There are so many lessons that are forthcoming from this chapter. Here are a few:
God Never Refuses a Good Offer
God could have revealed to Israel, outside of their failing to consult Him, who these people were, but He allowed the Gibeonites to deceive them. Like a shrewd businessman God never refuses a good offer; people who reach out to God in a sincere desire not to fall in His hands are never refused. Remember Rahab? We recall how Jesus commended the "wise servant" (Luke 16) who realizing he was about to lose his position called in his master's debtors and made deals with them. Does God approve any form of dishonesty? Never! But He always acknowledges a genuine desire to live.
What Am I Willing To Be for God?
So the Gibeonites secured a deal - they became woodcutters and water bearers. What am I willing to settle for, if only to belong to the people of God? The Psalmist was willing to be a doorkeeper. Psalm 84: 10.
Never Safe to Run Ahead of God
Seemingly this deal seemed to have worked out a measurably good deal for Israel - at least for now anyway, but there is still a lesson to be learned about consulting or not consulting God before any decisions are made. Things may not have worked out so well for the Israelites. It is never safe to run ahead of God.
Whose Reputation: Yours or God's?
What is my reputation? Is it mine or God's? Do people talk about me or my God? You couldn't miss it in this chapter the affirmation that God received from the Gibeonites, which reflected what obtained with all the other nations around, “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt." Josh. 9: 9.
To read the chapter and other related blogs go to http://revivedbyhisword.org/en/bible/jsh/9/.
God Never Refuses a Good Offer
God could have revealed to Israel, outside of their failing to consult Him, who these people were, but He allowed the Gibeonites to deceive them. Like a shrewd businessman God never refuses a good offer; people who reach out to God in a sincere desire not to fall in His hands are never refused. Remember Rahab? We recall how Jesus commended the "wise servant" (Luke 16) who realizing he was about to lose his position called in his master's debtors and made deals with them. Does God approve any form of dishonesty? Never! But He always acknowledges a genuine desire to live.
What Am I Willing To Be for God?
So the Gibeonites secured a deal - they became woodcutters and water bearers. What am I willing to settle for, if only to belong to the people of God? The Psalmist was willing to be a doorkeeper. Psalm 84: 10.
Never Safe to Run Ahead of God
Seemingly this deal seemed to have worked out a measurably good deal for Israel - at least for now anyway, but there is still a lesson to be learned about consulting or not consulting God before any decisions are made. Things may not have worked out so well for the Israelites. It is never safe to run ahead of God.
Whose Reputation: Yours or God's?
What is my reputation? Is it mine or God's? Do people talk about me or my God? You couldn't miss it in this chapter the affirmation that God received from the Gibeonites, which reflected what obtained with all the other nations around, “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt." Josh. 9: 9.
To read the chapter and other related blogs go to http://revivedbyhisword.org/en/bible/jsh/9/.
No comments:
Post a Comment