Summary: Let’s not be deceived, both physically and spiritually. We must be careful because:

1. Scammers have done their homework
2. Scammers make you feel special/superior
3. Scammers know your weakness and use that to tempt you

Hymn 23

Unsolicited phone calls, messages and emails. Not a single month goes by when we don’t get at least one of these. We’re so used to it that when we see a foreign number, we don’t answer. Some numbers are local but the voice is automated or in Chinese, claiming to be from DBS or DHL. They say something suspicious has happened and you need to do something. The speaker would just put the phone down as he has little dealings with DBS or DHL. Some texts are from dealers asking if we are in need of fast cash or whether you’d want to bet on some sports. The latest text the speaker received was new technology that can predict the market.

The immediate response most of us have is to block and/or report. It’s become so irritating as we receive more nonsense calls than actual calls.

The phenomenon of scams is very real. What are the tactics scammers use to trick us? This enables us to be more aware and wary of scammers. While the speaker doesn’t profess to be able to spot all scams, there are age-old tactics that we can learn more about to protect ourselves. This protection isn’t just for our physical but also for our spiritual needs.

Earthly scams are propagated by con-men and con-women and the consequences for falling for such schemes could be loss of money. We might become emotionally distraught. We would be so frustrated for being so easily duped. Some scams bring about bodily harm to others. The worst thing they could do is cause loss of life. But it’s physical life.

The spiritual scammer and consequences of falling for it would be the loss of one’s salvation. Not only would you lose your physical life but also your soul.

Who is this age old scammer, the first con-artist?

Satan - the father of all lies (John 8).

2 Cor 11:3 We need to be wary of the master scammer, the devil, and the techniques he employs that causes us to lose our spiritual lives.

This series of sermons will look at examples in the Bible where scam tactics were used.

1. Gibeonites

| _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.”
| Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so how can we make a covenant with you?”
| But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”
| And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
| So they said to him: “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’ This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
| Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.
| And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them. _ | Joshua 9:3-16

The Israelites were commanded by God to destroy all the inhabitants in Canaan. They couldn’t make peace with specific tribes, one of which were the Hivites. The Gibeonites were Hivites but they planned a way for the Israelites to make peace with them. They dealt very craftily.

v4-5 The Gibeonites fabricated evidence to show they came from a far off country.

1. Old sacks on donkeys
2. Old wine skins
3. Old and patched sandals on feet
4. Old garments they wore
5. Dry and mouldy bread

Apart from fabricating the evidence before meeting the Israelites, they probably rehearsed what they would say.

v9-10 They mentioned what had happened more than 40 years ago, and the displacement of the Amorite kings which was longer ago. They cleverly left out more recent events such as the crossing of the river Jordan and the successful conquering of the city of Jericho and Ai.

Lesson 1: Scammers will do their homework

They’ll make a lot of preparations to trick their victims.

What is the lesson for us today? The more scammers do their homework, the harder it is for us to see through their schemes.

We need to be more wary. We cannot underestimate the effectiveness of a scam.

We’re used to putting down in an automated Chinese voice claiming to be DHL. But now they’re more sophisticated. They use English, albeit a bit broken at times. But they’re getting more realistic. The more elaborate and sophisticated it is, the more difficult it’ll be for us to see through. Let’s not underestimate this.

What’s the spiritual lesson we can learn?

Never underestimate the craftiness of the devil

We can never let our guard down thinking it’ll never happen to us. Always remain vigilant whether for our physical or spiritual lives.

Lesson 2: Scammers like to make us feel superior/special/smart

The Gibeonites made the Israelites feel superior and clever. Their guard was hence lowered.

Joshua 9:8 - “We are your servants”

This was a technique to show the Israelites were superior to them. This was a very direct way. Praising. Speaking words of flattery. These are a little more obvious.

Some con-men will come and say you’re so handsome. Anything to make you happy and lower your guard. These are more obvious and direct.

Another way was more subtle. But this made the Israelites feel smarter which caused them to let their guard down.

Joshua 9:12-13, 4-5 The Gibeonites specially pointed out the fabricated evidence - (1) old and mouldy bread, (2) old wine skins, (3) old garments, (4) old sandals. They only brought up 4 out of 5 of the fabricated items. The one they left out was (5) the old sacks on the donkeys.

Why would this make the Israelites let their guard down? The fact that the Gibeonites didn’t point out the old sacks but the Israelites can observe it may make them feel superior. It would confirm/corroborate the story the Gibeonites had spun, and this was by the own observation of the Israelites.

This would make the Israelites feel superior.

How is the technique of making you feel special used today?

Consider love scams. They know a person is lonely. They chat on social media or dating apps. The mark (person to be scammed) has never seen this person before but will feel that person is his/her ideal. The scammer will make the mark feel like he/she is special. Out of the blue, the person may request for money. “I’ve an emergency! My dad is hospitalised. I need some money.” That’s when you start to lose money.

People try to make you feel special. They seem to know you and say words that please you.

There are other scams like investment scams. Starts off by asking you to invest a little money. Because we’re ‘clever’ we just put in a little. The returns end up not bad. We put in more. And then there comes a time we don’t get any returns anymore. Instead we get into great debt. They let you taste a little goodness in the beginning to win you over. The worst thing is when you share this method with your loved ones.

Con-men make you feel special and smart. That’s when you fall into the trap.

What about the spiritual schemer? How does the devil make us feel special and smart? Causing us to lose our eternal life.

The devil makes a person feel special from the very start - the serpent and Eve. “After eating this fruit, you’d be more special! Don’t be so stupid to be tricked by God.”

What’s the meaning for us today? Paul tells us not to be deceived. What can we deceived on?

What scheme has the devil employed that even though people do these things, they believe they can still be saved?

Consider Samson. He seemed special. After he fulfilled his own lusts, God still worked through him and allowed him to be victorious over the Philistines. Perhaps Samson thought he was so special, he wouldn’t fall out of the grace of God and that God would forgive him for all he had done.

It’s sad to read Judges 16:20. This was the sorry state of Samson. He thought God would still work through him. But he didn’t know God had departed from him. He later was mocked and treated as a performance to the Philistines.

This is what the devil wants us to feel. That we are so special God will never leave us. “I go and fulfil my desires. I know God will pull me back! I did this a lot already. I almost stepped into a line of mortal sin but God pulled me back.” But unfortunately for Samson there was a time God departed from him. Likewise there might be a time God departs from us. God loves us but we deceive ourselves that we are especially special and God will forgive us of all our sins.

The devil also lets us feel especially clever such that we are able to tread the line of sin. Some people think they can do whatever they want and then get baptised at the very end. Some come to know the truth, want to play and enjoy themselves, do whatever wrong they want, then get baptised because sins are washed away. They think they’re clever enough to game the system.

There are others who are already believers. The way they game the system is to not cross the line but go as close as possible, do the bare minimum. So that they can go as close to the world as they can without losing their salvation. “I’m clever and smart enough to know when to stop.”

Whether it’s an unbeliever who thinks he can get baptised at the end of his life or the aforementioned believer, the fact is, we don’t know when our life will end. More importantly, God is not to be mocked. Don’t think He doesn’t know the system He created. Don’t think we are so smart to be able to have the ‘best’ of both worlds.

If you think you can game the system, you’re actually sowing to the flesh. You will definitely reap corruption. That is the conclusion. But the sooner you turn to God and steer away from that, you sow to the spirit. And you’d reap everlasting life.

Don’t be deceived by the devil to think we are clever enough to game the system. This is how scammers in the world con others. This is how the devil schemes and tries to destroy us.

Lesson 3: Scammers tempt you because of your desire/weakness

Joshua 9:14 - It’s interesting that the Israelites took the provisions of the Gibeonites. Since it was old and mouldy.

Two explanations:

1. They tasted it. Confirmed the evidence. Didn’t seek the counsel of the Lord. The Israelites judged based on sight/touch. Decisions are made based on faith or on our own sensing/sight/thinking.
2. While the bread and wine were mouldy and dry, they were still edible. Maybe the aged wine tasted better. They hence took the provisions to fulfil their own lusts; they gave into their own lusts. (James 1) We give in to our own lusts.

Scammers tempt us according to our lusts. We might be weak to money, sex, praise/feeling special. The only way to escape is to flee. Know our weaknesses and run away so we don’t fall into temptation.

Summary

Gibeonites were a group of scammers. Let’s not be deceived, both physically and spiritually. We must be careful because:

1. Scammers have done their homework
2. Scammers make you feel special/superior
3. Scammers know your weakness and use that to tempt you

To escape from all this, may God guide us in our ways.

Hymn 67