Don’t Try to Live off Mouldy Bread (Joshua 9: 1-27)

Welcome:

Summary.

When God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, He gave them a paradoxical command: “The land is yours—now go and take possession of it.” That was both a gift and a responsibility.

In the same way, we are told that God has blessed believers in Christ with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). He has already given us love, peace, patience, hope, joy, gratitude, and strength/endurance, yet we are still required to take hold of them and live in their reality.

The tragedy is that many Christians fail to claim what is already theirs. What holds them back? Three common obstacles include:

1. Laziness
2. Lack of Faith 
3. Lapsing into Sin

But what if you've pushed past these struggles? Is there another obstacle that can still hinder you?

The Danger of Deception

Joshua 9 tells the story of how something as small and deceptive as stale bread nearly derailed Israel’s whole conquest. 

Spiritual Mouldy Bread Today

Just as Israel was deceived by appearances, many Christians today fall for spiritual deception. Some examples include:

1. The Lie That We Must Earn Salvation – Some teach that faith alone is not enough, but Scripture is clear: "For by grace you have been saved through faith… not of works" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
2. The Prosperity Gospel – Some claim that true faith guarantees wealth and health. But Jesus Himself said, "The poor you will always have with you" (Matthew 26:11).
3. The Lie That We Need More Than Christ – Some say we need secret knowledge or additional revelations, but Colossians 2:10 declares that we are "complete in Him."

Seeking God’s Wisdom

• Don’t trust appearances.
• Always seek God’s wisdom.
• Don’t assume something is right just because it looks good.
• Pray first, then act.

Final Thought: If you want to walk in God's promises, seek fresh guidance daily. Don't live off mouldy bread. Seek God, trust His wisdom, and walk in His truth.

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Chapters

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• 10:29 (Cont.) Untitled Episode
• 10:29 (Cont.) Don’t Try to Live off Mouldy Bread (Joshua 9: 1-27)

Transcript

Don’t Try to Live Off Mouldy Bread. (Joshua 9:1-27)

Transcript: 

When God brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, He gave them a paradoxical command: “The land is yours—now go and take possession of it.”

That was both a gift and a responsibility.

In the same way, we are told that God has blessed believers in Christ with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). He has apparently already given us the gifts of love, peace, patience, hope, joy, gratitude, and even strength/endurance—yet we are still required to take hold of them and live in their reality.

The tragedy is that many of us Christians fail to claim that which is already ours.

So, what holds us back?

I think there are three common obstacles that keep believers from stepping into the fullness of God’s promises:

1.    Laziness – Some people just camp on the wrong side of the Jordan, so to speak, unwilling to engage in the battles required to take possession of what God has given them. They settle for a life of complacency rather than pressing forward in faith.

2.    Lack of Faith – Others cross into the land but become paralyzed by fear, particuarly when they see obstacles in their path. They stand before their own personal "Jericho" and say, "I can’t." And the truth is, on their own, they can’t—but they forget that it was the One who commanded them, who can.

3.    Lapsing into Sin – Some begin well but allow sin to disrupt their walk with God. Remember, after the victory at Jericho, Israel was defeated at Ai because of Achan’s sin. Even one act of disobedience can cut off the flow of God's blessing.

I believe these three barriers explain why many are not experiencing a sense of victory in their lives. But what if you’ve pushed past these struggles? What if you are fighting for your faith, walking in obedience, and trusting God?

Is their anything else that can still nder you?

The answer I believe is being deceived into what I call trying to live off moldy bread.

That may sound strange, but Joshua 9 tells the story of how something as small and deceptive as stale bread nearly derailed Israel’s whole conquest of the land.

Today we are going to look at Joshua 9, the chapter on moldy bread, a metaphor for deception, and see what happened….

1 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites), 2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel. 3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” 7 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” 8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now, see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

(Joshua 9:1-15)

Remember, at this point, Israel had conquered Jericho and Ai, and word had spread. The Canaanite kings were terrified. They had formed a military alliance, uniting to fight against Joshua. However, one group chose deception over warfare—the Gibeonites.

Gibeon, in fact, was only about six miles northwest of Jerusalem, right in the heart of the land Israel was supposed to conquer. But the Gibeonites had heard of a loophole in Israel’s laws.

According to Deuteronomy 20, Israel was commanded to destroy the nations within the land but could make peace treaties with distant nations. So, the Gibeonites devised a plan: What happening here is that the Gibeonites have disguised themselves as weary travelers from a distant land.

They wore old, worn-out clothes and patched sandals. They carried dry, crumbling bread—making it look like they had traveled for weeks. Then they came to Joshua and asked for a treaty, pretending to be from far away.

Joshua and the leaders fell for the deception. They looked at the evidence—the old clothes, the cracked wineskins, the moldy bread, but notice it tells us, in verse 14, they did not ask God.

And that mistake would cost them dearly. Three days later they will discover the truth.

16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” 21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So, the leaders’ promise to them was kept. 22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? 23 You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” 24 They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.” 26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day. (Joshua 9:16-27)

So, three days later, Israel discovers the truth—the Gibeonites weren’t distant foreigners but Canaanites living nearby. Though deceived, Israel had sworn an oath before God and was now bound to their enemies, who would now become their servants. Their presence would later led to future conflicts and compromises.

The real issue in Joshua 9 wasn’t the Gibeonites’ deception but Israel’s failure to seek God’s guidance before acting. They trusted appearances rather than divine wisdom, relying on their own judgment instead of inquiring of the Lord. This mistake had lasting consequences.

Many of us fall into the same trap today. We trust what seems reasonable or even just exciting without seeking God. We make choices based on outward signs instead of divine direction. We rely on past victories rather than fresh wisdom. But superficial signs can be deceiving—the Gibeonites’ moldy bread looked convincing, yet it was a lie.

Every major decision should be brought before God. Joshua’s failure to pray and seek God led to a costly mistake, and the same can happen to us. Never assume something is right just because it looks good. Shortcuts to peace can lead to long-term problems. Even the right decision, at the wrong time can still be a mistake.

Joshua 9 is a warning: moldy bread leads to bad decisions. If you want to walk in God’s promises, seek fresh guidance daily. Don’t trust appearances, seek God. Don’t rely on past victories—seek fresh wisdom. Don’t fall for deception—pray first. Had Israel sought the Lord, they would have avoided this costly error.

The Gibeonites’ deception was incredibly carefully crafted. They wore tattered clothes, carried patched wineskins, and showed them dry and moldy bread to convince Israel they had traveled from far away. When questioned, they flattered Joshua, citing God’s past miracles in Egypt. The evidence seemed convincing, and Israel made were tricked into making their decision without consulting God.

This serves as a warning for us today. Satan is the master deceiver; he even sometimes appears as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Sometimes he attacks directly, but more often, he deceives subtly offering what looks good but something which leads to compromise. Spiritual deception is more dangerous than open opposition.

Today, many people fall for spiritual deception in the same way the Israelites did. They accept things that seem right without examining them through the lens of Scripture. Let me give you a few examples of spiritual moldy bread being peddled  by some today:

1.    The Lie That We Must Earn Salvation.

There are false teachers who claim that we must add works to our faith, in order to be saved. They tell us that grace alone is not enough—that we must keep certain rules, follow certain religious rituals, to secure our place in heaven. But that is not the gospel! The Bible clearly teaches in Ephesians 2:8-9:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

2.    The Lie of the Prosperity Gospel

Many preachers today claim that if you truly have faith, you will always be healthy and wealthy. Some even say, “God wants you to send money to them to prove your faith.

But Jesus Himself said in Matthew 26:11, “The poor you will always have with you.” Not everyone is going to be wealthy. Even Paul, one of the greatest men of faith, suffered financial hardships at times, as well as hunger, and even imprisonment.

Some of these preachers will even tell you, “If you aren’t healed, it’s because you don’t have enough faith.” But what about the apostles in Matthew 17? Jesus had given them the power to heal, yet they encountered a man they could not heal. The problem wasn’t the sick man’s faith, it was theirs! So, if even the apostles struggled at times, why should we believe that healing is guaranteed for every believer?

3.    The Lie That We Need More Than Christ

Some claim that Jesus is not enough—that we need secret knowledge, mystical experiences, or additional revelations beyond Scripture. But Colossians 2:10 tells us that “you are complete in Him.” We don’t need anything beyond Jesus Christ.

These are just a few examples of the moldy bread that some Christians are being deceived into accepting today. The enemy is still at work today, using deception just as he did in Joshua’s time.

The lesson I think here is to notice that the Israelites had good intentions, but they still made their decision based on human reasoning instead of seeking God's direction. And that led them to make a covenant they later regretted.

The lesson is clear: Don’t trust appearances. Always seek God’s wisdom. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

No matter how reasonable something seems, failing to consult the Lord leaves us vulnerable and open to deception. Israel learned this the hard way, and the sad truth of their deception came to light in just three days. 

I believe this tells us that when we walk with God, He will expose our errors to us in time. The real test, then, is how we respond when we realize we’ve been deceived.

Israel’s leaders had sworn an oath before God, and though the people were angry, breaking it would have been worse than being deceived. 

This highlights an important biblical principle: Integrity matters more than comfort. In today’s world, people discard commitments when they become inconvenient—contracts, friendships, even marriages sadly. But Scripture teaches that our word, especially before God, must be honored.

The people blamed their leaders, a common reaction when things go wrong. But true leadership means taking responsibility, even for mistakes. Joshua could have given in to the crowd, and had them killed but instead, he upheld the covenant, demonstrating integrity and protecting the people from Gos anger if they chose the wrong response.

So, how do you respond when your deceived by someone? Do you lash out or try to undo the past. Or do you seek to honor God despite the mistake and the difficulties that arise out of it? 

I think that false teaching is the major form of deception that Christians face today. Whether prosperity gospel, legalism, or spiritual shortcuts, It seems to me many people today fall for ideas that sound good but in fact contradict Scripture. The key is to stay grounded in God’s Word and open to His correction. Deception if we fall for it won’t last forever if we seek truth. If we live in his word then the errors of our ways will always be revealed to us.

When Joshua confronted the Gibeonites, they admitted, "We feared for our lives and that’s why we did this.” Instead of taking revenge, Joshua let them live but assigned them to serve in the tabernacle. This would be seen to be the wise thing to do because rather than allowing them to spread idolatry, they were placed in proximity to the worship of the true God.

Amazingly, over time, the Gibeonites became fully integrated into Israel’s religious life, taking on roles similar to the Levites. Though they had started as deceivers, God’s grace gradually transformed them into servants in His house. They didn’t deserve mercy, yet they received it which in itself is a powerful picture of salvation.

None of us deserve God’s grace. We are all sinners, yet through Christ’s sacrifice, God saves and uses us—not because of our righteousness, but because of His grace alone. If you haven’t received that grace, you need to. You can’t earn it—you must simply acknowledge your need of God in Christ, and God will freely give you that gift.

The Gibeonites were sinners who practiced deception, yet they were shown grace. And the same grace is available to you today.

But is there another lesson here?

Joshua had to live with the consequences of his deception for the rest of his life. God had commanded Israel to destroy all the inhabitants of the land, but because of their oath to the Gibeonites, they couldn’t fully possess it. 

Deception can keep you from fully accomplishing what God intends for you.

Joshua was a godly man—faithful, courageous, and obedient. Yet even he was deceived. Why? Because he on this occasion he relied on his own judgment instead of seeking God. He examined the moldy bread but failed to consult God’s Word, and that one mistake had lasting consequences. 

This is why you must stay rooted in Scripture—every decision must align with God's will.

Consider the rules of tournament golf. Players can be penalized for small infractions, but one of the toughest rules is Rule 38: if a player signs a scorecard with a lower score than they actually played, they are disqualified.

In 1968, Roberto De Vicenzo played brilliant golf, finishing at 277 after 4 rounds. But in his rush, he signed a scorecard with an incorrect score on a previous hole marking him at 278 instead of 277. The mistake cost him first place and, ultimately, over a million dollars in lost winnings and endorsements that year (1978). One glance too quickly. One small oversight. And it cost him dearly.

The rules of golf are strict. But God’s Word is even stricter. The point is making is if you are deceived, God will forgive you but the score still stands. 

So be careful. Seek God’s wisdom don’t be deceived by appearances. Do not be deceived by moldy bread instead realy on the Lord and His Word.