Irreversible Decisions
Watch Out For the Gibeonites!
Joshua was no dummy, but he fell for trick and found
himself stuck with an irreversible decision, because he failed to stop and pray about something that looked obvious.
What was there to pray about? A group of fellows, who
had obviously travelled a great distance, presented themselves to Joshua and asked for a treaty.
Since he could clearly see they weren't close neighbors
(tattered clothes, moldy bread etc.), there was no problem treating with them.
But there was a problem. These people weren't weary
travelers at all. They were close neighbors, and Israel had been commanded to "make no treaty" with the inhabitants of
the land God had given them.
Once the treaty was made, it could not be unmade,
and Joshua and all Israel was stuck with the consequences of it.
For the simple reason that...
Joshua did not stop and pray
