Great Battles of the Bible:

The Defense of Gibeon

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© May 4, 2005

 

          We’ve all asked friends for assistance at one time or another. We’ve all had God intercede in our lives and rescue us from a desperate situation. In Joshua 10 we find an example of both of these types of intervention.

 

          The tenth chapter of Joshua gives us an account of the events that followed Joshua’s conquest of Ai. Adoni-Zedek was the king of Jerusalem and knew of Joshua’s victory at Ai as well as Jericho. He was also aware of the alliance that Gibeon had made with Israel. Gibeon was a very important city and was even larger than the city of Ai. The cities of Jericho, Ai and Gibeon were all near the border of Judah and this caused King Adoni-Zedek great concern. Joshua had conquered Jericho and Ai and formed an alliance with Gibeon. Gibeon was a city of power and wealth. Fearing the escalation of Israel’s strength along his border, King Adoni-Zedek decided to form a coalition of forces and make a preemptive strike and attack the city of Gibeon.

 

          King Adoni-Zedek contacted four other kings, Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. He proposed they form a huge armed force to attack and take the city of Gibeon. This coalition of Amorites gathered together their forces and marched to Gibeon. We are not told anything of the initial siege of Gibeon, but it must have been a ferocious sight to see. The combined forces of five kingdoms throwing themselves against the single city of Gibeon would have frightened the most courageous warrior. The Gibeonites knew they would not survive the onslaught and took advantage of their alliance with Joshua and sent for help.

 

          Even though Joshua’s army was experienced and prepared the five kings of the Amorites and their armies were a formidable opponents. God spoke to Joshua concerning the battle to come and said, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” Joshua responded appropriately and marched with his entire army from Gilgal to Gibeon. Included in this massive force were all his best soldiers, but the most impressive weapon in his arsenal was the Lord God almighty.

 

          Confident in His God, Joshua and his army marched all night to reach Gibeon. Joshua’s army caught the coalition of Amorite forces by surprise and God threw them into confusion. The battle that follows is nothing but complete victory for Israel. Joshua’s army pursues the retreating Amorites for miles. Not only are the Amorites killed by the swords and spears of Israel as they flee, God continues to intervene by hurling huge hailstones from heaven at them. The body count after the battle proves that more Amorites were killed by God’s hailstones than all those killed by the swords of Israel.

 

          So what can we learn from this great battle? We don’t fight Amorites anymore. We don’t have kings down the street from us wanting to invade our homes or kill us. What I see illustrated here in scripture is the importance of relying on friendships in times of need. The people of Gibeon formed an alliance with Joshua. This was a bond for protection and support. Christians have a spiritual bond with other Christians. All Christians are members of the family of God and are encouraged and commanded by God to love each other. In John 13:34 Jesus gave a new command to all Christians to love one another. In Galatians 5:13 Paul tells us to serve one another in love. Peter in 1 Peter 1:22 tells us to love each other deeply.

 

Just like the people of Gibeon called upon Joshua to help them when they were in danger, we are to call upon our Christian friends when we are in need. True friends come running when you are in distress. True Christian friends have a deep spiritual bond with each other and this means they can pray for each other, bear each other’s burdens and seek in all sorts of ways to minister to one another. One of the sweetest and most treasured experiences in such relationships is to be involved in a small group fellowship.

 

Over the years the small group fellowship I have attended has demonstrated on numerous occasions their love and concern for one another. They have been extremely generous at times with each other when needs have arisen. The most impressive thing about this is that the help that is offered is unsolicited. Gibeon sent out messengers to ask for help. In my small group fellowship needs are shared in a time of prayer. Afterwards hugs and handshakes of encouragement follow. Many times in the following week anonymous help is given in numerous forms. Sometimes money appears in the mail for a financial need. Other times service or assistance is given with no strings attached. In other situations confrontations of accountability are arranged where the truth is spoken in love out of concern for the physical, spiritual and emotional well being of those involved. This sweet affection that is demonstrated in acts of kindness and concern springs from the Holy Spirit that lives within each Christian believer. The fragrance of God emanates from such relationships as God uses each of us to love our fellow Christians.

 

Here in Joshua 10 we see the value of the intervention of friends. Tragedy is avoided. Suffering is prevented. Wrong is prevented from occurring. When Christians love each other as Jesus called them to, all manner of holiness is manifested as the Holy Spirit directs God’s servants in all sorts of acts of love. On a daily basis we experience as Christians the dependence we have on our fellow servants for help in coping with life.

 

          The other truth illustrated in this portion of scripture is the age-old fact that God takes care of His children. The dramatic intervention of God verified His love and concern for Israel. In this battle He basically defeated the armies of the Amorites by dropping humungous hailstones on them. He gave Joshua confidence that the battle would be won because He would battle for them and protect Israel. Just as God watched over, protected and made war for Israel, He is on our side as well. We face many difficulties in life. We may have financial woes. We may have relationship problems. We may have difficulties finding a job. No matter what issues we face we can rest assured, as a child of God, that God is on our side. He won’t necessarily drop large hard hailstones on those who persecute us, but He will always work things out to our best benefit and His greatest glory.

 

          God watches over us, intervenes in our lives, provides for us, prolongs our life, manages our affairs and in His divine providence, lays out our future before us.

 

          There is no way we can live the Christian life without the love and concern our brothers and sisters in the Lord show us. There is no way we can live as a believer of Jesus Christ without the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within each of us. We have no chance of living as a servant of Jesus if we don’t realize that Christ moment by moment acts as our advocate in regards to our salvation. And it is impossible to live obedient to God’s Word unless God intervenes on our behalf when we stumble and fall, are tempted to stray or struggle in our weaknesses.

 

          Joshua had his battles and we have ours. If we remember the debt of love we owe our fellow Christians we will reach out and love others as Christ loved us. We will serve one another in numerous generous ways. We will sacrifice for one another. We will seek to share with one another. We will treat others as better than ourselves. We will realize that our Heavenly Father will provide the power and resources to overcome any barrier or obstacle that may raise its ugly head in our lives. I’m glad I’m a child of God. I would never want to be in the camp of the Amorites.

 

1 John 4:7-10

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”