Pam Padgett ... teacher
After the children of Israel destroyed Jericho and Ai, the Hivites
(inhabitants of Gibeon) were fearful of them. They had heard that God
had commanded Moses to give the children of Israel the land and had
commanded that they destroy all the inhabitants of the land.
Joshua 9:24 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.
So they devised a way to trap the Israelites into being in league with
them rather than destroying them. They lied, saying they were from a
far away land, and even had old wine, bread, sacks, clothes, and shoes
to make this look to be the case.
Joshua 9:3 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.
At first, Joshua and the men of Israel were wary of what these men
said. But the men spoke of having heard of the things God had done
against the enemies of the Israelites. And they showed the old items
(bread, wine, etc.), saying they were new at the beginning of their
journey, offering these as evidence that their journey had been long.
Joshua 9:7 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? 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.
The men of Israel, seeing and hearing what the Hivites presented, believed what they were told ... without first turning to God .... and they were deceived.
Joshua 9:14 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.
As I read this account I was reminded of ... Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
God knows the truth about each person and each matter we come across.
But we can become blinded by our own understanding and our own wisdom,
and fail to turn to God.
We see this example of Joshua and the men of Israel being deceived by
the well thought-out trap the Hivites devised. How much more are we in
danger of being deceived as deception increases more and more as the day
of the Lord approaches. We need to
approach each matter in a spiritual way, turning to God and seeking His
truth on the matter.
2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been
assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a
child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee
wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.