Renewing the covenant with the Lord was a ‘mountain-top experience’ for the Israelites. Two cities had been conquered and the sin that was so debilitating had been dealt with. Fellowship with God was fresh and vibrant.
A common pattern in scripture is evident when we come into this chapter. When God’s people are doing well and prospering in close fellowship with God, their enemies are gathering. As news of the victories at Jericho and Ai spread, a confederation of kings is massing armies to ally themselves against the Israelites. No doubt these kings had a long history of conflict amongst themselves, but in accordance with the adage ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’, they are now united in common opposition to God’s people. So it will be down through history, ‘even unto this day’ and right up until that great army meets the returning Lord at Armageddon.
Diplomacy
The inhabitants of Gibeon had other ideas. They decided to employ brains rather than brawn! Instead of coming with an army, they decided to turn to diplomacy and ‘pretended to be ambassadors’. One of the greatest successes for the Allies in World War II was to deceive the Germans into believing that the main invasion of Europe would be across the Pas de Calais. This was achieved by creating false army groups, tanks, landing craft, radio traffic etc. sufficient to deceive the enemy. Perhaps the planners had read Joshua chapter 9, for the concept seems to have been invented by the Gibeonites; and on both occasions it worked!
Detente
Taken in by their story, the ‘men of Israel’ forgot to take counsel of the Lord. How readily they fall into the same error! Instead Joshua, apparently on the very day that they met them, made peace and a covenant with the Gibeonites and guaranteed their safety with an oath.
Deceit
It took only three days to uncover their story and expose the Gibeonites’ deceit. Caught out by their haste in swearing an oath with them, the Israelites now find themselves compromised and unable to deal with them as God had intended. Instead, the Gibeonites become their servants.
Too often we are deceived and make accommodations with people, situations and other matters that leave us compromised. Haste and a lack of communication with their God had been their folly again.
Reports
In the mid nineties after a period of frustration and disappointment the Lord graciously and tenderly took strong dealings with me and changed completely the sphere in which I was to bring the gospel to the people of our nation.
Magherafelt: J Rogers and R Kirkpatrick had encouraging gospel meetings in the gospel hall. One young woman and two young men professed to have trusted in the Lord Jesus. R Kirkpatrick teaches in the local grammar school and this resulted in several teachers and a number of pupils attending the meetings.
Limavady: J Martin and W Martin preached the gospel for six weeks in the gospel hall. The Christians were greatly encouraged because three of the christians’ children made it know that they had been saved.
Ballylintagh: S Jennings had one week of interesting teaching on “Great men in the Book of Actsâ€. Good numbers attended and the saints were helped.
Aughrim: D Gooding was with the saints for two weeks of teaching on “The Approach to God†using his own model of the tabernacle. The tabernacle, in its totality, was used to illustrate not only the lost condition of man through sin but also the rich provision of God in the person of Christ. The meetings were very well attended and the Christians left the meetings each evening occupied with the comprehensiveness and the completeness of “so great salvationâ€. The lectures were professionally recorded each evening for the eventual distribution of CDs and DVDs.
Roy Marshall and George Meikle have these last months been visiting some outlying parts of the country where as far as they know there has been no Gospel input.
Missionary/Homeworkers Conference 20th February 2010
Please pray for some of the work in which Stephen Baker is involved as you read the summary below:
Gospel Weekend with Jack Hay
These series of gospel meetings are presently continuing and prayer would be valued..
Dromore Gospel Hall. M. Radcliffe and W. Fenton are sounding out the glorious gospel nightly. Prayer for salvation would be appreciated.
Castlewellan. T. Wright has returned to this town where he saw some blessing last year and is joined by D. McKinley in the preaching of the gospel. This is a very needy area.
Bangor (Ebenezer Gospel Hall). In mid January A. Colgan and P. McCauley commenced in the gospel. Please pray for blessing as the town is visited and the life giving message is preached.
Ballykeel (Mourne) D. McGarvey and F. McCauley commenced a series in the gospel in this rural area on 24th January. Prayer would be appreciated.
Ballymagarrick Gospel Hall.
Gospel and Ministry meetings are planned D.V. for Antrim Ballymena Bushmills Kells and Kingsmoss.
Glengormley – J Grant had challenging ministry meetings 25th – 29th January on the book of Judges.
In January Malcolm Radcliffe was with the saints for 10 days of profitable ministry on the Tabernacle with a chart.