FAILURE TO PRAY

Israel’s victories over the cities of Jericho and Ai produced contrasting reactions amongst the remaining inhabitants of the land. Most of the nations hardened in their opposition to the invaders, and became more organized by uniting into a confederacy, vv. 1, 2. However, the four-fold group of Gibeonite cities, v. 17, decided to make terms with Israel in an attempt to stave off the inevitability of destruction.

The Gibeonites were motivated by fear as they were well aware of the greatness of the God of Israel. They recognized that God had destroyed the Egyptians, the Amorites on the east of Jordan, vv. 9, 10, and the inhabitants of Jericho and Ai, 9. 3, and that they were next on Israel’s invasion path. Instead of military opposition, they chose the path of guile and deceit. They sent a delegation to Joshua with old food, wineskins, and clothing to give the impression that they had travelled a great distance.

Joshua questioned the delegation but was deceived into making a treaty with them. The Gibeonites approached humbly, but with lies and flattery. In humility they sought servanthood, with lies they claimed to have come a great distance and through flattery they praised the great God of Israel. The result was that Joshua did not ask any probing questions but accepted it all at face value. Yet Joshua’s great failure was in not consulting God. He did not pray about the matter. Neither he nor the leaders of Israel, ‘asked counsel at the mouth of the Lord’, v. 14.

The treaty was sealed with an oath, but the deceit was soon discovered. However, such an agreement was sacred and could not be annulled, and the Gibeonites were made slaves to the people of Israel.

Failure to pray can cause us to commit actions which we cannot retract as Christians. We may regret what we did but we live with the consequences. The hymn writer spoke the truth when he wrote, ‘O what peace we often forfeit! O what needless pain we bear! All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer’,J.SCRIVEN.