So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD.
(Joshua 9:14 NLT)
Out of fear that they’d be wiped out like the other inhabitants of the land, the Gibeonites used deception to make a peace treaty with Israel. The narrative is clear that when the men of Israel were trying to determine whether the Gibeonites really lived far away, as they were claiming, the men “did not consult the Lord.” As a result, Israel was deceived into making a treaty with these neighbouring people and sparing their lives, which wasn’t supposed to happen. Oftentimes, we make the same mistake. We make important decisions without consulting God first and have to live with the consequences of our actions. I believe the incident with the Gibeonites taught the Israelites an important lesson about consulting God first. Let’s learn from their example.
Consult God first always.
