War has been raging!
And Joshua has proved to be a formidable leader, too.
But one day (in Joshua chapter 10) a gang of five nations collectively attacked one of Israel’s allies, perhaps the only ally she had in the area, the Gibeonites. Well, the City of Gibeon, which is described as “a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.” Joshua 10:2
So Israel (keeping her “word”) subsequently honored her treaty with the Gibeonites. She swiftly came to Gibeon’s defense.
And once again … the Lord helped the Jews defeat all these aggressors, with their five (soon to be dead) kings being caught in a single cave in Makkedah.
Wow!
Another battle won.
At least militarily.
Then these words, the heart of today’s lesson: “And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: NONE MOVED HIS TONGUE AGAINST ANY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.” Joshua 10:21, notice that last line!
Nobody dared speak a single word against Israel!
I’d say Israel has not only bested her enemies tactically, but also psychologically!
Again …
“None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.”
The “tongue” obviously here represents one’s “words, vocabulary!”
I also have found Exodus 11:7. “But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog MOVE HIS TONGUE, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” Wow!
And even this, along the same line of thought. “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and EVERY TONGUE THAT SHALL RISE AGAINST THEE in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17
Here’s what I am saying, among the many “umbrellas” of protection God has erected above our heads … even verbal immunity is (at times anyway) included! Safety from slander, gossip, character assassination, lies? Sounds like it, at least God is able to do such!
I also realize Jesus said this: “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets.” This too, from our Lord: “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.” Both these are from Luke 6, the “Sermon on the Mount” there.
So we must “balance” these two facts.
But I am still thrilled!
God is able to keep me clear of the lying verbal assaults of the wicked, of anyone really!
In that I take delight.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell