Gleanings in Joshua by Arthur W. Pink

Author:Arthur W. Pink
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Theology
ISBN: 9781612033402
Publisher: Bottom of the Hill Publishing
Published: 2011-09-01T05:00:00+00:00

12. Honor Amidst Deception

Joshua 9:1-27

Enemy Reactions

"And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebasite. heard thereof; that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel with one accord" (Josh. 9:1, 2). At first glance there appears little pertinency or propriety in mentioning this detail immediately after what was described in the closing verses of Joshua 8: But careful readers will observe that this passage begins with the word "and," and those who have followed us through the previous articles of this series should know by now what use to make of it. It calls for thoughtful attention to what immediately precedes, so that the force of the connection may be the better perceived by us. And that not merely so as to fix in our minds the order of events, but more especially that we may ascertain the spiritual lessons which are pointed thereby. The book of Joshua contains very much more than a mere historical record of Israel’s conquest and occupation of the land of Canaan, namely a shadowing forth of that spiritual warfare unto which Christians are called.

Believers in Christ are not only "witnesses" unto Him (Acts 1:8)—showing forth His praises, reflecting the moral perfections of His character, disciples, "they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth" (Rev. 14:4)—but they are also soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:3), and as such it is especially to the book of Joshua that they should turn for instruction, inspiration, warning, and encouragement. What then are the lessons we should draw from that which is recorded in Joshua 9:1 and 2? Two, according as we recognize the twofold link between those verses and their context—with that which immediately precedes and with what is rather more remote. In other words, this coming together of the kings of Canaan, and their agreeing, to join forces in making a mass attack upon Israel, is to be regarded first as it is related to that which has just been before us in the closing verses of Joshua 8:namely the magnification of the Decalogue on mount Ebal and the covenant which was made by the new generation of Israel with Jehovah; and then with the whole of Joshua 6-8 where the overthrow of Jericho and Ai is narrated. The force of the opening "and" is borne out by the "heard thereof" at the close of verse 1. It is the enemy’s reaction to those events which is here in view.

Brief though their record be, those two verses present to our notice that which is of deep importance, and something which should be particularly heeded by ministers who desire to be faithful to their calling. The Holy Spirit’s mention of this federating of Canaan’s kings to fight against Joshua and Israel, immediately after describing what

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