BUT THE ISRAELITES DID NOT ATTACK THEM

Joshua 9:1-27
Key Verse: 9:18

    "But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of
     the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God
     of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders...."

     In the last chapter, God gave Israel the strategy of how to
win the battle against the people of Ai. In school studies, for one
to study hard is the only strategy to get all A+'s. But in society,
or in big business, just working hard cannot be a strategy. People of
the world try to make wise strategies of how to make money, how to live
longer. But human strategy resembles the stock market: we never know
about tomorrow. Human life without God makes a man confused and angry
without any obvious reason. But God's strategy is very simple. It is to
seek his kingdom and his righteousness. Here the word "righteousness"
refers to our Lord Jesus Christ. It is to meditate on the word of God
day and night. It is to love Jesus day and night. Then our Lord Jesus
takes care of us. God's strategy is God's wisdom. Matthew 6:33 says,
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given to you as well." "...and all these things will be given to
you..."  is God's promise and we must believe it in our hearts. Today's
passage is a kind of difficult passage because it is the problem of the
deception of the Gibeonites. We are familiar with the deceptive digging
of our national father's wrongdoing. Now Kenneth Starr says that the
appointment of a special prosecutor was unconstitutional. What he said
revealed that he was very deceptive. But he finally deceived himself and
confessed that what he had done was wicked. This kind of deceiving and
being deceived is the main job of all humankind when they do not know
God. But God's people must depend on God. And God's people must honor
his holy name. In the midst of life's battle, we must keep God's promise
to us and act according to God's law.

First, "the Gibeonites' survival strategy" (1-13). Today's Bible passage
describes the Gibeonites' survival strategy. The Bible compilers entitled
it, "The Gibeonite Deception." But when we meditate on this passage,
we find it was not really deception; it is fair to call the act, "the
Gibeonites' survival strategy." When we know what's going on in the
world, everything is to deceive or to be deceived in order to survive
in the world. Therefore, we want to entitle the Gibeonites' act as
"the Gibeonites' survival strategy." What was their strategy? Look at
verse 1. "Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these
things–those in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along
the entire coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the
Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites),"
they were paralyzed by the news of what the Israelites had done under
the leadership of General Joshua. They were, in actuality, mighty
armies. Nevertheless, all of them were dispirited. Still, in order
to save their lives, they wanted to fight against General Joshua and
Israel. It was no more than the act of last resort that they had to do
so. Their act was nothing but the act of a suicide squad.

     Among them, there were Gibeonites. They knew that they were defeated
before fighting, because God was with the army of Israel and God paralyzed
them with fear. Maybe one of the Gibeonite Harvard graduates suggested:
"It would be good to be their servants rather than to be killed by
them. It would not be fair for all of our children to be destroyed by
God's army of Israel."

     The people of Gibeon and their council members researched their
survival strategy as many scientists struggle in the laboratories. The
only choice was to succumb to General Joshua for their survival and
their lovely and growing children. It is a question whether they might
have thought about the survival of their donkeys and lambs. Maybe they
did, maybe not. When the Gibeonites heard what General Joshua had done
to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse (4). The first survival
strategy was to say that they came from a far away distance. They
loaded their donkeys with worn out sacks and old wineskins, cracked
and mended (4). The delegates put worn and patched sandals on their
feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry
and moldy (5). What a comic strategy. I don't know how they made their
bread dry and moldy. I don't know how they made their clothes worn and
patched. Usually the delegation of a country wears tuxedos and those
who have no bushy beards buy a wig and beard and moustache and decorate
themselves as if they were noble and men in the hierarchy. But this
delegation looked like POW's from Cambodia. In this way, they went to
General Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of
Israel, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us"
(6). The Gibeonites belong to the Hivites. So the men of Israel said to
the Hivites, "Perhaps you live near us? How then can we make a treaty
with you?" (7) The council of Israel with political intuition admitted
that they decorated themselves like beggars who came from a distant
country. Israel was defeated and the Gibeonites won the diplomatic
battle. Then the delegation of the Gibeonites begged, saying, "Your
servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of
the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did
in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of
the Jordan–Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in
Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to
us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them,
"We are your servants; make a treaty with us"'" (9-11).

     At last, the council of Israel under General Joshua realized they
disguised themselves and wanted to be Israel's servants (8). But their
deception was so perfect when they said, "Your honor, see! This bread of
ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you.
But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled
were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals
were so wonderful, but now they are worn out by the very long journey"
(12-13). Let's see how Israel dealt with them.

Second, the council of Israel gave them God's mercy (14-21). The council
of Israel was so moved by their survival strategy and they became
sympathetic.  The council members of Israel sampled their provisions
and did not inquire of the Lord (14). Here Israel inclined sympathy
toward the Gibeonites. They became profane. So the author of Joshua
says that the leaders of the assembly checked up on their provisions,
but they did not inquire of the Lord (14). Their victory was given
by God Almighty. But their morale was high and they were arrogant
toward the Gibeonites. So they checked the Gibeonites' provisions
superficially and it looked that what they said was true. But they made
a big mistake. Again we look at verse 14, "The men of Israel sampled
their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord." The Israelite army
under General Joshua must thank God and render glory to God. But when
the Gibeonites came like a band of beggars to become their servants,
the Israelites did not pray to God. This was not a small mistake. They
became like Stalin and his soldiers. At the moment, they had no God
because they were overwhelmed by a victorious spirit. General Joshua
made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of
the assembly ratified it by oath (15). General Joshua lacked prayer. We
also see he was different from Moses. Whatever Moses did, Moses first
prayed to God or he followed the words God had given him. Joshua was full
of spirit, but his inner man was not fully mature enough spiritually to
lead God's people. It was not the first time; it was the second time he
didn't pray. When he did not pray, first he lost a battle to soldiers
of a small city Ai. This time he was completely deceived and made an
oath in the name of God with the Gibeonite delegation. General Joshua
had to conquer the promised land. Finally he conquered it as a whole,
but not thoroughly. Many enemies of many nations remained. Most of all,
the Philistines became permanent enemies to the Israelites in the history
of living in the promised land. As a result, at the time of King David,
King David was almost killed by a giant Philistine soldier, Ishbi-Benob
in a pit (2Sa 21:16). General Joshua's lack of prayer might be the cause
that enemies were not thoroughly destroyed. It is very important for a
leader to pray. We must choose as our leaders those who pray, instead
of choosing handsome people with three-piece suits made in Babylon.

     Three days after they made a treaty with the Gibeonites the
Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them (16). So the
chosen Israelite soldiers set out and on the third day came to their
cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim (17). The chosen
Israelite soldiers wanted to destroy them all overnight. In the world,
enemies are less hateful, while daughters-in-law are permanently hated
by their sisters who belong to the groom's house and especially their
mothers-in-law. But those who deceive others completely are the most
hated in many books and historical events.  It is like we hate spies. So
the chosen soldiers really wanted to cut them up.  But they restrained
themselves because they were the people of God who had given them their
oath by the Lord, the God of Israel (18). Because of this oath they
could not touch them at the time (19). This was the greatness of the
chosen Israelite soldiers. They remembered God at the time of wrath and
anger. They did not touch them. But they entrusted their treachery to
God by saying, "This is what we will do to them: We will let them live,
so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them"
(20). At the time of wrath and anger they remembered Almighty God who
can pour his wrath on them. It is because they made the oath in the name
of God. So they did not touch them; rather, they suggested to General
Joshua to make them woodcutters and water carriers.

Third, General Joshua inspected their cause (22-23). General Joshua
summoned the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you deceive us by saying,
‘We live a long way from you,' while actually you live near us? You are
now under a curse: You will never cease to serve as woodcutters and
water carriers for the house of my God" (22-23). It is amazing that
General Joshua was very repentant. And at the same time he was very
merciful to the Gibeonites. This treacherous people should be severely
punished. But General Joshua asked God to deal with them by saying,
"You are now under a curse." General Joshua did not punish them for their
treachery and deception. Rather he asked God's dealing with them. Before
making the treaty, General Joshua did not pray out of his high spirited
generalship, and he made a mistake. But he was a man of God who knew how
to repent. We human beings are nothing but human beings made of the dust
of the ground and by the Spirit of God.  Some people say, "This man is
really good and honest and very handsome."  Some people say, "This girl
is more beautiful than Cleopatra and she is very honest." But Paul said
all men are both good and evil caused by man's Fall, disobeying God's
one word. Even though Joshua made a mistake, he humbled himself before
the soldiers under him and came back to God.

     The Gibeonites answered General Joshua, "Your servants were clearly
told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you
the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So
we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. We
are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you"
(24-25). We can learn from the Gibeonites' survival strategy. When they
heard what God had done through Moses and Joshua, they learned that
God Almighty is the true God. They could not do anything. Generally,
in a case like this, cursed men and women of anger do not think of
anything but fight and fight and again fight, even if they would be
completely destroyed and even if their sons and daughters are smashed
to death. These kinds of people are the same as the Philistines in the
Bible. But the Gibeonites realized God's plan to give the Israelites
the promised land. So they disguised themselves and all became comedian
delegates and came to Joshua to procure an oath. The Gibeonites recognized
the name of God. They believed that they could save their own lives,
their children, their grandchildren, and their animals, too.

Fourth, General Joshua made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water
carriers despite that they were under a curse (24-27). When General
Joshua pronounced, "You are now under a curse," the Gibeonites confessed
to General Joshua, "Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your
God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to
wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives
because of you, and that is why we did this. We are now in your hands. Do
to us whatever seems good and right to you" (24-25). General Joshua was
embarrassed by this event. And he was sorry to his people that he made a
mistake. The Gibeonites knew that something might happen. They had another
strategy.  It was to hang on to the promise of God. It is very funny
that the Gentile people hung on to the promise of God and made General
Joshua totally helpless. They also praised General Joshua by saying,
"So we feared for our lives because of you." The second strategy was to
praise General Joshua's leadership and his mighty army. Human beings are
so flexible in their feelings. Even General Joshua was a little moved
by their praise of him. In this world, the best politics or success is
to praise his or her boss's virtue every day, endlessly. One who praises
his boss will be promoted little by little until he becomes a president.

Fifth, General Joshua made the Gibeonites permanent woodcutters and water
carriers for 400,000. Observing their attitude of hanging on the promise
of God and praising General Joshua's great leadership, General Joshua
could not  punish them by a curse from God. But he made the Gibeonites
woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community. In the modern
time, gas supply is very important. General Patton was disfavored by
the White House and his gas supply was stopped. At that time, one of
his lieutenants attacked the mightiest German tank battalion and won the
battle.  An adverse situation turned into a mighty victory for General
Patton. After General Patton won the battle the government gave him a
lot of gas.  Politicians are very funny sometimes. Likewise, in the past,
firewood supply and water supply was crucial to the ancient armies. Here
General Joshua knew that they were under a curse. But General Joshua
did not curse the Gibeonites to death, but used them as woodcutters and
water carriers for the entire community. It is not a small job. They
had to work to get water in Palestine where there was no water and not
much wood. Grown up people had no problem to be a wood cutter or a water
carrier, but teenagers thought wood cutting and water carrying was their
bad destiny. Some of them might have enjoyed it because they did not
know anything else except wood cutting and water carrying.

     In this way, General Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they
did not kill them. That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water
carriers for the community and for the altar of the Lord at the place the
Lord would choose (26-27), in other words, wherever they moved forward
with the ark of the Lord. And the Gibeonites were woodcutters and water
carriers until all the promised land was conquered. They worked hard to
survive.  Here we see a picture of human life. Human beings without God
are all like woodcutters and water carriers until they die. Therefore,
we must have God and act according to God's law. When we make an oath
to God we must keep it, even to treacherous people. This is the way we
must accomplish life as God's holy chosen people.


STUDY QUESTIONS

1. What had happened in chapter 8 in the campaign to conquer Canaan?
   Read 9:1-2. What was the survival strategy of the Canaanite kings
   west of the Jordan?

2. Read verses 3-6. Where was Gibeon? Why didn't they join all the other
   kings in the war against Israel? What was their survival strategy?

3. Read verses 7-13. What was the Israelites' first suspicion? Why should
   they not make a treaty with the inhabitants of Canaan? How did the
   Gibeonites flatter Joshua? How did they trick him?

4. Read verses 14-15. How did the Israelites check out the Gibeonites'
   story? What were the consequences of Joshua's failure to pray? What
   does this reveal about him? What was the content of the treaty
   Joshua made?

5. Read 9:16-21. What did the Israelites do when they discovered that
   they had been tricked? Why did the Israelite soldiers not attack
   the Gibeonite cities? When the whole assembly wanted to destroy the
   Gibeonites, what did the leaders decide? Why? What does this show
   about them?

6. Read verses 22-27. What did Joshua decide to do with the Gibeonites?
   What was their confession of faith? What does it mean that they were
   under a curse? What can we learn from the Gibeonites?