What happens in this passage is, all these cities are hearing about Israel sweeping through the land. They’re all scared to death because they know they’re gona die. A bunch of them team up together to fight Israel. However, there’s a group of people called the Gibeonites who chanel their fear in a different way.
The people of Gibeon dress up real raggedy and bring dry food with them. They come to the Israelites and tell them that they are from a distant country. They convince the Israelites to make a covenant with them not to harm them.
The truth comes out that these people are frauds and that they live in cities that Israel was going to conquer. The leaders of Israel feel stupid but keep their covenant. If they broke the covenant, they’d be dead themselves. The leaders make them serve with congregation of God and help with things with the altar of God.
I think that the point of this passage is grace. God was going to destroy all of these cities, not just because the people living in them were not Isaelites, but because they were sinful people, worshipped idols, and would not turn to God. However, we see in the Gibeonites, that they believed that God is stronger than themselves or even teaming up with other cities. What basically happens is that they repent of their wickedness and begin serving God. God spares their life and gives them a new one. From sinful people to serving God. These people experienced the grace and mercy of God.
If we’re saved, we too have experienced that grace and mercy. It should move us to work for God. These people were so surrendered to the power and mercy of God that after their cover was blown, they said, “Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” That should be our attitude towards God. The God of the universe has spared our lives and is giving us a chance for a new one. Our lives are in His hands. Let’s serve Him however he sees fit.
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