"Ask His Counsel"

In verses Joshua 9:3-6 we see where the people of Gibeon came up with a plan to trick Joshua and the people of Israel. 'But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins, torn and mended, old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. And they  went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us."

They had heard what had happened to Jericho and Ai and didn't want to go to war with Israel along with the rest of the inhabitants of the surrounding territories. They decided to trick them into making a covenant with them.  They thought it was a better plan for survival and the thing is, it worked. They were able to put one over on them by appearing to have traveled a great distance.

Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. So Joshua made peace with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them. Joshua 9:14-16

Joshua and the elders fell for the craftily laid plan because they believed what they saw with their eyes. They believed the  worn clothes and the worn sandals. They believed the mended wineskins and the moldy bread.  They believed the evidence in front of them and they trusted in their own ability to make decisions, but they forgot to do the one thing we all need to do whenever there is a decision to make. It says they forgot the most important thing, '...but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.' We as His people need to not trust in what we see or in our own ability but we must look to Him to lead and to guide our choices each day.  We must, 'Ask His Counsel!