Deception in the Camp

Painting a Facade

At the onset of WWII there is a camp that was made to fool the world.

In the Furher Gives a City to the Jews the film is tailored to show just how great the Camp at Terezin was.

It contained luxurious apartments with lavish furniture, prominent Jews were brought there and given tremendous honor and care.

The camp contained markets with delicious food and designer clothing along with what later would be identified as fake bank.

The entire camp was designed to hide from the world how this camp was being used to covertly transport Jews further east into what would later be known as death camps.

The most fascinating part of The Camp at Terezin is that it fooled so many people. The Danish Red Cross would report how great the people were cared for here. Many of the Jews sent here thought it a reprieve from the death or concentration camp, some of the Nazi’s themselves who were not a part of this camp thought it odd when they hear the rumors of this camp.

In the liberation of the camp the true story would reveal some of the atrocities that occured here.

140,000 jews passed through this camp

33,000 died from malnutrition, disease and being overworked.

When in the face of such atrocities one must ask how did it get here? Did the Jewish nation really not know?

In lessons learned we may uncover a foundational biblical truth that is “we need to be careful who we make covenants with.

As the history of WWII presents the tale of how the Jews were fooled into letting the enemy corner an entire nation into near oblivion;

We the Christian people need to understand...

Deception in the camp can undermine the progress in the promise.

Scheming of the Enemy

Joshua 9:1–6 ESV

As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel. But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.”

7 Nations (Principalities)

6 propose themselves to draw battle lines… these bring traditional warfare

1... Gibeon chooses an alternate approach to battle

The success fo the Lord produces fear in the enemies camp

The 7 rulers realized what was coming for them…

It would appear unprovoked They all knew their time was limited.

This is the reason churches are attacked unprovoked “It is not what you have done but what God is doing through you”

The strategy is deception creating a covenant

Gibeon approach was to play the part…

Lets be friends… I am here to help you

Bound by Covenants

In Matt 7 the Lord warns about wolves in sheep’s clothing

It is not just the false prophets

There is an issue when others who enter the camp pretending to be here for good and to help…

What is then noted is this covenant led to the nation having to carry the Gibeonites

Joshua 9:11 ESV

So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.” ’

The enemy dawns on garments to look like they belong…

Look we look like you and want to be partners to help you

Showered with gifts

Whatever it take to forge the covenant that will lock you in…

Joshua 9:14–15 ESV

So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

An entire nation hamstrung because of a faulty covenant.

Significance to look to the Lord for counsel before entering into covenant

Undermined by Deception

Joshua 9:18 ESV

But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.

Enslaved by the things you are bound to

The Gibeonites won a battle without lifting a finger

You will remain captive to the covenant until you break with

You are the generation that is called to set the captives free… you need to break with this covenant

Overcoming the Deception

Identify the deception

Joshua 9:19 ESV

But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.

Why go on denying it… someone or something has fooled you into a covenant its going to happen

Understand that identifying the covenant is the only way you will be able to over come.

Confront the Deceiver

Joshua 9:22 ESV

Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us?

In the confrontation deal with concretes no need to add to it

confront the stated deception

Deal with the Deceiver

Joshua 9:23 ESV

Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.”

It would have been easier to destroy the enemy… Who would have held them to the covenant ?

It can only stay if it is willing to serve the house of the Lord.

Remain Committed to the Boundaries

Joshua 9:27 ESV

But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place that he should choose.

Remember there is a principality that forced its way into your life to destroy you...

the object of the covenant must now serve the living God

The person of the covenant must commit to the Lord… it cannot stay otherwise ...

Time and time again in history we see enemies subverting entire masses of people with no other intent than to bring them to their knees.

It is no different as you enter into the promise… there are principalities that will aggress you for nothing more than you are being obedient to the Lord… it will not relent but when the head on assault fails the enemy changes strategies and looks to forge covenants under false pretenses....

your peace

your job

your marriage

your children

your health

it happened to this people that visibly saw the Lord move how much more for those who walk by faith and not by sight will this be true?

Identify the deceiver

Confront the Deceiver

Deal with the Deceiver

Remain committed to the boundaries