The five kings of the Amorites attacked Gibeon because the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel. The Gibeonites sought help from Joshua. Joshua came and God defeated the Amorites before him. The five kings hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah.

When Joshua found out, he sealed off the mouth of the cave with large stones. Then he went after the remainder of the Amorites. After slaughtering the Amorites the Israelites returned to the cave at Makkedah.

Joshua brought out the five kings, killed them, and hung them on five trees. Afterward he threw their bodies back in the cave.

For the Bible students, five typifies the beginning of the Kingdom of God, as represented by the Levitical feast of Trumpets and the Altar of Incense of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. God brought forth the beginning of animal life on the fifth day of creation.

The above incident shows us how God deals with sin in our personality. The "kings" of lawlessness that are in us hide themselves when we as a Christian begin to overcome the sins that dwell in our flesh. These kings are sealed off by the blood of Jesus, so to speak, and cannot come forth. They are alive but in hiding.

After we have won many victories the Lord brings us back to where the great kings of our personality are in hiding. Then the Lord calls them out and kills them.

There is no condemnation resting on those who are following the Spirit in putting to death the sins of the flesh. The blood of Jesus covers the remaining sin (keeps them locked up in the cave) provided we are putting to death through the Spirit of God the sins He points out to us. We go from city to city, so to speak, and always are victorious when we are following the Lord.

The tremendous, destructive error of present-day teaching is that we are without condemnation even though we are not following the Spirit in the war against the evil in our flesh. We are not being led of the Spirit. We are not sons of God. And condemnation indeed does rest upon us because we are not obeying God!

Righteousness is never imputed to those who are not obeying the Lord!

We are to deal with the evil of the day as God helps us. As long as we do that the blood of Jesus makes up the difference. This is how we remain without condemnation.

God continually chastens us that we might partake of His holiness.

When we do not judge ourselves God judges us so we are not condemned with the world.

This is the true God and eternal life, as John would say. We are righteous apart from obedience to the Law of Moses provided we are obeying God by following the Lord Jesus and keeping His commandments. Then we have eternal life, because eternal life always results from righteousness.

O Lord, come quickly and put these kings to death!