“When the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves.” (Joshua 8:3-4a NLT)
Only two battles into the capture of Canaan and the God of the Israelites was making a name for Himself. The kings of the hill country, the west and the coastal region all came together to join forces in battle, but the Gibeonites (nearest to the advancing Israelites) came up with another plan. They resorted to deception. The local actors put on a convincing show; dressing down people and donkeys alike, wearing old clothes, worn sandals and cracked wineskins. They stuffed their bags with dry and moldy provisions. They presented themselves as travelers from a far off country, having “heard of the fame of the Lord your God.” (Joshua 9:9) They claimed to have journeyed a long way to strike a treaty.
The Israelites bought it hook, line and sinker. Why?
Projection. The Isrealites transposed their own experience onto the strangers. They themselves had traveled a long way to honor God and they thought they recognized the signs of a road-weary but faithful people.
Fear of the fight. The Isrealites still weren’t strong in battle. They surely saw this proposed treaty as a shortcut toward possession of and peace in the land. Plus, the addition of the Gibeonites filled out their ranks, made them a more fearsome force in Canaan.
Retaliation. The treaty reduced the Gibeonites to “wood cutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” (Joshua 9:21) Essentially, the Israelites took on them on as slaves. They treated the Gibeonites as Egypt had treated them.
Self-reliance. The Israelites trusted what they could see and feel instead of inquiring of the Lord.
“The Israelites examined their food but did not consult the Lord.”
(Joshua 9:14 NLT)
How many times have we done this and missed God’s best because we relied on our own five senses instead?
Three days later, the the Isrealites reached Gibeon, ready to take the city, they learned it belonged to the decievers they had just made a treaty with. The Isrealites could not attack Gibeon because they had already sworn that they would preserve them. This treaty was a terrible violation of God’s repeated commandment about Canaan, their instructions had been to destroy all the inhabitants of the land
“Be cafe not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.” (Exodus 34:12 NLT)
There are a couple of takeaways from today’s discussion:
We have an enemy. How easily we forget that there’s a snake in our midst. He slips around in the shadows of our lives and looks for ways to wreak havoc. The forces of hell come against us. The Isrealites lost sight of this and let their guard down.
The enemy is always trying to trick us. He’s constantly looking to swindle us out of what rightfully belongs to us as children of God: peace, provision, relationship and inheritance.. The sooner we can realize this, the better we can fend off his attacks. We can go about our daily lives with our guard up, aware that our enemy is looking for our weakness.
We are easily fooled in a foreign land. The Isrealites had never been to Canaan before. They were literally two stops in. They didn’t realize that Gibeon was the next town over and that the Canaanites were quick to lie to cover their own backsides. As believers, it’s crucial to recognize that we, too, are living in a foreign land. If the Israelites had only paused long enough to throw the urim and thummin, they would have heard from God and avoided a terrible treaty that their children would deal with for generations to come.
The truth is, every decision has the potential to take us way off track. Slow down long enough to include God in the decision-making process. He sees everything and He isn’t fooled by anyone.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)
Lord, we struggle to include You in the process. Forgive us, we forget ourselves. Help us loop You in on every conversation, every footfall forward. We want to honor You and live according to Your law. Please make our paths straight. Amen.