What is your opinion of the Gibeonites? Most people would think of them as sneaky, underhanded confidence-tricksters, who abused the trust of the Israelites, manipulated their ignorance and naivety, seduced them from obedience to the Law of Moses — all to save their own miserable skins. This is a fair representation of the general view. The men of Gibeon have even been presented as typical of those who corrupted the ecclesia of God from its Apostolic purity.
But this is certainly not the way inspired authors have written of the Gibeonites. God saw them as men of faith from the beginning. They are presented as a great type, not of apostates, but of the salvation of men and women “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation”, on the basis of grace and faith. Their history is, in fact, one of the very first indications that the Law of Moses would one day give way to a scheme of salvation by the grace and mercy of God.
It is unnecessary here to detail the story of the Gibeonite envoy who, with tattered clothes, dilapidated wineskins, and mouldy bread duped the Israelites, telling them that they were foreigners, hailing from far-off lands; when all the time they were but three days journey from the camp of Israel.
The story is, like all the stories of Scripture, well-written, carefully crafted by the inspired writer. We want to look at some of the principles behind the story.
One of the first things that strikes us is the remarkable fact that these Canaanites were saved on the basis of a deception. How can God Justify this?
It is not the only time that this has happened. Rahab is an outstanding example of faith in action, Hebrew 11:31; James 2:25. Yet the very same action that evidenced her faith in the God of Israel, deceived the soldiers of Jericho’s king. She was alive in the camp at the time of the Gibeonites mission. David was saved by God when he faked madness to deceive the soldiers of Achish of Gath. At the very time he was acting the madman, he was praying, and God listened to him, I Samuel 21:13, Psalm 34. Does this mean that God condones fraud, or deception?
Of course not. God’s morality is absolute with him there is “no variableness, neither shadow of turning” James 1:17. Some have suggested that God’s morality, His standards, His righteousness, is not fixed. For example, Brother Roberts makes this unfortunate suggestion in the middle of an otherwise excellent exposition of providence at work in the life of Jacob. He suggests that the way in which Rebekah and Jacob deceived Isaac was, perfectly acceptable to God (The Ways of Providence). But Rebekah and Jacob were in fact severely punished for this deception: and Jacob was taught by bitter experience what God really thinks of deception.
The scriptures are clear: “I am Yahweh: I change not.” Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 6:17-19. Our own salvation depends on God keeping His promises; it depends on this unchanging character.
God’s morality does not vary. But He does look behind human actions to see the motivation. He is looking for evidence that faith is alive. The evidence is nowhere near as important as the fact that faith lives, just as evidence in court is not really important, but what the evidence proves or disproves. If the motive is faith or trust, He forgives the human weakness which cannot see any right way out of a situation. Salvation is on the basis of faith.
Actions which spring from faith are righteous — the righteousness of faith. This righteousness is not inherent: it is not some righteousness of our own. The righteousness of faith is imputed righteousness: it comes from God. Those who act on the basis of faith are accounted or considered, righteous by God, even if their actions might not be perfectly so. Conversely, of course, however right something may seem to the human eye, “whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.” Romans 14:23.
A man might keep the whole Law of Moses – but without faith, it is effectively sin. A woman might tell a lie — but because of her faith, God accounts her righteous. This does not mean God condones or accept her lie: a lie is a lie is a lie. But the lie is good evidence that faith is alive. In itself it is wrong, but it is evidence of a living faith. God is looking for evidence, and when He sees it He forgives the lie, and saves the woman, because of her faith. And so with the Gibeonites. Their deception was forgiven, and because of their faith they were saved.
But wait, you might say, how can you tell me that the Gibeonites had faith? The answer is simple. The scriptures make it quite clear that God treated the Gibeonites differently from other Canaanites. Examine the record carefully. First, the Law of Moses was quite clear that all Canaanites were to be destroyed.
“Thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them”,
Moses solemnly warned the people.
“Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them … thou shalt consume all the people which Yahweh thy God shall deliver thee”;
“thine eye shall have no pity upon them … thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven”;
“There shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.” Deut 7.
But notice that they were only to destroy those whom God delivered to them. The way was always open for God to save some from the terrible judgements Israel were commanded to pass out. Israel had no discretion in the matter: they were to march onward and cut down all before them. But God can discriminate. The Law was given to Israel. It did not bind God. And He discriminates on the basis of faith.
Joshua was expected only to begin the work of clearing the land, Joshua 13:1; Israel was left to complete the task, Judges 1:2. The book of Joshua states that Joshua faithfully carried out the requirements of the Law of Moses: “As Yahweh commanded Moses His servant, so did Moses command Joshua— and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that Yahweh commanded Moses … So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh said unto Moses.” Joshua 11:15, 23. But the Gibeonites were not killed — they were different.
Look also at the summary of Joshua’s work. After listing all the conquests of Joshua, the author of the book emphasises how completely he did his work: “Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. there was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel — save the hivites the inhabitants of gibeon: all other they took to battle. “Joshua 11:18-19.
God was so sickened by the vileness and filthy immorality of the Amorites — their cup, Genesis 15:16, was full, and overflowing — that He was determined to destroy them. They had set their hearts on evil. He confirmed them in it. They were vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction. So He hardened their hearts, “that they should come against Israel in battle, that He might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses. “Joshua 11:20.
The Amorites were doomed to destruction. They had gone so far, that there was no room for Divine favour: there could be no grace for them. He hardened their hearts. But He obviously stood back from the Gibeonites. Their hearts were not hardened — evidenced by their peace mission. God allowed them to find salvation.
Under the Law, the Gibeonites were doomed to die. But under grace — administered by Yahoshua — they were saved. Interesting.
Joshua realised that the Gibeonites were to be treated differently from the other Amorites. How do we know? Well, look at the sentences he passed on their deception, and see how they alter, from one to the next:
- The Princes said, “Let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation. “Joshua 9:21.
- Joshua said, “Ye are cursed … bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my god.” Verse 23.
- He made them servants for the congregation, ‘and for the altar of Yahweh, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.” Verse 27.
This last is an amazing concession. The curse of the law is forgotten; they are to be assistants to the Levites, for the altar of Yahweh, wherever His glory dwelt, forever!
Further, when the five Amorite kings heard of Gibeon’s defection and came and besieged the city, Joshua 10, Joshua could have said, “Yes, well, we did make a foolish oath, but clearly this attack of the Amorites is providential. They will destroy Gibeon, and we will be released from our oath, which is really what God would prefer, and we will be guiltless because it is the Amorites who have killed them, and not us: their blood is not on our hands.”
But he didn’t say that. When the Gibeonites styled themselves ‘his servants’ he quickly came to their aid. And Yahweh was with him, Joshua 10:8-14, helping Israel in a most remarkable fashion.
The permanent covenant— relationship of the Gibeonites to Israel is reinforced in a story from the days of Saul. This tragically unspiritual king had zealously sought to exterminate them, in obedience to an imaginary command of Yahweh (although he later failed to extinguish the Amalekites despite a direct order from God). Typical of Israel under the Law he zealously sought to win salvation by doing things which God never asked — it was “not to according to knowledge.”
The story is contained in 2 Samuel 21. The land was stained with their blood, and was unfruitful three years. The blight of famine was only removed when seven sons and grandsons of Saul (presumably as guilty as their father) were killed. Seven, of course, is the number of the covenant. The Hebrew shib’ ah (seven) is derived from shata (oath). “They fell all seven together.” Together they were the covenant victim which cleansed the land and bound the Gibeonites even more closely to the Jewish people.
Gibeon was a priestly city, Joshua 21:17, and the ark rested in Kirjath-jearim (one of Gibeon’s satellite-cities) for 20 years, I Samuel 7:1-2. The Gibeonites went into captivity with Judah, and returned from exile with them. Under Nehemiah they helped to build the wall of Jerusalem, Nehemiah 3:26,31; they lived in the part of the city known as Ophel, the site of David’s Jerusalem just to the south of the temple site.
All this is interesting history. Were they men of faith, or mere frauds? Undoubtedly men and women of faith. Four Canaanite cities are the proof, living peaceably among Israel, blessed by Yahweh. In fact, the Tabernacle stood at Gibeon after Saul, the Gibeonites’ persecutor had killed Yahweh’s priesthood at Nob (what an irony! God Himself rebuffs Saul’s attempt to annihilate the Gibeonites, and plants His dwelling-place right in their midst when Saul turns on the priests, and has an Edomite annihilate them!).
And herein lies a great type. This is the final evidence that God saw the Gibeonites as something special. Consider it. Israel persecutes the faithful. “Lo,” says Paul, “We turn to the gentiles.” On what principle does God call men and women to be “a people for his name’? On the basis of their faith. They are men and women who have weighed up the odds of fighting against God; and who, having seized the day of opportunity before judgement falls, send an ambassage, desiring terms of peace, Luke 14:32.
Under the Law of Moses, and the all-encompassing law of sin and death, they are doomed to die — a just recompense for their sins. But they come instead to God through Joshua. They acknowledge their own righteousness to be as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:5, 6. They say, “We have been a long time in our sins: yet we shall be saved.” They recognise that they cannot save themselves: there is no wine in their bottles, and their bread cannot be eaten.
But at the hand of Yahoshua they find favour. They become servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true altar. And, remember, those who serve at the altar have a right to share in the offerings offered upon it, I Corinthians 9:13; Hebrews 13:10.
And an even greater blessing is theirs: God dwells among them. His glory rests between the cherubim, upon the blood-sprinkled mercy seat, in the Tabernacle (for here we have no certain dwelling-place). And on what basis does the glory of God dwell in men and women?
On the basis of… their faith, of course, Ephesians 3:17-19.
But the glory of God is not to wander forever among the nations. A day is coming when the beloved, ‘David my servant’, will take the Ark and place it permanently upon Mount Zion, with great rejoicings and praise. Then shall He dwell in Zion and reign gloriously in Jerusalem, Joel 3:17; Isaiah 24:23. May that day soon dawn.
The Solution