Day 84

The Gibeonites, having heard of how the Israelites were victorious in their battles, were scared. Despite how large the Gibeonites were (10:2), they thought the best thing to do was to make a treaty with the Israelites. There was no point fighting them, they felt. They were right. The Gibeonites, however, got the treaty through deceptive means. And 9:14 says the Israelites didn’t ask God. All pieces of evidence don’t necessarily mean they are true. This is relatable in our world today; technology also makes it easier to distort the truth. We had once hired someone that presented fake documentation in my company, albeit unknown to us, till we conducted a verification process. So many stories out there of how people have been defrauded of counterfeit documents.

The leaders of Israel knew God would be upset if they broke their oath to the Gibeonites, so they kept true to their agreement. And God was ok with that, even despite the lies. God’s faithful and merciful nature. He also came to the Gibeonites’ rescue.

It is interesting to read about the several battles the Israelites have been fighting to get to the promised land. God was in the midst of all. This, for me, is a reminder that God did not promise us a challenge-free journey. But he promises us that all things work together for our good.

Finally, like Rahab, the Gibeonites feared God and were protected. However, we read about the other fearful kings and chose to fight the Israelites. They and their people all died. This is a typical example of how fear can drive one in the right or wrong direction. The question for me is, how do I face my fears? With faith or with more fear? A good one to ponder on.