November 8, 2020 Sermon--The Gibeonite Deception
Joshua • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Two truths and a lie. How many of you have played that game?
Fun game
Lies are serious.
If we believe a lie about a person we can trust or abandon them without cause.
If we believe a lie about something we eat or drink, our health could be compromised.
We understand that knowing the truth is very important.
Joshua and the Israelites are going to experience the danger of deception today.
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.
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
So the word is spreading and people are realizing the real threat that Israel is to their way of life in the land.
The people of Gibeon launch an ambitious plot to save their lives and their towns.
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.
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.”
7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?”
Of course the leaders of Israel weren’t born yesterday. They knew enough to raise questions. And to give you background, God instructed the people to not make treaties with the inhabitants of the land.
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.
The Gibeonites honestly enough pointed out that they’d seen what God had done for Israel
Now they complete the deception again pointing out the obvious truths shown by their worn out supplies.
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.”
And so after all this the leaders of Israel make what they think to be the best choice, they sample the good and make a call.
14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.
With every step and every interaction God had guided them so far. As long as they followed God they found success. When they stepped away from God, they swallowed lies.
Opening Up Joshua The Foolishness of Joshua and the Elders (vv. 14–16)
‘It was not that they were sloppy in their investigation but they were alone in their decision. It wasn’t that they didn’t think but that they didn’t pray. They did not have because they did not ask (James 4:2).’
The result
15 And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
16 At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them.
17 And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18 But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
19 But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.”
21 And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of them.
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.
Do you notice the similiarity here between Rahab and the Gibeonites. Both the prostitute and the condemned people recognized that God was working with the Israelites. Both made life choices with the belief in the power of God. God blessed Rahab and God spared the Gibeonites.
In fact years later even after the exile we still read of the Gibeonites as part of the Israelite community.
7 And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River.
These were men repairing the wall around Jerusalem hundreds of years after this moment with Joshua.
One thing I also want to point out in the passage is that the Men of Gibeon were the ones who recognized God’s power, they spoke about God, and they made life changing choices based on the power of God. They sold a lie to Isreal only because they knew God’s power was to be feared.
Joshua and the Israelites for a moment chose not to depend on the power of God. And in that moment the made a choice with hundreds of years of rammifications.
We must remember that the devil loves to deceive.
We must remember that the devil loves to deceive.
Just as Joshua and the Israelites found themselves believing a lie we also face that risk ourselves as believers.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Satan is constantly plotting schemes against believers and against God.
Satan is abele to appear to be good and non threatening.
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
We must watch out for the lies of the devil in our lives. There are no little sins. The ends never justify the means. If you want to find the ultimate meaning, purpose and pleasure in your life, don’t love yourself first, love God.
13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
We must also remember to seek advice
We must also remember to seek advice
We must remember that no matter how wise we and our advisors seem to be God is smarter and wiser. Take your financial decisions to God in prayer. Take your relational choices to God in prayer. Take your job decisions to the Lord in prayer.
Opening Up Joshua The Importance of Seeking Guidance
‘No proposed course of conduct can be so clear to a Christian as to excuse him from the duty of seeking direction from above.’
Seek God and His wisdom.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Spend time in God’s word. Live by God’s word.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The devil has thousands of years experience learning to deceive. Don’t believe you’r smart enough to figure out his lies without God’s help.
But do understand the devil is selling lies left and right that have devastating consequences.
"You just need to be good enough or better than the next person.” —Leads to an eternity in helll
“You can find meaning in money or stuff...” Leads to a lifetime of empty pursuits.
“If you don’t put yourself first, you’ll never get ahead in life....” Leads to brokenness through your life.
“If you just grit your teeth you can beat your addiction without facing underlying hurts.”…leads to more addiction.
“The church is just an old social club”…Leads to men and women walking away from the most life giving community on earth.
Friends, God’s word is a compass, an anchor, it tells us the truth endlessly if we are willing to listen. Will you take time to take your choices before God today?