Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? (Ps 94:16)
If there is anyone in the NW Oregon area who would like to join me in taking a stand at our state capital building for Yeshua the Messiah tomorrow afternoon, June 21, against the Satanists/Luciferians who will be holding an Anitchrist rally there please email me at hoshanarabbah.org with your phone number. I will then call you with the details. — Natan
Psalm 42:4, I used to go. The psalmist declares that as a result of his deep hunger and thirst for the Living Elohim (vv. 1–2) that he used to go with the multitude to the house of Elohim—with those who kept the pilgrims feasts (i.e. Passover/Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks/Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. It says that “he used to go…” implying that he no longer goes. Why? There could be many reasons for this, but for whatever reason, he is no longer able to go. This is not because he doesn’t desire it, but evidently because the opportunity no longer presents itself for him to go with the multitude to worship at the house of Elohim.
I can easily relate to the psalmist’s dilemma. Many of us today find ourselves in the same situation. I, for example, live in a large city of millions of people. When my wife and I were leading a congregation, for many years we—almost single-handedly with little outside help—organized numerous gatherings of the saints year after year around the YHVH’s feasts. Once we retired from this ministry due to age, health and weariness, no one else in our region picked up this anointed mantle, this righteous burden and yoke, this mitvah. So my wife and I are now alone with nowhere to go on YHVH’s pilgrim feasts, even though out soul still thirsts for the Living Elohim.
Can anyone else relate to this?
Romans 13:1, Let every soul. Paul is not giving believers a carte blanche mandate to follow evil laws and decrees that civil authorities impose upon their subjects. He is instructing believers to follow civil authorities that are not in conflict with YHVH’s higher laws. Peter was faced with the dilemma of whether to follow man’s laws or to follow YHVH’s laws which conflicted with those of men. He made the well-known statement, “We ought to obey Elohim rather than men,” before the Jewish legal authorities who demanded that the disciples cease preaching in Yeshua’s name.
In General, Obey the Civil Authorities
Elohim in his Word instructs his servants to obey the civil laws and authorities in the lands in which they are living (Deut 17:12; Matt 22:21; Rom 13:1–7; Tit 3:1; 1 Pet 2:13–17).
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. (Rom 13:1)
Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work… (Tit 3:1)
Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme… (1 Pet 2:13)
However, when obeying the laws of men goes against the higher laws of Elohim, Scripture requires the saints to follow Elohim’s laws over the laws of men (Acts 4:19; 5:29).
But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of Elohim to listen to you more than to Elohim, you judge. (Acts 4:19)
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey Elohim rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
Examples of Civil Disobedience in the Bible
Here are some examples from the Bible of righteous saints who disobeyed the civil laws when those laws violated the higher laws of Elohim.
The Case for Civil Disobedience
Civil governments all around the world—especially in formerly Christian nations—are increasingly removing freedoms from their citizens and demanding that they stop preaching biblical truth and the gospel message, and, in essence, obey and worship the State.
For example, in the U.S. the constitutional right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to keep and to bear arms, to practice one’s religion, to raise one’s children in a biblical way, to educate one’s children outside the government approved educational system, to not be forced to immunize oneself or one’s children with harmful pharmaceutical chemicals, the right to privacy, or to circumcise one’s boys (and the list goes on) is being attacked or being infringed upon every day, and increasingly so at an alarming rate. The righteous saint at some point must establish boundaries and mark lines in the sand beyond which they refuse to go in acquiescing to illegal unbiblical governmental demands. Each person, prayerfully, while searching the Scriptures for wisdom and direction, will have to make the decision before Elohim where the line too far is and beyond which they will not pass.
Who Will Rise Up—A Mighty Cloud of Witnesses
The Bible is full of examples of those saints who chose to serve Elohim over man. Some paid with their lives for doing so, while many others were persecuted and suffered great hardship. But one thing is certain. They all received a higher, eternal reward from Elohim as the Epistles to the Hebrews chapter eleven records.
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
Elohim having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…. (Heb 11:39–12:1)
Therefore the question remains, when done righteously and in accordance with biblical principles,
Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? (Ps 94:16)
Spiritual Gifts
The Epistle to the Romans chapter 12 verses six through eight list seven heavenly gifts that Elohim the Creator givers to humans. According to Paul, the author of Romans, Elohim has given one or more of these gifts to every human ever born (Rom 12:3). All humans are born with one or more of these gifts. These gifts can be used for good, if motivated and informed by the higher influences of the mind, will and Spirit of Elohim, or they can also be used for selfishness and evil if motivated and under the control of the lower influences of the world, the flesh and the devil. A human can also use these gifts while under the influence of both the upper and lower influences.
These divinely imparted gifts are referred to as both motivational or redemptive gifts. Motivational because when they are understood and used properly, they motivate both the gifted person and the recipient of the gift upward spiritually. Redemptive because when they are used as the Creator intended, they will help to bring people into a spiritual relationship with Elohim through Yeshua the Messiah their Heavenly Redeemer and Savior.
Of spiritual gifts imparted to humans, the Bible tells us:
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Pet 4:10)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us… (Rom 12:1–6)
The seven innate motivational gifts are listed in Romans 12:6–8. They are prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy or (otherwise described) perceiving, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, ruling, and mercy.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. (Rom 12:6–8)
These seven innate motivational gifts are different than the gifts of the Yeshua, the Son, (Eph 4:7–11), and the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:7–10). The Romans 12 gifts are from the Father (Rom 12:3). The innate motivational gifts were given to each person at birth. The gifts of the Spirit are given once one has been baptized in the Spirit of Elohim as a result of a spiritual relationship with Yeshua the Messiah. We will say more about the purpose of these gifts below. The Ephesians chapter four gifts, which are often referred to as “the fivefold ministry” are specific ministry or leadership offices existing within the congregation of the saints or body of Yeshua. One can grow into the Ephesians chapter four ministry office-gifts through the proper use and spiritual development of the innate motivational gifts. This occurs when one recognizes they are being called by Elohim to be either an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher and this calling is confirmed by one’s spiritual elders. During a period of discipleship and training, one can learn to function in their ministry office-gift on their own, and hopefully raise others up to do the same thus continuing the spiritual process.
The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
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Romans 12:1–2, Prove… Good …Acceptable…Perfect.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Elohim, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Elohim, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable [well-pleasing], and perfect, will of Elohim. (Rom 12:1–2)
Let’s first define some words in verse two.
In this passage of Scripture, Paul’s juxtapositioning of these three words suggests the grammatical construction of the good (the nominative), better (the comparative) and best (the superlative).
What does this teach us? An amazing truth regarding the merciful graciousness of YHVH Elohim! Within the limits of the plan that YHVH has for each of our lives, there are different paths that we can take as Romans 12:2 indicates. The choice is ours. We can take the good path, the acceptable or better path or the best or perfect path that YHVH has for us.
As to which path is the perfect will of Elohim for us, we have a clue in verse one as to which path that is. Let’s unpack verse one, so that we’ll better understand verse two.
What Paul is teaching us here is that to the degree we become a living sacrifice for Yeshua by denying our sinful passions and submitting to the will of Elohim (v. 1), and to the degree that we allow the Spirit of Elohim to renew our minds into conformity with the mind of Yeshua by the “brainwashing” influences of his Spirit and the washing of his word (Eph 5:26) is the degree to which we will find ourselves walking in the perfect will of Elohim. This is a process. As we become deconformed or deprogrammed from the ways and thinking of the world (v. 2), and as we accept the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable and gentle and reject the worldly, sensual and demonic “wisdom” resulting in bitter envying, self-seeking and resistance to the truth of Elohim (Jas 3:13–18) is the degree to which we will be able to prove or determine YHVH’s complete or perfect will for our lives (Rom 12:2).
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Numbers 13:28, Nevertheless/but. This verse begins with the word but or nevertheless. The spies’ initial report (verse 27) was factual and was in agreement with what YHVH had already said about the land, but all that was disqualified and negated in the minds of the faithless spies by the statement in verse 28 beginning by the qualifier but. Medieval Jewish Torah commentator Rambam comments that the key word in their report that revealed them to be lacking in faith was the word but. By using a word that implied a contradiction to the optimism of their first two sentences, they were, in effect, telling that nation that no matter how rich and blessed the land was, it was beyond their reach. The inhabitants were too strong and their cities too impregnable. Ordinary human beings could not do battle with giants. Thus the spies were advising the nation not even to attempt an assault on Canaan.
Numbers 13:32, It is a land which devours its inhabitants.The Jewish commentators in The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash cogently observe, “Such misinterpretations are typical of people who choose not to have faith. Invariably they interpret events in a way that will conform to their own notions” (p. 803). Having faith in YHVH is a conscious choice that one has to make. Faith does not come automatically. Fear, doubt and unbelief do, however, and are part of the fallen nature or evil inclination that all men possess.
Paul talks about leaving behind the fallen, faithless, sin-bent nature (Rom 7) and moving into a walk of faith in the Spirit of Elohim when in Romans 8:1–2 he contrasts the “law of sin and death” with “the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua.” Through Yeshua we become more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). Moreover, 1 John 5:4 tells us, “For whatever is born of Elohim overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith[i.e. faith in Yeshua who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the One who gives us the gift of faith, the One in whom we have faith, and on whose words and promises believers stand firm and secure as a house built on a rock].”
The fear of death is the mother of all fears and is what plagued the disbelieving Israelites. Through identification with Yeshua’s death, burial and resurrection at baptism (Rom 6:3–6) we too (through Yeshua) can be victorious over the sting of death and the grave, which is the death sentence upon all Torah-lawbreaking mortals (note 1 Corinthians 15:47–58 and rejoice!).
Numbers 13:33, And so we were in their eyes…(The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash). “As [Israelites] and emissaries of the [Israelite] people, they should have thought only of their mission, not of what anyone else thought of them (ibid., p. 803).
What can we learn from the example of the 12 spies? We must walk by faith and not by sight always keeping our eyes on Yeshua. Remember the Gospel account of Peter walking on the water (Matt 14:22–33)? As long as Peter kept his eyes on Yeshua he was able to walk on the sea, but when he took his eyes off of Yeshua and looked at the stormy circumstances around him he began to sink. The Scriptures tells us, “Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb 10:38), and, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to Elohim must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6).
Ezra 6:21, Separated themselves. This is traditionally believed to be the origin of the sect of the Pharisees. What started out as a noble step toward holiness and pleasing Elohim through righteous obedience to his commandments by Yeshua’s day had devolved into an exclusivistic religious cult comprised of a caste system based on human pride and traditions of men that had all but lost the concept of the true biblical concepts of holiness and righteousness.
Having just suffered and endured the judgments of Elohim against the wicked rebelliousness of their forefathers, these Jews returning to land of Israel with Ezra the priest resolved to separate themselves from the pollutions of the world and devote themselves to living set-apart lives holy unto YHVH their Elohim. Their starting point was noble and commendable and well-pleasing to Elohim, but several hundred years later they had so strayed from that original mission and spiritual course that now Yeshua the Messiah, Elohim in the flesh, was condemning them as the sons of the devil and the synagogue of Satan!
The same has been true, to one degree or another, of nearly all biblical based religious movements from that time until now including the modern Messianic or Hebrew Roots Movement. Many well intended individuals have started biblical truth restoration movements hoping to corrects the errors of past religious leaders, organizations and movements, but, in time, they too succumbed to the pendulum swings of whimsical and capricious human vicissitudes and have ended up in a ditch on the side of the road that Yeshua Messiah referred to as the straight and narrow path.
What therefore must we do? Simply this: Get back to the basic apostolic message or the everlasting gospel (Rev 14:6) as described in the book of Revelation. The true end times saints are those who keep or guard the Torah-commandments of Elohim as revealed in the Tanakh (the Old Testament), while at the same time adhering to the faith or testimony of Yeshua as revealed in the Testimony of Yeshua (the New Testament) (Rev 12:17; 14:12).