We are in Your Hand - Joshua 9:25

In the book of Joshua, we learned how the men of Gibeon attempted to deceive Joshua and the people of Israel, and “Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, Wherefore have you beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us? Now therefore you are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, how that the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-five of the book of Joshua, we learn how the men of Gibeah said, “behold, we are in your hand” where we read, 

And now, behold, we are in your hand: as it seems good and right unto you to do unto us, do.

The verse reads, “And now, behold, we are in your hand:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and now, behold” which means “and at this time, lo, look and consider” “we are in your hand” or “we, the men of Gibeah, exist within your, Joshua and the people of Israel’s, hand of power, might, strength and authority”. Joshua or the writer shared how the “men of Gibeah” submitted themselves under the authority of “Joshua” and the people of Israel. 

 

The verse goes on to say, “as it seems good and right unto you to do unto us, do.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “as it seems good” which means “even and indeed like it, Joshua and the people of Israel’s decision, is pleasant, agreeable and excellent” “and right unto you” or “and upright, correct ad pleasing to you, Joshua and the people of Israel” “to do unto us, do” which means “to fashion, accomplish and perform to us, the men of Gibeah”. Joshua or the writer shared how the “men of Gibeah” told “Joshua” that he and the people of Israel were to perform toward them in a manner that was pleasing and agreeable to them. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we discover how the “men of Gibeah” surrendered themselves to “Joshua” and the people of Israel. They told “Joshua” to do to them whatever he and the people considered pleasing to them. We can imagine how desperate they were to save their own lives, and we shall see how “Joshua” responds in our next verse. In this case the “men of Gibeah” desired to preserve their lives, and in like manner, we too should be concerned for our “eternal lives” because we have sinned against God, and that leads to eternal death and separation from Him. For this reason God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when He raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way through faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth so we may live with Him in Heaven forever and ever. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Next time we learn, “so did he unto them”, 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".