Responsibility

"all the congregation complained
against the rulers"

Joshua 9:18

Chapter 9 is an interesting chapter in Joshua's career.  He's a fine man of God ~ courageous, obedient, a good leader... but not perfect.  None of God's servants are, of course, but Joshua seems to come close.  This chapter, though, is about one of Joshua's mistakes. 

In the beginning of the chapter, the people of Gibeon are in fear of the Israelites, having heard about what happened at Jericho. But they don't rally for war against the Israelites, as so many other nations were doing.  Instead, they decided to protect themselves against the strength of God's people, by not battling them at all.  They clothed and supplied themselves to appear as if they had traveled a long way.  They arrived at the Israelite camp and told Joshua and his leaders that they wished to sign a peace treaty with the Israelites.  They agreed to be their servants, if the Israelites would agree to let them live.

Joshua and his advisers agreed to their proposal, "but they did not ask counsel of the Lord."  Big mistake, right?  See, the thing is, God had told Joshua to take over all the territory He had given them, and let no nation survive.  But because these travelers had appeared to come a very long way, the men of Israel believed them when they said they were not of that territory.  It wasn't until three days later that the children of Israel found out that the Gibeonites were part of the region they were supposed to clear out.

And that's when today's verse comes in.  The children of Israel knew they were supposed to go to battle, but couldn't, because of the agreement that Joshua had made.  And so they complained.  And I love that.  They recognized that the whole Gibeonite mess was the rulers' fault.  As the decision makers for the whole nation, Joshua and his advisers had made a mistake.  And the people called them on it.

I like the lesson of this, both as a leader, and a follower.   As a leader ~ whether as a parent, or the job I'm called to in my ministry ~ I have a responsibility to seek God's wisdom:  through Scripture, prayer, and Godly counsel from friends.   But as a follower, I have a responsibility to hold my leaders to the same standard. 

~ "Therefore I exhort first of all 

that supplications, prayers, intercessions 

and giving of thanks be made for all men, 

for kings and all who are in authority, 

that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life 

in all godliness and reverence" ~

1 Timothy 2:1-2