Today's lesson comes from Joshua 9: 3-16. Joshua and the elders of Israel make a decision without taking time to seek Divine leadership. The natural evidence is so strong and convincing that the conclusion appears foregone. When people lean solely on their own rational skills and natural intelligence, they can very easily miss the will of God. As you go through the lesson, think about a time in your life that you were kept from making a tragic error because you took time to pray. Or you can think back to a time when you did make a serious mistake in choices because you did not take the time to pray. Either way, this lesson contains a Biblical lesson that is as applicable today as it was when it occurred thousands of years ago.
Following the victory at Ai, Joshua goes to Mount Ebal and erects an altar for sacrifices. Joshua inscribes the laws of God on the stones and reads to the people "all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings." However, the enemies of God's people decided to have a counterattack. Kings from six nationalities united to "fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord." The Gibeonites decide on a different course. They wanted to make peace with Joshua.
The first section is: "Deception Planned." (vv. 3-5) The city of Gibeon was not a small village. It was "a great city, as one of the royal cities." (Jos. 10:2) It was a principal city in a league with three other cities. (Jos. 9:17) They did not have a king but were led by a group of elders. When the news reached the Gibeonites of what "Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai," they decided to disguise themselves as being from a far country. They dressed in old looking clothes and carried worn out wineskins. They had dried out and moldy bread. They were hoping that their appearance would deceive Joshua and the Israelites.
The summary points of this section are:
1. Appearances can be deceiving.
2. Enemies of God will conspire together to deceive God's people.
3. God does not want His people ensnared by heathen's gods.
The second section is: "Suspicion Aroused." (vv. 6-8) Joshua's base camp was at Gilgal. Gibeon was less than twenty-five miles away. The Gibeonites came into the camp and said that they had "come from a far country." They said the purpose of the journey was to make a league with Joshua. Such an agreement had certain responsibilities on both sides.
The men of Israel begin asking questions because they were suspicious. Israel knew that they were directed by God to: "smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them." (Deut. 7:2) The Israelites knew God's will was that they make no league with those in Canaan. As a result of the questions, the Gibeonites feigned submission, "We are thy servants." Joshua was not convinced, and he said, "Who are ye? And from whence come ye?" The Gibeonites never answered the first question. To divert Joshua, they began a string of lies in answer to the second question.
The summary points of this section are:
1. Things are not always what they seem to be.
2. Satan would have us just to live with evil instead of waging war against sin.
3. Ask questions and demand answers when you consider an alliance with someone.
The third section is: Lies Told." (vv. 9-13) The following was the deceptive plot:
1. Feign admiration for the LORD God.
2. Lie about the reason for their coming (defeat of Sihon and Og not Jericho and Ai).
3. Press for an instant decision based on what the Israelites heard and saw.
4. Present false evidence such as dried bread and torn wineskins.
5. Appeal to logic, look at our old shoes and clothes. Can't you see we have travelled a long way.
The summary points of this section are:
1. Beware of hasty decisions.
2. Don't give in to high pressure situations.
3. Don't trust everything you see.
4. Sometimes logic can be wrong.
The fourth section is: "A Covenant Made." (vv. 14-16) The men of Israel looked at the evidence, relied on their own sensibilities and powers of reason. They accepted as evidence things that were highly questionable. Remember, they never got an answer to the first question, "Who are ye?" They "asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD." Israel was allowed to make covenants with people "very far off," and to allow them to become servants to Israel. (Deut. 20: 10-18) However, the inhabitants of Canaan were to be destroyed. So, they did not pray and agreed to make the covenant with Gibeonites.
The covenant was made in the name of the LORD. It could not be broken even though it was made as a result of deception. Three days after the covenant was made, word came to the Israelites that the people they made covenant with, "were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them." The deception was exposed. Verse 19 explains why the Israelites didn't attack the Gibeonites: "We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel; now therefore we may not touch them." Years later, Saul disregarded the oath made with the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1-6). As a result, there was famine in the land of Israel. The Gibeonites would be allowed to live, but they would be "bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God." (v. 23)
The summary points of this section are:
1. Commit every major decision to prayer and seek the LORD's counsel.
2. Sooner or later, deception will be exposed.
3. If you make a covenant in the name of the LORD, keep it.
The Golden Text is: "And the men...asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD." (Joshua 9:14) Satan will always try to have you rush major decisions and not seek the LORD. Our role is to expose this tactic to any Christian who is seeking to make a decision without prayer. We are to take the time to pray and then wait until we know we have a word from heaven on the subject. This is not some "pie in the sky" or voices in the head. This is a firm understanding in your spirit that the Word of God has been made clear to you. Stay until you know.
Next week: "Amorites Defeated." (Joshua 10: 5-15)
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