"Oops!"
Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
Israel is forced to defend a nation whose people it barely knows to honor a dishonest agreement, and still God pauses time to allow His people to conquer their enemies.
Beginning of the End (Patriarchs and Prophets) ch. 47
A Canaanite Tribe Deceives Israel
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES
OVERVIEW
Have you ever been tricked by a sibling or best friend? It’s not really that much fun to be tricked, is it? Our lesson today is about trickery. It wasn’t as simple as being tricked to eat a bug or to do someone’s chores. It was about life or death, but we’ll get to that later. Don’t be fooled – if something sounds or looks too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.
OPENING ACTIVITY: CREATIVE BIBLE STORY TELLING
TRANSITION
In today’s daily life moldy bread isn’t usually a big issue. Refrigeration, preservatives, and just the fact that people usually eat a bunch of sandwiches keeps moldy bread from happening very often. In Joshua’s time, moldy bread was an issue. People ate the bread they made or bought quickly so that it didn’t go bad. Our story is about using common items to trick God’s people. This story is about two things—1) It’s always a great idea to ask God about something before you do it, and 2) Not everything is what it seems.
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
Read Joshua 9:1-15.
Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)—2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”
7 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”
8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.
But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”
14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
DISCUSSION
Read Joshua 9:16-27.
16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.
The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” 21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.
22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? 23 You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24 They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.
DISCUSSION
Read Joshua 10:5-15.
5 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.
6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”
7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men.
8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”
9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.
12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
13 So the sun stood still,
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,
as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!
15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.
DISCUSSION
Read Joshua 10:20-27.
20 So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities. 21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.
22 Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.
25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” 26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.
27 At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.
DISCUSSION
APPLICATION
Sometimes God’s people get so comfortable in life that they forget to pray and seek God’s council. Instead of treating us as we deserve, God often honors our mistakes and takes care of His people which is evidenced by our story today. It seems in some way that Israel should have backed out of their relationship with Gibeon, but they didn’t. Can you see glimpses of our Biblical story playing out in our world today? Alliances come and go, but fortunately God is a solid rock and doesn’t go back on His Word. Listen to God, ask Him for guidance, and see if that dosen’t make a huge difference in your life.
FOLLOW UP
Last week one lesson plan asked you to do the following:
If you did that, this week, discuss the following:
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
OVERVIEW
Joshua 9:1-15 recounts a strategic ruse and a consequential story of negotiation within the broader context of the Israelites' conquest of Canaan. This passage delves into the Gibeonite deception, a remarkable episode demonstrating the consequences of acting without divine consultation.
As news of the Israelites' triumphant victories over Jericho and Ai reverberates across the land, it reaches the ears of the inhabitants of Gibeon and nearby cities. Terrified by the prospect of facing the same fate, the Gibeonites orchestrate a shrewd plan to ensure their survival. Disguising themselves with worn clothes, old sandals, and carrying stale bread and cracked wine skins, they approach the Israelite camp at Gilgal.
Presenting themselves as emissaries from a distant and unnamed land, the Gibeonites skillfully weave a tale of admiration for the God of Israel and a desire for peaceful coexistence. Joshua and the leaders, lacking divine guidance in this instance, are persuaded by the Gibeonites' convincing facade. Without seeking God's counsel, they enter into a covenant of peace and alliance with the supposed foreigners, swearing to protect them.
The narrative unfolds over three days, during which the Israelites begin to suspect that all is not as it seems. Their realization dawns that the Gibeonites are actually neighbors from nearby territory who had manipulated the situation to their advantage. In their haste to secure a pact, the Israelites neglected to consult God, a critical error that led to their being duped.
Despite this deception, the Israelites choose to uphold the oath they had sworn. Adhering to the principle of honoring covenants, they refrain from harming the Gibeonites. However, recognizing their deceit, the Israelites demote the Gibeonites to the status of woodcutters and water carriers for the community, a position that would serve as a tangible reminder of their manipulation.
Would you please share a story about when you were duped?
Read Joshua 9:1-15.
Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)—2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”
7 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”
8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.
But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”
14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
1. What motivated the Gibeonites to deceive the Israelites?
2. How did the Gibeonites disguise themselves to the Israelite camp?
3. Why did Joshua/the leaders of Israel make a deal with the Gibeonites?
4. What was the outcome of the Israelites' failure to seek divine guidance?
5. What position in the nation did the Israelites assign to the Gibeonites?
6. What lesson can be derived from the story of the Gibeonite deception?
7. What is in your life right now that is deceptive to others?
8. How can you become more honest to God and others?
SUMMARY
This passage serves as a cautionary reminder, illustrating the implications of making decisions based solely on human assessment, without seeking divine guidance. It underscores the importance of relying on God's wisdom in matters of judgment and diplomacy. The passage's intricate interplay of deception, negotiation, and unintended consequence provides a profound lesson in discernment and humility, reminding us of all of the imperative of seeking divine counsel in all circumstances.
APPLICATION
As we engaged with this biblical story, we saw suspense, drama, trickery, and consequences. These all remind us of the importance of blending God into all of our decision making. It is important to work along with our young people to share with them how vital it is to have a God-saturated life.
Below, find some application activities to interface with this lesson. These are simply to provide ideas for your usage, or to invite you to imagine and create some of your own, as you impact the lives of teens for God’s glory.
Honesty and Integrity Game Night.
Host the primary class in your local church to a game night and make the theme about the values of honesty and integrity. Using various games that they love, connect the story of the Gibeonite deception in a discussion before the games begin. Afterward, share with them the importance of making truthful choices even in challenging situations. Debrief with your class what this encounter was like for each person.
"Decisions of Wisdom Pictionary."
Search online to find pictures that involve problem-solving or ethical decision-making scenarios. Set up a Pictionary game where participants must work in teams to make choices based on the limited information the picture provides, like the situation the Israelites faced with the Gibeonites. After the game, have a debriefing session to discuss the outcomes relative to the Bible lesson and discussion.
