Tricked by the Gibeonites
Joshua 9:1-27
INTRODUCTION: As great a leader as Joshua is, he has one flaw that is a warning to us all. He tends to trust his own wisdom too much at times. In the incident with Achan, he planned the battle against Ai without consulting the Lord. In this chapter, he figured out what to do with the Gibeonites without checking with God. But this is not just Joshua’s sin. Do you have a tendency to act on what you see and understand without asking God and seeking His wisdom? We all need to be careful not to fail in this area.
I. THE GATHERING OF THE ENEMY (9:1-2)
A. The Kings Heard of the Coming of Israel (v.1; 10:1-4)
B. The Kings Gathered to Fight Against Israel (v.2; Psalm 2:1-2; 83:4-5; Proverbs 11:21)
NOTE: While Joshua focused on the obvious enemy, he forgot about the hidden one. First, he was surprised by sin in the camp and here he is taken by deceit. Satan is a deceiver (Genesis 3:1; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9). We should always be on the outlook for him and his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Peter 5:8).
II. THE DECEIT OF THE GIBEONITES (9:3-13)
A. The Snare of Fraud (v.3-6)
1. They feared destruction (v.3)
2. They did work wilily (v.4-5); meaning, with wile: a sly trick, a deceitful stratagem.
a. They pretended to be from a far country
b. We are warned against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11)
3. They presented themselves to Joshua as innocent men (v.6)
B. The Snare of Flattery (v.7-11)
1. They offer themselves as servants (v.7-8)
2. They praise the fame of Israel (v.9-11)
a. We have heard of your greatness (v.9-10)
b. We have come to offer our service (v.11a)
c. Please make a league with us (v.11b)
NOTE: The devil will flatter you in order to win you
a. The strange woman (Proverbs 7:13-15)
b. The praise of men (Psalm 49:18; John 12:43)
C. The Snare of Falsehood (v.12-13)
1. Moldy bread
2. Rent bottles of wine
3. Old shoes and garments
NOTE: The devil will lie to you (Genesis 3:1-5)
III. THE FAILURE OF THE ISRAELITES (9:14-15)
A. Their Reliance on Homan Wisdom (v.14)
1. They took of their vittles; that is, they accepted what they saw with their own eyes at face value (see 2 Corinthians 5:7)
2. They asked not counsel of the Lord (Ephesians 5:10, 17; Colossians 1:9)
B. Joshua’s League with the Gibeonites (v.15); they made league (covenant) with those they were to destroy (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)
NOTE: How often do we fail the Lord because we do not ask counsel of Him before we act? This is a warning to all of us.
IV. THE DISCOVERY OF THEIR ERROR (9:16-21)
A. The Discovery of Their Error (v.16-17)
1. Three days would have made the difference; if they had only waited on the Lord (Numbers 32:23)
2. They came upon the cities of the Gibeonites
B. The Murmuring of the Congregation (v.18)
1. The princes were required to keep their covenant (Proverbs 15:4)
2. The congregation murmured against them; when leaders lead in the wrong direction, much trouble is caused (Jeremiah 23:1-2)
C. The Burden of their Sin (v.19-21)
1. They cannot be killed (v.19-20)
2. They will be servants (v.21)
NOTE: Though all sins can be forgiven, their scars cannot always be removed in this life. We carry them with us to the grave. This is a warning to all who would take sin lightly.
V. THE POSITION OF THE GIBEONITES (9:22-27)
A. Joshua Curses the Gibeonites (v.22-23)
1. Scolded because of their lies (v.22)
2. Cursed because of their trickery (v.23)
B. The Gibeonites Accept their Position (v.24-25)
1. Their other choice was death (v.24)
2. They accept whatever happens (v.25)
C. They become Servants to the Israelites (v.26-27)
1. They lived because of the oath (v.26)
2. They served the congregation (v.27a)
3. They served the altar of the Lord (v.27b)
CONCLUSION: The will of the Lord must be preeminent in our lives. Never fail to seek God’s will in the decisions you make in your life.
MEMORY VERSES:
q Ephesians 5:17
q 1 Peter 5:8
q Colossians 1:9
By David F. Reagan
Copyright © 2002
Antioch Baptist Church Knoxville, Tennessee