The Bible In Paintings, #66: THE SUN STANDS STILL!

Bing Images ^ | c. 2200 BC -- c. 95 AD | Father, Son & Holy Spirit

[Hebrews 11:6]

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THE GIBEONITES
DECEIVE JOSHUA

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J O S H U A . . 9
New International Version, emphases added
Abrdgd – the complete text is in your Bible
TO READ JOSHUA 9 & 10 IN FULL, Click Here
TO HEAR MAX MCLEAN READING IT, Click Here
TO HEAR A DRAMATIZATION OF IT, Click Here
TO WATCH AN OVERVIEW OF JUDGES, Click Here

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1 4 0 5 . . B. C.

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3 When the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse. 6 They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”

9 “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan. 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”

14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

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by PIETER COECKE VAN AELST
“Gibeonites Trick Joshua” -- Tapestry

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GOD MAKES
THE SUN
STAND STILL

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J O S H U A . . 1 0

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5 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us!”

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

10 The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. 11 The Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

13 So the sun stood still,
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on its enemies.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

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by GUSTAVE DORÉ
“Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still”

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by JOHN MARTIN
“Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still Upon Gibeon”

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Detail

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Tighter Detail

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by JOSEPH MARIE VIEN
“Joshuah Ordering the Sun to Stand Still”

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by JAMES TISSOT
“Joshua Commandeth the Sun to Stand Still”

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by JACOB STEMPKY
“Joshua Commands the Sun to Stand Still”

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by Carlo Maratti
“Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still”

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by J. H. SCHÖNFELD
“Joshua’s Battle”

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by GIOVANNI LANFRANCO
“Joshua Commanding the Sun and the Moon to Stand Still”

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“Joshua at the Battle of Gibeon”
5th Century Mosaic, Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy

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by Carlo Maratta
“Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still”

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by J. BRUNETTI
“Joshua commanding the sun and moon to stand still”

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by S ALLEN
“Joshua Commanding The Sun To Stand Still”

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by GUSTAVE DORÉ
“Destruction of the Army of the Amorites”

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by JOHN LAUTERMILCH
“The Day the Sun Stood Still”

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E D I T O R ’ S ….. N O T E

The Books of Joshua and Judges report on a seemingly endless sequence of battles and their aftermaths, virtually indistinguishable from one another, as the Israelites methodically conquer the kingdoms in Canaan. We’ve already spent three days covering Jericho and another on the Amorites. That was plenty for me, and I’m a Civil War and WW2 buff. Then, of course, we have chapter after chapter detailing how they divided the spoils….And there’s not much art to be found about land assignments.

So, unless there is something a bit unusual about a battle (you know, like prostitutes harboring spies, city-walls falling down suddenly, heavenly bodies standing still—or tomorrow’s, where the army commander is named Deborah)—we may just glide right on by.

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SNEAK PEEK: Next time,

DEBORAH & BARAK
WIN A WAR

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R E S O U R C E S

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If you'd like to see for yourself the Bing pages
which yielded most of the works above, here are the links:

Gibeonites Deceive Joshua
Sun Stands Still

Where no attribution appears below a work,
the artist's name is unknown

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Links to three masters who painted Biblical scenes prolifically:

REMBRANDT HARMENSZOON van RIJN

GUSTAV DORÉ
241 wood engravings for
La Grande Bible de Tours

JAMES TISSOT
180 watercolors depicting Bible scenes

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This series keeps moving from one Bible passage to another,
so here is a fascinating and enjoyable link to assist in following along:
BIBLE TIMELINE

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Finally, here are links to the
PREVIOUS 65 POSTS IN THIS SERIES
with descriptive titles, to assist you in finding those which interest you

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SPECIAL THANKS
to FReeper left that other site,
who allowed God to make her His conduit
for incomparable enthusiasm, encouragement,
education, advice and technical assistance!

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NOTES ON MY SELECTION CRITERIA

Quality
The Bible is my focus, not the art: this is The Bible in Paintings, not “Great Paintings” nor even “Good Paintings.” So, works need not be masterpieces to qualify for inclusion here—they don’t need to be housed at the Louvre nor auctioned by Sotheby’s. They only need to successfully illustrate some aspect of the Biblical text or, frankly, just tickle my fancy, which I'm asking the Holy Spirit to guide. So, with such forgiving filters, it means that you're seeing practically everything I'm finding.

Pacing
The pace may seem glacial to those eager to see their favorite events. My commission is to search for art on each Bible passage in sequence; if I find enough, then it becomes the next installment, even if undramatic. But where there is no art, that Bible passage goes untold here. The Bible is a thick book, as you know; but we'll get there eventually, Lord willing. Always remember:
love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is a fruit of the Spirit!

I’m just having fun—and I hope you are, too!
Thank you for your understanding.

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[Hebrews 11:6]

At the Holy Spirit's prompting, I am surveying "Bible art" to give God glory, as many of these artists have done, and for my own amusement and learning; and I thought others might enjoy it and be blessed by it, too. My plan is to proceed methodically from left-to right, Genesis to Revelation, as the Lord wills. Back soon with another.

The Bible encourages us to meditate on it (Ps. 1:1-3, 119:11-16, etc.); these artists have done so, and their works can assist us and enrich our own thoughts about biblical characters, incidents and concepts, and increase our faith in He who is behind it all. As you encounter and consider these images and the related Scriptures and the Spirit enlightens your understanding, please share it with us!

But it is not only oil-on-canvas that can so help us; I refer to the astonishing video series The Chosen, which strolls through the four Gospels at the most leisurely pace. The eight episodes of Season 1 are finished, and the second of a planned seven seasons is coming soon. I say "leisurely" because after an entire year’s viewing Jesus still has only seven of the apostles (although He's preparing to call up Thomas from the minor leagues--but Thomas is skeptical, of course). Anticipating a canvas of fifty-plus hours instead of a movie's paltry two hours, The Chosen turns the characters (especially including Jesus!) into three-dimensional humans and brings the Gospels alive--you have never seen anything even remotely like it! Here is the Official Trailer.

Here is a link for free viewing of The Chosen: “Works with your phone, tablet, and you can cast to your Roku or Chromecast.” Last fall I paid $34.98 for DVDs and ongoing internet access—best 35 bucks I’ve ever spent (I don’t recall how much our marriage license cost, but then it was 42 years ago).

[Hebrews 11:6]

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F o r . . y o u r

CONSIDERATION

ENJOYMENT

& BLESSING

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[Hebrews 11:6]

Ping List for the series
"THE BIBLE IN PAINTINGS"

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[Red Badger]

The Lord could have told Joshua of the Gibeonites’ trick, but He didn’t. For a reason.

Fast forward to the reign of SAUL, first king of Israel.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Not immediately seeing the connection between Saul and Joshua’s ignorance of the Gibeonites’ deception. Care to explain your cryptic statement?

[Red Badger]

Maybe this will help:

http://www.prca.org/resources/publications/cr-news/item/3196-the-death-of-saul-s-seven-sons

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks for the reminder of that somewhat obscure connection.

It is disturbing, and personally motivating, whenever I read the many, many instances in Scripture where people act without first consulting God, as above:

"14 The Israelites...did not inquire of the Lord."
Sometimes the author points it out, but very often it is only implied; I especially enjoy those occasions where their failure to inquire is glaringly obvious by its absence.

Once one notices this habit being featured in Scripture, as here, then instance after instance leap off the page. I've gotten to where it's the main thing I look for: the presence of inquiry, and its nature and quality.

[Red Badger]

There are a couple of places in the bible where an oath was taken but the results of the oath weren’t completed or acted upon for a very long time. The oath of Israel to the Gibeonites was forever. The murders of the Gibeonites happened at least 300-400 years later and God upheld the punishment for it.

Curses work in much the same way.

Joshua cursed whoever was to rebuild the gates of Jericho and it happened a very long time later, I forget how long, maybe a couple hundred years.

There are several instances of these type of things happening in the Old testament................

[Hebrews 11:6]

Along with many, many prophecy fulfillments occurring centuries and even millennia later. Gotta read the whole thing. I’ve seen compilations of prophecies and their fulfillments—perhaps someone has created similar lists of oaths and curses.

[Red Badger]

http://kingjamesbibledictionary.com/Dictionary/oaths

[Hebrews 11:6]

I specified lists of oaths and curses and their fulfillments, similar to the "compilations of prophecies and their fulfillments" I've seen.

[Red Badger]

Can’t find one of those yet...................

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks for trying. Perhaps, given your obvious interest, the Holy Spirit is calling on YOU to create it.

[Red Badger]

It has been an interest of mine for years, I’ve just never put it on paper.................or computer screen..............

[Hebrews 11:6]

If and when you do, you have a ready audience of at least one....

[Forgiven_Sinner]

“The Lord could have told Joshua of the Gibeonites’ trick, but He didn’t. For a reason.

Fast forward to the reign of SAUL, first king of Israel”

Yes, that’s how it turned out, but had they ASKED HIM, He would have answered. This theme shows up in Judges when Israel is in civil war against Benjamin. They ask Him three times about going into battle. They lose twice but win the third time. Their question changes and they grow more humble in their prayer.

[Red Badger]

Wherever two or more are gathered in My name.................

[Forgiven_Sinner]

“I specified lists of oaths and curses and their fulfillments, similar to the “compilations of prophecies and their fulfillments” I’ve seen.”

I studied a book on the major fulfilled Messianic prophecies. It was a 150+ pages.

I thought the deception of the Gibeonites was a fairly dull set of illustrations, but those of Joshua were quite striking, and similar over the centuries.

[Hebrews 11:6]

the deception of the Gibeonites was a fairly dull set of illustrations

It's the nature of the beast, of course: it's difficult to portray visual drama in people just standing around talking--not even the ever-inventive Doré and Tissot bothered trying. I was doubtful I'd find even the little I did.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Their question changes and they grow more humble in their prayer.

Bingo. I noted in post #7 "the main thing I look for: the presence of inquiry, and its nature and quality."

I imagine Saul of Tarsus might have attempted some form of (warped, if not downright demonic) inquiry before and during his deadly persecution of Christians, before finally getting an answer he never could have imagined. Of course, it's entirely possible he never inquired at all, and merely asked for or demanded blessing upon what he and the leaders had already decided.