DO NOT DECEIVE TO RECEIVE (3)

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*DO NOT DECEIVE TO RECEIVE. (3)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Joshua 10;1-6

v1 *Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec 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;*

v2 *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.*

v3 *Wherefore Adonizedec 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,*

v4 *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.*

v5 *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.*

v6 *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.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Not everyone who moves with power is part of power.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

When the other surrounding/neighbouring nations heard what the Gibeonites did by pretending to the Israelites, they became angry with them, Joshua 10:1-5

By their deception, they tricked the Israelites to sign a peace treaty with them.

By the signed peace treaty the Gibeonites signed with the Israelites, they were not only to be removed from destruction by the Israelites but were also afforded protection from any form of attacks, Joshua 9, 10:6-43.

It was the intentions of these kings

to try to stop this treaty from working

So Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, brought together all the Amorite kings and attacked the Gibeonites, Joshua 10:1-5.

The Gibeonites were helpless, Joshua 10:6.

They walked under Israel's servitude, dominion and power but were not part of power.

This teaches us that, not everyone shouting with power is part of power.

So, they called on Israel for help, Joshua 10:6.

This time Joshua inquired of the Lord and the Lord directed the Israelites in battle (Joshua 10:8).

With God , on the side of the Israelites, the alliance between, the alliance crumbled was powerless against Israel’s powerful God.

The battle took a whole day.

'This long day was aided by a hailstorm (Joshua 10:11) and it prompted Joshua to command the sun and moon to stand, Joshua 10:12-13.

It disrupted the laws of creation and interrupted the law of the universe, something only God could do.

What we do will affect others and if what we do is not good it may lead or expose us to dangerous opposition with people.

The Gibeonites hoped to secure themselves by their deception but their relationship with co-inhabitants who share territories and boundaries together would never remain the same.

But for God, the Gibeonites would have been massively slaughtered.

While they had Israel on their side, though under heavy ladened arrangements, they had every other person and nation against them.

Trickery may fetch you what you temporarily need but the consequences that follow will fetch you what you may not be able to erase permanently.

Think before you deceive.

Do not deceive to receive.

*Remorse corner.*

The Gibeonites received a temporary relief but actually received a generational pain and curse.

*Call to Word action.*

Deceiving to receive is favour for a moment

*The Christian clarion duty.*

Receiving without deception is favour extended for a long period.

*Prayer.*

Lord help me not to do anything that would threaten my life existence and my generations to come, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.