Introduction: How many times have other Christians told you
that something was a “gray” area or that the matter was
“complicated?” I’m often suspicious that comments like that
are an attempt to avoid admitting that some activity is
sinful. My go-to text, Deuteronomy 4:2, essentially says
that something is either wrong in God’s sight or is some
unauthorized rule that humans have created. That narrows the
“gray” areas. However, when Jesus equated lust with adultery
and anger with murder (Matt 5:21-22, 27-28), He complicated
our understanding of Deuteronomy 4:2. Our study this week is
about two “gray” stories. Let’s dive in and see if Scripture
sharpens our understanding of the “gray!”
I. The Spies
A. Read Joshua 2:1 What action did Joshua take before
launching the invasion of Canaan?
1. Had spies been sent out before? (Read Numbers 13:1-3,
Numbers 13:17-20, and Numbers 13:31.
Yes, Moses sent out twelve spies and their
report led to disaster.)
2. What do you think was the motive to send out
spies? (Read Numbers 13:32-33. The first spy
mission assessed the land and its defenses.
Part of the motivation was to gauge whether
they could take the land.)
3. What is Joshua doing differently this time?
(This time he sends only two spies, and he
does it secretly. This suggests that the spies
were to report only to him, which would limit
the problem that arose the first time.)
4. Is Joshua showing a lack of faith in God? (If
you look at Numbers 13:1-2 it was God who
directed Moses to send out spies.)
a. Normally, wanting to keep your activity a
secret is a strong sign that activity is
wrong. Is this a gray area?
B. Read Joshua 5:13-15 and Joshua 6:2-5. What is God
doing for Joshua in advance of the battle for
Jericho? (God gave him the kind of information you
would get from spies – and much more. I lean
toward viewing the two-spy mission as a lapse in
trust, although that is not clear because God
authorized the first set of spies.)
II. The Prostitute
A. Look again at the last part of Joshua 2:1. Where
did the spies stay? (At the house of a prostitute
named Rahab.)
1. Does that sound like part of God’s plan?
2. If you say it was a smart move because this
would keep the spies anonymous and secure,
read Joshua 2:2-3. Did it work? (No. Their
presence was reported immediately.)
B. Read Joshua 2:4-7. Is this only a lie? Isn’t it
also treason against Rahab’s city? Isn’t it also a
misdirection to send the men of Jericho off on a
false lead? (It appears to be all of these.)
C. Read John 8:44, Revelation 12:9, and Exodus 20:16.
These texts state that lying is what Satan does.
Let’s review this sequence. Joshua sends spies
(perhaps a failure of faith), the spies choose a
prostitute’s house (a failed anonymity plan), and
then the prostitute lies to protect them. Is this
a “gray area” or a “complicated” issue?
D. Read Joshua 2:8-13. What is Rahab’s motive for her
treasonous lying? (She wants to save herself and
her family.)
1. Isn’t saving yourself the usual motive for
lying?
2. Does that make this a “gray area”
justification?
E. Read James 2:25. What does James call Rahab’s
actions? (Good works that “justified” Rahab.
Evidence of genuine faith.)
F. Read Hebrews 11:31. How does this text view Rahab?
(She is obedient! She does not perish with the
disobedient.)
G. Read Matthew 1:5. What woman do we find in the
genealogy of Jesus? Know that the listing of women
in this genealogy is rare. (Rahab is mentioned!)
H. Do we have a new rule? We are authorized to lie if
it might help us or help our family? (Let’s read
Exodus 20:16 again. What, exactly, is prohibited?
(“False witness against your neighbor.”)
1. Does this mean that the only prohibited lies
are those that harm someone else? Say, for
example, all the other people of Jericho?
(Read Proverbs 12:22. Scripture broadly
condemns lying; harm to others is a central
concern, but truthfulness itself matters to
God.)
I. Let’s go back and read Joshua 2:11. Is Rahab
merely afraid that the Hebrews will defeat the
inhabitants of Jericho, or is there a deeper
conviction? (God judges our hearts. Rahab
recognizes that God is the true God, and she gives
her allegiance to Him. The negative spin I
previously gave to her motives is not how God saw
her.)
1. Let’s revisit our discussion that sending out
spies might have reflected a lack of faith.
What valuable intelligence is gathered here?
(Read Joshua 2:23-24. What Joshua learned was
that his opponents were afraid. Joshua had
already won the psychological war.)
III. Lying Gibeonites
A. Read Joshua 9:1-2. We skipped over the chapters
recording that the Israelites defeated all of the
Canaanites that they met. What is the reaction of
this group of Canaanites? (They form a coalition
to fight Israel.)
B. Read Joshua 9:3-6. How do the Gibeonites react?
(They resort to deception.)
C. Read Joshua 9:12-14. The Gibeonites provide
evidence to support the lie that they are from a
distant country. What do the Israelites do and
what do they fail to do to determine the truth?
(They examine the evidence and decide to believe
the Gibeonites. What they fail to do is to
consult with God.)
D. Read Joshua 9:7-8. Is Joshua suspicious of the
Gibeonites?(Apparently.)
1. What does the Bible reveal about the
Gibeonites in these verses? (They were
Hivites.)
E. Read Joshua 9:15. Does the lie work? (Yes. Israel
makes a covenant of peace.)
F. Read Deuteronomy 7:1-5. What had God told the
Hebrews to do to the Hivites? (Make no covenant
with them. Destroy them completely.)
G. Read Joshua 9:16-19. God told them to destroy these
cities, and the promise of safety was based on
deceit. Modern American law says a contract based
on “fraud in the inducement” can be set aside. Do
you agree with this unpopular decision?
H. Read 2 Samuel 21:1-2. A problem with Joshua was
that he did not consult with God about the
Gibeonites. What does this tell us about God’s
attitude towards the Gibeonites? (Saul has done
what God told them to do – destroy the Gibeonites.
They avoided immediate destruction through deceit,
so I would obey God and not feel bound by a promise
induced by fraud. But this tells us that God is
very unhappy with Saul’s decision.)
I. Let’s see if we can better understand this. Read
Joshua 9:19-20. What honesty issue is raised here?
(Honesty before God. The Israelite leaders swore an
oath in the name of God to the Gibeonites. The
Gibeonites might be false, but the great God of
heaven is not.)
J. You don’t have to read it now, but in Joshua 10:5-
14, Israel rescues Gibeon from the Amorites, and
God clearly acts to protect Gibeon. What lesson
does this teach? (It was foolish and hasty to
covenant in the LORD’s name without seeking Him.
But once sworn, both Israel and God honored the
oath.)
K. Friend, the best answer to dealing with “gray”
areas is to consult God’s word first. If God’s
word does not address the issue, then ask the Holy
Spirit to guide you. That is what Joshua failed to
do with the Gibeonites. And do not act hastily,
another problem in dealing with the Gibeonites.
But in every situation put God’s honor first. Rahab
put God’s people first, and God expected His people
to honor their promise to the deceitful Gibeonites.
IV. Next week: Memorials of Grace.
Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
