JOSHUA 9 – I’M NO FOOL, OR AM I?
Use examples of how people have been fooled.
We like to think that we are not easily fooled, and yet there are times when we can be deceived.
Satan is the master of deceit. Ephesians 6:11, 1 Peter 5:8, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, John 8:44
Joshua and the Children of Israel had great success conquering the promised land. They were given specific instructions for destroying the inhabitants of the land. Exodus 23:31-33, Deuteronomy 7:2,16
The residents of Gibeon realized that they would be destroyed,
They decided to use trickery to deceive Israel. Although the Israelites probably didn’t consider themselves very gullible, they were deceived for three reasons.
THEY JUDGED BY APPEARANCE Joshua 9:1-13
THEY ASSUMED THEY WERE BEING TOLD THE TRUTH Joshua 9:14-15 – They could have checked out the story first.
THEY FAILED TO ASK GOD Joshua 9:14-15
Note the consequences of the decision.
DISOBEDIENCE Joshua 9:15-17
CRITICISM Joshua 9:18
LIVING WITH THE SITUATION Joshua 9:19-27
PROTECTING THEIR ENEMIES Joshua 10
