WE must not think, dear young reader, that the walls of Jericho could fall to the ground, and the city of Ai be reduced to ashes without the inhabitants of the country round about being moved. Kings and people from the hills, the valleys, the plains, and the coast of the great sea, gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel. There was, however, a portion of the land, named Gibeon, whose inhabitants were sore afraid for their lives. They had heard of how the Lord God had spoken to Moses, and that He was going to give all the land to Israel, and destroy all its inhabitants before them. They believed the report they had heard, which was no doubt confirmed by the evidence of God’s mighty power since Israel had come into the land, and they feared to join the gathering hosts who sought Israel’s destruction. They agreed among themselves, therefore, to work by guile and seek in this way to have their lives spared. They got together a quantity of bread that was dry and mouldy; they put on old clothes, and shoes that were patched; they carried wine bottles (made of sheep skin) that had been rent and then bound up. Thus equipped they came to Joshua. They had only a short distance to go, but they told him they had come from a very far country, and as a proof of this they showed him the mouldy bread, which, they said, they had taken hot for their provision the day they set forth to go to him; and they showed him the old bottles, which, they told Joshua, were new when they started; and they told him that their shoes and other garments were old because of the very long journey.
Ah! the subtlety of the enemy, and how easily he can catch souls by his wiles. Our great enemy is ever busy, and we can withstand his wiles, only by being clad with the whole armor of God. See Eph. 6:11-1311Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:11‑13).
Do you suppose that Joshua detected this piece, of strategy on the part of those who were enemies of God? Alas! no; he was taken in the snare. Instead of asking counsel at the mouth of the Lora, he leaned to his own understanding and so was entrapped. These Gibeonites told Joshua that they had heard of the fame of the Lord, the God of Israel, and of all He did in Egypt. And they told him they were his—Joshua’s—servants, and they wished him to make a league with them. So Joshua made peace with them and agreed to let them live. Three days later they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors and dwelt amongst them,
When the children of Israel journeyed they came on the third day to the cities of the Gibeonites. They did not smite them, because the princes of Israel had sworn that they would protect them, and so they dared not touch them. Joshua, however, called for them and asked them why they had beguiled them, saying they were far away when they dwelt among them. He then pronounced them cursed, saying they should be bondmen to Israel —hewers of wood, and drawers of water —but their lives should be spared.
Now learn, dear young reader, that you may at any time fall into a snare spread by the enemy of souls for your feet, if you do not ask counsel of the Lord; but if you lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, He will direct your path. Seek His face continually, and you will be preserved from countless sorrows.
ML 02/11/1906