The Gibeonites, Retributive Justice, by Pastor José Manuel Sierra Evangelical Center Vida Nueva Sunday, December 1, 2024 The story of the Gibeonites and retributive justice appears in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel 21.1-14. This passage focuses on an event that occurred during the reign of King David. The Gibeonites were a group of people who lived in the region of Gibeon, near Jerusalem. Originally, when the Israelites were conquering the Promised Land, the Gibeonites deceived Joshua, making him believe that they were from a distant land in order to avoid being destroyed. As a result, Joshua made a peace pact with them, promising that they would not be exterminated. This pact was respected for generations, despite other Israelites wishing to violate it in the future. The conflict with the Gibeonites: During David's reign, there was a famine in Israel that lasted three years. David, seeking to understand the cause of this divine punishment, consulted God, and the answer was that the famine was due to the violence committed by Saul against the Gibeonites. Although Saul had violated the covenant by attempting to annihilate this group, David had not been able to repair the injustice committed. Retributive justice: To resolve this situation and appease God's wrath, David sought a solution with the Gibeonites. The leader of the Gibeonites requested that seven of Saul's descendants be handed over to be executed as punishment for Saul's betrayal. David, despite the fact that the peace pact had to be respected, accepted the request, and handed over the seven descendants to be executed. The execution of these descendants of Saul was seen as a form of retributive justice, that is, a punishment proportional to the damage caused, and served to restore balance and peace to the nation. Conclusion The episode shows how retributive justice is applied to restore order and repair the damage caused by the breaking of a sacred covenant, in this case, the covenant between Israel and the Gibeonites. David's action seeks to fulfill divine justice and reconcile God with his people. ◉ From the Evangelical Center Vida Nueva we want to give you the warmest welcome to our YouTube channel. In it you will find everything from sermons to devotionals, Bible studies and other topics related to our congregation. Also below in the video description you can see addresses and links to our content in general. As pastor of the Evangelical Center Vida Nueva, I wish with all my heart that your journey through our channel will be helpful, encouraging, and a blessing. God bless you richly! Pastor José Manuel Sierra. ◉ Did you like the content? Share it, subscribe and leave a like, you will help us a lot to reach more people / @mividanuevaoficial ◉ Follow us on Facebook: / vidanueva.tf ◉ Follow us on: Daily Devotional, by Pastor José Manuel Sierra: Monday to Friday at 9:00 a.m. Canary Islands time. Sermons: Thursdays 7:00 p.m. and Sundays 6:30 p.m. Canary Islands time. ◉ Contact: ✉️ [email protected] ☎️ +34 922 945 118 ???? https://www.mividanueva.org ◉ Headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands): Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. (Canary Islands time) Youth Group Meetings: Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. (Canary Islands time) Calle Garcilaso de la vega, 13. Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Canary Islands. Spain. ◉ Headquarters in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife (Canary Islands): Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 11:00 a.m. (Canary Islands time) Carretera del Botánico, next to the Banana Packing Plant - Puerto de La Cruz. Canary Islands. Spain. ◉ Headquarters in Fuerteventura, (Canary Islands): Avenida de Jandía, nº 15 (above the local police station) Hours: Sunday 18:00 h. and Wednesday 18:00 h. Canary Islands time. Contact: +34 686 387 436 ◉ Headquarters in Puerto de Rosario Calle Jesús y María 21 Hours: Wednesdays at 18:00 and Sundays at 11:00 Canary Islands time. ◉ Headquarters Alicante, Spain C/ Arquitecto Urteaga 15 03730 Jávea (Alicante) Hours: Fridays 19:30h. and Sundays 18:30h. Contact: +34 639106549 ◉ Headquarters in Colombia: Calle 4 N. 10-39 Barrio el Prado, Córdoba Tierralta, Colombia. ◉ Headquarters in Las Vegas USA: 953 E Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, 89109 Nevada. USA ◉ Headquarters in San Francisco USA: Holly Community Center 31600 Alvarado Blvd. Union City, CA 94587 ◉ Headquarters in Kissimmee USA. 3059 Michigan Ave, Kissimmee, FL 34744, United States #NewLifeEvangelicalCenter