JOSHUA
LESSON #10
JOSHUA 9–10:14
LESSON #10
OVERCOME BY KEEPING THE WORD OF YOUR MOUTH
MEMORY VERSE: MAT 5:37
READ JOSHUA 9:1-15
THE ISRAELITE STRATEGY:
AFTER THE VICTORY AT JERICHO AND AI, THE ISRAELITES WENT TO MT. EBAL AND MT. GERIZIM TO WORSHIP. THE BATTLE PLAN WAS FOR THE ISRAELITES TO CONQUER THE SOUTHERN PORTION BEFORE THE NORTHERN PORTION, SO THEY RETURNED TO GILGAL.
THE ENEMY:
THE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL BANDED TOGETHER TO OPPOSE THIS NEW FOREIGN THREAT. (VERSE 1-2) THE ISRAELITES HAD THE ADVANTAGE SINCE THEY NOW POSSESSED THE MOUNTAIN PASSES.
WHO WERE ALL THE GIBEONITES:
THEY WERE HIVITES WHO LIVED IN THE IMPORTANT CITY OF GIBEON. THERE WAS A FEDERATION OF 4 HIVITE CITIES (GIBEON, BEEROTH, CHEPHIRAH, AND KIRIATH JEARIM). OTHER HIVITES REMAINED ENEMIES OF ISRAEL ALL THROUGH HISTORY.
WHAT WAS THE DECEPTION?
THEY USED OLD WINESKINS, MOULDY FOOD, OLD SHOES.
THEY MENTIONED THE BATTLES ONLY EAST OF THE JORDAN.
WAS THE TREATY WITH THE GIBEONITES GOD'S PERFECT WILL? HOW DO YOU KNOW?
NO IT WAS NOT (VERSE 14) A DECISION WAS MADE BY WHAT THEY SAW. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS WE ARE TO BE PEOPLE OF FAITH NOT BY SIGHT.
WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF THE TREATY?
THE ISRAELITES WERE NOT TO DESTROY THE GIBEONITES IN RETURN FOR GIBEONITE SERVICE.
READ JOSHUA 9:16-27
WHY DIDN'T JOSHUA CANCEL THE TREATY WHEN HE FOUND OUT IT WAS MADE THROUGH DECEPTION?
BECAUSE HE MADE IT IN THE NAME OF THE LORD (VERSE 18)
WHAT KIND OF SERVANT POSITION WERE THE GIBEONITES TO HAVE? AND WHY?
THEY WERE TO BE SERVANTS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD BECAUSE THEY CAME AS A RESULT OF HEARING ABOUT GOD AND WHAT HE HAD DONE JOS 9:9. THEREFORE, THEY WILL NOW SERVE THE GOD` THEY FEARED.
READ: PSA 15 MAT 5:33-37 EZE 17:16-20 HEB 6:13-20
IS IT EVER JUSTIFIED TO BREAK ONE'S PROMISE WHEN THAT PROMISE WAS OBTAINED DECEITFULLY BY OTHERS?
ALL OATHS OR PROMISES ARE BINDING AS FAR AS GOD IS CONCERNED. BUT HOW FAR IS WHAT WE PROMISE TO OTHERS BINDING AS FAR AS GOD IS CONCERNED?
EVEN IF IT HURTS YOU, GOD WILL BLESS IT AND USE IT FOR YOUR GOOD---OR HE WILL GET YOU OUT OF IT.
LET'S SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT IN JOSHUA'S CASE
READ CHAPTER 10:1-14
A CONFEDERATION OF FIVE AMORITE CITY-STATES (JERUSALEM, HEBRON, JARMTH, LACHISH, AND EGLON) HAD FORMED TO OPPOSE THE ISRAELITES. THE CONFEDERATION WAS DOMINATED BY THE KING OF JERUSALEM. THEY WERE UPSET AT THE GIBEONITES FOR DEFECTING TO THE ENEMY. THE CITY-STATES DECIDED TO ATTACK THE GIBEONITES TO TEACH A LESSON AND SET AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER POSSIBLE DEFECTORS.
THE GIBEONITES CALLED FOR HELP FROM JOSHUA. THIS WAS GOD'S TESTING OF JOSHUA'S WORD. JOSHUA REMAINED FAITHFUL TO HIS OATH. THEREFORE, GOD GAVE THEM THE VICTORY (SEE VERSE 11)
GOD'S INTERVENTION:
HAIL AND THE STOPPING OF THE SUN (JOS 10:12). THE AMORITE PEOPLE WERE WORSHIPPERS OF THE SUN GOD, BAAL, AND THE MOON GODDESS, ASHTORETH. THIS THEN IS GOD'S DEMONSTRATION OF POWER OVER HEATHEN GODS.
IT IS INTERESTING THAT A COMPUTER CHECK INDICATES A MISSING 24 HOUR PERIOD SOMEWHERE BACK IN HISTORY. IN 2KINGS 20:9 TALKS ABOUT ANOTHER CHANGE IN TIME. (10 DEGREES = 40 MIN.) THIS 40 MINUTES PLUS 23 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES IN JOS 10 WOULD ADD UP TO A 24 HOUR PERIOD. (JESUS IS THE CREATOR COL 1:17)
JOS 10:13 MENTIONS THE BOOK OF JASHER. THIS IS A LOST BOOK OF POETRY.
THE GIBEONITES REMAINED FAITHFUL AS SERVANTS TO ISRAEL THROUGH HISTORY.
AN OATH AND ITS CONSEQUENCES
1. THE GIBEONITES REMAINED FAITHFUL SERVERS IN THE HOUSE OF
GOD.
2. THE CITY OF GIBEON WAS GIVEN A SPECIAL HONOR BY JOSHUA
WHEN THE LAND WAS DIVIDED BY BEING GIVEN TO AARON'S FAMILY.
WHEN JOSHUA DIVIDED UP THE LAND, THE CITY OF GIBEON WAS GIVEN A
SPECIAL PLACE AMONG AARON'S FAMILY DESCENDANTS. JOS 21:17
3. SAUL BREAKS THE OATH CAUSING A FAMINE (2CH 16:37-39)
SAUL BROKE THE OATH YEARS LATER IN 2SAM 21:1-9, 14B.
DAVID DISCOVERED THAT THE BREAKING OF THE OATH CAUSED A FAMINE IN THE LAND AND THE FAMINE DIDN'T END UNTIL THE OATH WAS REINSTATED AND THE BREAKING OF IT SETTLED.
4. DAVID SETS THE TABERNACLE IN GIBEON AS A CENTER OF WORSHIP. (1CH 16:37-39)
5. THE GIBEONITES RETURNED FROM CAPTIVITY WITH THE ISRAELITES TO REBUILD THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM (NEH 3:7; 7:25)
THESE PEOPLE WERE STILL FAITHFUL TO THE ISRAELITES EVEN AFTER THE CAPTIVITY.
THE GIBEONITES ARE THE ONLY GROUP OF PEOPLE SAVED OUT OF THE LAND BECAUSE THEY HEARD ABOUT GOD JUST AS RAHAB'S FAMILY WAS THE ONLY HEATHEN FAMILY SAVED BECAUSE SHE HEARD ABOUT GOD.
APPLICATION:
WHY DO YOU THINK AN OATH IS SO IMPORTANT TO GOD?
IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE HE MADE AN OATH TO US AND GOD KEEPS HIS WORD. HE WANTS US TO BECOME LIKE HIM HEB 6:13-20
SUMMARY OF PRINCIPLES:
1. GOD WOULD HAVE US CONSULT HIM BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS AND PROMISES SO THAT WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.
2. WHEN WE HAVE MADE A PROMISE, WHETHER IT IS IN HIS PERFECT
WILL OR NOT, WE ARE TO KEEP OUR WORD.
3.WE CAN KNOW GOD WILL USE IT FOR GOOD TO US AND TO THOSE WE
HAVE MADE THE PROMISE TO.
4. WE CAN TRUST GOD AND HAVE FAITH THAT GOD CAN RELEASE US
FROM THE PROMISE BY HIS MIRACLE POWER IF HE SO DESIRES.
HOMEWORK FOR JOSHUA 10 AND 11
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF JOSHUA 9 AND 10:1-14
DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM KEEPING YOUR COMMITMENTS AND PROMISES?
IF SO, ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS IN PRAYER. ASK HIM TO TO HELP
YOU TO KEEP YOUR WORD AND WRITE YOUR PROGRESS THIS WEEK.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS NEW MEMORIAL
OF STONES IN JOS 10:27 THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS?
PREPARATION FOR JOSHUA 10:15-28
CROSS REFERENCE SCRIPTURES:
IDENTIFY THE CHRISTIAN'S BATTLES IN THE FOLLOWING VERSES:
ROM 7:19
ROM 7:23
2COR 10:3-5
1TIM 1:18-19
1TIM 6:12
2TIM 2:3-4
EPH 6:11-18
WHAT PRINCIPLES FROM JOSHUA 10 CAN WE USE IN OUR PRESENT CHRISTIAN LIFE?
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: DO ALL CHILDREN OF GOD INHERIT EQUALLY?
MEMORY VERSE: EPHESIANS 6:12-13