Jeriel, King of Gibeon

By F.G. Hollin

Jeriel, King of Gibeon is a fictional recounting of the Battle of Beth Horon, recorded in the biblical book of Joshua. It includes a fictional telling of the events preceding the battle and the events that transpired immediately after it. It is significant in that at the time, it was the largest land battle to have ever taken place on the earth. There were nearly a million combatants on what the Bible records as the worlds longest day. The Bible also records God as being a participant in the battle on the side of Israel. It differs from the biblical account in that it looks at the events leading up to the battle from the Gibeon point of view. Gibeon was a city-state that allied itself with Israel before the battle by first deceiving the nation then by offering itself as a servant of Israel. God, who had previously marked the city for destruction, recognized the treaty negotiated by the Israelites even though it was done without his guidance.

The story explores the reason that people of Gibeon became servants rather than fight for their lives and freedom. However, it is mostly a story of Gods salvation of men destined for destruction. It magnifies Gods ability to pardon and preserve all men that humble themselves before him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504920360

F.G. Hollin

Felix George Hollin was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from Cincinnati Christian High School, Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, (BA English), and the Defense Language Institute (Spanish). He also attended Southern Nazarene University and the University of Houston. He served in the United States Army and the Texas Army National Guard. He retired as a first sergeant. He currently teaches Languages at Charles H. Milby High School and the Irvington Adult Learning Center in Houston, Texas. He is married to Betty Hollin. They have two daughters, Lila Grace, who works as a multimedia journalist, and Luz America, who works as a high school mathematics teacher. He currently lives with his wife in Houston, Texas.

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2015 Felix Hollin. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/02/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2035-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2036-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015910427

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Contents

FORWARD TO JERIEL , KING OF GIBEON

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

WAR COUNCIL OF GIBEON

SUSANNA’S STORY

JEIRIEL’S WAR CONTEMPLATIONS

PLANS AND PREPARATIONS

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A RUSE

MERCUTIO’S JOURNEY AND TRIAL

JOY AMIDST SERVITUDE IN GIBEON

A KING REDEEMED, A GENERAL JUSTIFIED

A TIME FOR WAR

PRELUDE TO HELL

TRIUMPH, JUDGEMENT, AND RESOLUTION.

THE EXECUTION OF JUDGEMENT

REUNION, SURPRISE, REMEBRANCE,

AND THE PROMISE OF TOMORROW

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cebz.png FORWARD TO JERIEL , KING OF GIBEON

Let me start off by saying that this is only a story. It is not scripture, nor is it fact. The story is based on a Biblical account of the dealings between the Israelites and the Gibeonites in Joshua 9, 10. I think that perhaps too much focus is put on the Israelites not presenting the Gibeonites ruse to God and requesting his advice in dealing with them. In doing so one of the greatest stories of God’s mercy and salvation is missed. The story of the treaty and the following battle present many unanswered questions which this story will attempt to address.

First of all, why did the Gibeonites do what they did? They were clearly not of the Patrick Henry school of thought. Give me Liberty or give me death, was not their cry. It was exactly the opposite, Give me slavery and give me life, was their petition. Many Christians have acquired their salvation specifically because they wanted only eternal life, an escape from Hell and a heavenly mansion to live in? God in his grace grants us these things. Christians must always remember though that in accepting Christ as their Savior they are submitting themselves as servants to Him and his Father.

Christians point out that the Gibeonites wrongfully deceived the children of Israel. This is true, but it is also true they were punished for their transgression. But does anyone believe that they deceived an omniscient God. Their treaty was also with Israel, not with the Lord God Jehovah. God could have easily allowed the Amorites to crush them. No, instead God sent Joshua to deliver them. The Bible records God fighting for Israel. In truth he was fighting for the Gibeonites also. It was at the request of the Gibeonites that the Amorites were engaged by the Israelites. The Bible indicates in the New Testament that anyone that calls out the name of the Lord shall be saved. Even after the sentence of slavery was pronounced on the Gibeonites they did not renege on their part of the treaty. In all of scriptural history there is not one instance of Gibeon being in contention with Israel. When God judges the nations someday Gibeon may be the only nation to receive a reward because after their salvation there is not one recorded instance of them turning back. The city of Gibeon became a worship center in Israel. The wilderness tabernacle was located there before Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem. Solomon himself offered 1000 sacrifices to God in Gibeon before he was given his great wisdom. When Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls following the Babylonian captivity he was assisted by the Gibeonites.

Put simply the story of Gibeon is a story of God’s salvation not just for the Jew, but for the Gentile also. At Jericho God saved a harlot and her family who submitted themselves to him. At Beth-horun he saved a city-state from destruction despite their lies illustrating his great mercy and grace for all that call upon his name.

In this story there are fictitious characters to explain the why of the Gibeonites actions. The conditions that made the sun stand still, the meteor shower, and the hailstorm are dealt with. I did draw from ideas presented by Chuck Missler, a Biblical scholar, on the causes of history’s longest day. I also want to thank Dr .Charley Dyer for answering my many questions about the Sorek River Valley. I guess thanks should also go to Reverend James Vernon McGee who once said that God would move heaven and Earth to give a naïve man salvation if such a man sought him. In this story that occurs.

But most of all, in writing this I wanted to illustrate vividly the story of salvation for all men who would submit themselves to God and his son. The hardest part of the story was realizing that someone might take the story as scripture itself which it is not. I serve a Christ and God who sees my wickedness and deceitfulness, yet still forgives me for them. It is for him this story is written, the God that I serve. I hope you enjoy reading it. I enjoyed writing it.

cebz.png THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

Jeriel sighed as he looked out his eastern window to the rising moon and a growing red star. Although the red planet’s appearance had created somewhat of a stir in the city it was not the unusual state of the heavens that concerned him. Sleep had eluded him for almost a month as he watched events unfold before him. The Hebrews were on the march. From all he had heard it seemed they were intent on taking all of Canaan as their own. Their large army concerned him, but not as much as the strange stories of this people. They seemed to possess powers beyond normal men. Armies were decimated by them because of this power. That did worry and frighten him. After all his life’s work, everything might be reduced to dust in the next few days or weeks. He recalled the days of his youth when his father had taken this mountaintop to set up a thriving community of metal workers. In the years since it had also become known for its production of beautiful pottery.

He heard his wife Malkah stir in the bed behind him. What is bothering you so much? Dear one? she questioned. "Are Adoni-zedec and those other clown kings threatening you again?

Adoni-zedek and Horan couldn’t find water in a river if they tried. Their buddies Piram, Japhia and Eglon are no better. They are a bunch of verbose fools whose threats are empty. They do not worry me The Israelites however, he paused in his discourse before continuing, Like the tides of the sea the surge around Jericho falls in the dust. Ai resists them, then falls. The legends which surround these people amaze and befuddle me. They cross a sea without boats: they drown the most powerful army in the world. I could no easier defeat them than dam the Jordan. Yet they did even this simply by walking into it. Honey, I have loved and protected you for 10 years, but I do not see a way to defeat them.

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You will speak to the council in the morning. Maybe they will have some ideas. Come back to bed, my love, and let me make you feel safe within my embrace, she said with a smile.

Malkah, you do have a way of taking a man’s worries away, he retorted playfully.

That is because I enjoy the night s with the man I love, she said. Then with a look of concern she added, Let tomorrows worry about tomorrows, let the past leave its pleasant memories. Let’s enjoy the rest of the present and build our strength for tomorrow.

cebz.png WAR COUNCIL OF GIBEON

So I hope everyone had a good rest, began Jeriel, Have we received any more information on Ai’s fall."

Unfortunately,