Week 11 Joshua
Everyone living west of the Jordan River hated Israel and decided to fight against them when they crossed the river. With two exceptions: a) Rahab (& her family) and b) the Gibeonites.
Both of them already knew about Israel. Rahab told the spies: I know the Lord has given you this land…We are all afraid of you. Everyone is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea…And we know what you did to Sihon and Og…The Lord your God is the supreme God.
The Gibeonites also knew the backstory: we have heard of the might of the Lord your God and all he did in Egypt. We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan – King Sihon and King Og.
Rahab and the Gibeonites had heard the stories. But they weren’t the only ones. For instance:
The Amorite kings heard
The kings west of the Jordan heard
Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, heard
King Jabin of Hazor heard.
So the news had gotten around. Lots of people heard it. It was fearsome news. And now people had a big decision to make.
In the end only Rahab and the Gibeonites joined ranks with Israel. The rest hunkered down. They had their preferred lifestyle and were prepared to defend it.
Note: quotes from Joshua 2:9-11 9:9-10 5:1 9:1 10:1 11:1 (NLT)