Joshua 9 Gibeonite deception
I) Missing Counsel
A) File: Joshua 9 Gibeonite deception.doc
B) Audio: Missing Counsel
C) Series: Victory in the promised land
D) Preached: August 5, 2007.
II) Context: Joshua 9:1-27
A) Israelites conquering promised land.
B) Victory at Jericho
C) Defeat and then victory at Ai
D) A worship service and renewal of covenant near Shechem
III) READ Joshua 9
IV) What is the point of the story? The primary lesson?
A) Do not be deceived by the enemy!
1) A lesson on how the world can deceive us?
(a) This is how the enemy often comes: A liar and deceiver, the father of lies.
(i) Not devouring lion (1 Peter 5:8).
(ii) Vv1-2 show this role played out.
(iii) Here, deceivers sent straight to Joshua to thwart.
(b) 2 Cor. 11:3 “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
2) Used law Dt. 20:10-20. Could make peace with outsiders.
(a) Dt. 7:2 – make no covenant.
3) Horrible results of deception.
(a) v18: Division in the camp!
(b) Enemy in the camp.
(i) Dt. 7:2 – prevent intermarriage and religious corruption.
4) A good lesson: Do not be deceived by the enemy! Matt 10:16 “sheep, wolves, serpents, doves”
5) But that’s not the primary lessons here…
B) Beware of false conversions.
1) From Israelite point of view:
(a) Unbelievers in the congregation.
(b) Clearly to be the case in the church.
(i) Wheat and Tares. Matt 13:24-30.
(ii) “Lord, Lord!” Matt. 7:21-23.
(iii) Discipline – “treat him as an unbeliever”
2) From Gibeonites point of view:
(a) False faith. Fleeing the wrath.
(b) Legal servitude but not true faith.
(i) V24 – clearly believed God.
(ii) James 2:19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder!”
(iii) But not a saving faith like Rahab – honest approach.
· True faith – resulting in works vs. some level of belief resulting in sin. (Heb. 11:31, James 2:25)
(iv) Ex: give, attend, serve, but not surrender.
· Social pressure, peace in household.
3) A cause for self-examination
4) A reminder that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord!” is a true believer.
5) But that is not the primary lesson here…
C) Keep your word?
1) They made a covenant and a promise and they kept it.
2) Was this right?
3) Yes – 2 Sam. 21. Accountable to keep their word in this very matter. Saul had waged war on the Gibeonites (even though his home town). After Saul’s death a famine. David prayed. God told him it was because Saul has killed them. He called the Gibeonites who requested 7 of Saul’s sons for retribution. They were put to death and the famine ended. Held accountable hundreds of years later.
(a) This case: obey the order to subdue the enemy or keep their word. If they obey the order to subdue the enemy they break the commandment against lying! They are to be a testimony to God.
(b) In this case it was right to keep the vow.
(c) However, Saul in 1 Sam. 14:24 swears an oath. Jonathan his son eats. The oath was not kept – foolish!
4) Jesus warned against making vows, Matt. 5:37 “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.”
5) Be careful the commitments we make and keep our word are good lessons.
6) But that is not the primary lesson here…
D) God works all things to the good…?
1) A lesson on how even if we make mistakes, it will turn out alright? Rom. 8:28.
(a) The armies mass together, Israel (but mostly God) wipes them out.
2) We can’t really look at it this way:
(a) Land supposed to be cleared out – purified from false religions. Never totally complete. Israel falls into idolatry. Must assume a Gibeonite influence. Levitical city, tabernacle here, Solomon worshiped here, only 5 mi. from Jerusalem.
3) Even though God works things to the good – this should not be the focus of this passage – God’s people have messed up! What is the nature of the error?
4) There is clearly an error here:
(a) Murmuring – people are upset. Marched straight there.
(b) Instructions of the Lord are left undone.
(c) Something is wrong.
(d) The key is in verse 14.
E) Consult God every step of the way.
1) We are learning about God’s people entering into the promises He has for them.
(a) For the Israelite – the Promised Land.
(b) For the Christian – abundant life.
2) An interruption in the brilliant campaign is interrupted by an error – a failure to ask counsel of the Lord!
3) Prov. 3:5-6:
(a) 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
(b) and do not lean on your own understanding.
(c) 6In all your ways acknowledge him,
(d) and he will make straight your paths.
(e) 7Be not wise in your own eyes;
(f) fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
(g) 8It will be healing to your flesh
(h) and refreshment to your bones.
4) Leaders
(a) Remember Joshua 1:17: “Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses!”
(b) The number one qualification. Letters to Timothy and Titus – character issues!
(c) Acts 6: A problem arose – but leaders had the congregation pick servants from among themselves so they could “devote [themselves] to prayer and the ministry of the Word.”
(i) Prayer and the Word both important:
5) Not just leaders – but everyone
(a) Lives are at stake! For us, our families, our peers.
V) Look how the book of Joshua teaches us how to live the Christian life:
A) Set priorities, exercise faith, maintain holiness, be devoted to the Word, and now, consult the Lord in all matters.
B) Coming up – how the Lord heeds the call of the faithful.
1) How the Lord has us to divide and conquer.
VI) Notes
A) vv1-2: The obvious enemy.
1) When they heard of this? Heard of what? The worship service at the mountains? Or is this referring back to the victory at Ai prior to that?
2) This is what we often look for. So far battles have been straight-forward. Could the Israelites have been focused on these?
B) vv3-5: But Gibeon…
1) they acted with cunning (ws).
2) Look at the extent of the deception.
(a) Great lengths taken to deceive the people of God.
3) The Gibeonites represent false converts among the people of God. They acted in a way that deceived the people of God.
(a) They did this in order to avoid judgment.
4) If it was indeed God they feared – they would not have dared to try to escape by sinning so greatly!
(a) But it was the people they feared – and trusted that they would keep a covenant they had made.
5) They knew something about Israel’s story – that it was this land and the people in it that they were taking. This is why the whole ploy was to act like someone from a land not under the Lord’s judgment.
(a) People act this way in speaking with church members. They act like they know the Lord all the while trying to avoid judgment.
(b) They have a reason for hiding – they know judgment is coming but they think deceiving the people of God will help.
6) vv21, 27 – make them slaves.
(a) Notice the decision to make them servants as opposed to breaking their word.
(b) This is what happens to people who come into the congregation of God’s people under false pretenses.
C) Why someone would come deceivingly into the people of God?
1) To stop the nagging.
(a) To have peace in the home.
2) To score points with God.
(a) A legalistic view of God as opposed to grace.
3) To receive honor and respect from men.
(a) To fit in.
D) Did the Israelites have to honor this mistake?
1) Yes – 2 Sam. 21 shows that God held them accountable to keep their word. Saul had waged war on the Gibeonites (even though that was his home town). Some time after Saul’s death there was a famine. David prayed. God told him it was because Saul has killed them. He called the Gibeonites who requested 7 of Saul’s sons for retribution. They were put to death and the famine ended.
2) So, we are accountable for keeping our word, maybe even outside of God’s will.
(a) An exception is Saul’s foolish vow to kill Jonathan.
3) Why? Would the people of the Holy God be liars? It is better to admit their error and keep their word.
E) Primary Lesson: Consult God in everything.
1) Word is not enough. 8:30-35 records an incredible worship service honoring God but here they failed to consult God.
2) V14: “they did not ask counsel from the Lord.”
F) Other Lessons:
1) Not everyone calling “Lord, Lord” is the real thing.
(a) Belief and fear – but not saving faith!
2) As followers of God, we are expected to keep our word.
(a) But what if we didn’t know…
(i) We should know to ask – we are to be wise as serpents!
August 5, 2007, Missing Counsel
Joshua 9:1-27
1) Do not be _________________ by the enemy (2 Cor. 11:3; Dt. 20:10-20, 7:2; Matt. 10:16;)
2) Beware of _________________ conversions. (Matt. 13:24-30, 7:21-23; James 2:19, 2:25; Heb. 11:31)
3) Keep your ___________________. (2 Sam. 21; 1 Sam. 14:24; Matt. 5:37.)
4) God works all things to the ___________________... (Rom. 8:28)
5) __________________ God every step of the way. (Joshua 9:14; Proverbs 3:5-8;)[1]
Notes: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Gibeon in modern times is called el-Jib. It is located about 5 miles north of Jerusalem. Archaeological evidence has strongly supported the biblical account of this city and its location.
The Battle for Gibeon Israel attacked the Amorite kings outside of Gibeon and chased them as far as Makkedah.[2]
Joshua 9:14 (ESV) “So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.”[3]
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[1] 1) deceived; 2) false; 3) word; 4) good; 5) Consult;
[2]Elwell, Walter A., and Philip Wesley Comfort. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Tyndale reference library, Page 530. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.
[3]The Holy Bible : English Standard Version., Jos 9:14. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001.