Deception finds its influence beginning with the first couple, Adam and Eve. A foreign visitor, the chief over the fallen angels who knows God personally but rejected His ways confronts them. Aware of what God said He speaks just a few words that challenge the instruction given to them by God. Since it was introduced and believed, mankind has had it accompany them throughout our history. Truth needs to be introduced and overcome what is not true. As in the beginning it will be the same in the end. Deception will enjoy its most popular influence at the end, it will become invasive in the end as the one who first introduced it rules over the world and will be openly accepted. He will rule for a short time and then reap what he sowed, as will all those who follow in his footsteps.

Gen. Deception brought lying which affected our spiritual and physical nature. 3:13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” From the beginning of the change in our nature excuses are made because we do not like being accountable and face the consequences we have done by listening to the wrong voice.

The next deception in Scripture is among brothers. Cain tricks Abel to go out into forest and then slays him, making him the first murderer. Cain is spoken of in this manner as being of the evil one (along with his unrepentance and disobedience in sacrifice). Deception brought about lying and both spiritual and physical death.

From this time forward, lying, dishonesty and deception have been with mankind. It accompanies our human nature as a self - protective measure. Man has grown in intelligence and learned many things, yet his basic ways are unchanged, our sin nature rules us. It brings division to mankind and none of us are out of its reach.

Prov. 24:28 “Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, for would you deceive with your lips?”

Jer. 9:5: “Everyone will deceive his neighbor, and will not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves to commit iniquity.” Truth can be an affront to deceivers, they do not want to hear it or adhere to it. One can be very proficient in their lying, making it an art form.

People will deceive for their own preservation. Josh 9:3-6 “But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us." Joshua finds out what they are really about and in 9:22, Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you dwell near us?”

Israel had the same problem we see today from liars, those who mislead by promises. Obad. 1:7 “All the men in your confederacy shall force you to the border; the men at peace with you shall deceive you and prevail against you. Those who eat your bread shall lay a trap for you. No one is aware of it.” Their friends who they had peace with joined with their enemy to lay a trap.

2 Sam. 3:25 "Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing." Deception is accompanied with scheming and it can even affect leaders of nations.

Isa 19:13 “The princes of Zoan have become fools; the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also deluded Egypt, those who are the mainstay of its tribes.”

Isa 44:20 “He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Obad. 1:3 “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, `Who will bring me down to the ground?” One can have self confidence that they cannot be overcome, its pride and it is always contrary to God.

Jer. 49:16 “Your fierceness has deceived you, the pride of your heart, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill! Though you make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there," says the LORD.

Deception comes from the heart; it is about coveting something they cannot get by other means or thinking something that is not true as if it is. Jesus describes the heart as deceitfully wicked (Mark 7:21). And as the days stretch toward the culmination those involved in its ways will become more shrewd and conniving.

Deception is portrayed in Scripture as believing something untrue and not considering the opposite may be the truth, which makes it as an acceptance of a lie. It misleads and entraps. 1 Cor.15:33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." do not be led astray planaoo (NT:4054) by such a false philosophy of life. (from Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament)

Deception can be intentional or unintentional as someone is used by the enemy to bring harm to them or another. This becomes the warning that is weaved throughout the pages of the Bible of those who claim to be prophets and tell the people lies.

Jer. 29:8 “For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.” Not every dream is from God, even if they say so.

Not all deception is wrong, it can be used by those who want to preserve life. This is the only exception I have found in Scripture. There is more than one example of this, such as the Jewish midwives who lied to Pharaoh to spare the newborns. Matt 2:16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.”

It is more often used to destroy life David wrote in Ps. 38:12 “Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long.” They conspire together for the result they want. Look at Hitler and how he told the Jews to get on the trains to be transported to somewhere good and instead took them to concentration camps to be starved to death and put in ovens.

History teaches that deception does not occur overnight, but is often an intentional planned process that erodes the truth or replaces it. A mere drip of water continuing over a period of time can rust metal or wear it down.

In the same manner the churches that have been exposed to foreign teachings have caused their own erosion. It is not only a matter of truth being eclipsed by something, but replacing it, it is hidden by the very purveyors of deception.

When we come to the New Testament, those who have the indwelling of the Spirit of truth should find this especially grievous to see deception working in people’s lives.

So how is deception explained in the letters of the New Testament?

Rom 16:18 “For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”

A phrase that means they serve to feed themselves and it’s to target the naïve, the unlearned, those who easily trust others.

We are to be guarded for our own safety. Eph. 5:6 “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Col 2:4 “Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.”

1 Cor. 6:9 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites”

1 Cor. 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." Here God calls some people evil, we are to watch from their influence.

Job 15:31 “Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, for futility will be his reward.” What you trust in you will reap, our trust be in God. Paul says basically the same thing in Gal. 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

James 1:16 “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” Yes believers can get deceived in numerous ways. The fact that we are now targets of the enemy of God should keep us on guard.

2 Cor. 11:3 “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.” (1 Tim 2:14) Woman are an easier target as they are the weaker vessel, just as Eve was targeted.

James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. “We are told that we can self delude ourselves by hearing the word and not trying to live by it.

I Jn 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” How many think they are perfect and blameless when the Bible warns of practices to avoid as believers. To walk in the truth, in the light means we can see our flaws. Its been said the closer we get to God the more obvious our creatureness fallen nature) is known. Remember Simon Peter was asked by Jesus when he got into the boat to toss the nets

Out But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (Luke 5:5-8). He saw that was lacking faith in the lords request.

Paul recalls Rom. 7:11 “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.”

Sin can deceive us in so many ways. It makes one complacent and comfortable and blinds them to go deeper into sin. We as believers were just as deep in deception of sin as everyone else, but now we are new creations, we have been translated from darkness to light.

Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” So the former things we once did should be repulsive to us and avoided.

I Jn 2:26 “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.

I Jn 3:7 “Little children, let no one deceive you.”

One of the worst ways to be deceived is to know God and go after another, it’s called spiritual harlotry Deut. 11:16 "Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them.”

What was spoken to Israel will become the error of the church in the last days

1 Tim. 4:1 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

II Jn 1:7 ‘For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” These deceivers are both outside and inside the church.

Matt 24:5 "For many will come in My name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and will deceive many” (Mark 13:6)

Luke 21:8 And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, `I am He,' and, `The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.”

So many in our time have said they are Christ ( or saying we are all just like him) and we are hearing from them of the time drawing near by such and such event, making themselves to be prophets (or teachers of prophecy).

Remember; “A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness will utter lies.” (Prov. 14:5-6)

Jesus in his last discourse warns what the end of the age will be like, it will have deception as the prevalent condition. Matt 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” V. 24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Mark 13:22)

There have always been false prophet among the people, but in the last days there will be a massive increase of false prophets that will try to lead God’s people into deception. Jesus said this as the most repeated warning sign for the end times - FALSE PROPHETS.

II Thess. 2:10 “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

And what of the church? We act as if we are unaffected by any false teaching that happens to be the majority of teaching on the Christian networks, that we need not be concerned, we are safe.

We have feminist bibles, gender free bibles, Green bibles with eco -scriptures being the norm, what next, can we expect a bible with evolution as the next and final step away?

We watch the trends of the world, business models conform the people in the church instead of the word.

In the last days a deception so deep will affect the whole world. In the Tribulation the truth will become nearly non - existent.

This lying and deception will be resolved in the Millennium when Jesus is present to rule on earth with His church that is finally perfected serving under him. Zech. 13:4 "And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive.” This of course is referring to Jacob, who disguised himself to get his birthright.

Deception brings rebellion to the truth and it brings the people to ruin. It happened in Jeremiahs day when Israel was overrun by false prophets and it will be repeated at the end of the age.

Jer. 5:31 “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

Jeremiah challenged them by the question about what they loved and followed; and he asks us today.

Jer. 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.”’

These are People that refuse the love of the truth and adamantly resist what God wants for them. Truth, which brings true freedom, peace and happiness. Truth must be proclaimed in the days of deception. May our answer be like Joshua’s, “as for me and my house, we will serve the lord.’ (Josh. 24:15)