The Gibeonite Deception

Do you have gracious people in your life?

• Friends who you’ve known for years – put up with your ups and downs
• A brother or sister or parent – knows you better than anyone else.
• A spouse whose stayed by your side even though you feel you don’t deserve it.

The thing about those relationships:

• Even though the friend, the spouse, the parent, the brother or sister can be gracious.
• Your actions will have consequences.
• Even though there’s grace, the consequences of the actions can’t be undone.
• If you have a teenager and they take your car for a spin, with no licence, they crash.
  • Someone has to pay to get the car fixed.
  • No matter how gracious you are as a parent the price still needs to be paid.

We see that today in Israel’s relationship with God. They make a mistake, God is gracious, but there are still consequences to their actions in Joshua chapter 9.

Before we look at Josh 9, just to give some context:

Book of Josh divides into 4 sections:

1. Chp 1-4 God’s people entering the land.
2. Chp 5-12 God’s people conquering the land (the section we’re in at the moment)
3. Chp 13-21 God’s people taking possession of the land, settling into the landthe people taking possession of the land and allocating the land among themselves.
4. Chp 22-24 God gives commandments to His people, ie. What they need to do to keep the land.

Story starts with kings conspiring against Israel.

• Kings from west of Jordan came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
• They’ve changed their tune – when compared to chapter 5 “they melted in fear” after hearing about what God had dried up the Jordan for the Israelites to cross.
• That was a particular group of kings, west of the Jordan.
• Then we’re introduced to – the Gibeonites –
• We read in chapter 10 – they were great fighters
• They had seen what happened to Ai – therefore didn’t want to take on Israel / Joshua / God.
• They had also heard about God’s instruction to Israel, even before they entered the promised land – Instruction God had given them during the time of Moses:
• See Deuteronomy chp 20: the whole chapter is filled with instructions about going into battle.
  • Vs 16-18 are NB: “16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. 17 Completely destroy[a]them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.”

• So the Gibeonites resorted to a ‘ruse’ because there was another thing in that Deuteronomy passage that God had instructed Israel regarding Nations that were far away and didn’t belong to the other group of nations that they were instructed to destroy.
  • 10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
• They pretended they were from far away – God’s rule was to offer them peace.
• So they put on quite an act to make it look like they had traveled from far:
• Loaded up donkeys with worn out sacks / old wineskins that were cracked and had been mended.
• They put on worn out shoes, to look like they had been walking for ages.
• They had food that was dry and mouldy.
• They have this conversation with Joshua, picking up from verse 6 to see what happens in the rest of the story:

6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”

7 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”

8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.

But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt,10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan,who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”

2 Key verses in this chapter is verse 14-15

14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

And then it all comes to light.

16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them.17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” 21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? 23 You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

24 They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

Israel’s failures aren’t unforgivable, but they still have consequences.

• Remember verse 14 & 15:

14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

• Israel failed to follow a fundamental instruction.
• There were specific instructions in the law in order to consult God
• The Urim and the Thummim
• Apparently the high priest in Israel had a breastplate, in this breastplate were 2 stones, the Urim and the Thummim.
• Example of how they were used in 2 Sam 23 – how they were used to guide God’s people.
• The people could ask the High Priest a question as to an outcome of a situation: ie. What would happen if I did this: the hp would bring out one of the stones – Urim would mean yes, and Thummim would mean no. And you could ask a series of questions, and God would reveal to them His will.
• This is a provision that God had made for His people – That Josh and leadership could have used.
• But they did not inquire of the Lord.
• They made a quick easy decision, based on their own judgement.
• 3 days later they find out that they were deceived.
• This shows their impatience ie. If they had just taken a bit more time to make their decision.

So there are consequences they have to deal with.

• The people of Israel grumble against the leaders.
• They would have to regain the trust of the people.
• This was a mistake they would have to live with.
• Also had a dilemma that they now had to deal with.
• This group of people whom they had made a promise to under deception.
• How were they going to make this right?

A lesson to be learnt.

• As God’s people we need to inquire of God.
• If someone had to write a biography of your life, how many times do you think it would be written, ‘he/she failed to inquire of God.’
• Just fresh out of school, they made their career choice, but they failed to inquire of God.
• He was so in love with her, he thought that she must be the one that he’ll spend the rest of his life with, but he failed to inquire of God.
• It was a big purchase, but she needed some form of transportation, even though though her credit cards were maxed out, the bank approved financing, getting her into debt that would eventually cripple her financially, she failed to inquire of God.

What does it mean for us today to inquire of God?

• We don’t have the Urim and the Thummin
• We do have the Bible
• We do know what it means to live for God’s kingdom
• We do know what it means to pray Thy will be done.
• Fridays devotion – we looked at praying ‘Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done’
• Are you concerned about God’s will being done?
• Are you concerned about doing the will of God / Knowing the will of God.
• The passage that always comes to mind re: the Will of God – Romans 12 vs 2
• 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
• We inquire of God, by consulting His word.
• More than just a ‘word of confirmation’ as some look for. Eg. Going through a tough time ‘let me find a scripture’ – that can be helpful, and God will often provide us with help and comfort during those times / But it’s more than that:
• Its saturating yourself in the word of God / being moulded by the word of God / filling yourself with the word of God / developing Biblical wisdom.
• So when the difficult decisions come / when you prayerfully approach God and seek His wisdom / you’ll have His word in your heart /

So Why Bother?

• Israel didn’t inquire of God / things ended up ok
• You’ve done things where you didn’t inquire of God / bad decisions / you’re still saved / life isn’t too bad.
• Everything you do has consequences / it affects your effectiveness for the kingdom.
• We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.
• Not saying we must live with regrets / but we can all think of decisions we’ve made / we could be more effective for the kingdom. / Being a Christian doesn’t remove the consequences.
• Eg Bad decisions – Financial / Career / relationships that ruin our effectiveness for God.

This passage also tells us something about the hope for those who don’t yet know God.

• The Gibeonites
• They’re not Jews ie. Not part of God’s people / but yet they’re saved.
• Interesting how they’re saved:
• You’ve got the Israelite mob grumbling about what has happened.
• Something has to be done / Israel has made an oath which is binding / even though it was done via deception from Gibeonites / God’s wrath will fall on them if they broke the oath.
• Joshua finds a way / makes them woodcutters / God had made provision for this in the law
• Very important to note vs 26: Joshua saves them.
• God is using Joshua to point to a much greater saviour / someone who will come and rescue those who are far from God / Joshua is pointing to Jesus.
• Remember Rahab the prostitute – also not an Israelite / not part of God’s people / yet God saved her
• What does Rahab and the Gibeonites have in common, apart from the fact that they weren’t Israelites?
• They feared God / they realized how powerful God was / that if they took God on in battle they would lose / that they were destined to be destroyed unless they acknowledge God.

God’s word tells us that if you don’t know God, you’re also on a path to destruction

• But you can be saved:
• There is only one man who can save you – Jesus.
• Do you want to face God’s wrath? Do you want to face His punishment?
• Or do you want to know His love.
• Do you want to experience His mercy, as the Gibeonites experienced.
• Jesus died, to pay the price for your sins on your behalf.
• If you’d like to know more – contact the church at the number on the screen / email address.
• Christians – Inquire of God – saturate with His word – apply it by not conforming – approach issues prayerfully with Biblical wisdom.
• If you don’t know Christ – turn to God for mercy – ‘my sin was great Your love was greater.

Questions for Home Group:

Ask someone in the group to retell the story of Joshua chapter 9 in their own words.

What mistake did Joshua and the leadership make? Vs 14-15

How can we not make the same mistake today?

Why did the Gibeonites plan this deception? Vs 24-25

What does Joshua do to make it right?

How does this point us to the gospel message?