In Joshua 10:5-9 Israel made a covenant with the nation of Gibeon who deceived them to get the protection, but based upon verse 19 it only guaranteed not to touch them and but to let them live. There is no where that I can find that this covenant provided protection from Gibeon’s enemies.
Here is where I’m going with this, if I was Joshua when I heard of the Gibeonites troubles I would have assumed that God was about to deal with liars for their deceptive ways and that my problem would have been solved. “Hey fellows sorry to hear that you’re about to be annihilated but I don’t see how that’s my problem, I only promised I wouldn’t wipe you out myself.”
The kingdom of Gibeon was 25 miles and 4000 feet higher than Gilgal where Israel was encamped and no easy task to undertake not to mention risky for Israel’s army. So here’s the amazing thing to realize, Joshua went up to protect the Gibeonites even though they were lying scoundrels. Is that not like our Lord Jesus who sets out to save those who have lied to Him?
Listen up friends Jesus doesn’t just rescue those that deserve it or are worthy in fact He takes delight in saving those who least deserve it like you and me.
Further more Joshua wastes no time in fact he marches all night traveling up 4000 feet in elevation against all odds just to save those who were pretenders, fakes and frauds. We have seen the lengths that satan will go to attack us, but I suppose I can say for myself I deserve it, but look at the lengths the Lord will go to delver those who don’t deserve it!
God wanted to demonstrate His love through His people who the Gibeonites just lied to so he allows five kingdoms of whom they were previously aligned with to mount an attack against them. Why? So that they would see how much God loves them and they don’t need to trick Him into it!
Every single moment of everyday, constantly before us is our Lord with a huge sign of the cross that says, “Free love available”! Most of the time folks just walk by with broken hearts and lives ignoring His free offer. But because the Lord knows how much we need to receive what we so desperately need He allows those whom we thought were our neighbors, friends, family and allies to attack us so that we remember that as Proverbs 18:24 says that in only Jesus do we have a “friend who sticks closer than a brother.” The Psalmist proclaims in Psalm 27:10 “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.” Very few of us parents could ever imaging forsaking our children but as much as we love our kids the Lord declares that He loves them more than even all us father’s and mother’s. Did you know that God’s blessing are much greater than our blunders?