Joshua 9.
* * * If acting faithfully, to every step of faithfulness the Lord will surely add more light; only it behoves us to take counsel of the Lord at every step. Peace with Gibeon only deprives us of victory, and brings upon us other wars and troubles; for the presence of what is not of God always opens the door to Satan. This, perhaps, is not so much felt when all is in vigour in the soul; but when there is decline, then the evil and consequence is felt. In the days of David there was a famine three years; it was for Saul and for his bloody house, because he had slain the Gibeonites. All this arose from the little act of not taking counsel with God. When all was war, it appeared a convenient thing, a blessing, to find some peace and recognition from those who said, 'The Lord your God.' It sounded like Rahab's believing voice; and in appearance, with these far distant travellers, there was nothing wrong in peace - they were not of the forbidden and accursed race. But they asked not counsel of the Lord; and it turned out they were of the accursed race, and it went nigh to separate between Joshua and the people. So cunning is the enemy, it is almost as bad, or worse, to lean for one's wisdom on the ways of God, as on one's own strength for the battles of God: peace with Gibeon and war with Ai end in defeat, or in confusion and shame."