THOUGHTS ON JOSHUA CHAPTER 9
The theme of this chapter is centred on three things.
1. Desperation
2. Deception
3. Carelessness
The Gibeonites were sore afraid of the Israelites because of what their Great God did to the other kings and their people around them. They became desperate so they decided to deceive the Israelites in order to save their lives.
Israel fell for their deception because they were careless!
Verse 14 states, “And the men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.”
People of God, it is very dangerous not to wait for God’s instructions before you take any step. Look at what happened here in verse15, ” And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them to make them live: and the Princes of the congregation sware unto them.”
Israelites, the people of God entered into a covenant with the people whom God told them to destroy and possess their land due to insensitivity in the Spirit.
The Gibeonites had a hidden agenda which the Israelites were unable to detect from their long explanations starting from verse 9-13. They could not give a straight answer to two simple questions asked by Joshua in Verse 8;”Who are ye? And from whence come ye?”
They responded to the questions cunningly by not disclosing their identity and the name of their country. They went beating about the bush with long explanations why they wore tartared clothes and so on.
It is good to listen to people with our physical and spiritual ears widely open. Read in between lines people’s sentences!
LESSONS LEARNT
1. We must always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
2. We must cultivate the habit of always enquiring from the Lord about every matter.
3. Do not be in a hurry to take any decision without having heard from God.
PRAYER
Father, help us to always depend on you in all that we do ; never taking any decision without Your counsel in Jesus Christ’s Mighty Name! Amen
