one (Heb. 6:16). It is to be observed that, when occasion required and men were warranted in the taking of an oath, such obtained centuries before the giving of the Law at Sinai. Thus Abraham swore to Abimelech (Gen. 21:23, 24), and required an oath to be taken by his servant when seeking a wife for Isaac (Gen. 24:8, 9). Jacob swore to Laban, and Joseph to his father. Since these instances had no respect unto the legal institutes of Moses, they lead us to conclude that there would be nothing in the Gospel to forbid such a practice in this Christian era-again and again Paul confirmed his testimony by calling on God as Witness (2 Cor. 1:23; Gal. 1:20).
"This we will do to them: we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them" (v. 20). One of the distinguishing marks given of those who shall abide in the Lord's tabernacle (enjoy intimate communion with Him) and dwell in His holy hill (spend eternity in heaven) is, "He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not" (Ps. 15:1, 4): that is, who will not go back on his oath no matter what temporal loss might be involved. On the other hand. "perjured persons" are classed with murderers of fathers and mothers, whoremongers, slave dealers, etc. (1 Tim. 1:9, 10). Very far were these princes from now treating their engagement with the Gibeonites as "a mere scrap of paper"-the Kaiser, Hitler and Mussolini brought down Divine wrath upon themselves and their people by just such perfidy. It is exceedingly solemn to observe that this was one of the crimes which characterized Israel during the closing days of their Old Testament history-see Zechariah 5:4; Malachi in. 5; 2 Chronicles 36:11-13-"until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy" (2 Chron. 36:16). Only so long as Britain honors her treaty obligations-no matter what sacrifices be involved-is there any hope of "remedy" for its people.
"And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them" (v. 21). These princes were twelve in number, one at the head of each of Israel's tribes (Num. 1:15, 16, 44). That God was pleased with their sparing the lives of the Gibeonites is clearly evidenced from the sequel, for the very next chapter records how He gave them the most glorious victory in all their wars. Furthermore, we find that, centuries later, He severely avenged the wrong which Saul did unto the descendants of this tribe, manifesting His sore displeasure against that king's injuring of them in violation of this very league (2 Sam. 21:1)-mark how David, the "man after God's own heart," honored his oath to Jonathan in this connection, exempting Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, from the just avengement (v. 7). Though the lives of these Gibeonites were spared, their liberty was taken from them, and they were made bondmen-not only tributaries, but under the yoke of servitude. To be "hewers of wood and drawers of water" would not only be wearisome employment, but regarded as a very low and menial one (cf. Deut. 29:11).
From what has been before us in the above incident, as well as from its sequel, we may perceive how that we are never the ultimate losers by fearing the Lord and honoring His name. Folly was committed by Joshua and the princes in so hastily concluding a league with the Gibeonites, and it was too late to rectify it: nevertheless, God overruled the same to His own glory and the benefit of His people, providing both Himself and them with useful servants. God can, and in His own wondrous way often does, turn our mistakes into advantages. That way will not be as good and glorious as His first best for us, yet it will not be without blessing. The same incident also teaches us the needlessness of taking things into our own hands and seeking to anticipate the Divine appointment. The congregation suffered no injury by restraining their desire to seize and plunder the cities of the Gibeonites mentioned in Joshua 9:17, for if the reader will consult Joshua 18:25-28, he will find that in the end, when the land came to be divided, the first three cities there mentioned were obtained by them, and the fourth in Joshua 15:2. It is never to our detriment to wait the Lord's time!
"And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you: when ye dwell among us?" (v. 22). Let us duly observe and admire: the blessed restraint which Israel's leader here placed upon himself. Though these Gibeonites were now entirely at his disposal, he used not his power tyrannically. Nor did he give way to an outburst of temper because of their chicanery, and harshly denounce them as base liars. Instead, he mildly reproved them for their fraud and gave them opportunity to explain their conduct. As Matthew Henry rightly pointed out, "A just cause needs not anger to defend it, and a bad one is never made the better by it." The Lord forbids us rejoice (malignantly) when our enemy falls (Prov. 24:17), and severely chastised the Edomites because they had "spoken proudly in the day of Judah's distress" (Obad. 1:12). This was the sin of Shimei, scorning his humiliated sovereign (2 Sam. 16:5-9), for which he paid with his life (1 Kings 2:9, 10) How very differently was the Lord Jesus dealt with when He was arraigned before His judges! In Joshua's mild treatment of the Gibeonites we may behold blessedly shadowed forth "the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:1).
"Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God" (v. 23).
Those words do not signify that Joshua now pronounced a curse upon them, but rather that it would henceforth be made to appear that they belonged to an accursed posterity. In a previous article we pointed out that the reason why these Gibeonites are designated "'Hivites" in Joshua 9:9, was to intimate that they were the descendants of Canaan (Gen. 10:5-7), and here we have set before us an illustration of the sentence pronounced upon him because of his father's sin. By the spirit of prophecy Noah had declared, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren" (Gen. 9:25). The curse, then, consisted of servitude, and here we behold one part of its fulfillment in these Gibeonites being made the manual servants of Israel. How mysteriously yet wondrously does God order His providences unto the fulfillment of His Word, guiding the princes to select or determine this particular form of punishment upon these men! In Joshua's confirmation of the sentence of the twelve princes we have a striking adumbration of Christ making good His promise to the twelve apostles, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound [ratified] in heaven" (Matthew 18:18).
"And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing" (v. 24). Let us first notice that in this part of their reply they bore witness to God's having made good one of His promises to Israel and fulfilled a prophecy made through Moses, to the effect that such reports would reach their ears of the irresistible power of Israel's God, and the fame of His wondrous works on their behalf, that the inhabitants of Canaan would be filled with dismay and their hearts sink within them. "I will send My fear before thee and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come" (Ex. 23:27). "This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon all nations" (Deut. 2:25), Jehovah had declared, thereby fulfilling the prediction of Exodus 15:14: "The people shall hear and be afraid, sorrow shall take hold of the inhabitants of Palestina.'" Such terror would fill them that their spirits would sink completely and they would be panic-stricken at the prospect before them. Such was the case here.
"There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as He hath said unto you" (Deut. 11:25). God would strike such terror into the Canaanites, and make them so conscious of their impotency, that He would render the same subservient to the success of His people. Rahab had, previously, avowed the accomplishment of this, acknowledging that tidings of Jehovah's miracle-working power had reached them, that "your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you" (Josh. 2:9). In like manner will God yet make good every prophecy He has made and every promise that He has given. It is therefore to be duly noted that these Gibeonites freely testified that the nation of Israel was now acting according to the commandment of the Lord their God, and not from a spirit of personal blood-thirstiness and greed. They made no attempt to justify the lies which they had told, but frankly owned that they were in dread of losing their lives, and that the principle of self-preservation had moved them to resort to such a device.
"And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do" (v. 25). That was tantamount to saying, We are fully in thy power and entirely at thy disposal, and readily submit ourselves to thy discretion. Their foregoing statement evinces that they had not only "heard" but also believed that God's promises to His people and threatenings to His enemies would certainly be fulfilled. They realized God's word was inviolable and His power invincible, and therefore nothing remained but for them to cast themselves upon His clemency. In their "as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do" unto Joshua, one can see they hoped for the best: treat with us according to the laws of justice and kindness, and especially act consistently with the league made and the oath taken. It is in precisely such a spirit and attitude that sinners are to come before God in Christ-convicted of their sins, convinced of the verity of God's threatenings, casting themselves upon His good pleasure, hoping in His mercy, submitting unreservedly to His will, ready to take His yoke upon them.
"And so He did unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord" (vv. 26, 27). How blessedly the and-typical Joshua was there foreshadowed! Though the guilt of these men was established, and though they belonged to an accursed race, yet he spared their lives, and that on the ground of a covenant made by oath! Thus he did what was both good and right": yea, he went beyond what they "asked or thought," showing them favor and conferring honor upon them, by appointing them to minister unto the "altar of the Lord"; and thus they would be taught the worship of the true God and delivered from idolatry. It is striking to note that the only ones who acknowledged what they "heard" about the Lord (Josh. 2:10; 9:24) were delivered from His judgments. The descendants of these Gibeonites-termed "Nethinim" or "devoted persons"-had a place of honor in the service of the temple centuries later (1 Chron. 9:2; Ezra 8:20; Neh. 7:60).