Today I read Joshua 11 where the remaining kings in the land of Israel band together in an effort to kill all the Israelites. It is interesting to me that no one except the people of Gibeon even thought to try and appease the Israelites. They instead got upset at this invading horde and chose to fight back, which resulted in their destruction. I mean, couldn't they see the writing on the wall and understand that it was inevitable?
But then I thought about it from the other side of things. What if this were an invading force coming into America? How would we all react? Would be deign to be their servants like the people of Gibeon did? Would a life of servitude be preferable to a violent death? Or would we try and rally together and defend our homeland against the invaders and fight back with superior numbers? It's easy to get caught up in the Israelites story and think of things from their point of view but really the Israelites are an invading army killing all the inhabitants that are in their way. Is it any wonder that they fought back and scoffed at the idea of making peace?
God had given Israel that land centuries before this all taking place now. I have to wonder what were the people like that God was wiping out in order to fulfill that promise? They could not have been righteous or God would have spared them I believe. God does keep His word no matter what, but I have to believe that if the people had been righteous, I don't think God would have had the Israelites destroy them. I don't believe that God revels in death and slaughter. I think it would have been avoided had they been righteous. That is my thought anyway. Until tomorrow.
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