In the book of Joshua, we learned how the men of Gibeah told Joshua and the people of Israel, “now, behold, we are in you hand: as it seems good and right unto you to do unto us, do. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-seven of the book of Joshua, we learn how, “Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water” where we read,
And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation,
and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
The verse reads, “And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation,…” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and Joshua made them that day” which means “and Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation caused them, the men of Gibeah, to exist on that particular sunrise to sunset as” “hewers of wood” or “cutters and gatherers of wood” “and drawers of water” which means “and balers or fetchers of water” “for the congregation” or “on behalf of the assembly of people who were gathered together”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” caused the “men of Gibeah” to be cutters and drawers of wood as well as fetchers of water for the assembly of Israel on that particular “day”.
The verse goes on to say, “… and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “and for the altar” which means “and on behalf of the place of slaughter and worship” “of the LORD” or “belonging to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the One True God”, “even unto this day” which means “indeed and also to that particular sunrise to sunset”, “in the place” or “within the location” “which he should choose” which means “that he, Jehovah God, elects or selects”. Joshua or the writer shared how the “men of Gibeah” would “hew the wood” and “carry the water” for the sacrificial place of slaughter and worship in whatever location Jehovah God decided.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how “Joshua” caused the “men of Gibeah” to be “servants” by “cutting and gathering wood” and fetching “water” which was to be used in the dwelling place of Jehovah God and upon the sacrificial “altar” of worship in whatever location Jehovah God chose. “Joshua” and the “leaders of Israel” did not consult Jehovah God before they made this covenant with the “men of Gibeah”, and when they discovered that the “men of Gibeah” were being deceitful, they made this agreement with them. Perhaps we have found ourselves in similar situations, and this should teach us the value of having a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus who came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and to be raised from the dead after three days. When we yield to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth and in agreement with Him without aligning ourselves with other who attempt to deceive.
Next time we begin a new chapter and see what happened, “when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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