Joshua 9:14 "And the men took of their
victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD."
This passage of Scripture speaks to us of something Israel did without asking wisdom from the Lord. They had just had two great victories - Jericho and Ai. News traveled across the land and the people of Gibeon made a plan to trick the Israelites into a covenant of peace. The men of Gibeon covered themselves with dust, put on old shoes, took mouldy crusty bread, and wine in very old bottles. They went to the people of Israel and said they had come from a far country because they had heard what the Lord had done for Israel in Egypt and as they had come through the wilderness. They asked Israel to make a league (promise) with them that they could live among them. Joshua and the other elders agreed to allow these people to live with them. Then they found out that these people were actually from the city of Gibeon which would have been the next city overthrown by Israel. Joshua and the people had sworn that they would spare these people, even though they had been deceived into making the covenant. They spared the people of Gibeon, but made them to be their servants. They cut wood for the fires and hauled water for the people.
We might look at that and say, well it all turned out okay in the end. Did it? Israel took the city. The Gibeonites were spared. Israel didn't have to cut wood or haul water after that. But it still was not acceptable. Why? you might ask. I'm glad you did. The reason it was not okay for these actions to transpire is found in verse 14: they "asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD." This was a major decision in accepting strangers into their camp and they made the decision without seeking wisdom from the Lord. We cannot speak too much concerning the importance of seeking God's wisdom in our lives. The wise man Solomon said, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16:25) It may seem to be okay, but if we do not seek God's approval, there are consequences that follow.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
This passage of Scripture speaks to us of something Israel did without asking wisdom from the Lord. They had just had two great victories - Jericho and Ai. News traveled across the land and the people of Gibeon made a plan to trick the Israelites into a covenant of peace. The men of Gibeon covered themselves with dust, put on old shoes, took mouldy crusty bread, and wine in very old bottles. They went to the people of Israel and said they had come from a far country because they had heard what the Lord had done for Israel in Egypt and as they had come through the wilderness. They asked Israel to make a league (promise) with them that they could live among them. Joshua and the other elders agreed to allow these people to live with them. Then they found out that these people were actually from the city of Gibeon which would have been the next city overthrown by Israel. Joshua and the people had sworn that they would spare these people, even though they had been deceived into making the covenant. They spared the people of Gibeon, but made them to be their servants. They cut wood for the fires and hauled water for the people.
We might look at that and say, well it all turned out okay in the end. Did it? Israel took the city. The Gibeonites were spared. Israel didn't have to cut wood or haul water after that. But it still was not acceptable. Why? you might ask. I'm glad you did. The reason it was not okay for these actions to transpire is found in verse 14: they "asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD." This was a major decision in accepting strangers into their camp and they made the decision without seeking wisdom from the Lord. We cannot speak too much concerning the importance of seeking God's wisdom in our lives. The wise man Solomon said, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16:25) It may seem to be okay, but if we do not seek God's approval, there are consequences that follow.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."