Joshua 9

No, You Can’t Get to Heaven

We need more sing along. I sing, you echo.

No, You Can’t Get to Heaven

In a Kleenex box.

No, You Can’t Get to Heaven

In a Kleenex box.

No, You can’t get to heaven in a Kleenex box. ‘cause God don’t want no dirty snots.

All my sins are washed away I’ve been redeemed.

In or Out

How does one get to heaven? How does one get to be “in” with God? In his family? In his Kingdom?

We have the “right” answer, and we have our functional answer. The one we actually use to judge people based on how they look and how they act.

Maybe the way we judge ourselves on how we act.

We have the inner circle, the saints. The pastors and the worship team. (That’s the real reason Eddie started learning drums, he wanted to make sure he was on God’s A-list). Every part of that is false, by the way :D.

People who go to church regularly. People who say they are Christians but aren’t really part of a church right now. People who are really nice. And outside that… scumbags.

We have our circles… and at some level we think that the closer you are to the center, the more godly you are… and so you get into heaven.

“’cause God don’t want no dirty snots!”

The people of Israel had that too. This idea goes all the way back. Priests -> Israel -> Proselytes/Converts -> Others (Canaanites)

Summary

Recall that the Israelites are on a rampage. Jericho fell in this obviously mysterious way, and God gets the glory… and the Canaanites are terrified. Then Ai fell in this epicly awesome plan… but God still gets the glory. He invites the Israelites to participate more in the victory AND participate more in the spoils… but the Victory and the Glory all goes to Him.

And you thought the Canaanites were terrified before!

The Gibeonites

The Great Contrast

Joshua 9

1 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, 2 they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.

This is a rational reaction to the invasion. Band together in the face of an incoming horde. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. They gather together to fight against Israel. These are different people groups, different city states creating one mega-army.

But this chapter isn’t about them. This chapter is about a group that had the opposite reaction.

If you can’t fight ‘em, join ‘em.

The Great Deception

3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, 5 with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly.

I love the drama here. What are they going to do with these random items? Those of you who haven’t read ahead, I wouldn’t suspect their plan. “The Israelites are coming? Quick, get me old sandals… and crumbly bread! We got this. Operation G is a go!”

6 And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.”

Doesn’t that sound suspicious? I promise we are from a super distant country… And the people of Israel are suspicious:

7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” 8 They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.”

“Look how SUPER OLD our sandals are!”

The Israelites “Those are super old sandals. And really crumbly bread! I bet they are from far away!”

But this isn’t about the Israelites and their gullibility. It is about the Gibeonites! Who are these guys.

Sinners. Pagans. Condemned by the Word of God under the ban, committed to absolute destruction! Sinners doomed to die. And what we hear other places in Scripture about the Canaanites is really bad. Idolatry, fornication of every kind, human sacrifice, child sacrifice. 400 years God waited for “their iniquity to be complete…” and now it is and they are under judgment.

These guys are pagans. And what are they doing here? Lies. Deception. Conning the people of God. Selling them a story. False pretences.

The Starting Point

So let’s be clear about their starting point!

The Gibeonite’s starting point was paganism. There starting point was lies and deception.

… but think about what they did in contrast to what the rest of the nations of Canaan did. The other peoples when confronted with the power of God expressed through His people? They fought. Their response was against God and his people.

What did the Gibeonites do? Was it honest? No. Was it good? No. But confronted with the power of God, they latched onto perhaps the only plan they could think of to join the people of God.

In so doing they echo the response of Rahab. How can I be for God and His people. It is in lies and deceit… but these are pagans steeped in sin. The amazing thing, the miraculous thing, is their desire to be with the people of Israel instead of against.

Rahab lied to get on the Israelites good side. Here, the Gibeonite’s do the same.

But the heart of their response to YWHW, in contrast to the nations around them, there desire was to join God’s side rather than fight.

Their response was for God rather than against God. For God’s people rather than against God’s people.

The starting point was gross. Their means were foul. But their direction was good.

How did it end up for the Gibeonites. Well the Israelites make the covenant and then days later discover that the Gibeonites are actually their neighbors!

The Result of the Gibeonite deception

Joshua 9:22-27

22 Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. 25 And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” 26 So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place that he should choose.

IT WORKED!!!

What was the result? They were folded in to the people of Israel. In a lowly position at first. But this covenant lasts into the monarchy with Saul and beyond, perhaps even through the exile as the Nethinim, dedicated to the temple.

A curse? They got to live, they were thrilled with getting to be servants… but ultimately servants for the altar of the LORD!

From the grossest of starting points… God brings them into the family and into the Kingdom.

What’s Your Starting Point?

It isn’t about where you start. And, ultimately, it isn’t about the means by which you move towards him… because it is never going to be your means that save you! Your means are always partial. Your motivations are always mixed.

And you know today that your motivations are mixed. You know where your starting point was… and maybe you think it’s gross.

Where are you in the circle of salvation?

Your starting point may be gross.

That may be where you were. That may be where you are today. Disqualified because you are too far from the center. And other people might think you are closer… but you know that you have them fooled.

You are wearing old sandals and holding crumbly bread. You know the right words to sound SUPER-CHRISTIAN. “I’ll pray for you, brother!” We all know how to fake it when we need to. #realTalk. Sometimes you are motivated here this morning because your heart is filled with the presence of the Lord and the love of your fellow Christian… and sometimes you want free coffee and people not to call you and ask why you weren’t at church this week.

Your motives are mixed. Your starting point is gross.

But our circle diagram is ridiculous. We all know that… but how hard it is for that to penetrate into our hearts. It doesn’t matter where we land in the circles, it doesn’t matter where we start in the circles… and with regard to our salvation (hear me) it doesn’t matter which circle we are in when we die!!!

One thing matters… our direction. Are we for God or against God.

Or, in the clearest way possible, are we for Jesus Christ or against Him. Will we, today and on that future day, will we seek to strive against him, protect ourselves against him like the Canaanites…

Or will we, even in our brokenness and mixed motives and all of the mess that we are…

Will we do anything to be on God’s side?

God doesn’t care if your sandals are old. He isn’t fooled. He sees your heart.

And to your heart he says. I know your sin and brokenness… and I have already taken care of it. Will you follow me? Will you be part of my family? Part of my Kingdom?

Oh, You Can Get to Heaven

So we need to sing together again even as the worship team comes up.

Oh, You Can Get to Heaven (echo)

Through Jesus Christ (echo)

Oh, You Can Get to Heaven (echo)

Through Jesus Christ (echo)

Oh, You Can Get to Heaven Through Jesus Christ, ‘cause He’s the Way, the Truth, the Life. All my sins are washed away, I’ve been Redeemed.