Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Flattery
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Joshua 9:3-15
Gibeon, a sizeable city located in the area later allotted to Benjamin, lay a short distance from Jebus (Jerusalem; see Judges 19:10). The people of Gibeon were Hivites, descendants of Canaan, the grandson of Noah whom God cursed on account of his sexual perversion. God promised Abraham the land the descendants of Canaan had settled in, of which the Hivites owned a significant part. God's will concerning the land's inhabitants is unambiguous. He states multiple times that He would drive them out and require the Israelites to participate (Exodus 23:22-24, 27-32; 34:11-12; Deuteronomy 7:1-2; 9:1-5; 12:2-4; 20:16-18; 25:17-19). In Deuteronomy 7:1, God lists the Hivites among the seven great nations He judged should be utterly destroyed. He explicitly forbids making a covenant with them or even showing them mercy. This latter command is a significant point by itself—that the God of mercy would say, "Show them no mercy." God knew that these nations' influence would result in idolatry among the Israelites, and subsequently, their destruction. For their part, the Gibeonites were simply trying to save their skins. Wanting to live, they pursued this end more pragmatically than the other Canaanites, who chose to go down fighting. The Gibeonites fashioned masterful disguises and played their parts exactly right to achieve their goal. Because the Israelites judged by appearances, everything appeared legitimate. The Gibeonites deftly answered the Israelites' minor inquiries, producing false evidence to support the story. The subterfuge worked, and the Gibeonites got what they were after. God frequently warns us about deception in its various forms because it works. The serpent twisted God's words, making them seem reasonable to Eve—it worked. Bribery also works—it causes one to turn a blind eye instead of dealing righteously. Proverbs 31 concludes that "charm is deceitful" (Proverbs 31:30)—yet charm also works. Solomon failed to heed this truth, and his charming wives led him astray. Evoking pity works, as the Gibeonites proved, as does playing to other emotions. Flattery likewise succeeds. Even when someone knows he or she is being flattered, it still works because it is pleasing to the ego, and those satisfying feelings dull the mind to the deception taking place. Careers and fortunes are frequently supported by, if not forged in, dishonesty because deceit is a pragmatic way to achieve desired ends without putting in patient and honest work. Today, euphemisms like "fake it 'til you make it" describe how people misrepresent themselves to get what they want. Yet God does not operate this way. Neither is He glorified when His people misrepresent themselves using such methods. Deception can be quite effective in achieving aims, but it is a polluted spring. What may start as a shortcut or easier way to accomplish a goal cannot end with peace or fulfillment because sin cannot deliver on its promises—sin itself is deceitful (Hebrews 3:13)! God not only says do not deceive, but He also strongly cautions about being deceived because, in doing so, we will join the deceivers in drinking of that poisoned spring. Jesus advises us to judge with righteous judgment (John 7:24), which begins with seeking the all-knowing God and acknowledging our limitations. Only God sees all that is happening, and often, far more is at stake than we realize.
David C. Grabbe
Joshua and the Gibeonites (Part One)
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Daniel 11:32
Historical evidence identifies the man referred to as "he" as Antiochus Epiphanes. Because the record of his activities against the Jews parallels many of the activities prophesied about the end-time Beast of Revelation, many believe he is a symbolic forerunner of that one to come. This verse prophesies three things of the coming Beast: First, we normally and correctly associate the Beast with great, though evil, power. However, among other things he will also be a flatterer. He will not only be a person of great political wisdom, but he will be personally persuasive and charming. Proverbs 31:30 warns us, "Charm is deceitful"—all too frequently, it is nothing more than a social and public relations skill used for personal gain. It can be nothing more than a dishonest puffery displayed to get another's cooperation to achieve an ulterior motive. Practically, it can easily become manipulation and control by a skilled person using honeyed words. David's experience with a charming betrayer is recorded in Psalm 55:21: "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords." Politically, this activity is defined as treachery. Second, this verse also tells us he will corrupt or seduce some of those who have made the covenant with God. At first, we might think that these are the unconverted, but that is not so. This refers to the last phrase of verse 30, where the Beast "shows regard for those who forsake the holy covenant." These are people who apostatize. A person cannot forsake an agreement he has never made. Some of the converted will be seduced by manipulative flatteries and corrupted into cooperation. At the end time, that means some of us! Reader's Digest Encyclopedic Dictionary lists some of the definitions of corrupt: "to pervert the fidelity or integrity of as by bribing; to destroy morally; pervert, ruin, change from the original, debase, contaminate." Putting these two factors together, we ought to imagine God waving a yellow caution flag before us, revealing an area of danger that we should mark well. It is highly unlikely that any of us will move in the same political, social, and military circles as the Beast. Thus, his personal charm or flatteries will not be used to deceive us in an intimate, personal circumstance. Therefore, his political wisdom and flatteries will be exhibited in his public policies. We must never forget that this man will be of the world and as unconverted as a man can be. Therefore the political strategies he will use will essentially be appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (I John 2:15-17). He will appeal to us to abandon our faith and give our cooperation, trust, and loyalty to him by submitting to political programs and public policies that offer us physical well-being, peace, and safety under his umbrella. It will seem advantageous for us, at least on a short-term basis, to support his programs. He will make glowing promises of preferment, reward, and peace. But never forget, when seduction and subversion through flatteries fail, the reign of terror by persecution begins. Third and finally, the verse prophesies that those who know their God shall be strong, or stand firm, and do exploits. God inserts this to show us how not to be deceived by flatteries. Jesus says in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." Knowing God is the key to seeing through and rejecting the seductive flatteries of the Beast because it is the foundation of faith. We know God gives truths that are eternal. The Beast will deceive through a combination of outright lies, partial truths, and temporary truths. The people who see through his devious words will do so because they know and believe God and His truth. They will therefore be strong in giving glory to Him. These people will prefer to risk their lives rather than betray God's honor. By believing God, they will be prepared for the Beast's onslaught, and this will give them strength because it produces firm resolve and sense of purpose. Though these prophecies are not yet fulfilled, evidence is accumulating that they are just over the horizon, and thus something we may soon face.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Sovereignty of God: Part Three
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Hosea 10:1-2
One would think that, if altars are increased during a period of prosperity, as verse 1 states, then religion must be flourishing. Indeed, religion was flourishing! Amos, Hosea's contemporary, clearly reports this in his book. However, what was flourishing was not the religion God gave through Moses but idolatry. Notice in verse 2 that God accuses Israel of having a heart that is divided. Ironically, commentaries have divided opinions over what the Hebrew word translated "divided" means. Most modern translators render this word as either "false," "deceitful," or "faithless." None of these are wrong, including "divided," because the Hebrew word indicates "smoothness." It all depends on the context in which it is used. It can also suggest "flattering," which ought to give us a clue that it describes people who "talk the talk but do not walk the walk." Notice Isaiah 29:13: Therefore the LORD said, "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men. . . . Isaiah lived just before Amos and Hosea. However, he was a prophet to Judah primarily, whereas the other two men were prophets to Israel—the ten northern tribes. What Isaiah says agrees with what Hosea says. These people were flattering God with their tongues, but their hearts were not really in what they were doing. Reverence for God, then, was merely an intellectual accommodation intended to appease Him. They acted as if God could not see right through them! It shows how far off-base and carnal they were in their thinking. They used the name of God frequently, undoubtedly claiming that they trusted Him, just as we do today. All of our coins and paper money read, "In God We Trust." Yet, these people filled the nation with lying, stealing, murder, adultery, fornication, coveting, Sabbath-breaking, and idolatry, all the while giving Him lip service with their mouths—talking the talk but not walking the walk. This is why God says, "Your heart is divided. It is deceitful. You talk so smoothly, but your heart is false."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Laodiceanism and Being There Next Year
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Find more Bible verses about Flattery:
Flattery {Nave's}
Flattery {Torrey's}
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