Remembering to Reload
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· 6 viewsWhen we experience small victories we must remember to no rest on those victories but to reload our spirit for the next battle.
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Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
This morning we are going to be returning to the Book of Joshua, and specifically we are going to be looking at some events of Joshua 9.
Now, we left Joshua and the Israelites a few weeks ago, just getting ready to enter into the Promised Land.
And remember, Moses, Aaron, and all of the first generation except Joshua and Caleb are now dead and gone.
And Joshua has been appointed to be the next leader of the Israelites.
And what has happened between those events of chapter 1 and where we are going to pick up in chapter 9, has revealed some ups and downs for the Israelites but mainly they have enjoyed a great deal of success.
Joshua has led them over the Jordan River into the Promised land actually parting the river much like Moses the Red Sea.
The only difference was that they didn’t have a bunch of Egyptians breathing down their necks.
Joshua and the children of Israel have taken the land of Jericho.
Israel had been defeated at Ai because a man named Achin violated God’s command, costing them the victory.
However, after Achin’s sin was discovered and dealt with, they went back to Ai and gained victory over it as well.
All in all things were going very well for them.
And honestly they were at a high place in their relationship with God.
Things were going good and they were cruising along.
Which is precisely what led to them getting themselves into trouble in our passage here.
Not that they were being blessed by God, but they let their guard down.
They had won the victory but forgot to reload their weapons for the next battle.
So, let’s get into the passage this morning.
Joshua 9, starting in verse 3 . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 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. 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.” The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 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, 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. 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.” ’ 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. 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.” The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
The Plot is Hatched
The Plot is Hatched
Now on the surface, we may look at this passage and say “so what?”
What’s the big deal? Israel is just making a treaty with a neighbor, where is the harm in that?
Well, it all has to do with who these people were and what God’s commands given to Israel much earlier were all about.
Let’s go back to Deuteronomy 7 . . .
When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.
Do you see it there in verse 2?
Destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.
And the Gibeonites were aware of this promise of God, and they were afraid.
They were also aware of what the Israelites had already accomplished . . .
However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 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.
So, the Gibeonites had heard all the things that the Lord had done with the children of Israel and how God had delivered them.
They had heard about their victories over Jericho and Ai, how God had parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River.
And when they heard this they were afraid.
They knew that God had told the Israelites to drive out and destroy all inhabitants of their land.
Not to make deals and not to make treaties with them.
To show them no mercy.
And the Gibeonites knew that Israel was much stronger than they were and there was no chance for them to defeat the Israelites.
So they hatched a plan to deceive Joshua and the children of Israel.
They dressed up in old clothes with old dried up wine sacks and got some old moldy bread and made it look like they had been traveling a great distance.
All in an attempt to hide their true identity and where they really came from.
They went through great lengths to deceive the children of Israel.
And the lesson for all of us in this is that Satan goes to great lengths to deceive us.
He is not going to show up in a red suit, with horns and pitchfork.
He is going to look like the most inciting or most benign thing we have ever seen.
He is going to get us to let our guard down, get us comfortable with him being in the room with us.
He is going to get us to say, “what’s the harm…who is it hurting.”
And it is all a ruse, a great deception.
Look around, we see it every single day in our society.
We have abandoned the Law of God for the rule of man.
God tells us to destroy the sin—to eradicate it—to kill it, in our lives, but we have resolved to co-exist with it.
To tolerate it.
To just live with it.
To not stand against it.
Because that is easier.
We don’t cause any waves that way.
Nobody gets upset—nobody gets their feelings hurt.
Nobody gets offended.
Folks, the reality is, when you start talking about Jesus, people will get offended.
When you start talking about Him being the ONLY WAY to heaven, people are not going to like it.
When you start talking about an eternity in Hell apart from God for those who do not repent of their sin— you will not be the most popular person in the room.
People will deny it.
People will get mad.
People will get offended.
People will make fun of you.
People will call you names and try to get you to shut up.
All because the Gospel of Jesus Christ destroys their fragile worldview and sinful nature.
And they are confronted with a choice.
Either repent of your sin and accept Jesus Christ or die apart from Christ and spend eternity in Hell.
And if that is offensive to you this morning that you will just have to deal with it.
Because my job here is to tell you the truth, not pad your ego.
Where Do You Come From
Where Do You Come From
The problem though in our passage and in most churches is that we have become too comfortable with the devil living among us.
We gain some small victory and we think we have won the war.
And we are subject to the great deception.
Look at what happens next . . .
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.”
Okay, so they show up in all their garb and tell Joshua, “we ain’t from around here, but we think we should make a treaty and work together.”
“Let’s just all get along...”
So, the Israelites decide to be a little careful and start asking some questions . . .
The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?”
So, they are a little bit suspicious at first.
They don’t know these guys, never seen them before, but the Gibeonites were prepared for this . . .
“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 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, 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.
We're from a far away country, but notice they never told them what country they were from!
We are servants of the Lord thy God.
We have heard how great He is.
How he delivered out of Egypt, how He defeated the Amorites, Sihon, and Og.
We know how great and powerful you are o' Israel.
Completely buttering them up.
Playing on their ego.
Oh, look how great y’all are, we just want to be part of the greatness!
Making them feel oh so good.
But when you start examining their story, even outside of their outfits and props, it doesn't add up.
They are supposed to be from a far away country but they are hearing of things that have just been taking place?
There had been o time for the news to get to them.
They didn’t have the 6:00 news or the Internet.
News traveled much slower in those days.
So, it was obvious that they were lying, but Joshua and the Israelites were caught off guard.
They were caught resting on their laurels, victories, and reputations.
They were caught with their amour off.
They had forgotten to reload for the next battle.
And our Bible warns us against this, if we choose to apply it . . .
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
And . . .
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
And . . .
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
And one more . . .
Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
We are warned but we have to choose to heed to the warning.
We can't rest on "a good service" or "the present victory."
Too many churches and too many Christians have forgotten this.
Think about how many churches are resting on a "good service" they had 20 years ago?
Always looking backward, always looking to the past.
And that is one reason why they are dead and dried up.
That's why they have no power.
They have fallen victim to Satan’s deception.
They have forgotten to put on their amour.
They have forgotten Satan’s true nature.
They have forgotten to apply Peter’s words . . .
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
They are caught off guard, which is exactly what the Israelites were running into here.
Look the rest of it . . .
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.” ’ 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. 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.”
They were laying it on thick.
Everything “looked” to be in order.
It “looked” to be proper.
But looks can be very deceiving.
The Devil will try to convince you on what “looks like religion” or what “looks right,” or what “looks proper.”
But what does God say?
What does God’s Word say?
Have you even consulted with God?
The Israelites didn’t . . .
The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
They were so unaware they didn't even bother to ask God.
They made peace with them and entered into a treaty contrary to God's Word and God's will.
THEY WERE TOO BUSY LIVING IN YESTERDAY'S VICTORY TO BE PREPARED FOR TOMORROW'S BATTLE.
And this cost them dearly.
Three days later they found out the truth.
Which was three days too late.
Joshua and the Israelites were forced to keep their word and did not kill the Gibeonites.
But they had to live among them and their false gods, a constant reminder of their failure.
And a constant source of pulling Israelites away from God.
The Gibeonites were made woodcutters and water carriers and were servants to the Israelites, so they paid for their deception.
However, because Israel failed to "reload" and be on guard, they continue to pay to this day for not being able to drive out the inhabitants of the land.
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
How many times have we rested on yesterday's victory?
How many times have we failed to "reload for the next battle"?
How many times have we be caught with our guard down?
How many times have we failed God because we were not ready for the battle?
How many times have we compromised for the sake of “just getting along?”
How comfortable have we gotten with the sin of the world?
Let’s pray . . .