The Book Of Joshua 8 Of 9

Since that time, they have crossed Jordan and they had only two setbacks.

1. THE PEOPLE OF AI

They had a tremendous victory at Jericho, but because God had told them not to partake of any of their possessions, and Achan disobeyed that command, they suffered a major setback at Ai.

But we need to look more closely at something that has confused a lot of folks

For example, why is it that God would not let them have the possessions of Jericho, but allowed them to have all the possessions of the countries after Jericho?

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE? The Word of God tells us. Look at Joshua 6:9, we read, “But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”

It is believed by many that JERICHO WAS A TYPE OF FIRST FRUITS TO THE LORD, and its spoils were to be brought into the treasury of the Lord.

But from Jericho on, the people got to keep all the spoils of the cities.

Their first setback was at Jericho. But their second setback was with-

2. THE PEOPLE OF GIBEON

The Gibeonites were one of the people that Israel would be destroying eventually after Jericho. This is something they knew would take place.

But the Gibeonites outsmarted Israel by deception.

The Gibeonites lived about 18-20 miles from where Joshua and the people of Israel were camped. They came up with a clever plan and pretended to live in a distant land, and gave Joshua and Israel the impression that they would be no threat to their security. They stated that they wanted to make a peace treaty with Israel.

To make it look like they lived in a distant land and had come a long way to make a peace treaty:

• They put on old clothing

• They told Joshua and the rulers of Israel they had heard about all their victories in the wilderness before they had crossed Jordan and how they defeated the king of Og and Sihon on the other side of the Jordan River

• They had heard about their victories on this side of Jordan

• They convinced Joshua to draw up a peace treaty with them so when they came to their land they would not destroy them

• They deceived them and caused them to sign the peace treaty

It is not difficult to be deceived. People who watch television are deceived all the time.

Illus: For decades, James Arness (Matt Dillion) on the popular television program called “Gunsmoke” has been deceiving people into thinking he is a tough cowboy.

An Interview on the western channel revealed he is not the tough guy he acts like he is on “Gunsmoke”

Dennis Weaver said that most folks do not know this, but this fellow loves to have a good time. He said people will watch this tall man with no smile on his face, look the worst criminal in the eye and say, “Put that gun down or I will shoot!” He said on one occasion they were shooting such a scene, and Matt Dillon was standing toe to toe with one of the bad guys in this movie, and he had one of his hands behind his back, away from the camera. And he said as soon as they shot the scene, “He pulled from behind him one of the biggest ice cream cones you have ever seen, and started licking on it!”

But now things are beginning to change for Joshua and Israel. Until now, as they waged war to take possession of the Promised Land, it was always:

• One army

• One city at a time

But since they made a peace treaty with Gibeon in chapter 10, they are now fighting:

• Five armies

• Five cities

• Five kings

• All at one time

That is, five kings had joined hands to defeat Israel. But these five kings decided that before they would take on Israel, they would first destroy the Gibeonites for not joining in with them.

When these five kings decided to wipe the Gibeonites out, they sent a message to Joshua and Israel.

I. THE MESSAGE OF THIS BATTLE

Look at Joshua 10:1-7, we read, “Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them. That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.”