Joshua 6 - 9

As much as we use stories of the children of Israel as an examples of disobedience and what not to do, we should also speak of many of their great virtues. One of those is their integrity when they make a commitment or vow and the seriousness of it when they break a vow or commitment. After Rahab, the harlot, had housed and protected the two spies sent by Joshua to view the land of Jericho -

"...the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee." (Old Testament Joshua 2:14)

And they told her -

"...when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him." (Old Testament Joshua 2:18 - 19)

You can sense Joshua's integrity when upon hearing of this vow, he said to the warriors of Israel -

"...only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent." (Old Testament Joshua 6:17)

After the walls of Jericho had fallen down flat and the city destroyed -

."..Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho." (Old Testament Joshua 6:25)

We see another great example of integrity as the inhabitants of Gibeon -

"...did work wilily..." (Old Testament Joshua 9:4)

And deceptively represented themselves -

"...to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us..." (Old Testament Joshua 9:6)

And also represente to -

"...Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt..." (Old Testament Joshua 9:8 - 9)

Where being decieved -

"...Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live..." (Old Testament Joshua 9:15)

It is then -

"...at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them..." (Old Testament Joshua 9:16)

But nonetheless, even though they had been deceived -

"...the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel." (Old Testament Joshua 9:18)

"This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them." (Old Testament Joshua 9:20)

And -

"...Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose...." (Old Testament Joshua 9:27)

The breaking of vows and covenants was just as serious. Achan broke his vow and kept some of the spoils of Jericho. This was serious to the Israelites in they lost 36 men to Ai as the Lord was angered with Achan and would not support them in there in there attack of Ai. Upon being approached by Joshua, Achan confessed -

"...Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it." (Old Testament Joshua 7:20 - 21)

And after all was confirmed -

"...Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day..." (Old Testament Joshua 7:24 - 26)

You have to appreciate the level of seriousness the Lord and the children of Israel took upon themselves with their vows and covenants.