Seek God’s Counsel

Seek God’s Counsel to Avoid Stumbling Blocks

- Joshua 9 -

Joshua 9:14 ESV

So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.

Why should one seek God’s counsel? What is God’s counsel? Where should you seek God’s counsel? When? With whom should you seek God’s counsel?

Joshua and his men did not learn their lesson from their experience with Ai. They went to take the city and were soundling defeated, because they did not seek the counsel of the LORD.

Joshua and his men are approached by the Hivites who wish to make covenant with them and be their servants. They are from Gibeon, in the land that Joshua and the Israelites are to take. They hide they’re true identities, to deceive Joshua and the Israelites. Without seeking the counsel of the LORD, Joshua and Israel make covenant with the Hivites.

Joshua and Israel find out a little bit later that the Hivites are their neighbors. The congregation of Israel murmurs against their leaders, but their is nothing that Joshua and Israel can do. They swore an oath that they would have peace with the Hivites. Regardless, if the Hivites acted deceitfully, Joshua keeps the covenant, lets the Hivites live and remain in the land they occupy. The Hivites become subjects to Israel as wood cutters and drawers of water for all of Israel, and to the house of God.