A Step into Deception
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We continue today in our study through the book of Joshua. Recapping quickly the last couple of chapters, we have seen that after the victory that God gave the Israelites in Jericho, Achan secretly took for himself from the battlefield gold, silver, and fine clothing that was either supposed to be dedicated to the Lord or completely destroyed. He deliberately disobeyed God, and because of that action, and because Joseph failed to consult with God about the next step, when the Israelites went up against the small town of Ai, they were defeated soundly.
Joshua then cries out to God, and God reveals that the Israelites lost because there was sin in the camp. That night, Joshua tells the people that the next day, God will reveal the sin in the camp, and that the person caught will die. This gives Achan a chance to confess his sin. But he does not, and the next day, as God narrows down from tribe to family the origin of the sin, Achan remains silent until finally, Joshua confronts him.
Achan confesses his sin, but it is too late for mercy — he and his sons and daughters and cattle and all of his possessions are burned and stoned.
God then leads the Israelites to an amazing victory of Ai.
Those events are covered in Joshua 7 and 8, and today we find ourselves in Joshua 9.
As we prepare to enter into this chapter, there is something that we need to keep in mind moving forward in our study. The land of Canaan, the Promised Land, is not this gigantic country. The territory that God promised Abraham was about the size of California if you read the promise in Genesis 15:18 “18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:”
Ultimately, the land that is conquered and occupied by the Israelites under Joshua is much smaller than what God promised Abraham, but more on that as we continue our study through this book.
What I want to point out is that the nations that inhabited this land were more like city-states than full size countries. They may have some key cities as their centers, but they are nothing compared to what we would consider a “nation” now days. Keep this in mind as we take a look at chapter 9 and go through the rest of the book.
A Step into Deception
A Step into Deception
The title of the sermon this morning is A Step into Deception, and as we read on, you’ll quickly see the reason.
Let’s start by reading Joshua 9:1-2
1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon,
the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
A when we were studying the conquest of Jericho, we noted that the Israelites were commanded to kill everyone in Jericho — men, women, and children. The only ones that survived were Rahab and her family, who had turned to the Lord.
The nations inhabiting Canaan have all had the same amount of time to repent and turn to the Lord, but instead, as we saw in these two verses, most of them make the decision to fight against Israel, even after seeing God work in amazing ways to defeat their enemies.
But there is one group of people that has another plan. Joshua 9:3-6
3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
The Deception Laid Out
The Deception Laid Out
Gibeon and its three other cities were part of the Hivite nation. As we read in the first two verses, the Hivites were ready to join forces with the Hittites, Perezites, Canaanites, Amorites, and Jebusites to destroy Israel. However, this particular group of Hivites, the Gibeonites, realized that doing so would mean their end.
So they get together and decide that they are going to try to deceive Israel. They get dressed in really old clothes so it looks as if they have travelled far. They take already stale and moldy provisions with them. They looked the part of travelers who had been on the road for months, and they went to Joshua telling him just that — that they had come from the kingdom of Far Far Away to make a treaty with Israel.
For a moment, it seems as though this ruse will not work, however. Look at Joshua 9:7-8
7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
The men around Joshua have a moment of wisdom and ask, “What if you are not who you say you are? What if we make a treaty and then find out you live next to us?”
And they Gibeonites look at Joshua and say, “Of course not! Look, all we want is to serve you.”
And Joshua then asks the question, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
And you know it’s all about to unravel when you hear their response.
9a And they said unto him, From a very far country...
My first question would be, “Yeah, you said that before, but exactly what country and where is it?” But the Gibeonites continue, and they pull out the winning deceit — the thing that convinces Joshua and Israel to make a treaty with them.
9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
“We’ve come because of the name of the Lord,” they say. “We heard what your God did to Egypt and to the Amorites on the other side of Jordan and the elders of our country said, ‘Go make a treaty with them and let them know we will serve them.’ So here we are. Look, we’ve definitely come a long way… look at all this stale bread and moldy food. It was all fresh when we left. And look at our shoes and clothes. We have had to patch them us so much during our long journey to get here.”
Notice the difference between the people of Gibeon and the Rahab.
Rahab, back in Joshua chapter 2, submitted to the Lord and to Israel. And she became fully incorporated into the people of Israel, eventually marrying someone from the tribe of Judah. But it wasn’t just Rahab and her family that had done this. As we saw last session when we studied about the Israelites going to Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim to read the blessings and curses of the law, there were already many others called “strangers” — people who were not Israelites by birth — that were following Israel, and by their presence in the readings of the law, they were submitting to the Lord as well.
Gibeon, on the other hand, had no intention of submitting to the Lord. Their interest was survival. Instead of approaching Joshua openly and submitting to Israel and God, they use deceit to try to fool every one of the five senses of the Israelites.
Sight - look at our old clothes
Taste - try our stale bread and old wine
Smell - when we left our land, the bread was fresh out of the oven, now smell the mold that has gathered
Touch - feel the hardness of the bread and the rough condition of our clothes and shoes
Hearing - listen to the story and believe our tale
The Bait Taken
The Bait Taken
All of this is seems to make sense to Joshua and the other leaders, and look what happens. Joshua 9:14-15
14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
So Israel falls for the deception of the Gibeonites. But why? For the same reason that they lost their first fight against the small city of Ai — they did not seek the Lord. But they did not check to see if what they were being told was true.
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Don’t believe everything you hear. Check it out first, fact-check.
And because they were deceived, they made a pact, an oath that was outside of God’s will. What was God’s will? Deuteronomy 7:1-2
1 When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee,
the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
The options they had were to cast them out or utterly destroy them. The one option that was totally off the table for Israel was to make peace with them. But they were deceived.
The Deception Found Out
The Deception Found Out
Truth will eventually come to light, and this is exactly what happened.
16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
As they are making their way further into the territory of Canaan, they come upon the cities of Gibeon. Three cities that set under the authority of the Hivite city of Gibeon. And as they arrive, somehow, it is made known that these men that had travelled from a “far, far away country” were actually representatives of people that dwelt in Canaan.
Gibeon and their interaction with Joshua and Israel stand as lessons from which we can learn.
Gibeon teaches us that there is suffering that comes because of sin. Deuteronomy 8:5
5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
Sin causes us to suffer. 1 Corinthians 11:31-32
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
If you are a Christian, that suffering is not to destroy you, but to bring you back to God. However, if we were to examine ourselves, we would be able to confess sin and not suffer the chastening.
Gibeon is a reminder that Satan is out there like a lion. 1 Peter 5:8
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
This whole story reminds us that in every decision we make, we ought to not trust our own logic, but we must seek God first. Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Gibeon represents Satan and how he tries to deceive Christians any way that he can.
So what happens next?
The Result
The Result
19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
Israel had made a oath, sworn by the Lord. They had not consulted the Lord in the swearing of this oath, yet they had brought God in a a witness to this oath. So now they could not go back on their word.
There are oaths and promises that, if taken, ought to be violated. These fall under those things that would violate God’s moral law for us.
The difference is that the oath taken by Joshua in this case was not a violation of God’s moral law. It was a violation of an instruction given to them by God. We know that this is not moral law, because moral law does not change and applies universally, and since moral law does not change, then that would mean that we as Christians should be doing everything we can to expel all non-Jews from Israel all the way up through parts of Jordan, Syria, and a little bit of Turkey.
Examples of promises and oaths that should have been broken are the example of Herod’s promise to his daughter to give her anything she wanted. When she asked for John the Baptist’s head on a platter, Herod should have said, “oh, yeah, no. Not that, sorry.”
Or the oath that Jephthah took to sacrifice the first thing that came out to meet him after returning home from a victorious battle. When his daughter came out first, he should have repented of taking that oath, and sacrificed an animal instead.
But the Israelites have entered into a sacred vow with these Gibeonites. Yes, they get to now have people that will cut down their wood and draw water for them, and that might seem like a plus, but Gibeon and the other cities that belong to Gibeon, will never truly be Israel’s. They are sitting on prime land, in good cities, especially the main city of Gibeon. This would have been Israel’s had they not foolishly entered into this treaty.
This would be a decision that they would have to live with forever.
Generations later, King Saul, the first king of Israel, tried to wipe out the Gibeonites, and God cursed the whole nation of Israel for Saul turning back on the treaty that had been made.
Application
Application
And though Gibeon was enslaved to serve the house of the Lord, their is no evidence that they ever converted to the Lord. They never were incorporated into Israel like Rahab and the many others that had abandoned their gods and followed the Lord.
So once again, let’s take a look at Rahab and Gibeon.
Rahab entered into a relationship with Israel willingly. She surrendered to the Lord with an open heart and was included even in the lineage of Jesus.
Gibeon, once the truth was found out, were taken, by force, as slaves. They had practiced deceit to trick God’s people, and they became slaves.
We find several symbols and applications here.
The symbol of Gibeon as Satan — Satan, though he tries to stop the mission of God by deceiving Christians around the world and through every age, will one day exposed for who he is. He will be bound, and he will admit that Jesus is Lord, and he will be cast into the lake of fire that burns for all eternity.
The symbol of Gibeon as people that are out to deceive Christians — Satan uses people. The Bible tells us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. We typically apply this to marriage, but the application there extends beyond marriage. Deep emotional or financial or other kind of dependent partnerships are dangerous when Christians partner with unbelievers.
Worldviews are different, or should be, and they typically corrupt the Christian rather than convert the unbeliever. Yes, we ought to be salt and light in the world, but we ought not yoke ourselves to unbelievers. 1 Corinthians 15:33
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
The word communications means companionships or communion. It doesn’t say that evil companions will be converted, it says that evil companions corrupt good moral characters.
Be careful who you yoke up with. Be careful who you allow to influence you. Test the spirits. Don’t believe that someone is a Christian simply because they say they are a Christian or they know the “Christian lingo.” Do their actions match their words?
And there are Christians that are immature and have no desire to mature, but they sound mature. Do their actions match their words. Does it line up with Scripture? Don’t fall for the lies, the deceivers, and the false prophets. The Gibeonites had the spiritual language — “We have come because of the Lord thy God…” — but we ought to be discerning of those claiming or acting as if they have spiritual authority. Spiritual language is not enough. Jesus said, “By their fruits you will know them.”
Teachers ought to be evaluated on their doctrine and character, nor merely on their charisma.
Leaders are to be evaluated by their biblical qualifications, not merely talent or availability or popularity.
Compelling testimonies cannot take the place of appropriate verification when entrusting someone with money, position, authority, or access to children.
Lastly, we have the symbolism of Joshua representing the Christian. Christians, it is our responsibility to seek God regularly and often. Do not assume your next step. Do not assume God’s direction. Seek Him regularly and often.
There are some decisions that when repented of soon enough, do not cause lasting damage or consequences. But beware, there are some decisions that can cause lasting effects and lifelong consequences.
The nice thing about that is that God is in the redemption business. But I’d much rather have a track record of trusting and following Jesus than to look back and see a whole bunch of foolish choices that God redeemed because I was not close enough to Him or didn’t think about seeking His direction.
Next week, as a church, we will be voting on whether or not to pursue talks with Blair Ridge Baptist Church about a possible merge. It is easy to look at this decision from a logical standpoint. It is easy to look at it from a financial standpoint. It is easy to look at this decision from the viewpoint of “how much work will it take to merge,” or “how much different will things be,” or “how uncomfortable will it make me,” to go through with a merge.
But none of those viewpoints are what we ought to be considering. This week we ought to all go home and regularly many times we ought to be seeking God’s face on this decision. And then we ought to vote the way that He tells us to vote.
We need to live beyond this decision we will be making as a church though. These applications should extend into every area of our lives. It is not enough for us to make plans and ask God to bless them. We ought to genuinely seek the plans that God has for us — from the large, life-altering decisions to our simple daily routines.
We cannot rely on appearances or our own wisdom and logic. We must fully rely on God for all things.
Ministry opportunities can sound spiritual, but still require examination. “We should have this program, this ministry, this method of doing things,” those may be all well and good, but there must be discernment in applying those things.
We are learning on Wednesday nights that prayer is not a ceremony we perform after we have already decided. It is an expression of our willingness to have God correct what we want to do.
Invitation
Invitation
Israel’s failure began when they treated their own judgment as enough.
They had questions. They had evidence. They had experience. What they did not do was seek the Lord.
Perhaps that is where this passage finds you. You have already decided what you want, and now you are asking God to approve it. Bring that decision under His Word.
Perhaps the truth has already come out. You made a promise too quickly. You trusted unwisely. You led others into a decision you now regret. Do not cover it with another wrong. Tell the truth, accept responsibility, and take the next obedient step.
And if you are standing before God with a carefully maintained appearance, stop pretending. Jesus Christ does not save the person who presents the most convincing story. He saves sinners who come to Him in repentance and faith.
Seek His counsel before you commit. Honor His name when obedience becomes costly. And when you have failed, do not make failure your excuse to stop obeying.
Life Groups
Life Groups
1. What is something that stood out to you from the sermon? Any questions or comments?
2. Think of something you had to try again after it went badly the first time—a recipe, a project, a sport, or another challenge. What helped you give it another try?
3. After Israel’s failure, God begins by telling Joshua, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed” (Joshua 8:1–2). What do these words reveal about God’s response to His people after they have dealt with their sin? Why might Joshua have needed encouragement as well as instructions?
4. The sermon emphasized that restoration begins with confession and repentance. What is the difference between regretting the consequences of sin and genuinely turning from sin toward God? What might that difference look like in someone’s response?
5. When you recognize sin or drift in your life, what most often keeps you from returning to God—shame, fear, pride, excuses, or something else? What would one concrete step of repentance and renewed obedience look like? Share only what you are comfortable sharing.
6. Joshua made remembering God’s Word a priority for the whole community. What tends to push that priority aside in our lives? How could our we as a church help one another remember and respond to God’s Word without becoming judgmental or controlling?
This week’s challenge:
Set aside ten minutes on three different days this week to reread Joshua 8:1–2 and Hebrews 12:11.
Each time, reflect on these questions:
Where do I need to turn back toward God rather than simply feel bad about a failure?
What truth from these verses do I need to remember?
What act of obedience can I take in response?
Find a trusted believer to pray for you and encourage you as you follow through. If you have never done this before, choose your spouse, sibling, parent, or close friend — someone whom you can trust.
Next week, be ready to share what you learned or how you responded—without feeling obligated to disclose private details.
