“THE BOOK OF JOSHUA ~ a Type & Shadow” A-047 (05-12-22)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Joshua 9:16 (New English Translation) says, “Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby.”
● The point is that some form of a treaty was made, but not that which the Gibeonites originally intended. As this process is underway, it seems that the Israelites decide to visit this supposed far country, which was truthfully a short distance away.
● Joshua 9:17 (NET) says, “So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon {giḇʿôn, ghĭhb–ōhn’}, Kephirah {kᵊp̄îrâ, kĕf–ēē–ddrǎw’}, Beeroth {bᵊ'ērôṯ, bĕh–āy–ddrōth}, and Kiriath Jearim {qiryâ, keer–dyǎth’}.”
● From www.myjewishlearning.com, they write, “The Hebrew word herem is translated variously as “proscribed,” or “devoted to destruction” and later as “excommunication.” Sometimes constructed as a verb, sometimes as a noun, herem refers to the separation or banning of something or someone.”
● Joshua 9:18 (NET) says, “The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of {Heb. by} the LORD God of Israel. The whole community criticized {or, grumbled against} the leaders,”
● For me, this type of attitude is a major issue today among the “grace” crowd, even though I believe in the God’s grace that covers all, still I believe in open communication with my Father. And to have open communication means to first admit that I do not know everything even though the fullness of the knowledge of the Christ-mind is within me. Therefore, since I am not yet aware of all of the knowledge of Father’s mind within me, I need to ASK or CONSULT the Lord about many different things.
● Joshua 9:19 (NET) says, “but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of {Heb. by} the LORD God of Israel! So now we can’t hurt {or, touch} them.”
● Commentary says, “It is refreshing to see that going back on their word was not even really a possibility for the rulers of Israel. This was a simple matter, not even up for debate: we may not touch them.” To say, “whoops, I made a mistake and lied,” followed by “O well, I am covered by God’s grace,” is not an excuse to simply through aside the responsibility I have to be honest and truthful in my decisions and conversations to my fellow-man, as even before the Lord.
● Joshua 9:20 (NET) says, “We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.”
● Notice what the leaders of Israel said, “We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.” The fact is that what they called a “curse,” today would be called “consequences” which we know this is what follows the choices we make. Going back on one’s word was not healthy or good back then, no more than it is today, except we now have an understanding of Father’s unconditional love toward His creation, instead of looking for a God of wrath.
● Joshua 9:21 (NET) says, “The leaders then added, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided.”
● The bottom line is that since we have determined that the Gibeonites were also some of the wandering tribes of Canaan, and also an allegory for the wandering thoughts within the mind of your soul, we need to capture those unrenewed thoughts and convert them into thinking the thoughts of God.
● The truth is that in our human-form awareness, we often spend hours or days trying to figure the answers to life’s challenges, or even how to fix our mistakes, when the entire time we are eternally united with our Creator who holds the answers to all things within, just waiting for you to ask, and hear what Father has to say. I hope you were enlightened and inspired to “dig deep into the well of Father’s mind within” as you watch this video lesson!