READ: Josh. 9:1-27. …but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them …
Not only violence and coercion, but also trickery and seduction can threaten God’s people. The latter is often more challenging to resist than direct opposition. Think of the devil’s cunning in the fall into sin. And that is precisely the method the devil eagerly uses (2 Cor. 2:11, Eph. 6:11). It requires the church to be very vigilant and to continually consult God’s Word and use it as a sword (Eph. 6:17).
This is also evident in Josh. 9. The kings of Canaan realize they will not prevail against Israel and its God. Moreover, in conquest, no one is spared. Some kings form an alliance to fight against Israel, but four cities, including Gibeon, choose to become allies of Israel through deceit. They send an envoy to Israel, pretending to be inhabitants of a very distant land and ask to make a covenant with them.
But the men of Israel do not trust them. They know that God has forbidden making a covenant with another people, but this only applies to the inhabitants of Canaan. The Gibeonites are prepared for this. Everything in their equipment and provisions seems to indicate that they have been on a very long journey. This convinces Joshua and his men with seemingly compelling evidence.
But Joshua does not consult the LORD with the Urim and Thummim. Everything is decided in haste. He gives in to what people claim and what is visible but does not listen to the LORD. They are deceived in this way. The covenant is sealed with an oath and cannot be broken. Thus, Israel sins against the LORD, even though they do not want to.
It is also a lesson for us. Something can seem acceptable, such as certain church contacts, but if you do not truly test it against God’s revealed Word, it can be a snare set by the adversary.
Do you know of an example of such a deception?
Singing: Ps. 33:4