"...but they did not ask counsel of the Lord."

Joshua 9:14b "...but they did not ask counsel of the Lord."

I was reading the book of Joshua yesterday and the Lord gave me pause at this verse. I thought to myself, "it would have been very easy to pass over this word unnoticed."

At this point in the narrative, God has made a great conquest through the leadership of Joshua and the Israelites of the pagan peoples on the other side of the Jordan. And so, the people feared greatly the Israelites because of what God was doing through them. The "inhabitants of Gibeon" because they were also afraid "worked craftily and went and pretended to be ambassadors." (Joshua 9:4) When confronted by the Gibeonites, men seeking a deceitful allliance with Israel, Joshua and the leaders of Israel failed to "ask counsel of the Lord." Because of this failure to seek God's counsel, they had to spare the Gibeonites because of their own words.

Matthew Henry says of this passage, "We make more haste than good speed, when we stay not to take God with us, and do not consult him by the word and prayer." Brothers, let this be an encouragement to you to seek God in prayer. We have God's Word before us every day. Read over it and pray over it!

As another note, the book of Joshua was a great encouragement! It was awesome to read the Lord's words of assurance and deliverance to Joshua. Pause and hear this word from God to Joshua, "And the Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you."

Brothers, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus our Lord!