Ezekiel 5: 1 – 17
‘The barber of Babylon’
1 “And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber’s razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair. 2 You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them. 3 You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment. 4 Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel.5 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her. 6 She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are all around her; for they have refused My judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.’ 7 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you’— 8 therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Indeed I, even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. 9 And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations. 10 Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will scatter to all the winds. 11 ‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity. 12 One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. 13 ‘Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them. 14 Moreover I will make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that are all around you, in the sight of all who pass by. 15 ‘So it shall be a reproach, a taunt, a lesson, and an astonishment to the nations that are all around you, when I execute judgments among you in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I, the LORD, have spoken. 16 When I send against them the terrible arrows of famine, which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off your supply of bread. 17 So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the LORD, have spoken.’”
In this age of toil and sin, your head grows bald but not your chin. Ain’t it the truth! What is it about hair? Short hair, long hair, or no hair – will we ever be content?
We give a lot of time, thought, attention, and money to deal with this part of our bodies. As you know, multi-million dollar businesses exist just to deal with various styles, not to mention the products created for this body part.
You can even determine various cultures by the way people treat their hair; some hide their hair; some grow it till it touches the ground; and some even shave it all off.
Here are a couple of thoughts from God’s Word on various hair treatments that bring about some questions to Pastors today.
1 Corinthians 11: 14 – 15 reports this, “13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.”
Two things are listed here that brings debate. One, whether a woman has to cover her hair to go to church? My thought is that she does not have to do this, as some religions require. My reason is that apostle Paul was giving this instruction because at that time in existence women who were prostitutes went about with their head’s uncovered. It was a easy form of advertising. You will note that God has provided the woman’s covering naturally. Secondly, you will note that the comment about a man having long hair is that it is a ‘dishonor’ This word means lack of respect. I love to watch people’s action. Go a large gather whether it be at a mall or some other large gathering. Spot a man with long hair and watch other people’s reactions. Is it right for them to judge? No, it is not. But you just can’t force people to act certain ways. Others disdain men with long hair by their facial expressions or actions. So, the Scriptures do not condemn a man who’s hair is long, it just says that it brings him dishonor.
How about Matthew 5:36? It reveals this about hair,“36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.”
This is a ‘no brainier’ that you can color your hair. True, but in truth you cannot make it that color permanently. The color that you apply to your hair does not change the color that your body has naturally made your hair. After a week or two, what do you see? – Roots!. Your natural color remains the same and will grow that color, not the artificial one you temporarily made it.
We see in our reading today of our Holy God’s instruction to Ezekiel to shave his head and beard.
Isaiah 3: 24 talks about the appearance of people, who are affected by war, “24 And so it shall be: Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench; Instead of a sash, a rope; Instead of well-set hair, baldness; Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; And branding instead of beauty.”
Look at movies from WWII and you see the prior mentioned results. People are more concerned in just being able to exist.
In addition to the verbal prophecies, our Lord had Ezekiel use dramatic visual scenes in order to grab the people’s attention. The words of God’s message, along with creative expressions and acts by His prophet, would make an indelible impression on everyone’s minds.
We can learn from this example that our Holy God displayed. As church leaders we should keep some things pure and simple. Our Lord instructed His first disciples this way after He went back to Heaven. In the book of Acts chapter 2 verse 42 we read how our Lord Jesus Christ’s body of believers should conduct their lives.
“42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
The people were to gather together in fellowship each week studying the bible [apostles’ doctrine], praying (which includes worshiping The Lord) and having communion. It didn’t add all of the other activities which are not wrong in themselves but not at the expense of doing the 4 basic foundational functions. I will add that we still have the freedom to use creative ways to communicate the ‘Good News’ to a lost mankind.
I find it interesting that the bible gives us a few various significant reasons that would cause a man to shave his head and beard. Here are a few examples,
Isaiah 15 2 says, “2 He has gone up to the temple and Dibon, to the high places to weep. Moab will wail over Nebo and over Medeba; On all their heads will be baldness, and every beard cut off.”
Isaiah 22: 12 also reports, “12 And in that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and for mourning, for baldness and for girding with sackcloth.”
Jeremiah 48: 37 instructs us,37 “ For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped; on all the hands shall be cuts, and on the loins sackcloth—
And lets look at one more in Amos 8:10 which says, “10 I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on every waist, and baldness on every head; I will make it like mourning for an only son, and its end like a bitter day.’
The first third of hair was to be burned in the fire. The next third of hair was taken by Ezekiel and chopped into pieces with a knife. This act displayed how those Jews who tried to fight would die and also represented those who would be just murdered by the Babylonians.
2 Kings 25; 18 – 21 informs us, “18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 19 He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. 20 So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.”
The last third of hair was to be tossed into the wind and scattered. These were the survivors who would be scattered among the nations.
Jeremiah 15: 2 reports this, “2 And it shall be, if they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you shall tell them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “ Such as are for death, to death; And such as are for the sword, to the sword; And such as are for the famine, to the famine; And such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.”’
2 Kings 25: 11 says, “11 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude.”
Sadly, please note the end of verse 2 of the book of Jeremiah, “I will draw out the sword after them.” Our Lord was letting these people who survived know that they faced further judgment. These refugees would be constantly persecuted and be slain. How truly sad this prediction was If You ever studied the history of the Jews, not other group in history has been so brutally treated.
In verse 3 Ezekiel was instructed to take a few strands of hair and ‘bind them in his skirt.’ This act is a sign of close affiliation. This action refers to the lower flowing ends of a person’s robe. The bottom of the robe would be tucked into the belt for walking or running and could be used to carry things.
There are two groups within this display. One represented a small remnant of faithful people who God would preserve. Others within this last group would also face death. Being a Jew made you public enemy #1 and the evil of the world would react against them.
Probably the scariest verse in the bible is from Matthew 7: 22 – 23 which says, “22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
Like we read in today’s passages, the Jews thought that they would escape death. People who think they are Christians but in reality are not ‘Saved’ face a fate far more serious that being killed. They may be left out of Heaven and eternal life. Our Lord Jesus Christ said this in Matthew 10: 27 - 28, 27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
The apostle Paul instructs us in 2 Corinthians 13: 5 to examine ourselves about our position in Christ Jesus our Lord, “5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”
Some teachers see verse 4 as a purifying fire and not a judgmental fire. However, from all the Scripture so far given to date in the book of Ezekiel, I tend to see this verse as a continuation of God’s Judgment on His rebellious people. When part of the remnant will have ‘fire’ go after them, according to verse 12, it represents the famine and pestilence that follows after war. It affected the city of Jerusalem and would have a continuing effect on survivors.
The Lord spoke to the people through Ezekiel as he pointed to his model city. ‘This is Jerusalem’. I have set her in the midst of the nations. You do not need to be a brain surgeon to see this sure and true fact. Little Israel, the size of New Jersey, was placed right in the center of all the nations. Look at a map, and you will see that it is a land bridge between different continents. However having this key piece of real estate does not come without a price. Such a privileged position also comes along with responsibilities. Sadly, Israel failed in those responsibilities of being a light to the other nations.
Our Precious Holy Spirit has given His people ordinances and statutes. These were the laws delivered by God to His people in order to live life successfully. The Scriptures ( Bible ) instead of being obeyed were cast aside in order for their sinful passions to rule. Since they had known the truth and had forsaken it, it thus made their actins even more despicable than the nations that surrounded them The Lord tells the Jews that their wickedness had become so great that they even surpassed the evil of the pagan nations that surrounded them. He said they could not even keep the limited moral laws those other nations sill applied to their citizens’ lives. This should have convicted His people that their rebellion had caused them to wholly reject His Ordinances and Commandments.
These are difficult Scriptures to study because it seems as though we keep going on and on with things getting worse and worse. As we look now at verse 7 we read of the continuation of God’s indictment against His elect. Psalm 2: 1 and 46: 6 speak to us about the raging of the nations.
“1 Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?”
“6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.”
What is the first thing that you think of when you see the word, ‘raging’? My first thought was an amusement water park ride. Another word for ‘raging’ is turbulent. Floodwaters are raging or turbulent, that is, forceful, powerful, and destructive.
Israel was more turbulent then the pagan nations that surrounded it. The Righteous and Just Holy God had to bring Judgment down on them so that the other nations would see and learn that God would not allow His people to act immoral.
The nation of Israel was intended to be a witness to other nations but instead of turning out to be a good witness, it had become the worst type of witness. Therefore, God would have to do something so dreadful that was never done before or would ever be done against them.
Their situation would become so horrible that it would degrade down not just to people killing each other but also down to family members eating each other, which is called cannibalism. Here is a descriptive report of this atrocity.
Jeremiah 19: 9 tells us, “9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and in the desperation with which their enemies and those who seek their lives shall drive them to despair.”’
Lamentations 4: 10 also informs us, “10 The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; They became food for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
In verse 11 we read of the further indictment against the Jews’ for diminishing the Honor and Position of God. Their evil behavior had brought dishonor on God. Their behavior likened Him to be lower than the Respect and Glory due to Him – all Honor that He deserved.
Do not our own actions bring insult to our God? Look at this verse in the book of 2 Samuel 12: 14, “14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”
David had committed adultery with a wife of one of his best friends. His actions [like ours today] give God’s enemies ammunition to blaspheme Him.
It should not be surprising to anyone how serious a sin it would be to purposely defile God’s Holy Sanctuary – His Temple. 1 Corinthians 6: 19 says, “16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
Take a moment and reflect upon this truth. Do we not know that our Loving Lord sees all and knows everything that we think and do? Do we defile the Temple today? If so, does this not scare you? Are you God’s child? Was the nation of Israel His chosen? Their defilement of the Temple causes this severe retribution from the Lord. If He dealt with them for their actions, do we believe that He will not also deal with us in like manner? Are things different now, as compared to Old Testament people? The bible says this in Hebrews 13: 8, “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever”
Our God Is the same God. Let us repent [change our directions of sinfulness] and walk the correct walk with our God.
One third would perish by the plagues and famine; one third died by being murdered; and one third was scattered to various spots in the world. Notice that the last third would ‘have a sword after them’. This latter group would experience being murdered by people in other lands. Look at some of these examples;
2 Kings 25: 1 – 21, 1 Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. 2 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.4 Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled at night by way of the gate between two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were still encamped all around against the city. And the king went by way of the plain. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. 6 So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him. 7 Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon. 8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He burned the house of the LORD and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around. 11 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who had deserted to the king of Babylon, with the rest of the multitude. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers. 13 The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD, and the carts and the bronze Sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried their bronze to Babylon. 14 They also took away the pots, the shovels, the trimmers, the spoons, and all the bronze utensils with which the priests ministered. 15 The firepans and the basins, the things of solid gold and solid silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16 The two pillars, one Sea, and the carts, which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these articles was beyond measure. 17 The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the capital on it was of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits, and the network and pomegranates all around the capital were all of bronze. The second pillar was the same, with a network. 18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the second priest, and the three doorkeepers. 19 He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. 20 So Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, took these and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 Then the king of Babylon struck them and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive from its own land.”
Jeremiah 39: 1- 18, 1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was penetrated.3 Then all the princes of the king of Babylon came in and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sarezer, Rabmag, with the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. 4 So it was, when Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, that they fled and went out of the city by night, by way of the king’s garden, by the gate between the two walls. And he went out by way of the plain. 5 But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had captured him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced judgment on him. 6 Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah; the king of Babylon also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. 8 And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who remained in the city and those who defected to him, with the rest of the people who remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him and look after him, and do him no harm; but do to him just as he says to you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent Nebushasban, Rabsaris, Nergal-Sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon’s chief officers; 14 then they sent someone to take Jeremiah from the court of the prison, and committed him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he dwelt among the people. 15 Meanwhile the word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 16 “Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. 17 But I will deliver you in that day,” says the LORD, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the LORD.’”
The last third of survivors were not out of the woods as far as escaping persecution. They and their future generations would experience the sword of defeat at the hands of their enemies. It is interesting that one third of the Jewish people living in the world during WWII were destroyed by the Nazi. In Zechariah 13 verses 8 and 9 report that there is also coming a time when two thirds of the Jews will be destroyed. It doesn’t seen like anyone today is warning our Jewish friends of this nightmare.
“8 And it shall come to pass in all the land,” says the LORD, “That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it: 9 I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
The trouble that Israel was now going through cannot be dropped on the lap of God, as if He was responsible for causing it. What was in reality going on was God withdrawing His hand of Protection. It is obvious that it was God who shielded His people throughout their previous existence. What the Jews were now going through was a natural result of their rebellion against the king of Babylon. Over in Jerusalem God had set His prophet Jeremiah. He had offered them another way to live. The Lord said to the people that you will not listen to Me. So, just obey the king of Babylon. Do everything they tell you to do and you will live. You might be taken captive but at least you will survive.
There is nothing you could blame God for. He was only responding in His Holiness to what the constant pattern of sin produces. He could not allow this depravity to exist any longer.
Our Holy God Is All in All is greatly listed in Psalm 139: 1 – 10, “1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence. 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”
Our Holy and Pure God analyzed everything and as the Supreme Ruling Judge of all the earth, He gave out a just judgment. Sin is beyond what God will allow in His Presence. The Lord is jealous of adulterous love. He hates this type of moral sin and must as His Holiness dictates deal’s with it to remove it from His Presence.
In counseling parents I inform them of certain ideas in the area of disciplining their children. For one thing, it is good not to issue a punishment that is unreasonable, such as, grounding them for life. The other major point is to make sure that the discipline issued will be followed through. If a parent does not follow through them then the child accepts the parent’s warning as an idle threat. Any future warnings will be ignored. Does this attitude not prevail even among adults?
You know through review of Scripture how often our Lord warned His people to turn away from their evil ways. God was going to punish His people for their sins and He had to show them that He meant what He said. The people learned the extremely difficult way that God says what He means and means what He says.
Job 14: 13 says, 13 “Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, that You would conceal me until Your wrath is past, that You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!”
Isaiah 10: 25 also reports, “25 For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease, as will My anger in their destruction.”
It was the hope of Job that the time of God’s wrath would be over in his life. Divine Justice will have its full deployment, and then there will be rest. However, as our Holy Righteous Lord explains in verse 14 and 15 of Ezekiel, the period of action against evil is not over.
Lamentations 1: 12 talks about how people will mock the devastated Jewish remnant. 12 “ Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which has been brought on me, which the LORD has inflicted in the day of His fierce anger.”
These nations were direct witnesses of how the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had constantly protected the Jews. Over and over throughout history these nations have experienced God’s deliverance of His people from their attacks. Here is a list of just a few such examples,
Genesis 14: 14 – 20 says, “14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “ Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.”
Joshua 10: 1 – 15 reveals, “ 1 Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.” 7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 10 So the LORD routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” 13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.15 Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.
The nations would wonder why this had happened to the Jews. The answer they would have to come up with was because they had forsaken their God.
We have read many times of the three big evils of war – famine, pestilence, and the sword, Now we see something more added – wild beasts. Staved beasts will also attack, kill, and eat the people. We can picture wild animals sneaking in and killing the people. How about your favorite pet? Try not feeding them for a while and see what happens. You start to look like a good meal to them. But, as mentioned before, don’t rule out cannibalism – people eating people.
Exodus 20: 3 informs us this, 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
The Lord God points out in the Ten Commandments the evil of idolatry. He Is God. He alone rules! His commandments are not suggestions. May we all understand that what had occurred to the Jewish people we should take to heart so that we also might not receive like results for our sins.
