Studies in the Life of Joshua

#10 The Peril of Walking by Sight -- Joshua 9:1-27

Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), and human nature is such that many people

find it easier to tell lies than the truth. With tongue in cheek, the American political leader

Adlai Stevenson said, “A lie is an abomination unto the Lord—and a very present help in trouble.”

An anonymous wit reminds us that a dentist’s mistake is pulled out, a lawyer’s mistake is imprisoned, a teacher’s mistake is failed, a printer’s mistake is corrected, a pharmacist’s mistake is buried, a postman’s mistake is forwarded, and an electrician’s mistake could be shocking. The novelist Joseph Conrad wrote, “It’s only those who do nothing that make no mistakes.”

In Joshua’s case, however, doing nothing was his mistake; and this chapter explains what happened. It records the three stages in his second failure (after Ai) in the conquest of the Promised Land. It also tells us how Joshua turned his mistake into a victory.

There is nothing like being deceived in the things that matter the most to us. I have been caught not looking a few times, or not asking enough of the right questions. Or much to my horror I have made poor decisions because individuals whom I trusted deceived me. You have been there, too.

The older I get the more I want honest, open, genuine transparency in my life and with those with whom I deal. I want transparency with God and honesty with others.

The book of Joshua is a vivid reminder in pictorial terms of our spiritual warfare. It shows us how deceit destroys our spiritual vitality and fellowship with God and one another.

Our story in Joshua 9 explores these everyday spiritual issues that all of us live with-truth and lies, gullibility and wisdom, deception and integrity, naiveté and discernment, and ultimately what it means to trust God through all of it. The big question that is going to come out of this passage is, can God turn even the failures of deceit and gullibility into something good and productive? Can God take moral and spiritual failures and use them for his honor and glory?

In chapter 8 Israel celebrated a great victory at Ai. Then they had a wonderful time of worship and rest in the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Ger'izim. Chapter 8 surveyed a rich time of spiritual blessing, refreshment, renewal, and spiritual life for Joshua and the nation of Israel. Look at the summary in 8:33: "And all Israel, sojourner as well as home born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, half of them in front of Mount Ger'izim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel."

In a context where the apostle Paul has been discussing his ministry as an ambassador of Christ (see 2 Cor. 4:1-5:20), he declares “for we walk by faith, not by sight.” To walk by faith is to walk in a spirit of prayerful dependence on the Lord and His guidance.

So James encourages us, “If anyone of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God” (Jam. 1:5). We are always to seek God’s wisdom because we need His omniscient and sovereign guidance no matter what the issue is that faces us. Later, in his epistle, James will warn against the sin of presuming on the Lord or against pursuing our own dreams and objectives apart from seeking God’s leading and will (4:13-17).

Jeremiah declared, “I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, Nor is it in man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23).

Man does not have the wisdom or ability, nor often the will to direct his way for “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12).

Our need is to always commit our way, our objectives, our pursuits, and our responsibilities to the Lord for not only His will and wisdom, but for His enablement (see Prov. 16:1-4, 9). The danger is that we will presume on God’s grace and strike out in our own wisdom without really seeking and searching His heart and blessing while ever realizing our total inadequacy and need of His grace.

The danger of presumption and walking by sight is amplified a hundred fold when we consider the fact we are in an age old conflict with supernatural forces that are extremely cunning and many times more powerful than are we. We see the material world, we see flesh and blood, and we can see the physical evidence and think, “I can handle it … it’s not that difficult.”

We must be ever wary because often we are not just dealing with just flesh and blood. Rather, we are dealing with an insidious enemy who uses people to promote his schemes. When we consider our weakness and Satan’s power, cunning, deception, and methods of operations, we must certainly listen to Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 6:10-18:

(Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV)  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. {11} Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. {12} For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. {13} Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. {14} Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, {15} and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. {16} In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. {17} Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. {18} And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

In chapter nine, though somewhat cautious, Joshua nevertheless failed to inquire of the Lord through prayer. Looking at the evidence, he supposed he could wisely discern what they were facing. He was wrong and ultimately, he was guilty of presuming on the Lord.

In the depths of winter at Valley Forge, George Washington went to his knees in prayer, certain that unless God aided his bedraggled and discour­aged army, all hope for the fledgling United States was lost.

During the Civil War, when the fate of the nation again hung in the balance, Abraham Lincoln confessed to a friend that he was often driven to his knees to pray because he had nowhere else to go.[1]

In the passage before us (verses 9-10), we see the danger of failing to commit their way to the Lord (Prov. 3:5-7; Ps. 37:4-6), the peril of prayerlessness and the peril of walking by sight—making decision on the basis of how things appear.

As we have seen, Israel’s failure at Ai was to a large degree the result of failing to consult the Lord. Now again the failure of the leaders to commit their way to the Lord was about to produce another crisis. It reminds us again how susceptible we are to acting before praying.

While Israel was at Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, reaffirming their commitment to the Lord, the kings in Canaan were getting ready to attack. They had heard about the defeat of Jericho and Ai and were not about to give up without a fight. It was time for them to go on the offensive and attack these Jewish invaders. The city-states in Canaan were not always friendly with one another, but local rivals can often come together when they have a common enemy (Ps. 2:1-2; Luke 23:12).

After an experience of great blessing, God’s people must be especially prepared to confront the enemy; for like Canaan, the Christian life is “a land of hills and valleys” (Deut. 11:11). But Israel’s greatest danger wasn’t the confederation of the armies of Canaan. It was a group of men from Gibeon who were about to enter the camp and deceive Joshua and the princes of Israel. Satan sometimes comes as a devouring lion (1 Peter 5:8) and sometimes as a deceiving serpent (2 Cor. 11:3), and we must be alert and protected by the spiritual armor God has provided for us (Eph. 6:10-18).

There is another related problem here. The problem of trusting in our victories and our religious experiences. The context here is most significant. The people had just returned from a mountain-top kind of spiritual experience after hearing the Word of God read to them from Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. They had heard God’s promises of blessings and had affirmed their commitment to follow the Lord (see Deut. 27:11-28:14).

It had been a time of spiritual victory, a spiritual high, but this is an important time for walking circumspectly knowing that such is also a time when often Satan attacks because he knows we are apt to trust in our experiences rather than in the Lord (see 1 Cor. 10:12). The moment we let down our guard and think we have it made because of our spiritual experiences, we are most vulnerable to the devil’s attacks. The judgment of God’s word here is that they “… did not ask for counsel of the Lord” (9:14).

As we study this passage we should be reminded of three passages of Scriptures:

(1 Samuel 12:23 NIV)  As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.

(Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; {6} in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

(1 Corinthians 10:12 NIV)  So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

(1) As Christians, we are involved in deadly spiritual warfare with a power far superior to our own strength.

(2) To be delivered from our opponent and his nefarious schemes, we must cloth ourselves with our spiritual armor as given us in Christ.

(3) The offensive weapons given to us by the Lord are the Word of God and prayer. Without the Word and prayer, we are sitting ducks.

(4) When God’s people are victorious or are prospered, it seems Satan doubles his efforts in attacks against them.

The Alliances Against Joshua and Israel  (9:1-2)

“Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things--those in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)-- {2} they came together to make war against Joshua and Israel.

These city-states were preparing to attack Israel even while the nation was gathered in worship before the Lord, reaffirming its commitment to the law. This Canaanite opposition had heard about the defeats of Jericho and Ai, and they weren't going to give up their land without a fight. They decided that it was time to go on the offensive and try to drive these Jewish invaders out of the land.

Usually these Canaanite tribes fought each other, but when God's people arrived, these petty kings and their little nations united to oppose Israel. It's a common occurrence throughout political history for local rivalries to be set aside when there is a common enemy. It's also consistent throughout history that enemies unite with one another against God, against his people, and against his work in the world.

The record given here is typical of Satan’s strategies. Powerful alliances began immediately to form in both the north and the south of Canaan. Where tribal warfare had gone on for years, suddenly deadly enemies were brought together in alliances as they united against the invasion of God’s people into the land.

When righteousness becomes aggressive and bent on an objective, it has a way of uniting the forces of righteousness and the enemies of righteousness. It happened this way when Jesus Christ launched his earthly ministry. His aggressive ministry of healing, preaching, and the confrontation of sin galvanized his own followers—but it also welded together three groups which had formerly been enemies, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians. Scripture predicts that His future return will have a similar effect (See Ps. 2:2; Rev. 19:19.)

The more boldly the Christian faith advances, the more vocal and violent the opposition will become.[2]

It appears that all the city-states in mountainous regions joined forces against Israel as a means of keeping Joshua and his army from attacking one city at a time as had been done with Jericho and Ai.

Perhaps these kings were encouraged by the initial defeat of Israel at Ai. No longer would the reports of earlier victories lead them to suppose that Israel was invincible. In resisting Israel, however, they were resisting God. Their stubborn rebellion against God was eloquent testimony that the sin of the Amorites had reached its full measure (cf. Gen 15:16).[3]

Though a coalition of Canaanite kings banded together to oppose Israel, the text does not say whether this coalition ever actually fought Israel. It disappears from the scene after v. 2. Six ethnic groups in Canaan, who often are mentioned together (3:10), are listed here. God told Israel to destroy these nations, and He did not want Israel to become allies with them under any circumstances (Ex. 23:28–33; Deut. 7:1–5; 20:16–18).^[4]

The Deception of the Gibeonites  (9:3-15)

{3} However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, {4} they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. {5} The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. {6} Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us." {7} The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you live near us. How then 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." {14} The men of Israel 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.

Not all were willing to openly go against Israel in view of Israel’s victories. Gibeon was located only twenty-five miles from the camp of Israel at Gilgal and was on Joshua’s list to be destroyed. In Deuteronomy 20:10-20, God’s law stated that Israel must destroy all the cities in Canaan. If after the Conquest Israel was involved in other wars, they could offer peace to cities that were outside the land. (See also 7:1-11.)

The Gibeonites, which included a league of cities (see vs. 17), concocted a clever ruse designed to deceive the Israelites and hide their true identity—a typical strategy of Satan, the deceiver. Their goal, which was successful, was to convince the Israelites they were from a country outside the land (vs. 6). They evidently somehow knew that God had commanded the Israelites to totally destroy all the inhabitants of the land. Their claim was that they were impressed with the great things Joshua had done and so they wanted a treaty allowing them to live because they were not of the land of Canaan.

The Gibeonites assembled a group of men and equipped them to look like an official delegation from a foreign city. Their clothing, food, and equipment were all designed to give the impression that they had been on a long and difficult journey from a distant city.

The Gibeonites went to great lengths to make it look as though they had come from a far country. Israel was allowed to make treaties with cities that were far from them (Ex. 34:11, 12; Deut. 20:10–18):

(Exodus 34:11-12 NIV)  Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. {12} Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.

(Deuteronomy 20:10-18 NIV)  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. {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 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.

Thus, if the Gibeonites’ claim of v. 6 had been truthful, the treaty that the Israelites made with them would have been permissible.

A covenant was a legal treaty. The literal wording in Hebrew is “cut a covenant,” which may have referred to the ancient custom of sacrificing an animal to ratify it (Gen. 15:10).^[5]

It is hard not to admire the Gibeonites for their scheme. In view of verse 9, it appears they really did believe in the power of the God of Israel much like Rahab. The Gibeonites were not cowards (cf. 10:2). They knew they could not withstand the power of God and did the next best thing in their thinking; they turned to deception through disguise.

This resulted in two major approaches:

(1) They played on their sympathies by appearing as weary travelers who had been on a long journey. Their garments were dirty and worn, their food was dry and moldy (or hard, crumbly), their wineskins old and patched, and their sandals worn and thin.

(2) They played on their egos and their sense of pride. They insisted they came from a great distance to show their respect for the power of the God of the Israelites and wanted to be allowed to live as the servants of Israel. 

The explanation they gave in 9:9-10 is something of a confession of faith, or at least a confession of an understanding of who God is. It's very similar to the confession that Rahab the harlot made to the spies in chapter 2, when she told them about the rumors of the God of Israel. Both Rahab and the Gibeonites used the Israelite covenant name for God, Yahweh.

Both knew the history of Israel's deliverance through the exodus forty years earlier. Travelers along the caravan route had brought stories about these people living in the Sinai Peninsula all those years. And military intelligence, which was quite good in the ancient Near East, told them about the Israelites' movement along the east side of the Jordan River and the victories over the kings there. Then the Gibeonites heard the horror stories, to them, of how these people had wiped out Jericho and Ai. There was a growing fear that they were next. It was only twenty-five miles from Gilgal up into the hills to Gibeon. They were just waiting for the Israelites to move.

They would have known about God's law in Deuteronomy 20:16-18 that required Israel to destroy every city and every inhabitant of Canaan. In verse 24 the Gibeonites say they understood that: "Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; so we feared greatly for our lives because of you...."

The Gibeonites were somewhat like Rahab. She had opened her heart in faith to the God of Israel. In contrast, the Gibeonites merely acknowledged that God was there and his judgment was fearful to them. They were willing to do anything to save their necks. So they resorted to lying.

We all probably know from practical experience that a lie can be helpful. Adlai Stevenson said, "A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, but a very present help in time of trouble."

Satan is a counterfeiter and “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14, niv). He has his “false apostles” and “deceitful workmen” (v. 13, niv) at work in this world, blinding the lost and seeking to lead believers astray. It’s much easier for us to identify the lion when he’s roaring than to detect the serpent when he’s slithering into our lives.

Satan is also a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), and human nature is such that many people find it easier to tell lies than the truth. With tongue in cheek, the American political leader Adlai Stevenson said, “A lie is an abomination unto the Lord—and a very present help in trouble.”

Who are some of the spiritual enemies that we do battle with each day? Use your sanctified imagination for a few moments with me and let's become aware of where Satan can defeat us.

• Merchandisers, materialism. We live in a day when we are bombarded with a constant barrage of advertisements that imply we must keep up with the Joneses. We must have the latest gimmick, toy, car, position at the job, etc. Appearance, performance and status are promoted as the answer to life. What is the latest essential toy you must have? Remember that who ever wins the most toys at the end of life is the winner, or so we are led to believe.

• Fear. We live in a day of fear and anxiety. I have spoken with several individuals who are fearful that their sons and daughters or spouse will be called up in the latest war. A war of nerves goes on constantly in some individuals and families lives.

• Folly. I have a clinical psychologist friend who says that God has to take a stick and beat the foolishness of us. How is it we intelligent beings can be so stupid some times? We find ourselves doing some of the craziest things when in our right minds we know better. We lose our sense of better judgment in normal circumstances.

• Dwellers in insecure villages of false security. It is easy to get our eyes off Christ. There is no security in anyone else. He is sovereign in the believer's life. Jesus holds us in the palm of His hand and the Father holds Him!

• Dwellers on clay, foul disease of the old nature. There is nothing like a carnal life style in a believer's life to destroy their fellowship with Christ and testimony in to a lost world. I'll live my life the way I want to. You Christians are intolerant.

• Bitter person in spirit, pride, jealousy. "If you only knew what this person did to me and to my family?" "If you knew what he or she did to sabotage my career." "If you only knew what they did to my child." We become bitter and revengeful filled with an attitude of I'll get even with you.

• Those who trample on others, with pride and arrogance. We will do anything to build up our perceived self-importance. Religious leaders are not immune to that temptation, either.

The Gibeonites told several lies in their attempt to get out of trouble:

First, they said they were “from a very far country” (Josh. 9:6, 9) when they actually lived twenty-five miles away. Then they lied about their clothing and food. “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” (v. 12, niv). They also lied about themselves and gave the impression that they were important envoys on an official peace mission from the elders of their city. They also called themselves “your servants” (vv. 8, 9, 11), when in reality they were the enemies of Israel.

These four lies were bad enough; but when the visitors said they had come “because of the name of the Lord” (v. 9), it was blasphemous. Like the citizens of Jericho (2:10), the people in Gibeon had heard about Israel’s march of conquest (9:9-10); but unlike Rahab and her family, they didn’t put their faith in the Lord.

These men were wise enough not to mention Israel’s victories at Jericho and Ai; for that news couldn’t have reached their “far country” that quickly. Satan’s ambassadors can lie more convincingly than some Christians can tell the truth!

Satan knows how to use “religious lies” to give the impression that people are seeking to know the Lord. In my pastoral ministry I’ve met people who have introduced themselves as seekers; but the longer they talked, the more convinced I was that they were sneakers, trying to get something out of me and the church. They would make their “profession of faith” and then start telling me their sad tale of woe, hoping to break my heart and then pick my pocket. Of all liars, “religious liars” are the worst. If you need to be convinced of this, read 2 Peter 2 and the Epistle of Jude.

The Israelites took some of the Gibeonites’ provisions in order to inspect them, to confirm the Gibeonites’ words. Significantly, the Israelites did not ask counsel of the Lord, contrary to God’s explicit instructions to Joshua (Num. 27:21). The Israelites’ confirmation of the Gibeonites’ claim was purely in their own strength and on their own initiative. The mistake on Israel’s part was not so much that they were deceived, but that they did not ask for the Lord’s counsel. Similarly, many Christians have found themselves in difficult or disastrous circumstances because they rushed to a decision without properly consulting the Lord, His Scriptures, and His people for guidance.^[6]

Caught off guard, Joshua and the leaders of Israel listened to the ruse of the Gibeonites and they made two mistakes:

(1) They made the mistake of allowing the Gibeonites to play on their emotions. They accepted the evidence, though question­able, without further and more reliable evidence. Here we see the peril of sight versus faith and fact.

(2) The primary mistake, however, is not seeking counsel from the Lord. They should have sought direction from the Lord through the Urim and Thummim. Here we see the peril of presumption through prayerlessness.

This covenant oath was sworn in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But he had been totally left out of the decision-making process. In a sense, he was asked to be part of what they were doing without being asked for his opinion on it.

Remember what the New Testament says about finding out what God's will is in decision-making. James writes in 1:5, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

As men and women of God we're called to stay in constant contact with him, to seek his help in everything, and to be confident that he will help us figure out what we need to know.

Allan Redpath writes: "It seems to take us a long time to learn the lesson that neglect of prayer always leads to trouble, and destroys the spirit of discernment. Neglect of prayer always suggests pride in our own judgment, which is fatal."

Joshua and the princes of Israel were impetuous and didn’t take time to consult the Lord. They walked by sight and not by faith. After listening to the strangers’ speech and examining the evidence, Joshua and his leaders concluded that the men were telling the truth. The leaders of Israel took the “scientific approach” instead of the “spiritual approach.” They depended on their own senses, examined the “facts,” discussed the matter, and agreed in their conclusion. It was all very logical and convincing, but it was all wrong. They had made the same mistake at Ai (chap. 7) and hadn’t yet learned to wait on the Lord and seek His direction.

The will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), and He delights to make it known to His children when He knows they are humble and willing to obey. We don’t seek God’s will like customers who look at options but like servants who listen for orders. “If any of you really determines to do God’s will, then you will certainly know” (John 7:17, tlb) is a basic principle for victorious Christian living. God sees our hearts and knows whether we are really serious about obeying Him. Certainly we ought to use the mind God has given us, but we must heed the warning of Proverbs 3:5-6 and not lean on our own understanding.

If this group of men had been an authentic official delegation, it would have comprised a much larger company bearing adequate supplies, including sufficient provisions for the trip home. Real ambassadors would have thrown away their “dry and moldy” bread because their servants would have baked fresh bread for them. As officials, they would have packed the proper attire so that they might make the best impression possible as they negotiated with the enemy.

Had Joshua and his leaders paused to think and pray about what they saw, they would have concluded that the whole thing was a trick. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5, nkjv).

True faith involves exercising patience (Heb. 6:12). “Whoever believes will not act hastily” (Isa. 28:16, nkjv). Moses had told the Jews, “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you” (Ex. 34:12, niv). But in their haste Joshua and the Jewish leaders broke God’s Law and made a covenant with the enemy. Since their oath was sworn in the name of the Lord (Josh. 9:18), it could not be broken. Joshua and the princes of Israel had sworn to their own hurt (Ps. 15:4; Ecc. 5:1-7), and there was no way to revoke their oath or be released from their promise.

Like Joshua and the nation of Israel, God’s people today are living in enemy territory and must constantly exercise caution. When you believe the enemy instead of seeking the mind of the Lord, you can expect to get into trouble.

It is always a mistake for us to lean on our own wisdom or judgment and make our own plans apart from God’s direction. It was a mistake then … and it still is. The exhortation of God’s Word is:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil (Proverbs 3:5-7).

Before entering into any alliance—taking a partner in life, going into business with anoth­er, yielding assent to any proposition which involves confederation with others—be sure to ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord. He will assuredly answer by an irresistible impulse—by the voice of a friend; by a circumstance strange and unexpected; by a passage of Scripture. He will choose His own messenger; but He will send a message.[7]

Though Satan surely knows he can never really defeat the Lord and that he is a defeated foe, he nevertheless turns to his many tricks and deceptive devices to defeat God’s purposes for and with His people (cf. Eph. 4:14; 2 Tim. 2:25).

The Discovery of the Deception  (9:16-17)

{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.

Within only three days the deception was discovered, but as is often the case with the consequences of sin, they would live with their decision for the rest of their lives. Proverbs 12:19b is pertinent here which says, “Truthful lips will be established forever, But a lying tongue is only for a moment.” Words of truth are consistent, and stand all tests, while lies are soon discovered and exposed.[8]

The Decision of the Leaders  (9:18-27)

{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 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 for the entire community." 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 cease to serve 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 community and for the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

The text tells us that once the ruse was discovered, the people grumbled against their leaders because they judged them to be responsible. Apparently, in view of verses 19-21, the people also wanted them to disregard their covenant and destroy the Gibeonites. However, though they erred by leaning on their own understanding rather than consulting the Lord, they honored their agreement with the Gibeonites.

Oath taking and swearing were solemn affairs (the Hebrew words for “to swear” and “oath” are from the same root, shaba). To take an oath was to give a sacred and unbreakable word to follow through on what was promised. From time to time, even God swore by Himself or His holiness or His great name to take certain actions (Gen. 22:16–18; Ps. 89:35; Jer. 44:26). Swearing falsely was a grave sin (Ezek. 17:16–21; Zech. 5:3, 4; Mal. 3:5). Because of the sacred, unbreakable nature of an oath, this covenant the Israelites made with the Gibeonites could not be revoked, even though it was obtained under false pretenses.^[9]

Had they not been men of honor and integrity, they might easily have sought to cover their tracks by destroying the Gibeonites, but they honored their pledge because it had been ratified in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. To break the covenant would dishonor God’s name and bring down His wrath. “In fact, such a judgment from God would later come to pass during David’s reign because Saul disregarded this agreement. (see 2 Sam. 21:1-6).”[10]

While they could not go back on their pledge, the Gibeonites had deceived them, so a punishment fitting their sin had to be prescribed. First, Joshua rebuked them for their dishonesty and then sentenced them to perpetual slavery. In the ruse of the Gibeonites, they had offered to be the subjects of the Israelites (vss. 8, 11). By this they were merely offering to become Israel’s vassals. In return they expected Israel, the stronger of the two, to protect them from their enemies (see 10:6).

This backfires on them and they had to become Israel’s slaves. They would become woodcutters and water-bearers for the Israelites, especially in relation to the tabernacle service. In God’s grace, this turned out to be a great blessing.… to keep the Gibeonites’ idolatry from defiling the true faith of Israel, their work would be carried out in the tabernacle, where they would be exposed to the worship of the one true God.

As a result, the very thing the Gibeonites hoped to retain—their freedom—was lost. But the curse eventually became a blessing. It was on behalf of the Gibeonites that God later worked a great miracle (see Josh. 10:10-14). Later, the tabernacle of the Lord would be pitched at Gibeon (see 2 Chron. 1:30, and the Gibeonites (later known as Nethinims) would replace the Levites in temple service (see Ezra 2:43 and 8:20).

How did the leaders of Israel discover that they had made a big mistake? Knowing that they were now out of danger, perhaps the “ambassadors” openly admitted what they had done. Or maybe the Gibeonites were overheard rejoicing in their success. Did some of Joshua’s spies return to camp after reconnaissance and recognize the enemy? Perhaps the Gibeonites overheard the plans for Israel’s next attack and had to inform the leaders that a solemn oath now protected those cities. However it happened, Joshua discovered that he and the princes had blundered; and no doubt they were humbled and embarrassed because of it.

We must give the leaders credit for being men of their word. To violate their oath would have been to take the holy name of Jehovah in vain, and this would have brought about divine judgment. Years later King Saul violated this oath; and God judged the nation severely (2 Sam. 21). Military leaders of lesser character than Joshua might have argued that “all’s fair in love and war” and forced the Gibeonites to divulge information that would help him conquer their city. Instead, when the Jewish army arrived at Gibeon and the neighboring cities, they didn’t attack them.

Why did the Jewish people grumble at what their leaders had done? Because this covenant with Gibeon would cost the soldiers dearly in plunder they would never get from the protected cities. Furthermore, the Gibeonites and their neighbors might influence the Jews with their pagan practices and lead them away from the Lord. Moses had given Israel stern warnings against compromising with the people of the land (Deut. 7), and now they had foolishly made a covenant with the enemy. However, we wonder what decisions the common people would have made had they been in the place of the leaders. It’s easy to criticize after the fact!

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Joshua and his associates teach us an important lesson: If you make a mistake, admit it; and then make your mistake work for you! The leaders put the Gibeonites to work hauling water and fuel for the service of the tabernacle, where both water and wood were used in abundance. In later years the Gibeonites were called the Nethinim (“given ones” = given to assist the priests) and labored as servants in the temple (1 Chron. 9:2; Ezra 2:43, 58; Neh. 3:26). In Joshua 10, we shall see that God overruled Joshua’s mistake and used it to give him a signal victory over five kings at one time.

Of course, the Gibeonites would rather submit to humiliating service than be destroyed as were the inhabitants of Jericho and Ai. There’s no evidence in Scripture that the descendants of the Gibeonites created any problems for the Jews. It’s likely that their service in the tabernacle, and later in the temple, influenced them to abandon their idols and worship the God of Israel. The fact that over 500 hundred Nephilim returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity (Ezra 2:43-58; 8:20) suggests that they were devoted to the Lord and His house.

That is the amazing way the grace of God works. He is still able to turn a curse into a blessing. While it is true that the natural consequences of our sin generally have to run their course, God in His grace not only forgives but in many cases He actually overrules our mistakes and brings blessing out of sin.[11]

In verse 27 we read, “… and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD at the divinely chosen site. (They continue in this capacity to this very day.)”

The phrase the place which He would choose is particularly important in Deuteronomy. It indicates that the Gibeonites were to serve only at sanctioned Israelite worship centers and not Canaanite ones. Until the Jerusalem temple was built, these centers included Shiloh (18:1) and Gibeon itself (1 Chr. 16:39). That they did so to this day (a phrase also found in 4:9; 5:9; 7:26; 8:29) shows that the Gibeonites did indeed continue this service for some time, although it is not specifically mentioned again in the OT. We may observe that in the deceit of this treaty, a people were brought into proximity with the true worship of the living God, who is able to bring good out of the worst of situations. Doubtless through this many Gibeonites came to faith in Him and became His worshipers. ^[12]

How tremendous and gracious of God. They had the privilege of being brought close to the Lord and spiritual things on a regular basis. It is interesting that in later years, when the Israelites would go into idolatry, the Gibeonites would still be standing at the altar where the true God ordained that sacrifices should be made for sins. As a result of what they had seen God do for Israel, they became convinced, like Rahab, that Israel’s God was the true God. Like Rahab, they evidently became loyal believers.

For many years after this incident, there was war between the citizens of the land and the invading Israelites. Yet never once in the record of that long conquest do we hear of any Gibeonite defecting to his original side.[13]

Can God turn the failures of lying and naiveté into something good and productive? Can God take moral and spiritual failures and use them for his honor and glory? The apostle Paul says in Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." We were chosen, elected, called out of the darkness of confusion. The redemptive love of God is awesome. The saving grace of Jesus Christ is incomparable. The providential care of God for us is amazing. He takes all our mistakes, our defeats, our sins, and he overrules them to his glory.

·         I remember times that I've been exposed before him, and all I could say was "Lord, I'm sorry. I've blundered. But, Lord, I do believe that you can heal, that you can restore the devastation that my sin has brought. And Lord, I refuse to allow satanic condemnation to keep me down. I will forget those things that lie behind me, and I will press on to what you divinely determine for me in the future."

·         I've learned that the memory of the wrong I did, the sin I committed, the failure, is what drives me back to the cross every day for cleansing, forgiveness, and power.

·         I've learned that the very sin that once bound me has turned into the blessing that regularly drives me to the Savior.

·         Praise God that he does overrule our mistakes and our sins, even to cause the curse itself to be turned into a blessing, to make something beautiful out of something destructive.