Acts 23:5, Speak evil. Actually, the passage in the Torah to which this verse makes reference is Exodus 22:28, which forbids reviling Elohim and cursing (i.e., condemning, putting a spell on or threatening) a ruler, which is what Paul does when he threatens the high priest with the judgment of Elohim, even though Paul, as an apostle commissioned by Yeshua, may have been justified in executing righteous judgment. He nevertheless set us an example of showing resect to human leaders though evil and lawless they maybe.
Exodus 22:28, Curse a ruler. The TWOT notes that in Hebrew there are six words that are all translated into the English word curse in the KJV. Each word has a different connotation, which our word curse fails to convey. In this verse, behind curse is the Hebrew word arar meaning “bind with a spell, to hem in with obstacles, render powerless, to resist.” This word is used for Elohim cursing the serpent and the earth (Gen 14, 17), Cain, and Balak hiring Balaam to curse Israel (Num 22:6ff). In the majority of times, the use of arar is used in the Scriptures falls under three broad categories: (a) the declaration of punishments (Gen 3:14, 17); (b) the utterance of threats (Jer 11:3; 17:5; Mal 1:14); (c) the proclamation curses for violation of Elohim’s laws (Deut 27:15; 28:16–19) (Ibid.).
I’ve heard these verses quoted as meaning that we as citizens of the US (or wherever) are not to criticize our leaders. However, in the US system of government, our leaders are our elected representatives, not our rulers.
There are several applications I’ve heard of this verse over the years, and I’ve certainly experienced negative results of my speaking against authorities in an arrogant way, so that is one application I’ve taken to heart.
But one that surprised me was an experience I had when praying with a very Satanically-damaged woman. We were getting to some deep issues, and suddenly a guttural voice spoke out of her mouth, “You can’t get her to repent for any of this stuff. You’re wasting your time. We own her. We know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work. I suppose you think we are too dumb to win against you.”
Normally, I wouldn’t answer a demon, but in this case, I felt a big “pull back” in my spirit, and, in listening to God, I felt He alerted me, that this evil spirit was trying to tempt me to revile and speak evil of him. He WANTED me to answer, “That’s right, Devil, you ARE dumb, and you are no match for me and my God, etc, etc, etc.”
At the time, I had been reading Jude 9, where even Michael the archangel did not revile evil dignitaries, but rather just simply rebuked Satan without any arrogant fanfare. So, after a short pause of listening to God, I answered evenly and in a moderate voice, “Oh, no, sir, I do not think you are dumb, for you are like your Father, the Angel of Light. You are VERY smart. We won’t win this battle based on smart or dumb, but on God’s love. That is the one thing that this woman has and that I have that you are lacking — Father’s Love, and I now proclaim that Love over my friend and over me. Against love there is no law.”
Immediately there was a guttural choking sound.The demon disappeared, the woman got control of her speech again and ended with repentance as we had planned. So, I was grateful to have God’s red alert to protect me from giving the enemy a legal right to me because of my disobedience to the law of slander, even though it was against an evil spirit.. Later, I read John Paul Jackson’s book, “Needless Casualties of War,” which confirmed this concept with many stories of Christian ministers who had opened themselves and their families to Satanic attack through not properly respecting the power of evil dignitaries. We do have authority over them through the Blood Covenant of Yeshua and in using His Name, but HOW we do that is crucial.
Thank you for sharing this.