LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION

As I re-read the Bible each year God continues to reveal things from the same passages of scripture that were seemingly void of revelation in prior years.  Such was the case today while studying Joshua and the treaty made with the Gibeonites in Chapter 8.

God had strictly instructed the Israelites to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before them.  God knew that if the Israelites allowed those who worshipped other Gods to remain in their midst that the Israelites would be tempted to worship those other Gods.  The Gibeonites, fearing for the lives as they knew God was delivering all of Israel's enemies into their hands, planned to trick the Israelites into making a treaty with them.  The Israelites were deceived by the Gibeonites and agreed to a treaty with them because the Israelites did not seek God's counsel before making the treaty.  This allowed the Gibeonites to remain among the Israelites and continue to worship other Gods.

And what does that have to do with anything today.  Well, God repeatedly tells us in scripture that we need to avoid those who worship other Gods.  Ephesians 5:3 says "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people."  When we expose ourselves to those who worship other Gods we allow a temptation to enter into our lives.  Temptation we may not easily see or be prepared to deal with. 

In the well known "Lord's Prayer" in Matthew 6:13 "LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION" are words for the wise for today and for eternity.