I’ve told you there are scriptures that I dread reading. I’ve read them before, I know what’s going to happen, and I hate to read it again.
One of those scriptures is Joshua 9:14.
Joshua, a mighty man of God, the man who would stay at the “Tent of Meeting” with the Lord even after his mentor, Moses, would leave the tent (see Exodus 33:11), God’s chosen successor to Moses, and the man who had led Israel in possessing the land of the giants in fulfillment of God’s promise – this Joshua made a dreadful decision one day, a decision that caused great anguish in the whole of Israel.
A tribe of Hivites “resorted to a ruse” (Joshua 9:3) when they heard how Israel was conquering their land. The Gibeonites with their stale bread, ragged clothing, and cracked wineskins, told Joshua they had come from a distant land and had heard of the fame of Joshua and his God. “Make a treaty with us,” they begged.
Our biblical scribe says, “The men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath (vv. 14-16).”
Three days later, they learned the truth, but it was too late. Joshua and the leaders kept their oath, but “the whole assembly grumbled against the leaders” (v. 18).
Ah, yes, Lord! Please alert us! Let us remember that human wisdom is never enough! You have sent Your Spirit to guide us! We must continually inquire of You! Only You can save us from disaster!