But it would have fared better with the Gibeonites had they dealt honestly with Israel. While their submission to Jehovah secured the preservation of their lives, their deception brought them only disgrace and servitude. God had made provision that all who would renounce heathenism, and connect themselves with Israel, should share the blessings of the covenant. They were included under the term, “the stranger that sojourneth among you,”(Exodus 12:49) and with few exceptions this class were to enjoy equal favors and privileges with Israel. The Lord’s direction was—
(PP 507.1)
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“If a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.”Leviticus 19:33, 34. Concerning the Passover and the offering of sacrifices it was commanded, “One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you: ... as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.”Numbers 15:15.
(PP 507.2)
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Such was the footing on which the Gibeonites might have been received, but for the deception to which they had resorted. It was no light humiliation to those citizens of a “royal city,”“all the men whereof were mighty,” to be made hewers of wood and drawers of water throughout their generations. But they had adopted the garb of poverty for the purpose of deception, and it was fastened upon them as a badge of perpetual servitude. Thus through all their generations their servile condition would testify to God’s hatred of falsehood.
(PP 507.3)
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The submission of Gibeon to the Israelites filled the kings of Canaan with dismay. Steps were at once taken for revenge upon those who had made peace with the invaders. Under the leadership of Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, five of the Canaanite kings entered into a confederacy against Gibeon. Their movements were rapid. The Gibeonites were unprepared for defense, and they sent a message to Joshua at Gilgal: “Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.”Joshua 10:6. The danger threatened not the people of Gibeon alone, but also Israel. This city commanded the passes to central and southern Palestine, and it must be held if the country was to be conquered.
(PP 507.4)
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Joshua prepared to go at once to the relief of Gibeon. The inhabitants of the besieged city had feared that he would reject their appeal, because of the fraud which they had practiced; but since they had submitted to the control of Israel, and had accepted the worship of God, he felt himself under obligation to protect them. He did not this time move without divine counsel, and the Lord encouraged him in the undertaking. “Fear them not,” was the divine message; “for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.”(Joshua 10:8) “So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.”Joshua 10:7.
(PP 507.5)
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By marching all night he brought his forces before Gibeon in the morning. Scarcely had the confederate princes mustered their armies about the city when Joshua was upon them. The attack resulted in the utter discomfiture of the assailants. The immense host fled before Joshua up the mountain pass to Beth-horon; and having gained the height, they rushed down the precipitous descent upon the other side. Here a fierce hailstorm burst upon them. “The Lord cast down great stones from heaven: ... they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.”Joshua 10:11.
(PP 508.1)
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While the Amorites were continuing their headlong flight, intent on finding refuge in the mountain strongholds, Joshua, looking down from the ridge above, saw that the day would be too short for the accomplishment of his work. If not fully routed, their enemies would again rally, and renew the struggle. “Then spake Joshua to the Lord, ... and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.... The sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”Joshua 10:12, 13.
(PP 508.2)
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Before the evening fell, God’s promise to Joshua had been fulfilled. The entire host of the enemy had been given into his hand. Long were the events of that day to remain in the memory of Israel. “There was no day like that before it or after it, that Jehovah hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.”Joshua 10:14. “The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of Thine arrows they went, and at the shining of Thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people.”Habakkuk 3:11-13.
(PP 508.3)
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The Spirit of God inspired Joshua’s prayer, that evidence might again be given of the power of Israel’s God. Hence the request did not show presumption on the part of the great leader. Joshua had received the promise that God would surely overthrow these enemies of Israel, yet he put forth as earnest effort as though success depended upon the armies of Israel alone. He did all that human energy could do, and then he cried in faith for divine aid. The secret of success is the union of divine power with human effort. Those who achieve the greatest results are those who rely most implicitly upon the Almighty Arm. The man who commanded, “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon,”(Joshua 10:12) is the man who for hours lay prostrate upon the earth in prayer in the camp of Gilgal. The men of prayer are the men of power.
(PP 509.1)
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This mighty miracle testifies that the creation is under the control of the Creator. Satan seeks to conceal from men the divine agency in the physical world—to keep out of sight the unwearied working of the first great cause. In this miracle all who exalt nature above the God of nature stand rebuked.
(PP 509.2)
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At His own will God summons the forces of nature to overthrow the might of His enemies—“fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word.”Psalm 148:8. When the heathen Amorites had set themselves to resist His purposes, God interposed, casting down “great stones from heaven” upon the enemies of Israel. We are told of a greater battle to take place in the closing scenes of earth’s history, when “Jehovah hath opened His armory, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation.”Jeremiah 50:25. “Hast thou,” he inquires, “entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?”Job 38:22, 23.
(PP 509.3)
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The revelator describes the destruction that is to take place when the “great voice out of the temple of heaven” announces, “It is done.” He says, “There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent.”Revelation 16:17, 21.
(PP 509.4)
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This chapter is based on Joshua 10:40-43; 11; 14-22.
(PP 510)
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The victory at Beth-horon was speedily followed by the conquest of southern Canaan. “Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale”(Joshua 10:40) “And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp at Gilgal.”Joshua 10:42.
(PP 510.1)
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The tribes of northern Palestine, terrified at the success which had attended the armies of Israel, now entered into a league against them. At the head of this confederacy was Jabin, king of Hazor, a territory to the west of Lake Merom. “And they went out, they and all their hosts with them.”(Joshua 11:4) This army was much larger than any that the Israelites had before encountered in Canaan—“much people, even as the sand that is upon the seashore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.”Joshua 11:4, 5. Again a message of encouragement was given to Joshua: “Be not afraid because of them: for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel.”Joshua 11:6.
(PP 510.2)
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Near Lake Merom he fell upon the camp of the allies and utterly routed their forces. “The Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them ... until they left them none remaining.”Joshua 11:8. The chariots and horses that had been the pride and boast of the Canaanites were not to be appropriated by Israel. At the command of God the chariots were burned, and the horses lamed, and thus rendered unfit for use in battle. The Israelites were not to put their trust in chariots or horses, but “in the name of the Lord their God.”Joshua 9:9.
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One by one the cities were taken, and Hazor, the stronghold of the confederacy, was burned. The war was continued for several years, but its close found Joshua master of Canaan. “And the land had rest from war.”Joshua 11:23.
(PP 510.4)
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