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9 Now it happened when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the [a]Shephelah and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, 2 that they gathered themselves together with [b]one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.
3 Now the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai. 4 So they also acted craftily and went and traveled as envoys and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and [c]mended, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was crumbled. 6 And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; so now, cut a covenant with us.”
14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but they did not ask for the [f]command of Yahweh. 15 And Joshua made peace with them and cut a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
One of the most frustrating things about teaching in the public school system today is the lack of motivation. At my school we have a majority of the students who have no motivation to learn, to get good grades, to try, some even lack the motivation to put their name on their paper. And one of the indicators of that lack of motivation is that a student, any student, most students, know they don’t understand what we are doing in math class. But when I stand at the front and explain what we are doing that day, they don’t open their books unless I go around the room saying “open your books, open your books…” They don’t listen, they don’t write anything down. And when I give them the assignment for the class period today, if they don’t immediately know the answer, they just sit there. This is the frustrating part. I am right there. The answer for them is right there. The teacher, the source of knowledge and understanding is right there. All it takes to access that source is to raise the hand. And yet, out of 142 students in my classes, I dare say that only 12 to 15 will ever ask a question.
Well, that’s an illustration of the passage of Scripture that we are considering today. Our story from Scripture today is about how the Gibeonites came to the leadership of Israel with a lie, and the leadership, including Joshua, didn’t go to the Teacher to ask for instruction. They simply took the Gibeonites at their word, believed their eyes, their own wisdom, and made a huge mistake.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray you teach us today from your word, to be a discerning people. Teach us to call on you for instruction in both the big and small issues. Help us to learn to lean on you for guidance in every step of our lives. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
We’re going to do three things this morning. The first is to review where we’ve been. The second is to look at the test of the Gibeonites, the third is the test of faith.
Well, it’s been a few weeks, but we are back to our series of messages out of the Old Testament. The message series is entitled “Foundations of the Faith” and is designed to give you an overview of the important stories of the Old testament, how they fit with the New Testament, and how we can apply their principles to our lives today. We’ve been through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. We are now looking at the book of Joshua. As we closed out Deuteronomy, we were looking at Israel’s journey through the wilderness, and the lessons of faith that happened there. We applied what was learned as “Lessons for our own faith.” Once we enter Joshua, we enter a time of success for the Children of Israel, they are entering and conquering the land of Canaan. But it also becomes a testing period. They are tested by God as to whether they have learned the lessons from the wilderness. What were the lessons from the wilderness; 1.The Wildernesses of life are God’s Classroom, Second lesson; 2.We must Learn to Trust God’s Provision, 3.the wilderness teaches us the Danger of Grumbling and Discontent, 4. God’s Presence Is Greater Than Any Place, 5.Faith Must Conquer Fear, 6.Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice, 7.God Raises Leaders in the Wilderness, 8.Beware of Idolatry in the Waiting, 9.God’s Word Is Our Daily Guide, 10.The Promise Is Reached by Faith and Perseverance, 11.Remember and Teach the Next Generation.
Well, we also began looking at Israel’s entry into the Promised Land and the tests of their faith. What we’ve done so far:
The Test of True Success – definition, The Test of Humility (Rahab), The Test of Faith in Action – Getting your feet wet, The Test of Submission Bending the knee before the Commander of the Lord’s army. The Test of Obedience Following God’s strange instructions, The Test of Integrity – (Achan), The Test of Repentance, (Ai)
Today
What is the setting for this encounter with the Gibeonites? Well, if you don’t recall, After the death of Moses, Joshua was commissioned by God to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land, to conquer and possess it. And they had immediate success. They fought against Jericho, a city with high walls and seemingly impenetrable defenses, but God caused the walls to fall down, and Israel had victory. But then, without consulting God about how to proceed in conquering the next town, Ai, they sent only part of their army, and were defeated by a far inferior force. This caused them to panic. Joshua went to the Lord in prayer and God told him that someone had sinned, had taken what they shouldn’t have in the battle against Jericho, and until they dealt with the sin, they would no longer have victory. So, they dealt with the sin and returned to defeat Ai. This was a test of their integrity and repentance. And the lesson they should have learned is that “we need to check with God on everything. Every step of the way, we need to be on our knees in prayer asking God, did everything go right? Can we proceed?”
But we find with the encounter with the Gibionites, that they didn’t learn that lesson. You would have thought that at least Joshua would have learned. But what that tells us is that times of success can be more challenging to our obedience than times in the wilderness.
Success can be just as dangerous as failure. In fact, sometimes success puts us in more spiritual danger because it makes us relax. After the victories at Jericho and Ai, Israel finally felt momentum. Confidence was high. Morale was up. The enemies were trembling. And that’s when the danger came—not from a fortified city but from a clever lie.
That’s exactly what happens in Joshua 9: the danger isn’t a battle—it’s deception. This is a test of discernment. Will Joshua trust his own instincts and eyes, or will he turn to God.
POINT 1 — THE TEST OF DISCERNMENT
Joshua 9:1–6
Learning that spiritual vigilance is never on vacation. What happened?
9 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; 2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. 3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; 5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. 6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
1. The Story Behind the Point
Word of Israel’s victories spread rapidly. Not only had the people of the region heard about the miraculous exit from Egypt, they had also heard how Israel had defeated two strong rulers on the other side of the Jordan; Sihon and Og. And now Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground, seen the walls of Jericho fall, and its inhabitants slain, then Ai fell. So, immediately, the remaining powers in the region decide that they need to come together to fight a common enemy. The kings of Canaan unified to fight Israel (Josh. 9:1–2).
The land of Canaan during Joshua’s day was a patchwork of fiercely independent peoples and rival city-states—each with its own king, army, and fortified stronghold—and they often fought as much against one another as against foreign enemies. The Hittites, connected culturally to the great Anatolian empire to the north, held enclaves in Canaan known for their ironworking, chariot units, and political maneuvering, sometimes dominating smaller neighbors. The Amorites, occupying the rugged hill country, maintained a reputation for strength, height, and aggressive warfare, frequently battling for control of mountain passes and highland fortresses. The Canaanites, the most populous group, ruled wealthy cities along the coast and major trade routes—Megiddo, Hazor, Lachish—and often clashed with one another for economic control and regional supremacy. The Perizzites, rural villagers without major walls, were vulnerable and frequently caught in the middle, forming temporary militias or alliances when stronger groups encroached. The Hivites, including the Gibeonites, relied on diplomacy, treaties, tribute payments, and clever negotiation to survive among stronger or more warlike neighbors. The Jebusites, who controlled Jerusalem, held a highly defensible mountain fortress that rival cities often tried to capture but failed. Before Israel ever set foot in the land, these peoples fought over farmland, water sources, trade routes, and territorial boundaries, forming alliances one year and breaking them the next. They shared neither unity nor loyalty—only competition. So, when news spread that Israel had defeated Jericho and Ai, these long-time rivals did something unprecedented: they laid aside their old conflicts and formed a single alliance, realizing that only by uniting could they hope to stand against the God of Israel.
But one group—the Gibeonites—used a different strategy.
The Gibeonites were a Hivite people living in a cluster of four closely connected cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-Jearim—located in the central hill country just six miles northwest of Jerusalem. Archaeology shows that Gibeon was a large, fortified city, surprisingly prosperous for its size, with strong defensive walls, an advanced water system, and significant storage capacity for wine and grain. Though they were not the greatest military power in Canaan, the Gibeonites were far from weak; Joshua 10:2 says Gibeon “was a great city… greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty.” In other words, they had trained warriors and enough strength that the five Amorite kings considered them a serious loss when they defected to Israel.
They didn’t attack. They didn’t resist. They pretended. They arrived with: Moldy bread, Torn wine skins, Worn-out sandals, Fabricated stories, A well-rehearsed script.
By their appearance and words, they were pretending to be people from a faraway land coming to make an alliance with Israel. Seeking alliances with rising military powers was not an uncommon thing. Especially after you hear that they have defeated the strongest armies in the area. But why were they pretending to come from far away? Because word had apparently spread that Israel, and their God, intended on clearing the land. A complete takeover. When they fought Jericho and Ai, they left no survivors. They were not showing up to cities offering terms of peace.
The Gibeonites themselves give that answer later,
“24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
So, they come with deception, but the real test is for Israel. With Jericho they had to follow God’s precise directions, one person didn’t, and 36 people and Achan and his family lost their lives because of it. All because they went forward with their own plans before consulting with God. Now these people show up claiming to come from a faraway country asking for an alliance. You would think that Joshua’s and Israel’s first inclination would have been to seek counsel from the Lord. In fact, somebody did ask the right question.
6 And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; so now, cut a covenant with us.” 7 Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you are living [d]within our land; how then shall we cut a covenant with you?”
How do we know that you have come from far away? Good question. Do you know what their answer was? We have moldy bread and torn wineskins and worn out shoes. Don’t we look like people who have traveled from a faraway country.
12 This bread of ours was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these clothes of ours and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.”
And Joshua 9:14 tells the whole story in one sentence: Joshua and the leaders looked at the bread, wine skins and shoes, and believed the lie.
“But they did not inquire of the LORD.”
Joshua and the leaders looked at the evidence. It all looked right. It sounded believable. It seemed harmless. It passed the “common sense” test— But they didn’t ask God. And in that moment… discernment failed.
2. The Principle Today — Spiritual Vigilance Is Never on Vacation
Success has a way of making us careless. When God blesses us… When prayers get answered… When doors open…When things are going well… We stop praying dangerous prayers like: “Lord, show me the hidden things.” “Lord, expose the traps.” “Lord, give me wisdom before I decide.”
Instead, we rely on: Experience, Our instincts, Our emotions, What “looks right”
And that’s when deception works best. Satan rarely tempts believers with obvious evil. He tempts with almost right, not outright wrong. He disguises danger as opportunity. He presents temptation as convenience.
And so, they make an alliance with them. But they later discover that the Gibeonites live among them, in the territory that they are supposed to clear. They go to their city and chastise them for their deception, but the pact of mutual protection has already been made. But what they do is conscript them as laborers for Israel.
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
Tests of success—spiritual discernment
Does this mean that we ignore reason, or human wisdom? No, when I have to make a decision, I research, I consult with people, I ask important people’s opinions, but last of all, really first of all, throughout it all I remember.
Isaiah 30:21 “Your ears will hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
Why do we go to God to ask for direction; Because with God, all things are possible. Without Him nothing is. And Joshua would learn that lesson very shortly.
POINT 2 — THE TEST OF FAITH IN THE IMPOSSIBLE
Joshua 10:1–5 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; 2 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. 3 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,
4 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. 5 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.
The kings in Joshua 10 were not a new or unrelated group; they were actually a focused subset of the much larger regional coalition described in Joshua 9. In Joshua 9 we see a sweeping alliance of all the major ethnic groups of Canaan—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—uniting in principle against Israel because they realized a new and unstoppable power had entered the land. But in Joshua 10, the crisis becomes more personal and urgent. When Gibeon, a major Hivite city known for its strength and mighty warriors, suddenly defected to Israel, it sent shockwaves through the hill-country kingdoms. This was not a small village switching sides; Gibeon was “like one of the royal cities,” strategically located and militarily respected. Its alliance with Israel threatened to unravel the entire balance of power in southern Canaan.
So, five Amorite kings—Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—banded together in a rapid-response military alliance. These kings were part of the broader coalition mentioned earlier, but they acted independently because Gibeon’s defection directly endangered their territory, trade routes, and political influence. If Gibeon fell to Israel’s side, other cities might follow. The Amorites would lose control of the central highlands. Their defensive line would collapse. So instead of waiting for the full coalition to move, these five kings launched an immediate strike to punish Gibeon and stop Israel’s influence from spreading.
These kings went against Gibeon, because they were at the start of forming an alliance of cities to withstand Israel, and Gibeon’s defection set a bad precedent that other cities might have been tempted to follow. So, they wanted to punish Gibeon as an example. But they underestimated something. They underestimated the faithfulness of Israel. Israel’s elders had made a pact with Gibeon to protect them against attack, and they would honor that vow.
5 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.
6 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.
7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
8 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
The test of faith in the impossible
9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. 10 And the Lord discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
I think this was a lesson for Israel. Again they had to be taught that if they would just rest in Him, rely on Him, go to Him for direction, inquire of Him when they had a question, nothing is impossible with God.
This was a large coalition that went against Gibeon, and Israel also had a large number of fighting men. But the real winner of the day was God.
11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So, the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.
This massive army gathered to destroy Gibeon. Joshua kept his word of mutual defense. God honored that despite the fact that they hadn’t come to Him. God basically used this attempt to destroy Gibeon to gather the armies of multiple cities in one place, so the battle for Canaan could be settled quickly. And then He did something even more remarkable: Joshua is fighting the battle and winning. The opposing armies begin retreating. But, as they retreat, Joshua notices that the day is drawing to a close. The sun is going down. If their pursuit of the enemy extends into the night, they will lose momentum. Some of the enemy will escape in the darkness. Joshua thinks “if we had a few more hours, we could be done with these people.” “We can finish this so that they won’t be able to regroup and come back with another attack later.” So Joshua thinks, “if only the sun would stand still in the sky until we are done.” Now there are a couple of things that I want you to remember about that. First, Joshua was following a principle that we have emphasized repeatedly from this pulpit; We can only be assured of a positive answer to our prayers, when we are praying for God’s revealed will. If you go out today and think, “I’d like to see the sun stand still, that would be cool.” And I pray for it to happen, don’t expect anything. But Joshua knew the will of God. It had been revealed to him. God was giving this Promised land to Israel as an inheritance. He had commanded Israel to clear out the inhabitants of the land. He had told Joshua that no one would be able to stand against him. So, it was not a stretch to ask God to make the sun stand still so this battle could be completed.
But also, think about how audacious a request this is. I’ve asked God to help me get a job, to help me get a car we needed. Joshua asked that the sun stand still. Now, I’m not going to quibble about what it means that the sun stood still. Technically, it could have meant that the sun and earth literally remained stationary for a time while they completed the battle. I also think it could be that God caused the area where the battle took place to be lighted until the battle was over. Or God made have stopped time for those minutes or hours so that the battle was finished in some sort of time loop that actually didn’t affect the movement of the earth and sun. It really doesn’t matter to me. The important point is that God can do anything He wants to do. So when we find ourselves faced with a question, or a seemingly unsurmountable dilemma, our first response should be big believism.
Do you know that the Bible says that God is in control of everything? We fuss and worry over details, and yes, we should work to get things right. People write books and hold seminars about details. If I could just get the details right, I could be successful. Church growth; if our worship service was seamless, business, if you have your social media posts and website just right, finance, if you can just get into the market on the low end and get out on the high end. But there’s something that both of these stories teach us. We may think that we can reason our way to a solution, we may be able to put together an army of the bravest and best trained soldiers the world has ever seen, but God knows all the answers.
Hebrews 4:13 “And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
Isaiah 46:9–10 “I am God, and there is no other… declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done.”
Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord GOD! It is You who have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power… Nothing is too hard for You.”
God can drop boulders from heaven, God can make the sun stand still.
In Joshua we see that while Israel fought with swords, God intervened directly—hailstones from heaven and even the sun standing still—a vivid demonstration that nothing is too hard for Him. Paul says God is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think,” and Zechariah echoes, “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” These verses together remind us that while we work, plan, and prepare, our sufficiency is not in ourselves—“our sufficiency is of God.” And whatever success we achieve, it is only because the Lord of heaven and earth orders our steps and fights our battles.
3. Practical Applications Today
A. God invites you to pray boldly—even for what seems impossible. Joshua didn’t pray small prayers when facing a big crisis.
B. Sometimes God gives you a battle you didn’t choose—but He equips you for it. Israel didn’t choose this fight. But God used it to display His power.
C. Past failures do not disqualify you from future victories. Joshua made a mistake in chapter 9. But God still used him in chapter 10.
D. When you run out of strength, God can extend your “day.” He can give you: More energy More endurance More help More time More opportunities
If He can hold the sun in place…He can certainly hold your life together.
TRANSITION — The Two Tests Combined
Joshua 9 teaches us: Don’t let success make you careless.
Joshua 10 teaches us: Don’t let the impossible make you hopeless.
Both are needed. Discernment to avoid deception. Faith to overcome impossibility.
CONCLUSION — WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO YOU TODAY
1. Where do you need discernment? Is there a decision you’re making without prayer? Are you judging by appearances? Have you ignored God’s warning signs?
2. Where do you need faith? What seems impossible? What battle exhausts you?
Where do you need God to “extend the day”?
3. What is God showing you about success? Success will test you—But God will guide you
Protect you Strengthen you And lead you to victory If you walk with Him.
CLOSING PRAYER
“Heavenly Father, keep our hearts sharp and our spirits awake. Guard us from the deception that comes through carelessness. Give us discernment in every decision.
And when life feels impossible, give us Joshua’s faith—faith to pray boldly, to trust fully,
and to believe that nothing is too hard for You. Make us people who walk wisely and believe courageously. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Proverbs 3:5–7 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes.”
James 1:5–6 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”