“O sun, stand still at Gibeon, And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”

On thursday (yom hamishi), I went on a camping trip with Todd Bolen and his boys (Luke and Mark). Three young boys (about the same age as Todd's boys) came with us. Their father died earlier this year. It was a blessing for me to spend some time talking with and learning from Todd and to see his example of one who practices pure religion (James 1:27) in ministering to a widow by taking her boys camping. We actually set up camp on Tell Aijalon. We arrived just a few hours before dawn so we quickly set up camp and cooked some hot dogs. We climbed up to the top of the tell and got a good view of the valley. There were some caves in a nearby hill so we hiked up to them to check them out (not very exciting up close though).



When we returned to camp, we read the biblical account of the battle that occurred in the place at which we were looking.

So 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 with all their armies, and camped by Gibeon and fought against it.
  Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not abandon your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that live in the hill country have assembled against us.” So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the valiant warriors. The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.” So Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal. And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword. Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“O sun, stand still at Gibeon,
And O moon in the valley of Aijalon.”
So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel. Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp to Gilgal. (Joshua 10:5-15)

I was impacted by the implications of the account. Israel's relationship with Gibeon was the result of trickery. The Gibeonites were among the Canaanite people whom God had commanded Israel to kill because of their wickedness. Gibeon, knowing of Israel's desimation of Egypt, the nations in transjordan, and the defeat of Jericho and Ai, was afraid. They sent a delegation to Joshua, with moldy bread and worn out sandals. They claimed that they had come from a long distance. Without consulting the LORD, Joshua made a treaty with these people not to harm them. But they had tricked him and put Joshua in a situation of disobedience because he could not now destroy them as God had commanded.

Consider the news coming to Joshua...that five Canaanite kingdoms are going to destroy Gibeon. I think there is something significant for us in Joshua's response, something I think that is significant for the college student particularly. It would have been easy for Joshua to think, "Well, I'm glad that worked out after all. I made a bad but if I ignore this news, everything will be back to normal." This was not Joshua's response. He woke his men, marched all night, defeated the armies and saved Gibeon. Why? Because, he had made a commitment to protect Gibeon, even though it meant that by keeping his commitment he would experience loss (Gibeon's existence preserved the results of Joshua's disobedience).

Many times this is the nature of commitment. There is a trade off. By saying yes to one thing, you give up all other options. Perhaps, this is one of the great emerging follies of the college student in America (and I am speaking from the perspective of the Christian community). Why give a "yes" or "no" answer when you can give a "maybe." Then you can evaluate all options on the basis of what is best for self. What will be most advantageous for self? What will provide the most enjoyment and cancel out most discomfort? The situation may vary...a dinner, an outreach vbs, a visitation ministry, an evangelistic outing, a winter camp. Spontaneity is praised at the expense of biblical virtues of trustworthiness, humility, and love. There is more at stake than spoiling plans. I believe character is at stake.