Bible Commentaries

GUILEFUL GIBEONITES

‘Wherefore have ye beguiled us?’

Joshua 9:22

Joshua and the elders, although at first a little in doubt about the Gibeonites’ story, seem to consider this too plain and obvious a matter to consult God about. Surely they are to use their own common sense, and decide some things themselves! So they reason. And so, we read, they ‘asked not counsel of the Lord, and Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them.’ Israel had yet to learn, as each one of us must learn, that in this life of full surrender to God we cannot trust our own judgment or wisdom, any more than we can trust our own strength. Everything must be referred to God. He is our wisdom as well as our strength. This is humbling to pride, but it is necessary, if we would make no mistakes.

Ere three days pass, the people find out what a blunder they have made, and what a tangle they have got themselves into. These pious-talking, innocent-appearing strangers, they find, are their near neighbours, and are some of those desperately wicked people whom God had commanded should be utterly destroyed. But because Israel thought it unnecessary to ask counsel of God, an oath has been made, ‘in the name of the Lord God of Israel,’ that these Gibeonites shall live! The matter is patched up as well as possible. Because of the oath, and the Name in which it has been given, the Gibeonites cannot be killed, but they are made hewers of wood and drawers of water, thus really becoming helpers in the service of the Tabernacle. This shows how God can overrule even the mistakes of His people, to His glory and to their best good.

I. The personal application and instruction of all this is very plain.—The condemned nations of Canaan furnish a good type of the Christian’s spiritual enemies of various kinds, enemies which surround us on every hand. We have already studied about great Jericho and little Ai; and now, in this section, the Gibeonites represent, not so much the open attacks or opposition, as the miles of the devil. These enemies are none the less deadly because they use deceit and guile instead of open assault. Indeed, they are far more dangerous, because they are not so easily recognised as enemies. Only God’s eye can penetrate their disguise, and reveal their real character. If Israel had consulted God before making any agreement with them, all would have been well. As Christians we are surrounded by Gibeonites, real enemies of God, who, disguised and under assumed friendliness, or in the name of religion, desire to make a league with us. Let us learn the lesson of this story, and before entering into any league—by marriage, business, partnership, social agreement, etc.—however much we may trust the individuals, or however right it may all appear to us, let us not fail to ‘ask counsel of the Lord.’

II. It is always a bad thing for God’s people to make alliances with the enemies of God.—How often we see Christian women marrying ungodly men, or Christian men entering into business partnership with the thoroughly ungodly, as though there were no such command from the Lord as ‘Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.’ True, sometimes God has overruled such agreements to our good and His own glory, as in the case of the Gibeonites; but it is better not to make such blunders. Sad results are always sure to follow when God’s people join with Satan’s. Look at the history of the Church. During the first centuries of her existence, although much persecuted and assailed, she swept forward, planting the news of salvation in many lands; and we have but to read the book of Acts to see what wonders were accomplished, and what multitudes were won to Christ. Satan saw that he could not prevail by force; and so he resorted to wiles, until, little by little, the Church made a league with the world and the things of Satan, and rapidly lost power.

Illustrations

(1) ‘What mistakes I make, when I “ask not counsel at the mouth of the Lord”! My foes are very crafty. The devil has a thousand wiles. There seem so many reasons why I should make my peace with the world. Many of these reasons will present themselves to-day. Lord, at every such appeal let me turn to Thee, and seek counsel of Thy wisdom alone.’

(2) ‘It is by no means certain, if they had sought the Divine direction, that they would have been commanded to reject the suit of the Gibeonites and show them no mercy. The probability is that upon any of the devoted nations voluntarily coming forward, professing repentance, renouncing idolatry, and embracing the true religion, the Israelites would have been authorised by God to spare their lives. But the circumstance is mentioned here as a severe reflection upon the princes of Israel for neglect of duty, for rashness, credulity, and impolicy. They rushed precipitately into an alliance which they had no right to form without the express sanction of Jehovah, and their “lips became a snare to their souls.”’