What was the role of the Levites?

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Numbers 1:50, The Levites. The role of the Levites was to assist the priests in the tabernacle service (Num 3:6–8; 16:9; 1 Chr 23:28–32; Ezra 3:8) including caring for the tabernacle (Num 1:53) and its furniture, its setting up, dismantling and transporting (Num 3–4). In addition, they assisted the priests by preparing the cereal offering (1 Chr 23:29). They acted as singer and musicians in the temple to offer praise to YHVH (1 Chr 23:30). They were allowed to approach the tabernacle furniture only after the priests had covered and prepared them for transport (Num 4:5–15; 18:3) but they could not touch any of the tabernacle’s set-apart instruments lest they die (Num 4:15), nor could they even see them (Num 4:20). 

Not only were the Levites commissioned to attend to the needs of the priests and the things of the tabernacle, but YHVH instructed them “to attend to the needs” or “keep charge” (Heb. mishmereth) of, presumably, the spiritual needs of the whole congregation or children of Israel (Num 3:7–8). Although mishemereth is a noun meaning “charge, function, obligation, service, or watch,” it is often translated into English as a verbs of actionsuch as “to keep, guard, keep charge, or watch” through its root shamar, a verb meaning “to keep, guard, observe, give heed.” Mishmereth principally refers to the Levites’ obligatory duties relating to the service of the temple. 

Later on, the Levites were involved in teaching and interpreting the Torah (Neh 8:7, 9; 2 Chr 17:7–9; 35:3). There is no indication that the Levites were permitted to offer sacrifices, with the notable exception of Samuel, who was a Levite, but not a priest (1 Sam 1:1 cp. 1 Chr 6:28).

YHVH chose the Levites as his set-apart ministers to replace the firstborn of the Israelites that he spared when he smote the firstborn of the Egyptians (Num 3:12–13, 41–45).

 

A General Overview of the Book Numbers/B’Midbar

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The English name Numbers derives from the fact that in this book the Israelites are counted or numbered on several occasions (see chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 26). Leviticus ends with YHVH instructing his people to count their flocks for tithe purposes, while Numbers begins with YHVH, as the ultimate Good Shepherd (or in Hebrews, YHVH Rohee), counting the Israelites themselves, who are the sheep of his pasture (Pss 74:1; 79:13; 95:7; 100:3). The fact that this counting took place in the wilderness proves that it was not for political or national economic reasons, but was in fulfillment of YHVH’s Torah instructions. Each Israelite was to give a half-shekel of silver toward the maintenance of the tabernacle. The shekels then counted would give the exact number of Israelites (Exod 30:12–16).

The Hebrew name B’midbar meaning “in the wilderness” originates from the fact that this book chronicles Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. The Book of Exodus, on the other hand, records the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, its establishment as a nation, its covenantal relationship with YHVH and the construction of the tabernacle (mishkan), which was the symbol of YHVH dwelling or tabernacling in the midst of his chosen people. The Book of Leviticus deals with the inner workings of that tabernacle and the mechanics of how sinful man could maintain a right spiritual relationship with a righteous Elohim. This was accomplished through the agency of the Levitical priesthood that would function within the tabernacle as a human intermediary between man and his Creator.

The Book of Numbers covers much of Israel’s forty years wandering in the wilderness and recounts the early years of this nation under YHVH’s theocratic rule. Recorded are Israel’s triumphs and defeats, its obedience and disobedience to YHVH’s rule of law and the resulting consequences whether blessing or curses.

In this book, we see several main subdivisions. Chapters 1:1–10:10 cover instructions from YHVH to Israel while still at Mount Sinai. Chapters 10:11–36:13 cover the Israelite’s actual wilderness journey. The second section dealing with the wilderness journey has two main parts: the perishing in the wilderness of the older generation (10:11–25:18), and the preparation of the second generation of Israelites to enter the Promised Land (chapters 26–36).

Reoccurring themes in the Book of Numbers include the continual murmuring of Israelites and the divine punishment on them as a result. YHVH made promises to care for them and lead them into the Promised Land. Instead of having faith and trust in him, with few exceptions, the Israelites exhibited doubt and unbelief in YHVH. As a result, the entire older generation, with the exception of faithful Joshua and Caleb, perished in the wilderness never to realize the promises YHVH had made to them concerning the Promised Land. This is a poignant lesson for all believers in their faith walk. The spiritual application of this lesson is not missed by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews in chapter four of that book. When YHVH makes promises, his people need to embrace those promises with enthusiastic and optimistic faith and never let them go. After all, if we cannot trust our Creator, then who or what can we trust?

In this book, we see revealed the grace of YHVH, that he is longsuffering and slow to anger (14:20–38), but that he is also just, and as a father, he disciplines those he loves. His judgments are measured and progressive. The more his children refuse to obey him and resist him, the stronger the judgments. Eventually, the older generation of Israelites died off in the wilderness. This teaches us that death is the final judgment against the sin of rebellion and unbelief. There are no eternal rewards or spiritual inheritance for those who refuse to take hold of YHVH’s promises and to go forward in faith and faithful obedience to him.

We see the work and person of the future Yeshua the Messiah in the Book of Numbers as well. As Provider, he meets all of Israel’s needs both physical and spiritual. Paul reveals that Yeshua was the spiritual Rock that gave them water in the wilderness (1 Cor 10:4). Twice, Israel received water from the rock (Exod 17:1–7 and Num 20:1–13). Additionally, the secular prophet, Balaam, prophesied about the Messiah who was to rise out of Israel like a star (Num 24:17). Leading rabbinic Jews sages, such as Akiva ben Joseph of the early modern era, mistakenly applied this verse to the Jewish zealot, Bar Kokhba, when he endeavored to throw off the yoke of Roman rule over the Jewish people during the Second Jewish Revolt of A.D. 133–135.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 6-2 Through 6-8-19

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Parashat B’midbar — Numbers 1:1 – 4:20 
Haftarah — Hosea 2:1 (1:10) – 2:22 (20)*
Prophets — Jeremiah 31:1 – 37:21
Writings — Song of Songs 6:1 – 8:16; Ruth 1:1 – 4:22
Testimony — Jude; Romans 1:1 – 5:21

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day: one each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

* Verse numbers in parenthesis refer to the verse number in Christian English Bibles when they differ from Hebrew Bibles or the Tanakh.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 6/2/19 through 6/8/19. This week is the sixth week of seven complete weeks of the count of the omer.

 

SIN…What It Is and How to Deal With It

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1 John 3:4, Sin is the transgression of the Torah.

Why must we overcome sin? The Scriptures teach us to be overcomers (Rom 12:21; 1 John 2:13–14; 5:4). We must overcome the world, the flesh and the devil (Jas 3:15). Yeshua admonished each of the seven Messianic assemblies to be overcomers (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; see also Matt 24:13). For those who overcome, there will be great rewards—a spiritual inheritance; they will be sons of Elohim (Rev 21:7).

The Greek word for overcome is nikao (Strong’s G3528) meaning “to conquer, to get the victory, prevail.” Nikao is where the word nike comes from.

What is Sin?

  • Sin is the anything that violates the Torah-instructions or laws of Elohim (1 John 3:4).
  • Sin is unrighteousness (1 John 5:17; YHVH’s Torah commands define what righteousness is, Ps 119:172).
  • Sin is not believing in Yeshua, who is the Torah-Word of Elohim incarnate (John 3:18; 16:9).
  • Sin is failing to do (or not to do) that we which we should be do (or not do)—i.e. a sin of omission (Jas 4:17).
  • Sin is putting me-first (my desires, impulses), not YHVH first (his will) in our lives. It is humanism. It is following the lie of the devil: man can have it his way regardless of what YHVH’s Word says, and not suffer any consequences for it. This is the big lie from the serpent in the Garden.
  • Sin is a direct challenge to YHVH’s authority in our lives. It is arrogance and self exaltation against YHVH’s will. It involves lack of belief in his Word. It is putting his will above his Word.

Dealing With the “Leavening” in Our Lives

Overcoming Sin!

Throughout Scripture, leavening is a spiritual metaphor for sin, pride, hypocrisy, malice, bitterness and false religious doctrine (Pss 71:4; 73:21; Hos 7:4; Matt 16:6; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1; 1 Cor 5:8–6; Gal 5:9). Even as a small amount of leavening agents in bread (e.g. yeast and various chemical agents) will quickly permeate bread dough causing it to rise, so a little sin can rapidly infect our lives (or like a quick spreading cancer disease) and take us away from Elohim’s path of righteous-living. 

The Scripture teaches us to be overcomers (Rom 12:21; 1 John 2:13–14; 5:4) eradicating the leavening of sin from our lives. We must overcome the world, the flesh and the devil (Jas 3:15). Yeshua admonished each of the seven Messianic assemblies to be overcomers (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; see also Matt 24:13). For those who overcome, there will be great rewards—a spiritual inheritance; they will become sons of Elohim (Rev 21:7).

The Greek word for overcome is nikao (Strong’s G3528) meaning “to conquer, to get the victory, prevail” and is where the word nike comes from.

What Is Sin?

  • Sin is the anything that violates the Torah-instructions/laws of Elohim (1 John 3:4).
  • Sin is unrighteousness (1 John 5:17; YHVH’s Torah commands define what righteousness is, Ps 119:172).
  • Sin is not believing in Yeshua, who is the Torah-Word of Elohim incarnate (John 3:18; 16:9).
  • Sin is failing to do (or not to do) that we which we should be do (or not do) — i.e., the sin of omission (Jas 4:17).
  • Sin is putting me-first (my desires, impulses), not YHVH first (his will) in our lives. It is humanism, which is self-rule and self-worship. It is following the lie of the devil: man can have it his way regardless of what YHVH’s Word says, and not suffer any consequences for it. This is the big lie from the serpent in the Garden.
  • Sin is a direct challenge to YHVH’s authority in our lives. It is arrogance and self exaltation against YHVH’s will. It involves lack of belief in his Word. It is putting my will above his Word.

Practical Steps to Overcoming Sin

To be victorious over sin, the saint must actively pursue two courses of action at the same time. He must “feed” or build up his personal spirit man and also starve his sin nature. Here are some practical steps to empowering your spirit man, so you can effectively defeat sin.

Building Yourself Up Spiritually

  • Know the biblical definition of sin, so you know what sin is. Some things men think are sin are not sin and vice versa. 
  • You must be born again or spiritually regenerated in your spirit man (John 3:5).
  • Call upon the Set-Apart Spirit of Elohim for help and recognize the Spirit’s power in your life. Learn to walk in the Spirit. The Set-Apart Spirit will convict us of sin (John 16:8, 13), and empower us to live a righteous or sin-free life in accordance with YHVH’s commandments.
  • Brainwash your mind with the Word of Elohim (Eph 5:26). This is how we transform our thinking from being conformed to the world, the flesh and the devil into the mind and character of Yeshua (Rom 12:2). Study the Scripture. Feed the spirit man inside of you. Hide YHVH’s Word in your heart (Ps 119:11; Jas 1:21; Prov 6:20–22). 
  • Know and use the power of prayer and spiritual warfare, so you can defeat the enemy as he endeavors to tempt you to sin (2 Cor 10:3–6; Eph 6:10–18; Luke 9:1; 10:19).
  • When tempted to sin, redirect your attention off the sin and onto prayer to YHVH. Know the Scriptures, so you can quote specific Bible verses to combat specific temptations to sin as Yeshua did when confronting the devil in the wilderness (Matt 4:4–11).
  • Know the power of being with other overcoming believers on a regular basis who will reinforce good habits, and hold each other accountable, and who will challenge you to keep overcoming and reaching for higher standards.
  • Make no provision for the flesh (Rom 13:14). Get away from corrupting influences including people.
  • Be accountable to trusted and mature spiritual authority.
  • Don’t replay old tapes of you or others sinning for your vicarious gratification (Prov 23:7). 
  • Stay in constant communication with YHVH through prayer.
  • Get the Word of Elohim into your heart and mind by meditating or ruminating on YHVH’s Word (Pss 63:6; 119:15, 48, 78, 148).
  • Learn to love righteousness—the things of YHVH (Phil 4:8).
  • Learn the fear of YHVH, which is to hate evil (Prov 8:13). Ask YHVH to give you his fear.
  • Replace bad habits or sinful patterns with good habits or righteous patterns. Replace what not to do with what to do (Gal 5:16; Eph 4:22–24).
  • Recount your testimony to yourself and to others of past victories over sin (Rev 12:11). This not only strengthens you spiritually to be able to resist sin, but it helps keep you spiritually accountable to others.
  • Bring power of your will to bear on sin. Will not to sin, but to obey Elohim. “Let not” in Romans 6:12–13 directly relates to the volitional or choice-making capacity of the human soul. Furthermore, the will relates to the other points listed in this study in that it can impose the realities of them into the other areas of our soul (i.e. the mind or intellect and emotion) and into our body with its weakness and penchants toward sin. “Yielding your members” (Rom 6:13, 16, 19) is another expression relating to the will of man in this regard. Use your mind to establish scripturally-based spiritual boundaries for yourself, and then use our will to enforce those boundaries. Ask YHVH to give you a heart to love those boundaries, since they’re there for your own good.

How to Starving the Sin Nature in Us

  • Exercise self control; learn to control the impulses to sin. Elohim gave you a will, so use that will to determine not to sin. Set spiritual boundaries for yourself based on the Word of Elohim, and determine not to cross those boundaries.
  • Take every thought captive to the mind, spirit, Word of YHVH-Yeshua (2 Cor 10:5).
  • Flee temptation (2 Tim 2:22; Prov 4:14–15).
  • Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof (Rom 13:14). Remove yourself from tempting or compromising situations and circumstances.
  • Do not love the things of this world (1 John 2:15).
  • Learn what sin is and then learn to hate sin or evil. Ask YHVH to give you a heart to love the things he loves and to hate the things that he hates.
  • Remember what the consequences for sinning is. Sin leads to guilt, shame, misery and sorrow. Ultimately, the wages of sin eternal death (Rom 6:23; Ezek 18:4) in the lake of fire (Rev 20:14–15).

Power to Overcome Sin

An important aspect to overcoming sin is to have the right perspective. We must view ourselves from a biblical perspective—as YHVH Elohim views us through our relationship with Yeshua. Here are some truths to keep in mind in this regard:

Reckoning — To help in overcoming sin, we must reckon ourselves dead to sin, and alive to Yeshua as a new creation of his spirit. (Read Rom 6 and 8; 6:7,11; Eph 4:24.) This reality must be our mindset, our spiritual identity. That identity must permeate everything we do in life.

Identification ­— We must reprogram our minds to think of ourselves no longer as sinners, but as righteous saints. We must accept the fact that we are new creation in Yeshua, and accept our new identity by faith based on what the Word of Elohim says of us (Rom 6:2,11; Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17). Sure, we will still sin from time to time (1 John 1:9), but sin is neither our habitual lifestyle nor what defines who we are spiritually. We’re overcomers who are predisposed to walking as saints, not as sinners. This is our true identity before YHVH and how he views us.

Love — An abiding and dynamic love for Elohim and his commands constrains us to not violate his law of love by sinning either against him or man. The overcomer must cultivate a desire to please Elohim (Rom 8:8), which involves hating sin and loving righteousness. We must learn to obey Elohim out of love, not fear (2 Tim 1:7; Rom 8:15).

Revelation — Obey Elohim and don’t yield to sin. Be empowered and motivated by the revelation and reality of the fact that our sin body is dead in Messiah and that we’re a new creation in Him (Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17). We’re born of the Spirit and alive to righteousness and are no longer under the power of sin because Yeshua’s victory over sin and death, and because the life of Messiah is working in us through the Set-Apart Spirit (Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17; Rom 6:1–22).

Quickening — Our mortal (sin-bent) bodies are quickened (made alive) by the Set-Apart Spirit dwelling in us—that is, by the direct power of Elohim’s Spirit in us motivates, energizes and strengthens us to overcome sin and to live righteously according to the Spirit, heart and will of Elohim (Rom 8:11, 26; Eph 2:1–5; Col 2:13). Another way to state this is that Elohim has given us his grace or divine enabling to overcome sin (Rom 6:14).

Hope of Eternal Rewards — The hope of eternal rewards as heirs of Elohim and joint-heirs with Messiah will also motivate us not to sin. The more faithful and obedient to him we are the greater will be our reward in the kingdom of Elohim. This should be a strong motivation for us to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh (Rom 8:16–17, 20, 23–25). The hope or earnest expectation (Rom 8:19, 20, 24) of being joint-heirs with Messiah and the glorification of our bodies (Rom 8:17) gives us the impetus to overcome the present struggles of this life.

Be an Overcomer!

The Word of YHVH Elohim declares,

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of Elohim. (Rev 2:7)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the assemblies; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Rev 2:17)

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Rev 3:21)

The Destructive Nature of Sin

There are many ways in which sin is destructive and destroys. Here are a few examples.

Sin is DESTRUCTIVE in that it causes separation (Isa 59:2). Sin leads a person away from Elohim who is sinless, perfect and holy. It caused Adam and Eve to be kicked out the Garden and to be separated from Elohim. It also destroys human relationships.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your Elohim, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isa 59:2)

Sin is DESTRUCTIVE and DISSIPATING to yourself and to others.

In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation [or profligacy, prodigality], speaking evil of you. 1 Pet 4:4

Sin DESTROYS the effectiveness of our prayers (Isa 59:1–2; 1 Pet 3:7; Matt 5:23–24).

Sin DESTROYS your emotional stability. (Pss 51:7–12; 32:1–4).

Sin and profligate living DESTROYS one’s finances. Through profligate living, the prodigal son lost all his inheritance and ended up DESTITUTE (Luke 15:11–16).

Sin causes DISOBEDIENCE and is DISOBEDIENCE to YHVH and his Word. Disobedience is one of sin’s definitions (i.e., sin the violation of the Torah-word or instructions of Elohim, 1 John 3:4). 

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4)

Sin is DEFILINGand DEGENERATING in that it pollutes, corrupts and eventually destroys little-by-little by corrupting everything it touches. It corrupts a person’s body, soul and spirit. The Bible likens sin to leavening in bread in that it puffs a person up (in pride) and causes them to become bitter. A little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Cor 5:6–7; Gal 5:9).

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our passover is sacrificed for us. (1 Cor 5:6–7, see also Gal 5:9))

Sin is also DESTRUCTIVE and DEVASTATING to our bodies. When the temple of our bodies are violated by sinful habits the results may be immediate or long term. Examples include (to name only a few)

  • overeating—gluttony
  • sexual promiscuity leads to sexually transmitted diseases
  • over consumption of alcohol
  • drugs
  • eating the wrong types of foods leads to poor health
  • ingesting poisonous chemical food additives leads to poor health
  • not following the biblical dietary laws leads to poor health
  • many sicknesses are caused by sinful behaviors

Sin is DECEPTIVE. It over-promises and under-delivers. It promises great rewards and, at the moment, it seems so good and pleasurable (Heb 11:25), but it leads to depression, death, destruction and ultimately to temporal and eternal damnation.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Prov 14:12)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer 17:9)

…to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season… (Heb 11:25)

Sin is DEGRADING and DEBASING in that it brings fear, shame, humiliation and guilt upon the sinner. Initially sin brings a momentary, fleeting pleasurable thrill (Heb 11:25), but then it sucks the joy out of a person like a vacuum (Gen 3:6 cp. v. 10). This leads to DEPRESSION. What is a depression? It is a low point—in this case, an emotional low point, valley or pit in a person’s life.

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. (Prov 3:5)

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.… And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (Gen 3:6, 10)

Sin is DEBILITATING and DEVITALIZING. It weakens and sucks the life out of a person and leads to DESTRUCTION. Sin does not and cannot make anything or anyone righteous, better or stronger. Sin can only strengthen other sins, but it can’t strengthen Elohimliness, holiness or righteousness.

Sin is DEADENING. It DUMBS DOWN one’s intellect, corrupts good morals and then it numbs the conscience and eventually it kills the person emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. It causes our conscience to become hardened and seared to sin. Eventually one’s heart becomes hardened to sin and one becomes reprobate (unprincipled and disapproved). At that point, one loses one’s moral compass and spiritual direction in life altogether.

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. (1 Tim 4:2)

They profess that they know Elohim; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Tit 1:16)

Be not deceived: evil companionship corrupts good morals. (1 Cor 15:33)

Sin is DISGUSTING. Think of the most disgusting sins you can imagine. Now ask yourself this. How did a person get to that point? Overnight or little-by-little? Usually the latter. Beware of sin! It slowly creeps up on a person and overtakes them. Moreover, one sin is a catalyst for more sin and inevitably leads to another sin and so on.

Sin is DEVALUING. It brings a person from a higher state to a lower state spiritually, morally, emotionally and physically.

Sin is DECAYING in that it eats away at the sinner like a cancer, and it eats away at those around the sinner.

Sin is DEFAMING and DISREPUTABLE in that it destroys a person’s good name and reputation. Think of all the people in our day whose reputations have been destroyed when their sins were publicized by the media.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. (Prov 22:1)

Sin is DISSATISFYING. Like an addiction (drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, power, etc.), a little sin isn’t enough. The sinner needs to sin more and more to satisfy his urges and need for fulfillment. It’s a downward spiral into a black hole.

Sin is DISTRACTING. It takes our attention off Elohim and puts it onto ourselves or some idolatrous and sinful practice. Sin DIVERTS our attention from the path of righteousness and onto to the path of wickedness.

Ultimately, sin is DAMNING. Sin incurs a costly price. The worst result of sin is eternal death and separation from Elohim (Ezek 18:4; Rom 6:23). It brings the wrathful judgment of Elohim against sinners.

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:6–8)

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not Elohim, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of YHVH, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thess 1:8–9)

For the wrath of Elohim is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness… [list of sins] Who knowing the judgment of Elohim, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Rom 1:18, 32)

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of Elohim; Who will render to every man according to his deeds (Rom 2:5–6). 

Because of all these things, sin is extremely DANGEROUS. It is dangerous to the sinner and it is dangerous to those who stand close by.

Reasons to Hate Sin

  • Elohim hates sin, and sometimes even the sinner.
  • For thou art not a Elohim that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: YHVH will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. (Ps 5:4–6)
  • Sin opposes Elohim’s word.
  • Sin is destructive and damning.
  • Sin caused the death of Yeshua.

A Call to Action

NOW is the time to repent of or turn away from sin and with your whole heart and mind to believe in and to accept Yeshua’s death on the cross in payment for your sin and to love and obey him (i.e. to walk in sinlessness) for the rest of your life. 

If you, at some time in the past, have repented of your sin but have fallen away (called backsliding) or have grown lukewarm or cold in your relationship with Yeshua, now is also the time to wake up from your spiritual slumber, to repent and to come back to Yeshua.

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 6:2)

And the times of this ignorance Elohim winked at [or overlooked sin]; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30)

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of YHVH. (Acts 3:19)

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5)

YHVH is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Pet 3:9 )

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8–10)

 

Who or what is the Antichrist

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1 John 2:18, The Antichrist. Other biblical references that many Christians scholars believe allude to the end times Antichrist figure include:

  • The Beast (Rev 13:4)
  • The abomination that causes desolation (Matt 24:15)
  • The desolator (Dan 9:27)
  • The man of sin (or lawlessness), the son of perdition (2 Thess 2:3)
  • The little horn (Dan 7:8)
  • The Assyrian (Mic 5:5; Isa 10:5; 14:25)

Many antichrists. How does John define the spirit of antichrist? From 1 John 2:18–19, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7 we learn that the Antichrist and all spirits of antichrist have come out of the first century apostolic faith of the Jewish Christian community. From these passages we also learn that the spirit of antichrist denies that Yeshua is the Messiah (Savior and Redeemer of man), denies that Yeshua is part of the “Godhead,” that he is deity and is the Son of Elohim, and denies the incarnation of Yeshua. This is how the Bible defines the spirit of antichrist.

What should be our reaction when we encounter this demonic spirit of antichrist? The wise counsel of John in his second epistle sums up our firm conviction on this matter.

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Messiah does not have Elohim. He who abides in the doctrine of Messiah has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. (2 John 9–11)

What additionally can we learn about the person of the Antichrist and the spirit of antichrist from the four passages where antichrist is mentioned in John’s epistles?

From 1 John 2:18–19, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7 we learn that the Antichrist and all spirits of antichrist have come out of the first century apostolic faith of the Jewish Christian community. This eliminates some of the world’s large religions (e.g. Hinduism, Buddhism) as being contenders for the end times religious system of the Antichrist. That leaves paganized mainstream Christianity and Islam. From these passages we also learn that the spirit of antichrist denies that Yeshua is the Messiah (Savior and Redeemer of man), denies that Yeshua is part of the “Godhead,” is deity and is the Son of Elohim, and denies the incarnation of Yeshua. Only Islam fits this biblical description of an antichrist religion.

 

Did the Apostles believe in the eminent return of Messiah?

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1 John 2:18, It is the last hour. This scripture passage along with others by Paul, James and John clearly indicates that the apostolic writers when writing these passages (i.e. prior to AD 70, the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple) viewed the second coming of Yeshua as imminent, and was not far off in the future. After all, the last question they asked Yeshua before his ascension to heaven was the matter that was the most pressing on their minds: “Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6). This proves what they were thinking; namely, that Yeshua was (hopefully) about to defeat the Romans and restore Israel to self rule. Of course, Yeshua didn’t give them a definitive time frame as to when he would fulfill biblical prophecy in this regard. So they were still left with the hope that his coming would be imminent, and that his kingdom would be established on earth. With his miraculous victory over death, their hopes would have been renewed in this regard. (On the apostles belief in the imminent return of Yeshua, see also 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:14–15; Rom 13:11; 16:20; cp. Jas 5:7–9; 1 John 2:18; Acts 1:6; 1 Cor 10:11; Rev 1:1.) 

The imminence of Yeshua’s second coming may have been based on a misunderstanding of Yeshua’s own words in his Olivet Discourse where he talks about the events announcing his second coming falling on “this generation” (Matt 24:34, 36). From this passage, it’s not readily understood to which generation he is referring—that one, or another off in the future, or both. It appears that the apostles applied his words to their generation and, hence, their view that his return was imminent.

The apostles likely initially believed that Yeshua’s return was immediately imminent. After a few years when he hadn’t returned, they likely focused on what Yeshua meant by the term “this generation” (Matt 24:34, 36). The writer of Hebrews gives us a clue as to what a generation may have meant to them, namely, forty years (as in the wanderings of the children of Israel en route to the Promised Land, which was a prophetic picture of what the disciples were hoping for in Yeshua’s established kingdom rule on earth. So forty years from Yeshua’s crucifixion in AD 30 takes us to AD 70 when, in the disciples’ minds, Yeshua’s prophecies regarding the destruction of the temple were to occur. “Since the prophet Daniel spoke of a period of seven years to complete the events leading up to the coming of the Messiah, and Jesus himself referred to Daniel’s prophecy as a gauge to measure those events, the counting backwards seven years from 70 C.E. brings us to the crucial year of 63 C.E. for those events to begin happening (Beyond Acts, p. 58, by Paul Finch; also see ibid. pp. 54–61 and Restoring the Original Bible, pp. 223–281, by Ernest Martin).

The Beast (Rev 13:4)

The abomination that causes desolation (Matt 24:15)

The desolator (Dan 9:27)

The man of sin (or lawlessness), the son of perdition (2 Thess 2:3)

The little horn (Dan 7:8)

The Assyrian (Mic 5:5; Isa 10:5; 14:25)

Many antichrists. How does John define the spirit of antichrist? From 1 John 2:18–19, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7 we learn that the Antichrist and all spirits of antichrist have come out of the first century apostolic faith of the Jewish Christian community. From these passages we also learn that the spirit of antichrist denies that Yeshua is the Messiah (Savior and Redeemer of man), denies that Yeshua is part of the “Godhead,” that he is deity and is the Son of Elohim, and denies the incarnation of Yeshua. This is how the Bible defines the spirit of antichrist.

What should be our reaction when we encounter this demonic spirit of antichrist? The wise counsel of John in his second epistle sums up our firm conviction on this matter.

Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Messiah does not have Elohim. He who abides in the doctrine of Messiah has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. (2 John 9–11)

What additionally can we learn about the person of the Antichrist and the spirit of antichrist from the four passages where antichrist is mentioned in John’s epistles?

From 1 John 2:18–19, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7 we learn that the Antichrist and all spirits of antichrist have come out of the first century apostolic faith of the Jewish Christian community. This eliminates some of the world’s large religions (e.g. Hinduism, Buddhism) as being contenders for the end times religious system of the Antichrist. That leaves paganized mainstream Christianity and Islam. From these passages we also learn that the spirit of antichrist denies that Yeshua is the Messiah (Savior and Redeemer of man), denies that Yeshua is part of the “Godhead,” is deity and is the Son of Elohim, and denies the incarnation of Yeshua. Only Islam fits this biblical description of an antichrist religion.

 

Divine Judgment

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Leviticus 26:1–46, Blessing and curses based on obedience to YHVH’s Torah-Word.The corollary to this passage is Deuteronomy chapter 28. These judgments come upon a people who have forgotten their Elohim because they have been blessed materially and in their self-sufficiency have forgotten who is the source of their blessings. The Torah continually stresses that blessings are contingent upon obedience to YHVH. Similarly, Yeshua reveals that rewards in his everlasting kingdom are also contingent on obedience to his Torah-laws. The greater the obedience, the greater the reward (Matt 5:17).These principles are universal, yet how we tend to forget the cycles of history that repeat themselves over and over again like the unstoppable turning of giant millstone grinding into powder those who refuse to learn the lessons from the past. Each generation proudly asserts it’s exceptionalism and that, somehow, it’s immune to YHVH’s inexorable and immutable principles of divine judgment. Only in the perfect hindsight of history can we see the fallacy of this assumption. Ancient Israel failed to learn these lessons as have subsequent people who claimed to follow the Bible.

In the case of America, and Great Britain before her (and other formerly Christian nations as well), there was in former times a national consciousness of core biblical values and, to one degree or another, a general public acknowledgement, acceptance of and respect for the Elohim of the Bible. However, as a nation becomes blessed, it reaches an apogee of prominence, power and wealth where it becomes rich and increased with goods and no longer needs Elohim—or so it thinks. It become fat and forgets the source of its wealth and falls into a state of self-sufficiency leading to spiritual blindness in that it fails to recognize its true spiritual state (recall YHVH’s warning to a lukewarm church in Rev 3:14–22). This can happen to individuals, churches and to whole societies.

Because YHVH loves his people and wants to walk among them, to be their Elohim and to bless them (Lev 26:12), when they disobey him and walk in ways that are harmful to their well-being, like any loving parent, he is forced to discipline them. Again and again he sends them his prophets and watchmen to warn them that they’re on a path of self-destruction. But because of pride, they refuse to humble themselves and repent (Lev 26:40–41). It’s the same old story over and over again. Human pride insists that “judgments can’t happen to us because we’re so special.” “All things will continue as they have from the beginning and no evil shall befall us” a self-assured society and individual retorts in mocking and scoffing tones to all those who would hold them accountable for their errant ways (2 Pet 3:3–7). If only the great people, nations and empires that have already trodden this well-worn path and are now in the dust bin of history could speak from their graves and this generation had heart ears to hear!

As a loving Father, YHVH doesn’t lower the gavel of full disciplinary judgments immediately upon his wayward children. He increases the dosage incrementally in hopes that each successive ratcheting down of his judgments will bring a spiritually apostate individuals and nations to a point of humility, confession of their iniquity (or Torahlessness, Lev 26:40) and to repentance and submission and obedience to his blessed commandments. In this chapter, YHVH reveals four sets of judgments with each one becoming seven times more severe than the previous one (Lev 26:18, 21, 24, 28). This reminds us of YHVH’s end-times judgments upon a rebellious world that has given itself over to devil worship just prior to the return of Yeshua as prophesied in the book of Revelation. In that book, there are seven seals, seven trumpets, seven thunders and, finally, seven bowl judgments. 

What can you do? You may not be able to change society, but a societal change begins one step and one life at a time; it starts with your life! That’s the only thing for certain that you can change. You know what needs to be done. Just listen to your conscience—to YHVH’s Spirit knocking at the door of your heart (Rev 3:20), and then repent and obey. It’s that simple.

Some Thoughts on Divine Judgment

  • By dictionary definition, judgment is “a decision of a court or judge; a misfortune or calamity viewed as a divine punishment.”
  • The Bible speaks a lot about judgment. When we read about the subject of judgment in the Bible, it usually pertains to the “other guy” involving someone in the past, or someone in the future, or someone that we consider to be more sinful than we are. The problem is that our pride prevents us from thinking that Elohim’s judgment could happen to us. 
  • Judgment is nothing more than suffering the consequences of our actions. It’s simply a function of the law of cause and effect. If you jump off of a building, you’ll suffer the consequences of your actions when you hit the ground. Similarly, when we break YHVH’s commandments, we will suffer the consequences. Judgment is also a matter of degrees. To the degree that we obey his commandments, we’ll reap the blessings of obedience. Conversely, to the degree we disobey them, we’ll reap the negative consequences (Lev 26:3ff cp. 14ff) in the same way that jumping off a two foot ledge versus a 500 foot ledge has different consequence—a twisted ankle compared to death. For most of us, our actions with regard to obedience to YHVH’s laws are a mixture of both good and evil, so we’re reaping both blessings and curses at the same time. 
  • As a result of coming out of the mainstream church, most of us have been so indoctrinated with the concept of YHVH’s love and grace, that we have a skewed view of his judgments. Few preachers ever talk about divine judgment. Add to this the fable of the pre-tribulation rapture where it is believed that the saints will be taken to heaven before they have to endure any end times tribulation, and the idea of divine judgment is shoved further into the back of many believers’ minds. If a preacher does talk about divine judgment, they’re often accused of being judgmental, and this accusation, whether accurate or not, tends to shut down the conversation on the subject of divine judgment. No one wants to talk about it since it messes with people’s false view of an Elohim who is so loving and gracious that he would never judge anyone for anything. Any discussion of the subject of divine judgment also forces people to face the reality of their own sinfulness and wickedness and the fact that they deserve Elohim’s judgments for their disobedience to his laws.
  • Beyond this, most of us have contrived our own personal theology whereby we excuse and justify ourselves in the comfort zones of our sin. Our hearts become hardened as we justify our sin, and we often excuse our own sinfulness by comparing ourselves to someone who, in our mind, is a worse sinner than we are, thus making ourselves feel better about ourselves. This is a deceptive form of self delusion and is not based on the reality of YHVH’s righteous standards.
  • The Laodiceans of Revelation chapter three, for example, were followers of Yeshua. They weren’t adulterers, idolators or murderers. They were “good Christians.” What was their sin? Being lukewarm with regard to their faith and having an inflated view of their own righteousness. For this sin of pride, YHVH was willing to reject them! For this, they had to go through fiery judgments. It seems that YHVH’s standards of righteousness are much higher than most of us are willing to admit, and that our standards of righteousness are too low. Between these two standards, there’s a huge gap. To get from our low level of righteousness to YHVH’s high level, one of two things need to occur. We need to wake up to our true spiritual condition and repent of our sin, or YHVH will have to use the shock treatment of divine judgment on us to wake us up forcibly. It’s like the rebellious child for whom a verbal correction is insufficient, thus necessitating the parent to bring out the paddle—a more severe form of discipline. In reality, for most of us, it’ll probably be a combination of the two to get us where YHVH wants us to be—the rebuke and the paddle. Even then, after we’ve gone through judgment and repented of our sin, we will still need Yeshua’s imputed righteousness to make up the difference for the lack of our own righteousness. That’s how sinful, dark and evil our hearts really are in YHVH’s view! Remember, what the apostle says: The righteous are scarcely saved, and YHVH’s judgment must begin at the house of Elohim, which is the church—that’s you and me (1 Pet 4:17–18)!
  • Let us not squander any of the time of grace YHVH has given us to repent before his heavy judgments begin to fall on us in these last days. Remember this:
  • And the times of this ignorance Elohim winked at [overlooked]; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:30–31)
  • The church is being judged (refined) including those who have come out of the traditional, mainstream church system and come into a more Hebraic, pro-Torah view of Scripture and lifestyle. Sadly, many in the so called Hebrew Roots Movement have brought with them the same lukewarm attitudes they had when they were in the mainstream church. YHVH is now separating the wheat and tares—those who are true believers versus those who are playing religious mind games. 
  • For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. (1 Cor 11:18–19)
  • Spiritual leaders are especially being judged. Those who are self-appointed, and who are pursuing money and power using corporate American marketing techniques to build their ministries are being judged. Those who are merchandizing YHVH’s people will be judged (2 Pet 2:3; 1 Pet 5:2; Rom 16:18; 1 Tim 3:3, 8; Tit 1:7, 11). YHVH is separating out the hirelings from the true shepherds who mirror his own heart (Ezek 34; John 10:7ff). Leaders of congregations who don’t fit the biblical qualifications for eldership will be exposed and deposed. Those who have major sin skeletons in their closets, who have not repented of sin, and who have failed to make proper restitution for those sins will be exposed. If you’re a leader, beware of YHVH’s judgments. If you have hidden sin, or are self-appointed, or have ulterior motives for being a leader, YHVH will expose your sin. If you’re a sheep, be careful to know those who labor among you (1 Thess 5:12). Only associate with spiritual leaders who meet YHVH’s high standards of righteousness.
  • When trials (YHVH’s judgment?) come upon us (Jas 1:2), we must seek YHVH’s wisdom (Jas 1:5), so we will understand why these trials have come upon us. This is very difficult to do. Our pride usually causes us to excuse ourselves from any culpability for the trials that come upon us. We often blame others, or attribute the trials that come our way to time and chance. When we’re in the middle of a trial, it’s extremely hard to see the forest for the trees. Because of the spiritual beam in our own eye, it’s easy to be blind to the hand of YHVH’s chastening judgment on us as he tries to refine out of us the impurities that are preventing us from growing spiritually closer to him. On the other hand, with ease we are often able to see the splinter in our neighbor’s eye and it’s clear to us what his sins are and why he’s suffering divine judgment. This was the case with Job’s three wicked friends.
  • In the end times, YHVH is going to turn up the spiritual heat of refining judgment on his people. Those who refuse to repent will get hotter, more intense judgments (qv. Lev 26:14–39). Like a good parent, YHVH endeavors to instruct and correct his children through a light-handed approach at first, but when they refuse to hear him, he is forced to use more intense and painful means to get their attention (Ps 32:8–10). The old saying, “When they feel the heat, the see the light,” applies here. 
  • The four sets of successively intensifying judgments of Leviticus 26 relate to the judgments in the book of Revelation (the seven seals, trumpets, thunders and bowls). The time is coming when YHVH will judge the whole world. That judgment begins first at the church (1 Pet 4:17). Yeshua YHVH wants to marry a holy, spotless and pure bride. The foolish virgins of Matthew 25 lacked the oil of YHVH’s Torah and Spirit. That’s why they were excluded from the wedding supper. Similarly, the Laodiceans Christians were spiritually tepid, naked, impoverished and blind, which is why they had to go through the refining fires of YHVH’s judgment. In the book of Revelation, there are the 144, 000 redeemed Israelites, and then there are those who, because of lukewarmness, must go through the refining fires of the great tribulation to get their spiritual robes washed pure. The latter group will be the larger number of believers—a great an innumerable multitude. This doesn’t even include those believers who have already fallen away in the great apostasy of the end times (2 Thess 2:1–12).
  • Remember this one thing: Heartfelt repentance is the key to averting YHVH’s judgments and experiencing his grace (Lev 26:40–41;1 John 1:9).
  • Please also remember this: It’s the divinely mandated responsibility of the proverbial watchman on the wall to warn the city of the judgments he sees coming. He’s likely to be unpopular with the people, who are complacent and apathetic in their status quo—all things continue as they have from the beginning (1 Pet 4:3), they say. But the watchman still has to warn, or the people’s fate will be on his head; their blood will be on his hands (Ezek 3:16–21).