Sermon Tone Analysis

The children of Israel made it into the Promised Land

The children of Israel made it into the Promised Land

1- God brought them out so He could bring them in to something else

2- God always finishes what He starts

; )

; )

The Promised Land was also a problem land

So it is with the Christian life ___We encourage each other

We encourage each other

The Israelites were in front of two mountains, shouting the blessings and cursings

While they worshiped, the kings of Canaan were strategizing how to defeat them

You may face a battle the minute you leave churchJoshua's strategy

Divide and conquer the middle section of the landJericho, then Ai, Gibeon, and BethelThen he would take the southern half and northern half

Joshua 9:1-.

Now they're only 15 miles away.

Now they're only 15 miles away.

And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him-- and to the men of Israel-- we have come from a far country.

Now they're only 15 miles away.

[LAUGHTER]

That was next on the hit list.

Let's go to Gibeon and take it.

That was the idea.

That's part of that central swath of four cities.

We've come from a far country.

And now, therefore, make a covenant with us.

That was next on the hit list.

Let's go to Gibeon and take it.

That was the idea.

That's part of that central swath of four cities.

We've come from a far country.

And now, therefore, make a covenant with us.

Some of the commentators that I have read over the years have noted that the children of Israel had three enemies when they came into the Promised Land.

Number one, Jericho, number two, Ai, number three, Gibeon.

The commentators are quick to say that Jericho represents the world, the city of Ai represents the flesh, but the men of Gibeon represent the Devil.

Some of the commentators that I have read over the years have noted that the children of Israel had three enemies when they came into the Promised Land.

1- Jericho, 2- Ai, 3- Gibeon.

Jericho—represented the world

Ai—represented the flesh

Gibeon—represented the Devil

And I don't want to force too much interpretation into it, but I do understand and I do see the representation-- because they lie, and Satan is the Father of all lies.

He's a liar and the Father of it, Jesus said.

And Satan, like the Gibeonites, works off of a premise.

And the premise goes like this-- if you can't beat them, join them.

If you can't beat them outright, they're coming to get you, just fit in and act like you are one of them.

So let's get the enemy on the inside-- that's Satan's thinking.

I'll work among them.

So he seeks to join them by forging an alliance.

And I don't want to force too much interpretation into it, but I do understand and I do see the representation-- because they lie, and Satan is the Father of all lies.

He's a liar and the Father of it, Jesus said.

And Satan, like the Gibeonites, works off of a premise.

And the premise goes like this-- if you can't beat them, join them.

If you can't beat them outright, they're coming to get you, just fit in and act like you are one of them.

So let's get the enemy on the inside-- that's Satan's thinking.

I'll work among them.

So he seeks to join them by forging an alliance.

Gibeon—represented the Devil

because they lie, and Satan is the Father of all lies.

He's a liar and the Father of it, Jesus said.

And Satan, like the Gibeonites, works off of a premise.

And the premise goes like this-- if you can't beat them, join them.

If you can't beat them outright, they're coming to get you, just fit in and act like you are one of them.

So let's get the enemy on the inside-- that's Satan's thinking.

I'll work among them.

So he seeks to join them by forging an alliance.’

The Gibeonites are understanding what's happening here.

The children of Israel are the new kids in town.

They're here to take no prisoners, to kill everybody, take over our land, and so they're looking for options.

They're looking for loopholes.

And so their option that they come up with is, let's pretend that we are from a foreign country-- We'll pretend that we are ambassadors or envoys from a foreign land-- and we'll appeal to their pride, as you will see when we get down to verse 9. How they say it will appeal to-- it'll make them sound like they have heard of their fame, and they've heard of the greatness of their God, and they're amazed by God, and amazed by the children of Israel, and it's enough to make anybody kind of go, I am pretty cool.

The Gibeonites are understanding what's happening here.

The children of Israel are the new kids in town.

They're here to take no prisoners, to kill everybody, take over our land, and so they're looking for options.

They're looking for loopholes.

And so that's their only option.

They know they're backed into a corner, so it's survival mode.

So they resort to treachery.

And Satan does work that way-- not always, but sometimes.

In fact, most often.

You know, it was Peter who noted that our enemy the Devil, is like a roaring what?

And so that's their only option.

They know they're backed into a corner, so it's survival mode.

So they resort to treachery.

Lion.

Lion.

Seeking whom he may devour.

That is true.

But he doesn't always come like a roaring lion.

Sometimes he comes, not like a roaring lion, but like a resting lamb-- a wolf in sheep's clothing.

He comes up to the sheepfold and he's got the voice down.

Bah.

And he's so sweet and so nice, so everybody goes, well, he must be a sheep, and he's a nice one too.

Sometimes he's a roaring lion, but other times it's trickery.

And so the Gibeonites come, and they have a story, and they say make a treaty with us.

What did Paul say to the Corinthians?

He said Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

So it's no Marvel that his ministers can do the same.

And so the Gibeonites come, and they have a story, and they say make a treaty with us.

But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, perhaps you dwell among us-- maybe you're really not from afar-- maybe you're really from next door.

And they were.

How can we make a covenant with you?

Joshua 9:7-10

And they said to Joshua, we are your servants.