DECEPTION

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 19 January 2012

Hi all,

Deception is perhaps the greatest tool in Satan’s armoury. It seems to be his specialisation. The deception of Eve in Genesis 3 introduces us to the fall of man. There is a sense in which the effect of deception is the focus of God’s attention throughout the Bible to the end of the Book of Revelation.

Mother Eve was deceived. Adam was not. He was a copy cat. Like many husbands today, he went along with his wife no matter what. He was not deceived. He knew what he was doing but did it anyway. So what else is new?

The Bible has a number of classic deceivers. Abram, Jacob, 10 of Jacob’s sons, Joseph in Egypt; Moses birth, Joshua; the list goes on and on. Today, deception is rife. The best comment I’ve heard about this is the question, “Would you buy a used car from Jacob?”

Jesus deceived no one. He was sinless. He is the only person who could truthfully state: - ³⁰ I'll not be talking with you much more like this because the chief of this godless world is about to attack. But don't worry--he has nothing on me, no claim on me. John 14:30 MSG If He may be accused of anything it would be to allow Satan and his forces to crucify and “kill Him”. Three days later Jesus was raised from the dead! Satan seems to have bitten off more than he could chew!

Today’s meditation looks at deception. What happened and some of the implications

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland.

Deception

Deception’s not acceptable, no matter who it’s by. We may think we must do it. It’s better not to try. “Sarai is my sister”. Is just what Abram said, It’s true, to His half sister, that Abram had been wed. But it was a deception and Pharaoh wasn’t pleased, He put her in his harem and his “wives” became diseased! He found they couldn’t reproduce and Sarai got the blame. So Abram had to leave with her, far richer than they came! The arch-deceiver Jacob, tricked everyone he could; He paid his uncle Laban a lot more than he should. He only wanted Rachel, but he had been deceived. The fact he married Leah, was hard to be believed. So Laban added Rachel. He worked for seven more years. With two wives and two mistresses! He would be close to tears! Perhaps the “best” deception that ever has been told, Is of the men from Gibeon. The thing they did was bold! They loaded up their donkeys, with very old stale bread. “We’ve travelled from so far away” is what their leader said. “We’ve heard about your exploits and what your God can do; So we have travelled from afar to make a pact with you. We’d like a firm agreement to always be your friend. So can we cut a covenant on which we can depend?” Now Joshua and his people did not ask God’s advice. And so they cut a covenant; they did it in a trice. Then, found out that the Gibeonites lived only just next door. But they were in a covenant which they could change no more. For it was done and settled. The Covenant was cut. They didn’t want to keep it. They nearly did their “nut”. And they would have to live with it, throughout the years ahead. They forced the men of Gibeon to serve till they were dead. Then, some years in the future, when Saul became the king, He tried annihilation, to end this problem thing. But he forgot the covenant and it was still in place. So seven of Saul’s offspring with death itself were faced. Each one of them was butchered and their bodies left to rot. Perhaps Saul had forgotten it, but Father God had not. He never will forget it. Time doesn’t wipe away, The terms of any covenant. They’re still in place today. And this is why a husband and wife are next of kin. It goes back to the covenant that they have entered in. So do not let deception destroy your marriage bond. You cannot dump each other because you are not fond, Of living as a couple, before the Lord Most High. You cannot break a covenant no matter how you try. But Jesus might forgive you, repentance is required. You never will repeat it, is what you’ll find desired. Jim Strickland – Written Thursday 19th January 2012