April 14, 2024 - Treaties, Alliances and Conflicts

Joshua 9:3-10:43

Luke 16:19-17:10

Psalm 83:1-18

Proverbs 13:4

One Year Bible Audio & Daily Reading (oneyearbibleonline.com)

Joshua 9:6 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.”

The fear of what God had been doing for the Israelites drove them to lie and scheme to get Jacob to make a treaty with them. They had heard about the power of God and they did what they thought they needed to do to survive.

Joshua 9:14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.

But the Israelites who experienced and lived in the light of the power of God never even thought to go to the Lord to ask for guidance again. God had told them that He was going to drive out their enemies. God knows who those enemies are and He should have been the one to decide if these people were their enemy. We are told to choose our friends carefully. Just as the Israelites should have asked God if they should make a treaty with these people we should probably seek God before we decide to be friendly with people who don't know God. I am not saying that we should not have friends who do not know God. But we should make our decisions about them. He is the one who knows if they have integrity if they are honest and their motivations.

Joshua 9:26 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.

In integrity the Israelites had to honor their oath so they made them servants. It looks to me like they gave them to the service of the Lord and I like that. God can use even this for good.

Psalm 83:3 With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish.4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” 5 With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you—6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre.8 Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants.

Treaties by deceit and alliances against God's people. Israel has been in conflict over and over again. Still in conflict today. We too are God's people now so we should not be surprised that we experience conflicts. Not only will people pretend to be our friends deceitfully, they will also "gang up" on us and work together to fight against us and God. But if we are trusting the Holy Spirit and seeking guidance we will make decisions to make treaties with those that God chooses for us. He will also give us victory against those who in alliances of our enemies come against us. And when we do fail, which we surely will, He can still use it all for His good.