Let’s Make a Deal, what a great show. Not sure if it’s still on tv or not but what a great show it was. Joshua and Israel are now making many conquest as the Lord had commanded them. These people had lived in the land for years and rejected the Lord. Now is the fulfillment of the promise which was made to Abraham. (Side note: Notice the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham involves effort on behalf of the Israelites. Promises involve effort at times.) Notice what starts the battle:
“And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”” Joshua 10:6 It was the covenant Joshua made with the Gibeonites. Joshua knew they lied; the people were angry the covenant had been made yet the covenant was still honored. We even see the Lord being a part of the covenant to the Gibeonites.
“So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.” Joshua 10:10
The deal had been made and there was no turning back from it. They didn’t know what details were behind the deal, but it didn’t matter they were sticking to the deal and the Lord was honoring their commitment. No matter the cost, no matter the details.
Jesus said, “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 5:37
If you have to be a person who has to add a promise to do this or that, chances are your simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ hasn’t been lived up too. When we are people of our word, no matter the cost, a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ will suffice. Are you a person of your word? It really honors the Lord when we do what we say and it’s a great witness of the faithfulness of the Father. I praise God for grace when I don’t always live that out, I am sure you do too. What if the church let their ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and their ‘no’ be ‘no’ and quit making promises we didn’t intend to keep? Jesus said yes, no matter the cost and so should we!
- To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.