WATCH OUT FOR LITTLE COMPROMISES

Joshua 9:1-15

We all know that every believer is involved in a spiritual battle. In Satan's desire to destroy us, he will try whatever trick is necessary in order to deceive us. We must all be prepared concerning the subtle schemes of Satan,. The apostle Paul had forewarned the Corinthian church concerning this truth:

Imagine, he would even appear as an angel of light if that is what it would take to entrap us.

This morning, our passage clearly illustrates this for us. Joshua and the elders of Israel were deceived by their enemies because of their carelessness. Once again, just like the sin of Achan in chapter 7, it happened right after a big victory. When they have the feeling "they have it made" they became an easier prey for Satan. What is even interesting to see is how the great men or leaders such as Joshua and the elders of Israel were no exempt when it comes to the subtle assaults of the enemy. If they could be deceived, how much more the ordinary Christians like us? Now, what can we do to protect ourselves from the deceptive schemes of Satan? Here are some truths we can draw from the passage:

I     BE ACQUAINTED WITH SATAN'S SCHEME: (9: 1-6, 9-14a)

Satan does not easily give up on his fights. When he gets defeated, he either seeks reinforcements or changes his methodologies. Notice, how this is perfectly demonstrated in our text? After Israel won against Jericho and Ai, you would expect that other cities would just fold and give up the fight. But, in verses 1-2, you will find the western cities of Jordan uniting together to make war with Israel. So, God's people can expect bigger battles.

Then, beginning in verse 3, you will find the other option of the enemy - change his methodology. In here we will find the Gibeonites orchestrating a deceptive scheme in order to forge a peace treaty with Israel.

Who are the Gibeonites? The city of Gibeon was located only about twenty miles from the camp of Israel at Gilgal and was part of the people that Israel needed to completely destroy as God has stated in Deuteronomy.

Having realized that they don't have a chance against Israel and their God, they sent a delegation pretending to be from a far country to convince Joshua and his leaders to grant them a peace treaty. How were they able to deceive Joshua and the leaders?

• They appealed on their emotions - they pretended to be weary travelers who had been on a long journey. They wore dirty and worn garments, their food was dry and moldy (or hard, crumbly), their wineskins old and patched, and their sandals were worn and thin.
• They appealed on their egos - They declared that they came from a long distance to offer themselves as servants to them knowing that they serve a great God.

It is quite obvious that the Gibeonites knew exactly how they can manipulate the Israelites. In application, we, as God's children must be perceptive and acquainted with the deceptive ways of the Devil. John helps us by identifying three areas that Satan wants to target:

If we are not careful about the cravings of our flesh, the lust of our eyes, and the boastings of what we have or what we can do, we can easily fall into Satan's traps. Absolutely, we need to be alert regarding Satan's attack. But, this is not enough. We need to understand the value of the next point.

II    BE ACCESSIBLE TO GOD'S COUNSELS: (1:14b)

Our passage made it so clear where Joshua and the leaders have failed. They had foolishly made a covenant with the enemy trusting only their own senses (what they can see and feel). They did not take the time to consult with the Lord. For Joshua and the elders, consulting with God would mean taking the time to pray and listening to His instructions as they have done in the previous chapters. Yet, they impulsively decided without it.

How often have we been guilty of making the same mistake? God wants to guide us in this journey. Instead of just trusting our own judgments, we need to trust and acknowledge Him:

Daniel understood the value of going to the Lord and seeking for His wisdom. When king Nebuchadnezzar wanted his dream interpreted and threatening to kill his wisest men if they failed to do it. Daniel found the answer in God's wisdom. Listen to his praises after God gave him the wisdom he needed:

Are you sensitive of seeking God's wisdom especially in times when you are making critical decisions in life? Let's not go through life without it. Satan can literally rob us of so many blessings, if we continue to ignore it.

III   BE ACCOUNTABLE WITH YOUR SINS: (1:16-27)

Lastly, we also need to be accountable with our sins. After three days that Joshua and the elders have offered the peace treaty, they realized that they have been deceived. Knowing they can bring shame to God and the nation of Israel if they cancel out the treaty, Joshua and the elders took responsibility and turned their mistake into their advantage. How did they do it:

• They confronted and rebuked the Gibeonites for lying to them (v. 22).
• They punished them by making them perpetual slaves responsible in woodcutting and carrying water for the community and altar of the Lord.

To make a compromise or to accept a compromise simply means to settle for the second best. Israel had to live with the consequence of their impulsive decision. In a sense, they had to settle with the second best by allowing the Gibeonites to live among them.

Our mistakes should not ruin us. When we are willing to acknowledge them and seek God's forgiveness, God in His amazing grace can guide us and help us turn our blunders into blessings.

Dr. John Walvoord, former president of Dallas Theological Seminary, wrote in his commentary this precious reminder:

Such is the grace of God. He is still able to turn a curse into a blessing. Though it is usually true that the natural consequences of sin must run their course, the grace of God can not only forgive but also overrule mistakes and often bring blessings out of sins and failures.

In closing, allow me to once again remind us of how deceptive Satan is by quoting these words from Thomas Brooks:

Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst;
he promises honor and pays with disgrace;
he promises pleasure and pays with pain;
he promises profit and pays with loss;
he promises life and pays with death.

I hope we will keep ourselves as close as we could to God always believing that He is the only one who can protect and deliver us from the destructive assaults of Satan.