Joshua 9

In Joshua 9, we find the story of the Israelites and the Gibeonites. Israel had finally made it into the promised land and had defeated Jericho. They had just gotten over the reproach of AI and were now preparing to move forward.

In vs 3-6 the Gibeonites deploy deception to try and save their lives. 

3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” Josh 3:3-6 NKJV

The Israelites are wary and ask where these people have come from, but in the end they didn’t consult God and made an agreement with them.

16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. Josh 3:16 NKJV

Joshua saves the Gibeonites from the Israelites, because God commanded that they do not make an agreement with anyone from the land they had entered. However, once the agreement was made, Joshua knew that it was more important to keep the agreement in God’s eyes. So he kept the Israelites from harming the Gibeonites. This then led to the beginning of the conquest of southern half of the promised land. That is a story for another day.

Focus of our study

What I want to focus in on is the agreement. In prophecy, days are often years. If anything in prophecy, the Lord has a long memory, and often these seemingly small things don’t mean much to us. However, could it be that this is going to repeat in the future agreement that is described in Daniel 9. [That is another interesting coincidence: Josh 9 and Dan 9. Meer coincidence or planned by the Creator.]

27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” Dan 9:27 NKJV

In this case, God is again talking about years. He (the antichrist) will make a covenant with seven years with the Jewish people in the future. In this middle of the seven (years), he will put an end to sacrifice; which is 3 1/2 years. Interesting. Joshua and the Israelites found out three days (let’s just call it 3 1/12 days) later that they had made a false agreement, without consulting the Lord God. Three and a half years after they make an agreement with the antichrist (aka the man of lawlessness), breaks the agreement and the Israelites realize who they really made the agreement with. Did they seek their God? Not in any meaningful way. Because they missed their Messiah, instead, they make an agreement with their false messiah.

Jesus told the Jewish leaders in Matt 23:37-39 NIV.

“38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

The Jewish people will get it right in the end, but so much pain before that.

Is Joshua 9 related to Daniel 9. Honestly, I’m not completely certain, but my gut says they are. These are the types of things to have your eye open to when looking at the Bible. In the meantime, we need to be in prayer for our brother Israelites that the Lord would open their eyes to the true Messiah, Yehoshua, Jesus our savior. Interestingly, that is also how you spell Joshua in Hebrew. Coincidence, I think not.