Avoiding Deception
“The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them.” Joshua 9:14-16 (NIV)
One of Satan’s formidable weapons against every Christ follower is deception. If the hook were not baited the fish would not take it, and if we could clearly see through the deception of temptation, we would be sinless. In 2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV), the Apostle Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” False apostles and prophets were creeping into the church and deceiving the members from the truth that was in Christ. Jesus warned about that in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:15 (NLT) when He said, “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.”
How can we protect ourselves from deception and avoid the pitfalls of being led astray? Once again, Joshua’s own mistakes offer us spiritual insight. By learning the lessons of the past and applying them to today, we can avoid deception. Just as Joshua, had forgotten to pray before engaging in a battle with Ai and suffered great loss, so now he forgets to pray in a proposal of peace with a group of men from Gibeon. Gibeon was a city located only 25 miles from Israel’s camp in Gilgal. It was on the list of cities in Canaan to be destroyed in Deuteronomy 20:10-20. When the Gibeonites heard of Joshua’s conquest over Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse. In Joshua 9:4-6 (NIV) the bible says, “They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 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.’” Their deception worked. Why? Because Joshua asked the right questions but to the wrong person and made his decision based on appearance and circumstances.
In verses 8b-13 we’re told that Joshua asked them, “‘Who are you and where do you come from?’ 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, 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. 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.’ ‘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. 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.’”
They should have received an Oscar for their performance. It certainly convinced Joshua and the leaders that examined them. What was their failure? How could they have possibly seen through the deception of the Gibeonites? PRAYER! This is the simplicity that Paul was so concerned would be robbed from the Christ followers in Corinth by the deception of Satan. Joshua 9:14 (NIV) says, “The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.”
How often have we made the same mistake? When we forget to pray, we become prey to deception and every other fiery dart Satan will hurl at us. Prayer is the mighty weapon God has given the child of God in his arsenal of defense. The normal state-of-affairs for a Christ follower is spiritual conflict. We are engaged in a spiritual battle every day! This is why Paul writes in Ephesians 6:11 (NIV) to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Then following a long list of armor in verses 12 through 17, he adds this in verse 18, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Prayer keeps us connected with God, aligned with His will, and protected from every form of deception that would derail us. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 26:41 (NIV) “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Had Joshua and the leaders prayed instead of leaning on their own understanding they would have avoided the deception of the Gibeonites. Only three days later would the Israelites discover the ruse. The Gibeonites were not from a far country. They were really only 25 miles away! The peace treaty Joshua made with them would be honored, not because of their deception but because God commanded that promises and oaths be kept. Joshua was a man of integrity, even when it meant protecting the Gibeonites from a major threat in the next chapter.
I love the way the Message paraphrases Proverbs 3:5-6. It’s the key to avoiding deception. It says, “Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track.” If you want to avoid deception, keep listening to God’s voice.