YOUR Complacency Is Killing YOU Spiritually
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Category Archives: Sin, Wickedness, Evil, Judgment
Rebellion (Torahlessness) is as the sin of witchcraft!
1 Samuel 15
1 Samuel 15:3, Utterly destroy.Here YHVH was instructing Israel to commit genocide against Amalek—an action that does not set well with our modern Western mindset. Because of things like this found in the first three-fifths of Scripture, some Christians have even gone so far as to label the so-called “God of the Old Testament” as being cruel, vindictive, harsh and judgmental, while the “God of the New Testament” is, antithetically, loving, gracious and forgiving. First, such a characterization is a false one, since the God of both sections of Scripture are the same Being, for as both the Old Testament or Tanakh as well as the New Testament or Testimony of Yeshua tell us, YHVH does not change and is the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore, if he is gracious and loving now, then he was then as well. Any characterization to the contrary is not only a misreading of Scripture, but a blasphemous accusation against the Creator on the part of those who make it.
Second, when YHVH tells a person to kill someone, it is neither murder nor genocide, for it is merely exercising divine will on the part of the Just Judge and Creator of all things to execute his righteous judgments upon whomsoever he chooses. He gives life and it is his right to take it away.
Third, in this case, he was not only judging the Amalekites for the murderous sin they had committed against Israel during the exodus, but also because they, as a people group, like all the other Canaanites, had given themselves over completely to Satanism with all of its demonic and wretched practices including child sacrifice. As a people group, they were demon possessed and totally reprobate. Similarly, at the end of this age, when Yeshua returns to this earth, he will similarly judge and destroy those who hate him along with the world’s Antichrist system that they created.
Fourth, the reason YHVH was justified in genocidally killing the Amalakites along with the other Canaanites is that he had given them hundreds of years to repent and turn to him,which they had failed to do (Gen 15:16).
1 Samuel 15:11, Not performed my commandments.Not to obey any command of Elohim that applies to us, no matter how small or large a command it may seem, is to turn away from Elohim, which is the biblical definition of sin (1 John 3:4).
1 Samuel 15:12, Set up a monument to himself.Elsewhere, Scripture declares that pride goes before a fall (Prov 16:18). King Saul was on the verge of a hard fall. In our day, there are too many Christians leaders that establish monuments to themselves. They name ministries, colleges and universities and buildings after themselves. The construct vast building projects and churches, which they claim are for “the work of the Lord”. In reality, most of these are monuments to their ego and glory. The sad reality is that many if not most of these edifices sit vacant ninety percent of the time and are not even being used for the purposes claimed. A wise use of the people’s tithes and offerings to be sure! In the end times, YHVH is going to judge and bring down the religious system that the book of Revelation calls Mystery Babylon the Great and likens to a whore along with all of these arrogant ministers. When this system euphemistically reffered to as churchianity comes down, it will be hard fall, even as Saul’s fall and destruction was hard. The reign and life of King Saul is prototypical of this end times confused Babylonian religious Christian system, which is a mixture of both good and evil. As with Saul, Scripture declares that eventually the patience of YHVH Elohim will run out and his wrath will be poured out on his so-called servants who serve Elohim, to one degree or another, as well as themselves and mammon.
1 Samuel 15:23, Rebellion. Heb. meree meaning “stubborn refusal to obey or comply with authority, especially a court order or summons.” This is how Scripture views those who refuse to obey the commandments of Elohim.
Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft/divination. (See notes at Rev 9:21.) Witchcraft involves taking or usurping authority that does not belong to you and then using it illegally to control others for personal advantage. It can also involve taking something holy and exploiting it for personal advantage. This is what Samuel accused Saul of doing when he kept the cattle he was supposed to kill, so that he could at a later time offer up an illicit sacrifices without going through the proper Levitical protocols (as well as probably keeping some of the loot for his own personal enrichment). Samuel equated this act of rebellion with witchcraft (1 Sam 15:23).
Saul had the proclivity to not fully follow YHVH’s instructions and to take matters into his own hands, for he had offered up a witchcraft sacrifice once before (1 Sam 13:9–13). Samuel rebuked him for it, yet Saul willing and knowingly repeated the same mistake again, which was strictly forbidden. Taking that which YHVH has ordained to be used legally one way and defiantly using it another way for one’s own selfish purposes is usurping the divine will or authority of Elohim, violating divine law and, as such, is an act of rebellion and witchcraft.
In a general sense, all sin (i.e. the violation of YHVH’s Torah-Word or his instructions as delineated in the Scriptures) is a form or witchcraft in its broadest sense.
From this brief analysis of witchcraft as it relates to rebellion and sin, it is not difficult to ascertain that the entire world lies in a state of witchcraft. In fact, there are only two spiritual domains in human existence: the domain of obedience to YHVH Elohim’s instructions or commandments as spelled out in the Bible, and the domain of witchcraft or Satan, the god and ruler of this world. At the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, the first humans were confronted with a choice: follow Elohim’s path of righteousness or follow the path of witchcraft as led by Satan. We all know which path they chose, which is why the world in its present mess.
Saul was like many typical “Christians”. Like Adam and Eve, he chose a path of both good and evil. When it suited him, he chose the good path of obedience to YHVH; however, when it did not suit him, and he wanted a path that would cater to his carnal lusts, he chose the path of sin and rebellion, which is witchcraft.
Similarly and as regards many modern “Christians”, the tendency is to choose the commandments that appeal to them, and declare the others to have been “done away with.” This is tantamount to ripping pages out of the Word of Elohim, spitting in the Creator’s face and telling him to go pound rocks. Hard words? No! This is the hard truth. Just because pastors, Bible teachers, churches, denominations and whole sects declare something is acceptable does not necessarily guarantee that it will past muster with the Creator, Supreme Lawgiver and Just Judge of the universe. It is still rebellion and witchcraft no matter the quaint labels and shiny, or shellacked veneer humans attach to it. Moreover, the majority consensus is irrelevant if it does not line up with the Word of Elohim.
Lessons From the Life and Death of Samson
Judges 14
Judges 14:8–9, Honey out of the carcass. Although Samson’s parents followed the Messenger of YHVH’s instructions and dedicated him as a Nazarite (Judg 13:5), Samson was not a totally committed to his divine calling as a Nazarite; he played around the edges of obedience with regard to the Torah’s strictures with regard to the requirements to be a Nazarite (Num 6:1–22).
An example of Samson’s careless approach to being a Nazarite includes his touching a dead lion carcass, and spending time in the Valley of Sorek (or grapevine), where he fell under the sway of Delilah (Judg 16:4ff). A Nazarite was to get nowhere near either a dead carcass or grape products (Num 6:3, 6). This teaches us two things. Samson’s parents chose his religion for him and dedicated him to YHVH’s service, and he begrudgingly went along with it, but he did not fully own his parents’ vision for his life; it was not his choice. The lesson here is that parents can raise their children correctly, but it is up to each child to embrace and then walk in the path they have set before them. Whether they do or do not, it is up to them to do so, and they will be blessed or cursed accordingly.
The second lesson is that because Samson had not fully embraced his divine calling as a lifelong Nazarite, he played around the edges of sin. Eventually, the sin sucked him into its maw, and we fell spiritually and suffered the resultant consequences of his bad choices. When we know to do right by giving sin and temptation a wide berth, we will be less likely to be drawn away and to fall to it. Samson failed to do this and the consequences for his life were disastrous. James the apostle has something to say about this.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by Elohim”; for Elohim cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (Jas 1:12–15)
Sadly, in many respects, Samson was a lover of this world more than a lover of Elohim. Because of his lust for women and giving in to the carnal desires of the flesh, his weakness resulted in his ignominious fall. Again James warns us,
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with Elohim? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “ELOHIM RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Therefore submit to Elohim. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to Elohim and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (Jas 4:4–8)
Despite Samson’s carnal weaknesses and spiritual failures, he was still given a place of recognition in the Scriptures’ “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews chapter eleven (Heb 11:32). This speaks volumes about YHVH’s mercy and grace for those who act valiantly in service to his kingdom despite their weaknesses. James, again, speaks to us in this regard,
[Elohim’s] mercy triumphs over judgment. (Jas 3:13 cp. Pss 85:10; 89:14)
Judges 15
Judges 15:15, Jawbone of a donkey. Samson exercised resourcefulness and ingenuity and used what was at hand to fulfill is divine mission and purpose. In this case, he used the jawbone of a donkey to slay 1,000 Philistines, who were the enemies of Israel and the illegal inhabitants of the land that Elohim had given to the Israelites. We learn from this that if we want to be a profitable servant of Elohim, we can use anything at our disposal to help advance his kingdom. How many times have you heard someone say, I were rich, or if I won the lottery, then I would do such and such for the Lord? Frankly, this is often a cop out to excuse one’s failure in fulfilling one’s Christian duties and responsibilities to help advance the kingdom of Elohim. Such a person is actually burying their talents in the sand and is an unprofitable servant. No! Rather, what can YOU do NOW with the time, resources and abilities that you already available to you to “slay” the enemies of YHVH and to advance his kingdom?
Judges 16
Judges 16:20, YHVH had departed from him. This was a sad day in Samson’s life. How the mighty have fallen! Samson’s departure from YHVH was a slow and gradual process until found himself in a place of total compromise resulting in darkness and sin. YHVH had no choice but to abandon Samson, for he had totally given himself over to the world, flesh and devil. What’s sadder is that Samson was so compromised that he did not even know that YHVH had departed from him. He as that out of tune spiritually with YHVH that he had totally lost touch. This did not happen overnight. You see, people don’t just decide one day to abandon Elohim all at once. They little-by-little fall into sin and one thing leads to another until they are in total darkness. This is where Samson found himself very quickly, literally.
Judges 16:21, Out his eyes. Having fallen away from YHVH because he had given himself over to the love of the world, the flesh and the devil, Samson was now in a place of both physical and spiritual darkness. Long before losing his physical eyesight, he had already lost his spiritual eyesight. His physical condition of blindness was a result of his spiritual blindness. One’s physical state often mirrors one’s spiritual state. Not only that, Samson was now a prisoner and a slave to the false gods of this world to which he had prostrated himself. Anything that we give our lives over to other than Yeshua the Messiah will rise up and capture and then enslave us, and this will lead to our death, as Samson sadly was about to find out.
Judges 16:30, Let me die. Self-Murder (Suicide) or Self-Sacrifice Out of Love? Was Samson’s death a suicide, which is self-murder—something the Torah implicitly forbids? Let’s answer this question with a question. Was Yeshua going to certain death on a cross a form of suicide as well, or was it self-sacrifice to serve a greater spiritual purpose, that is, laying one’s life down for his friends (there is no greater love, John 15:13; cp. Rom 5:7)? In battle, if a soldier throws himself upon a grenade to save is comrades, is that suicide or self-sacrifice for a higher purpose? If someone goes into a burning house to save someone and loses his his own life in the process, is this suicide or laying one’s life down for a higher purpose? I suggest that we think of Samson’s “suicide” in the same way.
Do YOU need the gift of repentance? (We all do!)
2 Timothy 2:25–26, Grant them repentance.This verse indicates that sinful humans can’t even repent of sin properly on their own strength. Repentance is a gift that YHVH grants to those who have a heart for it—that they will come to their senses and turn from falling prey to the snares of the devil that have bound them in sin. Moreover, verse 25 indicates that YHVH may or may not grant people this gift.
Elsewhere we read that YHVH is not willing that anyone should perish, but desires that all men everywhere come to repentance (Acts 17:30; 2 Pet 3:9). From these scriptures, we may conclude that whether YHVH grants the gift of repentance or not depends on whether a person is sick enough of his sin to cry out to YHVH for help in desperation for deliverance.
This gift of repentance can occur at the beginning of one’s spiritual walk as they are coming to faith, or later down the road when one is repenting of reoccurring sin that, in their own strength, they feel powerless to overcome.
This gift comes as a result of trusting YHVH completely and not relying on one’s own strength to overcome sin. Faith in Elohim and humility on the part of the sinner is the key that unlocks access to the gift of repentance.
Put a cork in it already!
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8, There is a season.
There is a time…and there is not a time
There is a time and season for everything. That sounds like an innocuously bland and self-evident statement, but not really.
There is a time do to things, as the wise preacher informs us in his famous Ecclesiastes three passage, which begins with the famous words, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…” and so on.
But the more the years and decades slide past me and am not in the grandparenting season of my life, the more I realize that there is, perhaps, more importantly, a time not to do a lot of things that I might have done at an earlier time in my life. There are battles not to fight, things not to thing (for a Scripture declares elsewhere, “As a man thinketh, so is he”—a scary thought!) things not to do, and definitely things not to say. There are several reasons that immediately come to mind for not doing these things.
First, and, perhaps, most importantly, it’s about priorities. As one reaches the top of the hill of one’s life and begins the descent on the other side toward death, one can see more circumspectly one’s past life as well as that which remains whether it be a long or a short time. With the stark reality of one’s life in full view and the idealizations of past expectations unfulfilled gone like dust in the wind, that which remains in one’s life suddenly becomes as valued treasure. Add to this the unexpected deaths of loved ones and friends around you, which, to any young people reading this, occurs more frequently the older one gets, suddenly, every breath and heartbeat becomes a cherished gift from the Creator.
The second reason for not doing or saying many things that I might have in earlier years has to do with following the leading of the Set-Apart Spirit of Elohim more precisely instead of jumping unquestioningly in lockstep to the demanding impulses of my impatient, impetuous and sin-oriented flesh. This too has to do with priorities—desiring to be in the perfect will of the Almighty by seeking first the kingdom of Elohim as Yeshua instructed his disciples to do instead of seeking all those other carnal and earthly things.
The third reason for adding the negative adverb not to the statements in Solomon’s famous Ecclesiastes three passage is that the older one gets, one starts getting a little more tired if not physically, at least emotionally from chasing the wind and ending up with little or nothing to show for it. Many things become, as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes definitively declares repeatedly, is vanity of vanities. Suddenly one wakes up and discovers the wisdom of working smarter, instead of harder. This is wisdom, which only comes with age and perspective. It’s wise to conserve energy and to save it for those things that are worth the time and effort, and for which there is a payoff especially in the next life. All else is little more than emptiness and chasing the wind.
Fourth, so much of what we do and say is an expression of human pride and vanity. We are all guilty, so raise your hand. I’ve got mine up! As I get older, I agree with the preacher’s words in Ecclesiastes verse two of chapter one, “‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher; ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” When one gets brutally honest with oneself and analyses most of one’s words and actions, human pride and vanity is the pathetic though realistic label that must be applied to most of it. So what does the Almighty have to say about this? What reasons will we give to him on judgment day as to the motives behind most of what we have said and done? What legacy of value are we really leaving to the next generation? Will we be leaving behind a grandiose frozen-in-time, stone cold and lifeless monument to ourselves, or will we have sown seeds into the fertile ground of the lives of those around us that will hopefully bring forth fruit that will not only make the world a better place, but that will also serve to expand the kingdom of Elohim at the expense of the kingdom of darkness?
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Exploring the Concept of Atonement as It Relates to the Tabernacle and Salvation
Numbers 31:50, Make atonement.
What is the big deal about the concept of vicarious atonement, that is, someone dying in another person’s place to repair a wrong or an injury? Does there really need to be the shedding of blood for the atonement of sin? This is a concept shared only by Christianity and no other major religions in the world including Judaism. The Christians are always making a big deal about “the cross” and “Jesus dying for our sins,” or “Jesus paying for our sins.” Is this a biblical concept or just some idea of man to put people under bondage to some ancient religious and irrational superstition? Knowing the answer to this question is a matter of life and death.
In Numbers 31:50 we read, “We have therefore brought an oblation for YHVH, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before YHVH.” In a similar passage in Exodus 30:15–16, we read, “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto YHVH, to make an atonement for your souls. And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before YHVH, to make an atonement for your souls” (emphasis added). The question before us is this: Do these passages in the Torah imply that YHVH grants man absolution from sin based something other than the shedding of blood, and by logical extension, does this call into question our redemption from sin through our faith in Yeshua the Messiah’s blood atonement death on the cross?
The concept of atonement can be a confusing one. Some scholars in rabbinic Jewish circles teach that the Torah (i.e. the first five books of the Bible) does not require the shedding of blood for atonement of one’s sin to occur. According to the above scripture, this could appear to be the case. Before briefly discussing the subject of atonement, let us not forget the stern warnings of the Peter the apostle when he warned end-time saints against false teachers who would lure people away from the simple truth of the gospel:
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not….But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceiving while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children, which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Yeshua Messiah, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (2 Peter 2)
In the Testimony of Yeshua (New Testament), there is no question that when the concept of atonement (i.e. to make ransom for or to cover over man’s sins) is presented, it is related to the blood of Yeshua, the Lamb of YHVH, being shed for the remission of man’s sins, which is the means through which reconciliation between Elohim and man occurs. In the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), however, the idea of atonement is somewhat broader and at times more generalized in scope. Herein lies the confusion and the misconceived disparity between the Former (Old) and Latter (New) Testaments or Covenants. Are they in opposition to one another, or is the latter the logical outgrowth of the former and compliments or elucidates the former?
The Hebrew word for atonement is kapar. A verb, it means “to make an atonement, make reconciliation, purge. In its noun form, kapar means a ransom, gift, to secure favor”(see Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament [or TWOT], word 1023). Kapar also means “to cover over”and is the same Hebrew word meaning “to cover or smear with pitch”as in caulking the seams of a wooden ship so that it becomes waterproof (see Brown-Driver-Briggs H3722). Our English words cap (as well as the Hebrew kipah, which is a small hemispherical hat that many religious Jewish men wear)and cover are related etymologically to kapar (see The Word—The Dictionary That Reveals the Hebrew Source of Our English, by Isaac E. Mozeson).
What can we learn from all this? Kapar means “to cover” that which is bare, such as the human head. It also means “to smear (or cover) with pitch”so that your ship will not sink drowning all aboard. For example, YHVH instructed Noah to “pitch/kopar [Strong’s H3722] [the ark] within and without with pitch/koper [Strong’s H3724].” Furthermore, kapar means “to ransom” someone that would otherwise be a prisoner of one’s enemy and without the ransom being paid one would probably be killed. Kapar also means “to reconcile”with someone who has the power of life and death over you (e.g. Elohim) and to pacify someone who has the power to do you harm.
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Where are the Phinehases today?
Numbers 25
Phinehas was no temperamental, mealy-mouthed snowflake, soy-boy in confronting evil! What are YOU doing to confront the those things that YHVH calls evil? Let the example of Phinehas and the other righteous warrior-saints of Scripture inspire you to take stand for Truth and righteousness in these dark and evil times.
Numbers 25:1, Commit harlotry. Sexual immorality has the downfall of many a saint who considers themselves to be strong, righteous and impervious to sinful temptation. There is a terrible price to pay for falling to sexual immorality as the Israelites found out.
The enemy (the world, the flesh and the devil) knows our weaknesses and will do its best to capitalize on them for our destruction. Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Master Yeshua Messiah, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”
What doors of immorality have you kept open in your life to gratify the immoral cravings of the flesh? What spiritual stronghold exists in your life that the enemy can use to keep you under its thumb and from walking in the joy and freedom of the will of YHVH? It is time to cry out to YHVH for help and deliverance and to repent.
Setting immovable boundaries in one’s heart and mind ahead of time is a major key to resisting sexual temptation successfully. It’s important to decide how far we can go without violating the spiritual guidelines the Scriptures lay out for us to stay righteous sexually, and then not allow ourself too get too close to those limits. For example, if you find yourself in a potentially compromising situation, flee that situation to alleviate the possibility of falling prey to moral compromise (2 Tim 2:22).
Young people who are naturally endowed with strong sexual urges need to bathe their minds in the godly admonitions found in Proverbs chapters one through nine (also note Eccl 11:9–10 and 12:1–14). Learning the ways of wisdom and the fear of Elohim as revealed in these chapters in Proverbs is a vital component to staying strong morally and being triumphant over the wicked temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil.
Numbers 25:7, Phinehas…took a javelin. Phinehas, the priest, rose up against evil—in this case, sexual immorality—and took a stand for righteousness, and YHVH commended him for it. Who are the Phinehases of today?
In standing against sin, Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the high priest, was not acting as a self-appointed vigilante as it may appear. Rather, YHVH had given the priests, of which Phinehas was one, the authority to act as judges in Israel and to pronounce sentence in criminal matters (Deut 17:9–11). Additionally, Phinehas was doubly justified in his action against the fornicators, since he was an eyewitness of these sexual crimes, and the Torah teaches that the hand of the eyewitness was to be the first to rise up in executing judgment against the criminals (Deut 17:6; Ezek 44:24). So as an eyewitness and as a priest, he was legally justified in his actions. The priests and Levites were to act as Israel’s legal experts (Lev 10:10–11; Deut 24:8; 33:10; 2 Chron 17:9; 30:22; Neh 8:2, 8; Hag 2:11; Ezek 44:23; Mal 2:7) and to make determinations between the holy and the profane (Ezek 22:26; 44:23).
Who are YHVH’s priest on the earth today? According to Peter, and John the saints are those priests (1 Pet 2:7; Rev 1:6; 5:10; 20:6). As such, the saints presently possess the divinely mandated legal authority to fulfill the responsibilities of the priesthood of old when it comes to teaching the laws of Elohim to the nations in which they live (Lev 10:10–11). Moreover, Yeshua, our Great High Priest, has tasked his disciples with the responsibility and authority to judge righteously (i.e. to make judgments according to YHVH’s standards of righteousness, John 7:24), and to be spiritual fruit inspectors (Matt 7:15–20). Today, this responsibility is primarily exercised within the congregation of the righteous (1 Cor 5:12; 6:1–6). However, besides this, the righteous saints are to act as spiritual salt in this world and to be like a spiritual light on a hill for the world to see (Matt 5:13–16). This means that they are to preach the gospel to the world, to make disciples and to teach those around them all that Yeshua has commanded them (Matt 28:18–20; Mark 16:15–16). This means that the saints have heaven’s authority and commission to act as the spiritual and moral compass and conscience for the nations in which they live. This means that they will be standing against evil wherever and however they can as directed by the Spirit of Elohim, even as Phinehas did.
It is time that the righteous servants of YHVH Elohim begin to stand up in a more vocal and demonstrative way against the evil that is being foisted upon our society by those who are bent upon destroying the family, morality, and any vestiges of biblical standards of righteousness that may still exist around us. In Psalm 94:16, YHVH asks the question of his servants, “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” With this in mind, the question we need to ask ourselves is this: If not me, who; if not now, when? If you have something worth living for, then do you have something worth giving your life for? If those who are caught up in demonically inspired religious systems are willing to die for their faith calling it “a holy war” and “martyrdom for their [demon] god,” can the saints of YHVH at least not take a verbal stand against the tide of evil that is sweeping our society?
The Bible is full of examples of YHVH’s servants standing against unrighteousness in their day and their receiving YHVH’s blessing for it. Several examples include the Hebrew midwives disobeying the edict of Pharaoh to commit infanticide (Exod 1:15–22), Phinehas executing judgment against the fornicators (Num 25:7–8), the three Hebrew children refusing to worship the golden image (Dan 3:8–18), Daniel violating the king’s edicts by praying to YHVH (Dan 6:10–12), John the Baptist criticizing Herod for his adultery (Mark 6:18), Yeshua turning over the money changers’ tables in the temple (Matt 21:12), and Peter and John for disobeying the Jewish leaders’ command to not preach the gospel (Acts 4:18–20). Many more examples could be given. Remember all the biblical prophets?
Numbers 25:11, Has turned back my wrath…because he was zealous. Read Psalm 94:16. What are some other examples of righteous men and women in the Bible who stood up against evil in their day whom YHVH praised for doing so? Did Phinehas rise up against evil in his own carnally-minded, emotionally-based zeal? If not, then whose zeal was he full of? (Read verse 11 again.) When we take a stand against evil as led by the Word and Spirit of the YHVH Elohim, can it ever be wrong to do so, even though the world may not agree with us and may even criticize or persecute us for doing so? Not only that, Phinehas placed his life on the line between the righteous judgment of Elohim and those who were sinning. Many times, the servants of YHVH actually have to leave their comfort zones and place themselves in harm’s way on the ragged edge between good and evil to take a stand for YHVH Elohim. (Note Aaron’s actions in Num 16:46–50.) The examples of such actions from the pages of the Scriptures are too numerous to list. Some notable examples include:
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