After creation, the story of mankind starts out in the book of Genesis with one BIG deception (the snake in the garden), and as you read through the Old Testament, you’ll encounter other situations with people being deceptive, such as the story of Jacob. …and there’s Gibeonites who deceived Joshua:

“…Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions but did not ask counsel from the Lord. So, Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live and the leaders of the community swore and oath to them. Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them. …Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, ‘Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?’” (Joshua 9:14-16, 22)

Because Joshua neglected to seek God’s advice concerning the Gibeonites, the Israelites were duped into making a treaty without God’s direction. I have learned some difficult lessons by being defrauded out of money, and the enemy tampering with my emotions (the hardest!). I like to think that I have learned to seek the Lord’s wisdom and “…let the peace of Christ rule in (my) heart…. (Colossians 3:15), although, I find it very easy to go skipping through my days without seeking the Lord, His wisdom and counsel.

There are New Testament cautions about deception, too (this is not an exhaustive list of verses):

“Jesus replied to them, ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, “I am the Messiah,” and they will deceive many. …Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” (Matthew 24:4-5, 11)

“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:12-13)

As much as we would like them to, things are not going to get better! In fact, “…evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse….”

“The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie, and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

I’ve been hearing the word “delusion” quite a bit lately and I thought I would look up and see if there’s difference between deception and delusion. This is what I found:

Deception:

The act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid. The act of deceiving.

Delusion:

1. Something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated.

2. A persistent false belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary.

3. The act of tricking or deceiving someone; the state of being deluded.      

A delusion is a deception that is tenaciously held on to despite evidence to the contrary—it takes deception one step further – holding on to one side of the story and denying validity to any alternative view, no matter if it is true.

I think people don’t really know what the Bible says and what they do know, they don’t like; so, they change “God’s truth” to “my truth” – thus deluding themselves.

I’ve had my moments of believing faulty doctrine and falling into uneasy acceptance of lies. The media nowadays seems more concerned with spreading a phony narrative than delivering news. I am astounded at the number of people who buy the lie of antisemitism, especially while they are demanding equality for their own “minority” group.

There is a war going on and it is much more intense than the firing of munitions. The problem is with me—and everyone who doesn’t recognize the enemy’s tactics and the fact that he hates God. …and God’s people, both the Israelis, and the Christians who hold to the Word of God without compromise.

I think my problem is that the events of October 7, 2023, were so inhumane and barbaric that it is difficult to conceive, in this day and age, that anyone would behave so savagely. Yet denial doesn’t change things. What happened, happened. And once again, though it doesn’t make sense, an entire race of people—the Jewish people—are condemned by the popular media. If you consider that there are unseen forces, forces at work, and people are going along with them, then the depths of human depravity will be mined.

How is it possible that such uncivilized behavior can be perpetrated in this modern age? And how can these people use such powerful manipulation and deception? I’ve had to accept that just because their behavior is primitive, Hamas is strong in technology and psychological manipulation—and they use the media to spread lies of starving children and brutal IDF soldiers. With a skewed sense of justice, many want to see them vindicated by destroying Israel. If you think about it, though, a two-state solution is not possible.

So how do we avoid the lies that surround us? Love the truth! Seek God’s counsel and pray about it. What does God say in His Word?  …and do you have a reliable source of information? God made a promise to a man long ago—an everlasting covenant—and God who cannot lie, will not break it.

The Word tells us, “…God sends them a strong delusion.” Why? Because the truth was inconvenient for their narrative, they didn’t love the truth, they’d rather believe the lie.

I could go on. If this was one of those times I was talking instead of typing, I would probably launch into rambling. The thing is, deception is very real, and I don’t know anyone who wants to admit to having been deceived, though I’m quite sure we all have at one point or another. It is usually pride (being wise in our own eyes) that keeps us silent. It is essential, though, that we love the truth. …and Jesus is, “the way, the TRUTH, and the life.”