Deception, Promises, Problems, and Choices…

We have all been wronged by other people.  It is something that happens on earth, and unfortunately you will be wronged again.  But it’s how we handle these moments that can really make or break us.  It’s easy to retaliate in a manner similar to what has been done to us, but it’s no secret to Followers this is not the right course of action.  But we often never consider that the whole situation may actually be an opportunity for us to allow God to show up and make something bad into something amazing.  Here is a story from Joshua where the Israelites are in a situation much similar to this.  In this story the Israelites are deceived, which causes them to make promises, which leads to problems, and leaves them with serious choices to make.  The awesome thing is at the end of all of this God is displayed in a mighty way, but it took faithful followers to make it happen…

The Deception
In Joshua 9 the city of Gibeon came to Joshua and the Israelites looking to make a treaty.  Gibeon had heard about Israel’s conquest and destruction of Jericho and Ai, and they are terrified.  In an act of self-preservation, fearing they may be next, the Gibeonites set out to come to a peaceful solution with Joshua.  In order to make the alliance happen, Gibeon uses deception.  Gibeon tells the Israelites they are from a far off land and the Israelites believe and make a covenant with them.  It all seems like a good day; Israel has a reputation that has far off people coming to make an alliance with them.  That is one less nation to worry about attacking them after they conquer Canaan.  But, Lies will be made known and everything starts to unravel when Israel finds out Gibeon is not a distant land, but rather their next door neighbors.  

And the moment of crisis...  When we come to this point in our lives we have decisions to make.  Often neither choice is a good one.  The Israelites have two choices: Option 1 is to do what God commanded them and completely wipe out the inhabitants of Canaan, but in doing this they will now have to break their covenant with Gibeon and God.  Option 2 is to honor their covenant with God and Gibeon, but doing this will mean disobeying God’s command to wipe out the Canaanites.  To add to this is the anger the Israelites are feeling toward Gibeon for deceiving them, and rightly so.  Not one of us today can say that we love when people lie to us, especially when it places us in direct conflict with something God commands.  Israel response is anger and wanting to go attack Gibeon right then, but luckily Israel is being led by wise and God-fearing men, who are in tune with God…

​To be continued… Up next, The Promises…