Joshua 9:1-6
ESV
The Gibeonite Deception
9 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, 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.”
These men wanted to deceive Isreal. They pretend to be people of God and sought peace and a covenant with them. They said they were from a distant land. They were able to do this because they had worn-out clothes and crumbling bread.
What I want us to focus on is➡
Joshua 9:14-15
ESV
14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. 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.
Did you read it? They did not seek God’s counsel which is His wisdom, advice, etc
How many of us ask for God’s wisdom or do we rely on our sight? How many of us look at something and decide in our heads? This is from God and it’s okay.
We, as people want to listen to our wisdom. What we feel is right and what we should do.
How do we seek God’s wisdom today?
1) Read the word
2) Pray
The word is a lamp to our feet (Psalm 119:105). It directs us and guides us. It frees us from bondage and reveals what is right and wrong. In prayer, we ask God for wisdom who promises to give us wisdom (James 1:5).
We should trust in the wisdom of God above our own. We should trust in His direction because He knows where He is taking us. He knows what is best for us and how to get there. God knows a lot more than we do!
In the same way, if they had sought God first, they wouldn’t have experienced what they did. In the same way, we should learn from their mistake to seek what God wants and desires for us to do.
Proverbs 3:5-6
ESV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
-etty