The Google Dictionary meaning- “A mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound arguments.” Example- The notion that the camera never lies is a fallacy. Synonyms- Misconception, mistaken belief, delusion, false notion, etc.

Biblical Examples-

1.Sara-

She reasoned that perhaps she can build her family through Hagar. So she gave her to Abram as his wife. “So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing [children]. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife” (Genesis 16:1,2).

But the result was disastrous. “He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight” (Genesis 16:4).

2. Micah-

Micah had got made a graven and a molten image. He also got made an ephod and household idols, installed one of his sons as priest. “So when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took two hundred [pieces] of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made them into a graven image and a molten image, and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had a shrine and he made an ephod and household idols and consecrated one of his sons, that he might become his priest ( Judges 17:4,5).

All this was in direct contradiction to the Ten Commandments where God says, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them….” (Exodus 20:4,5).

But Micah thought otherwise. “Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, seeing I have a Levite as priest”(Judges 17:3). He was greatly mistaken. Later his priest and his idols were taken away by the Danites (Judges 18:19,20).

3. Israelites-

a. They thought that as long as the ark of God was with them, victory was guaranteed. “When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us take to ourselves from Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that it may come among us and deliver us from the power of our enemies…As the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth resounded” (1Samuel 4:3,5).

But it was their misunderstanding. The Israelites were defeated, Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas died in the battle, and ark was taken into captivity. “So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died (1Samuel 4:10,11). Priest Eli and the wife of Phinehas died of sudden shock (1Samuel 4:18-20).

b. Later, in the history of Israel, they also thought that since the temple was in their midst, God will never allow his people to be taken into captivity. Prophet Jeremiah warned them, “Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD’” (Jeremiah 7:4). Despite their false confidence, they went into captivity. “And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land” (Jeremiah 52:27).

c. In our Lord’s time, the Jews felt that all was well with them since they had Abraham as their father. John the Baptist warned them, “”Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham”.

John the Baptist also warned them of their future predicament, “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline [at the table] with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:11,12).

What are the fallacies that we are having in our lives?

(Rev. Richard Masih, New Delhi)