Clever Gibeonites Joshua 9

 

Joshua 9  Clever Gibeonites

 

The Gibeonites were very clever, and they were a bunch of liars. They pretended to be envoys from a far country when, in fact, they lived only a few miles from Jerusalem. They told Joshua that they really wanted to worship the living and true God. They showed Joshua their old sacks and wineskins, their old shoes and threadbare clothing, and their moldy beard.  It was all a hoax, but Joshua fell for it. God had ordered the Israelites to completely wipe out the people of the land and to make no treaties with them. He was deceived into making peace with them. Neither Joshua nor any of the men of Israel asked the mind of God before entering this alliance.

 The Gibeonites represent for us the devil. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11.  “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Deut. 6:12. Satan tries to trick you into following him. He went to church last Sunday, and he will be there next Sunday.  He wants to be religious, and he wants you to fall down and worship him. Unfortunately, you and I are sometimes ignorant of his devices. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. We are to have nothing to do with that which we are not well informed.

When Israel discovered that the Gibeonites were neighbors, and had tricked them, they still honored the treaty they had made with them. A man’s word is very important. And that is the way God wants it today.

 Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

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J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible.