基遍人的詭計 The Gibeonite Deception

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約書亞記 Joshua
基遍人的詭計 The Gibeonite Deception
Joshua 約書亞記 9

Objective:

• to help group members to learn to invite God to walk with us in our daily life
• to help group members to realize that even when we make a poor decision, if we take the responsibility to do the right thing, God's grace will still be with us even though we will be enduring the consequences

Ice breaking:

• 2 truths and a lie

Read Joshua 9

1. (O) What were the kings surrounding the Israelites planning to do to them? What about the Gibeonites?

2. (O) How did the Gibeonites disguise themselves to trick the Israelites?

3. (O) The Israelites initially had doubts. How did the Gibeonites persuade them?

4. If you were Joshua, what would you have thought about this deal?

5. Verse 14 points out the apparent error the Israelites made: they did not inquire of the Lord. What are some underlying reasons for not doing it? What is possibly a bigger mistake they made?

• Deuteronomy 20:10-15 explains that the Israelites were allowed to establish treaties with cities at a distance from them, not belonging to the nations nearby (in Canaan). But they trusted their own judgment and were too quick to respond
• Failed to remind themselves of the current situation—that they were surrounded by fierce and cunning Canaanites
• Recent victories – easy to overlook or underestimate dangers; took things lightly
• Pride – a whole nation submitting to them (“We are your servants”)
• Forgot to involve God

6. On what things would you involve God and seek His guidance?

- significance is not in asking god about everything we do, such as 'what to eat tonight?'

• Are there things we should ask for god's guidance, but we haven't?
• Are there things which we have asked and asked, but don't see any response from God? Have we given up on asking, but try to find our own solution?

7. After making a treaty with the Gibeonites, and later realizing that they actually lived very close, the Israelites were obviously not very happy with the decision. What do you think God’s reaction might be? Why?
8. We are not really sure, but His plans for the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites are outlined in Deuteronomy 20:16-18 and Numbers 33:51-52.
9.  How do you think God feels when we make poor choices?

10. Even though the Israelites deviated from God’s plan, God still wants the Israelites to honour the oath they made. In 2 Samuel 21:1 we read about God’s punishment for its violation. What does this tell you about the way God views “oath”?

• What kind of oaths do we make? How do we view these oaths?

11. The Israelite leaders knew they had made a mistake by making a treaty with the Gibeonites, yet in verses 19-20 it is clear that they were well aware that they would have made another mistake by rejecting the oath they had already made. In the end, they took the responsibility and carried out their oath by letting the Gibeonites live.

• When you make poor choices, do you have tendency to hope you can “undo”, or do you have the courage to move forward, like the Israelites, even though the consequences may be harsh?

12. In Chapter 10, when the other nations found out that the Gibeonites made a treaty with the Israelites, they tried to attack Gibeon. The Gibeon asked Israel for help, and Israel came to the rescue. Read Joshua 10:7-8, 12-14. Why do you think God was still there for the Israel?

13. The Israelites kept their oath by letting the Gibeonites live, and later saving them from the attack of other Canaanites.The Gibeonites kept their oath by serving the Israelites as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of the Lord. Is this the best ending for both parties?

• As for the consequences suffered by the Israelites, do you remember what God had warned them about letting the Canaanites live amongst them?

14. Numbers 33:55-56: God warns them what will happen if they let the Canaanites remain in the land.
15. The book of Judges records Israelites turning away from God by intermarrying with the remaining Canaanites in the region, and worshipping their gods.(an example of the wickedness it brought to Israel can be found in Judges 19)
16. As for the Gibeonites, they were allowed to live on, but they became servants/slaves of the Israelites.

17. If making a treaty wasn’t actually the best idea for the people, then what were the choices for the Canaanites prior to the Israelites’ attack?

Choices	Outcome
Strengthen their forts/castle	Fall like Jericho
Create alliances and fight back	Be destroyed like Ai
Surrender and form treaty with Israel	Enslaved forever like the Gibeonites

18. Was there a fourth choice? YES!

Flee!

Start a new life elsewhere

*You might get asked about Rahab here… but know that Rahab’s showed her faith first by risking her life to save the 2 spies..

*As for the Gibeonites, it was clear that they feared God, they were familiar with His laws, and believed in His mightiness. They were shown mercy by being allowed to live, and even though they became servants/slaves to Israel, they had an honourable role of serving at the altar of the Lord.

19. What about the choices that the Israelites? Let’s review their decision-making after crossing the Jordan:

Event	Israel’s Action	Outcome
Jericho	Obeyed	Won!
Ai (first time)	Sinned against God by taking the devoted things (Achan)	Lost, men killed
Ai (second time)	Obeyed	Won!
Gibeon	Ignored God	Endure consequences for generations to come

You thought the Israelites would have learned from these experiences..

• What about us? Do we reflect often enough, to remember God’s grace and works in our lives?
• What do you think the life of an obedient follower of God looks like? Do you want to learn to be obedient?

Scriptures for reference:

Deuteronomy 20:10-15 10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

Deuteronomy 20:16-18 16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. 17 Completely destroy[a] them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.

Numbers 33:51-52 51 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places.

2 Samuel 21:1 During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

Numbers 33:55-56 55 “‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live. 56 And then I will do to you what I plan to do to them.’”

Exodus 23:31b – 33 I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. 32 Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. 33 Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

Isaiah 30:1

30 “Woe to the obstinate children,”
declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;

Numbers 27:18-21

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[a] and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

1 Samuel 23:11

11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.”

And the Lord said, “He will.”

1 Samuel 30:8

8 and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”

2 Samuel 2:1

2 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.

The Lord said, “Go up.”

David asked, “Where shall I go?”

“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

2 Samuel 5:19

19 so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”