The Folly of Forgotten Wisdom
By Benjamin Siens
If I was a Canaanite around the year 1400 BC, I would have likely had one singular thought: “This does not look good. In fact, this really does not look good.” By the time we arrive at Joshua chapter 9, Israel has demonstrated remarkable, miraculous might. They had crossed an 18-mile stretch of the Jordan River on dry ground. Their God decimated the walls of Jericho and they experienced complete, flawless victory in that battle. Finally, after a brief set back, Ai was defeated, and Israel demonstrated great military strategy in the process. Two well-established cities had been defeated by invading nomads. Among the Canaanites, that would have done more than raise an eyebrow.
The Canaanites responded to these happenings in two distinct ways: The kings of the south chose alliance and military might. Recognizing things didn’t go so well for the independent city states of Jericho and Ai, they chose to join forces and increase their might. However, the inhabitants of Gibeon, evidently assuming battle would be a futile endeavor, chose cunning.
The Gibeonites devised a plan to trick the Israelites into an alliance that was strictly forbidden by God. “Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee…” (Exodus 34:12). Although the Gibeonites were only a mere seventeen miles from where Israel was camped, they made it appear as if they were ambassadors from a distant land who had traveled for weeks on foot to see and admire the “famous” God of Israel. They placed old, worn-out travel sacks on their donkeys as well as patched up wineskins. They donned their work clothes and put on old shoes. They packed dried out, moldy bread that they claimed was fresh when they left on their journey. Appearing haggard, they presented themselves as ambassadors from a distant land who were prime candidates for an alliance.
The narrators of the historical books of the Bible don’t often give commentary. They tend to be matter of fact and simply record history to be interpreted by the reader. However, the commentary in Joshua chapter nine simply cannot be missed: Verse 14 says, “And the men [of Israel]…asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.” The men of Israel took of the Gibeonites’ food. Joshua made peace with them and formed an alliance with them. The elders of Israel swore allegiance to them. All of this was done without seeking counsel at the mouth of the Lord.
It is important to point out that the failure here was not one of stupidity or lack of prudence. The Israelites asked questions at all of the right points. In verse 7, they are appropriately suspicious and even accuse the Gibeonites of a ruse. Joshua questioned who they were and where they were from in verse 8. The Israelites were not willfully sinning by knowingly entering into a forbidden alliance.
“Israel’s fatal error was that they did not seek God’s counsel, a counsel they did not know they needed but a counsel that was nonetheless available to them. They failed to avail themselves to that which was foolish to neglect.”
Israel’s fatal error was that they did not seek God’s counsel, a counsel they did not know they needed but a counsel that was nonetheless available to them. They failed to avail themselves to that which was foolish to neglect.
The tricky thing about seeking wisdom is that you often don’t know you need it until after the moment you needed it has passed. The Israelites, no doubt, thought they were making a wise choice. They would have seen, in Gibeon, a military ally, an increase in might. They had done their homework and thought they were making a wise, advantageous choice. However, thinking themselves wise, they became fools. Proverbs 26:12 says, “Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.” To fail to recognize our need for external wisdom is, in itself, foolishness.
The striking thing about Israel’s failure to seek counsel of the Lord is that His counsel was apparently available. The wisdom of Yahweh, the very mind of God Himself, was available to Israel; they simply failed to avail themselves to it. It’s easy to have a superior attitude until I stop and think about all of the times the very mind and wisdom of God have been available to me and how many times I’ve availed myself to them (or not). According to James 1:5, God’s wisdom is available to us every moment of every day and He does not withhold it from those who simply ask for it. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). What a resource!
If God’s wisdom is available to us upon request, but we often don’t know we need it until after the moment we needed it has passed, then it only makes sense that we would routinely ask God for what we don’t posses but what we will eventually need. The daily heart-cry of the Christian ought to be, “God, give me wisdom! Give me wisdom to live life. Help me think as you do. Align my thoughts with your thoughts.” The daily heart-cry of the parent ought to be, “God, give me wisdom! The kids are going to act out in ways I am not yet even aware of. Give me wisdom to respond properly. Give me wisdom to say the right things. Give me wisdom to teach and to train.” The daily heart cry of the spouse ought to be, “God, give me wisdom! My spouse is going to say something that ticks me off; it’s inevitable. Give me wisdom to respond in such a way that does not escalate the situation. Give me the words to say. Give me discernment to know the way in which to say them.” The application is truly endless.
If the wisdom of God Himself is available as James 1:5 promises and if we would be foolish to think ourselves wise in our own way of thinking as Proverbs 26:12 teaches, why wouldn’t we daily (hourly?) ask God for wisdom and avoid the error of Israel? Christian, do not fail to avail yourself to that which is foolish to neglect.