Posted on 06/29/2006 9:51:07 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator
When the Jewish people followed Joshua into the Land of Israel, 40 years after their exodus from Egypt, their lives changed unimaginably. For an entire generation, the manna that fell from the heavens every morning had sustained them, the pillar of fire had guided them through the wilderness, and the clouds of glory had protected them from every danger and enemy.
Upon entering the land, however, all of these miracles instantaneously stopped. Indeed, it had been the Jews' fear of losing the open miracles that testified to the Almighty's presence in their midst that led to the sin of the spies, resulting G-d's decree that they wander in the desert for two score years before He allowed them another chance to enter the land. The transition from a life of divinity revealed through open miracles to a life of divinity concealed by natural law proved too frightening for the generation of the exodus to accept.
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
It is not enough for God to be on our side. We must be on God's side.
Needless to say, it was not the sun that stopped circling the earth but the earth that stopped in its course about the sun.If anything, it would have been the earth that stopped rotation on its axis.
There's a number of (admittedly trivial/minor) points that I would disagree with the Rabbi on, but when they start off as early as this, I have trouble accepting his authority with the greater message. Had footnotes been provided along the way (perhaps he's citing the Talmud?), it would have helped his case.
What always has amazed me in the history of the Givon battle is how God used the humility of the Givonites in bowing before the Israelite God to call together the strong confederation of southern city kings to do battle. Because of the Givonites, Israel did not have to fight prolonged wars with the southern kings, they were defeated in a day and all Israel had to do was mop up after. In a short time they had taken Jericho, Ai, Givon and the southern district with the exception of Jerusalem. What a confidence builder in God's promise to go before.
***Needless to say, it was not the sun that stopped circling the earth but the earth that stopped in its course about the sun.
***If anything, it would have been the earth that stopped rotation on its axis.****
Or it could have been that the earth did not really stop spinning and the brightness actually came from the GLORY of the LORD.
God left them to die in the wilderness because they didn't see what great things were being offered them.
Joshua & Caleb saw.
They were content to lead of dead-end life of wandering in a wilderness or being a slave.
Best to give that sort their own lead and let them die off.
This will probably surprise you, but from what I understand (and it's been a while since I read this) there was an element of deception in what the Giv`onim told Joshua (they presented themselves as wanderers from afar rather than local residents or something like that; I need to check). For this reason the covenent Joshua made with them was not Halakhically binding, but he kept it in order to sanctify G-d's Name by doing so. Because of the element of deception there are only two things that will not be completely restored in the World to Come: the Nachash (the Serpent) and the Giv`oni (Gibeonite).
But the Gibeonites were "hewers of wood and drawers of water" for G-d's Holy People, and that was certainly better than being a pagan king.
The Gibeonites (Givon) were special people to God. When Saul slaughtered some of them God sent a famine in Israel until David avenged the slaughter. the Gibeonites were a faithful people to Israel and to God. The tabernacle rested for a time with the Gibeonites. During the return from the Babylonian exile they were an integral part in restoring the walls and city of Jerusalem under Nehemiah.
I think their deception was more like Rahab's in that they feared God more than their own pride. Had they come to Joshua as equals suing for peace, Joshua would have had to be obedient to God's command to kill all who did not leave the promised land voluntarily. that was the tension with the Children of Israel when they found out their leaders had been deceived and let them live.
Interesting less for us. How much are we willing to humble ourselves in order to live before our God, even to the point of servant-hood?
Or it could have been that the earth did not really stop spinning and the brightness actually came from the GLORY of the LORD.The Shekinah! You just made my day. Tx, and God bless.
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