Shabbat Bible Study for 23Oct2021
©2021 Mark Pitrone & Fulfilling Torah Ministries
Year 3 – Shabbat 33
Devarim 12.20 – 15.6, Yirem’Yahu 23. 9-22, Tehellim 130, Mattityahu 7.15-27
Links:
http://rcg.org/questions/p130.a.html
http://bible.cc/exodus/23-19.htm
Devarim 12.20 – The context has us eating in Yerushalayim in Yah’s presence. Yah gives us permission to eat flesh foods. V.20 seems to give carte blanche to eat any kind of flesh you choose. I am certain that this is an Christian Anglicism, because v.21 sets bounds on this permission. “… thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock…” That is sheep or cattle, not pigs or dogs or cats. Clean animals are what he allows. We may eat them in OUR gates. If we are remote from Yerushalayim, we can also eat our flesh foods in our own towns and houses. It need not be offered at Yerushalayim. But if we do eat it, we MUST pour out the blood on the ground. There is no change in dietary requirements here – all the kosher instructions still apply. Where it says the clean and the unclean, it means that the people who eat it may be clean or unclean, not that the food may be either clean or unclean. Besides, do roebuck eat flesh of any kind? V.21 allows that you may have a goy over for dinner.
The ‘holy things’ in v.26 refers to those things that we have set aside, or been commanded to set aside as offerings to Yah. These had to be taken to Yerushalayim to be offered at one of the presentation feasts. The blood in these cases is poured out on the Altar of Burnt Offering in the Mishkan or the Temple – nowhere else. ALL REQUIRED OFFERINGS for sin or as a part of the required oblations are to be done in the place where Yah has placed his name. If we live far from Yerushalayim, we may offer our freewill offerings on a family altar.
In our cases, today, we no longer offer blood offerings, since Yeshua has fulfilled all blood offerings on his tree
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith Yah, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these [sins and iniquities remitted] no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Yeshua, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And an high priest over the house of Eloha; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some; but exhorting and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of Eloha, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Heb.10.16-29)
The willful sin in this passage was for a Levite to offer blood on the Altar in Yerushalayim AFTER coming to certain knowledge of the truth that Yeshua had fulfilled the atonement, which was Sha’ul’s [or his Talmid’s] REASON for writing Hebrews – he was warning believing Levites who were considering returning to the Temple atonement system and essentially trampling Yeshua’s blood, thereby.
We are NOW to offer our own bodies as a LIVING SACRIFICE, which is our REASON-able service.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Eloha, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Eloha, your reasonable service. 2 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 Eloha. (Rom.12.1-2)
Vv.29-32 (and most of the portion for today) deal with syncretism, the attempt or tendency to combine or reconcile differing beliefs. A believer who keeps a pagan holiday as unto Yah is a perfect example – Easter or Xmas being great examples of Xian syncretism. Jeroboam’s entire religious structure for Beit Ephraim Israel was syncretistic. These verses at the end of ch.12 prohibit doing anything the pagans do as unto Yah. He calls these practices ‘abomination’, and there is no more condemnatory term that crosses Yah’s lips. We are to do as we are told and not add to or diminish from our orders. Do we live up to this? Do we not add to or diminish from his Word every day in one way or another? I do, though not intentionally, and I’ll bet you do, too. And making that bet is not a sin, since it is not gambling, but a relatively sure thing.
Abortion is an offering to a pagan god, according to v.31. It is abomination to Yah. The 49th anniversary of the Supremes’ decision on Roe v. Wade is this coming January 22nd, which means the 40 years of probation were complete on January 21, 2013 – inauguration day. Talk about “a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation”! All bets are off for America as we’re well beyond the 40 year probation. HOWEVER, Yah sometimes withholds judgment in his foreknowledge of near-future events. Justice Kavanaugh was just this week sworn into office on the Supreme Court after a BITTER confirmation hearing process. THIS may be the reason the US is not toast just yet. Perhaps the Court will hear a case that will overturn the abomination of Roe v. Wade in one fell swoop. As of Aug.16, 2021, this has not been done, but there have been some encouraging decisions in the appellate and the Supreme Courts [thanks in large part to Justice Kavanaugh, though he isn’t perfect, either]. Keep praying. Q&C
Devarim 13 – Here we are told that if a prophet or dreamer gives a prophecy to walk contrary to Yah’s Word, even if he validates it with truly miraculous acts, don’t follow him. Signs, wonders and dreams are a hallmark of satanic religion. We need to ask ourselves, “What is the motivation of the prophet? What does he want of the audience? Does it line up with the Word? Does the sign, wonder or dream exalt Yah? Or does it exalt the dreamer-prophet? Does the prophet want you to do what Yah has forbidden? Or not do what he’s commanded? Does he want you to eat catfish? Profane the Shabbat? Keep C & E and Halloween?
It is a test from Yah, to see if you’ll test the spirits of the prophets.
Beloved, believe not every ruach, but try the ruachot whether they are of Eloha: because many false nevi’im are gone out into the world. [2] Hereby know ye the Ruach of Eloha: Every Ruach that confesseth that Yeshua haMashiyach is come in the flesh is of Eloha: [3] And every ruach that confesseth not that Yeshua haMashiyach is come in the flesh is not of Eloha: and this is that ruach of antiMashiyach, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. [1John 4:1-3]
This doesn’t say that the spirit will deny that Yeshua is Yah, but that it denies the humanity of Yeshua. This is a reference to the Gnostic heresy that a fleshly body would defile the Spirit of Yah. How a created thing (flesh) could defile Yah himself is beyond me. He is ultimately holy, and cannot be defiled. If he could be defiled by contact with sinful flesh, then he cannot indwell you or me or even our fellowship in his Torah. To the Gnostics, flesh was equated to sin. Here’s what W1828 says about
GNOS’TIC, n. nostic. [L. gnosticus; Gr. to know.]
The Gnostics were a sect of philosophers that arose in the first ages of Xianity, who pretended they were the only men who had a true knowledge of the Xian religion. They formed for themselves a system of theology, agreeable to the philosophy of Pythagoras and Plato, to which they accommodated their interpretations of scripture. They held that all natures, intelligible, intellectual and material, are derived by successive emanations from the infinite fountain of deity. These emanations they called oeons.
Yah commands that we put that false prophet to death. Remember that the passage’s context has us in our own land, not in exile. He is very serious about keeping us from idols and idolatry, which is ‘spiritual adultery’.
Vv.6–11 make the same pronouncements about our siblings and friends. If anyone comes to you while in exile to entice you to follow after other elohims, raise the alarm among the brethren and get that one out of your congregation. When we are baAretz, in the land, in the Kingdom we will fulfill these scriptures to the letter. We will stone the blasphemer and the false brother. If it is a near kin, it will be a mercy for you to throw the first stone, for you will aim to make his pain less by killing or rendering him unconscious immediately. The point of the severity of this judgment is to deter the same crime in Yisrael (v.11, would that Yehudah had heeded YirmeYahu). This will be done in the Kingdom. It will be another reason haSatan will use to entice the ‘for show’ Sukkoth-keepers in the quick gathering of the Gog uMagog rebellion at the end of the Messianic Era (Rev.20.8-10).
Vv.12–18 tell us how to address allegations of idolatry that come to our knowledge. We are to diligently seek the truth. If the allegations are true we are to treat it the same as the others, stone them to death, and burn all their possessions to keep Yisrael clean. This is essentially what Yisrael was to do in Yir’cho as they came into Canaan. Notice the admonition to not let any of the booty ‘cleave to thine hand.’ The incident at Ai was an example of what could happen if even one of us despised this instruction. This MAY BE an illustration of what will come down in Washington, D.C., if Roe v. Wade isn’t overturned. After offering over 100 million babies on the Tophet altar to Molech and Ishtar, a fiery judgment from Yah would be fitting. If you want Yah’s blessing, you need to heed his admonitions to put false religious systems out of your life. They will influence you, even if you try to insulate yourself from them. Q&C
Dev.14 – Don’t cut yourselves; don’t shave that unibrow. You’re SUPPOSED to be peculiar. That’s what holy means – set apart, different from everyone else, PECULIAR! In that vein, we are to eat only clean flesh foods – no abominable things. We can eat a lot of stuff, so the commandment is NOT onerous. In 12.15 we saw a blessing for eating clean foods. Here in v.4 – 20 we are made aware of exactly WHAT is clean, and what is not. V.21 shows us the reason the people died after eating the quails (Num11.31-34) – they were not to eat what died of itself. That is a good way to contract a dread disease. The people died because they lusted so for flesh that when it came to them they didn’t follow the laws of clean/unclean and eschew that which had died of itself. I also think from the tenor of the passage that they died because they ate the flesh w/o pouring out the blood.
The last bit of v.21 seems to be an, “Oh, by the way …”, because seething a kid in his mother’s milk doesn’t seem to fit in the passage. It would be OK to eat a kid or it’s mother, as they are both clean to eat and that is the general tenor of the passage. I think it is here to bring the ‘set-apartness/peculiarity’ of Yah’s people in their clean food full circle. We are not only to eat ONLY that which Yah declares clean. We are also to ensure it is done in a set-apart manner. If we go back to the last 4 verses of last week’s portion, we can see what I’m talking about
29 When Yah Elohecha shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so unto Yah Elohecha: for every abomination to Yah, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deut.12.29-32)
Seething a kid in his mother’s milk was a pagan Cana’ani practice, they believing that sprinkling the resulting liquid on their fields would appease their gods and ensure a good crop.
Clarke’s Commentary explains, “It was a custom of the ancient heathens, when they had gathered in all their fruits, to take a kid and boil it in the milk of its dam; and then, in a magical way, to go about and besprinkle with it all their trees and fields, gardens and orchards; thinking by these means to make them fruitful, that they might bring forth more abundantly in the following year.”
From Gill’s Exposition, as quoted at http://bible.cc/exodus/23-19.htm
Maimonides and Abarbinel both suppose it was an idolatrous rite, but are not able to produce an instance of it out of any writer of theirs or others: but Dr. Cudworth has produced a passage out of a Karaite author (i), who affirms, “it was a custom of the Heathens at the ingathering of their fruits to take a kid and seethe it in the milk of the dam, and then, in a magical way, go about and besprinkle all their trees, fields, gardens, and orchards, thinking by this means they should make them fructify, and bring forth fruit again more abundantly the next year:” and the Targum of Jonathan on Exodus 34:26 seems to have respect to this, where, having paraphrased the words as here quoted above, adds, “lest I should destroy the fruit of your trees with the unripe grape, the shoots and leaves together:” and if this may be depended upon, the law comes in here very aptly, after the feast of ingathering, and the bringing in the first fruits of the land into the Lord’s house.
Respected commentators of both Yehudi and Xian tradition show the pagan nature of this practice and Devarim 12.29-32 explains why. I think I’ll get a cheeseburger. Avraham ate them [Gen.19] and fed them to Yah and the angels with Him. So did Lot and the angels, that evening.
Vv.22ff deal with the tithe. PLEASE notice that this tithe and its purpose is given in juxtaposition to the heathen practice that Yah condemned in v.21 (for the 3rd time; Ex.23.19 is a requirement of the Covenant, 34.26 restates this part of the Covenant AFTER the transgression, which was to bow to the Egyptian gods Apis and Hathor; were they mother and calf?). We bring the tithe so that the NEXT harvest will be at LEAST as plentiful as THIS harvest! Why did the heathen seethe their kids in their mother’s milk? Here’s Wiki on Apis [and Hathor, his mama];
“Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals that formed an integral part of ancient Egyptian culture. It centered on the Egyptians’ interactions with many deities believed to be present in, and in control of the world. Rituals such as prayer and offerings were provided to the gods to gain their favor.” – from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_religion.
The tithe is on the increase – the net, not the gross income. In an agrarian society, the increase is that which remained after all the expenses were paid. In today’s society, it means that which is yours after YOUR expenses. These include taxes, medical, household, etc. expenses. About ‘income’, W1828 says
“the profits of commerce or of occupation; the interest of money or stock in funds.”
But about ‘increase’ it says,
“1. Increment; profit; interest; that which is added to the original stock.”
NOT what you trade for labour, (pay from a job), but what you get as return from investments. Tithes were to be brought in kind, the increase of your flocks or grain. If you lived a great distance from Yerushalayim, you could sell your grain or livestock and carry current money and then purchase what you needed to celebrate before Yah at the Feast.
Once again there seems to be a carte blanche in v.26 on what we may eat at the Feasts until we read the details. It says, ‘whatsoever thy soul lusteth after’, but then goes on to elaborate, ‘oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink.’ It seems kind of silly to think that Yah would lay down laws about what we may eat and then allow us to break his law right in his face, doesn’t it? But on Easter Sunday (a non-Torah celebration) we’re supposed to celebrate Yah Yeshua’s resurrection with a pig? Seems unlikely to me. I COULD be wrong … but I DOUBT it.
Vv.27-29 deal with our obligation before Yah concerning the Levite within our gates. We are to provide for his enjoyment of the Feasts – all of them. We are to lay up our entire tithe every 3rd year for the purpose of providing the needs of the Levites, widows, orphans and strangers that live within our gates.
I think that this has a very great bearing on the passage in 1Cor.11.17-34, which deals with the ‘love feast’, where many Corinthians were providing for their own enjoyment and nourishment, but not providing for the needs of the poor among them (v.21). Now, I doubt that many from Corinth made the trip 3 times a year to Yerushalayim, so this was probably done with the kahal in Corinth. I think that the reason many ‘slept’ among them is that they starved in the midst of their brethren’s plenty. The example Sha’ul gives is of the Pesach Feast, but I think it could apply to any of Yah’s presentation feasts – or even Shabbat onegs. While this has been seen historically in the church as the ‘unworthy’ dying before his time, it can be read as the ‘unworthy’ being the cause of another’s untimely death, the operative verses being
For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning Yah’s body. [30] For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [1Cor.11:21, 29-30]
Yah’s body is the kahal, is it not? See the juxtaposition of hungry and drunken? If we eat until we are gluttonously stuffed, like a man drinks until he’s drunk, and care not a whit about our brother who is starving or thirsty, have we not filled this passage full? Drunkenness here speaks of overindulgence in general, I think. I’d love to see this in the original Hebrew, as I think it would support me here. Again, I COULD be wrong … but I DOUBT it. I think this was plain to Sha’ul and the Corinthians, but today has become ‘sod’, due to centuries of bad, dispensational interpretation. Q&C
Dev.15.1-6 – This passage deals with the sabbatical year of release to Hebrew servants. This was NOT intended to be the norm in Yisrael. The norm is seen in v.6. But it could happen that a Hebrew could walk contrary to Yah’s halacha and be reproved with loss of freedom and property. It was Yah’s intention that chol Yisrael be the head and not the tail. If they would diligently hearken to his Torah it would be hard to find even a stranger or a pagan in need – THAT’S how much Yah would bless their obedience. I preach to myself, now, so don’t take this personally. It is this simple; if we are in debt, we are NOT following Yah’s halacha as he commands. We need to examine ourselves, see where we are NOT in compliance with his revealed will – Torah, Nevi’im, Kethuvim and B’rit Chadashah. When we find a place where we are in sin, we need to repent and resolve to obey. Then we need to resolve to get out of debt, so we are free to obey him when he commands us to ‘GO!’ Q&C
Yirem’Yahu 23.9-22 – Sorrow and bitterness (lamentation) have overtaken the prophet because of the hearts of the other prophets and priests of Yah in Yerushalayim. The whole land is full of adulterers and idolaters (same thing) and they seem to have gone over to the ‘dark side’ in v.10. The prophet and the priest are profaning the House of Yah, as the pastors and teachers are profaning Yah’s kahal today. Not all, but most. As it was in Jerry’s day, so it is today. Biblical history = prophecy of the end of days. Since the willfully blind are leading the willfully blind, Yah sends another obstacle for them – he makes their soles wet and the paths slick, so they’ll fall down in the mud. They are working hard to take part in their paganism, and Yah makes it hard for them, but they press on toward the mark of the low calling of the shadim. Their reward from Yah for their vigilance to follow the devils is to send them into exile.
The false prophets are telling the people who think Yah is nothing that Yah will still bless them. KJV says they despise Yah (v.17). Despise = to hold in contempt, to think of no worth, useless and powerless. These people obviously think they are going after Yah or they would not be interested in the prophet’s promise of his blessing. They have fallen into syncretism without even knowing it because their watchmen are not warning them of it. Because the prophets and priests are every bit as guilty; many, in fact, are the cause of the people going after strange elohims; they get to drink the preparation for the adulterous woman in Dev.24.
Yah warns the people once again not to listen to the false prophets, but they want to have their sin and Yah’s blessing too. Reminds me of that verse from Keith Green,
Bless me Lord, bless me Lord, you know that’s all I ever hear.
Noone aches, noone hurts, noone even sheds one tear.
But He cries, he weeps, he bleeds,
And he cares for your needs.
But you just lay back and keep soaking it in.
Oh, can’t you see it’s such sin?!
Unfortunately, we can’t, because our preachers keep telling us we don’t have to keep Torah. It’s been done away, don’t you know? Nailed to the tree with Yeshua. Noone is listening for Yah’s counsel. None perceives his Word.
Does v.19 sound like what happened in New Orleans in August of 2005, or on the East Coast in 2012 or in So. Carolina in 2015? Remarkable. Do you suppose that this is written for us today? V.20 comes right out and says so! He is telling us that the prophets who call themselves prophets and do not warn the people, but bless them, are not His prophets – he didn’t send them. These self-proclaimed prophets are going to receive the reward for their neglect of the prophet’s duty – to be a watchman, to warn the people of their impending judgment and need of repentance. There ARE a number of faithful watchmen performing their duty to Yah and his kahal today. But their voice is like Ruach’s against the din of the world’s system: still and small.
I’ve said some things today that could be misconstrued by wicked men as inflammatory to treason and riot. All I’ve done is observe trends and connect dots. I have not prophesied in the foretelling sense, nor urged anyone to illegality or unlawful acts, but evil men may twist my meaning to say what they need to make themselves look righteous in their tyranny, either personal or general. May Yah destroy the evil intents of their god’s wicked heart. Q&C
Tehellim 130 – Why does it take us being in the depths before we recognize our need and call on Yah for his deliverance? Fortunately, Yah does not hold the confessed and forgiven sins of his children against them – he doesn’t mark their iniquities. Did he, none could stand before him. The reason he forgives is so we will fear him. To fear Yah is the opposite of despising him. When we fear him, we consider him and his ways in all we do. When we despise him, we don’t ever think of him and what he commands.
When we enter the ‘darkness’ part of the day of Yah (in the next few weeks, maybe?), we will be diligently watching for the morning, watching for the morning. David’s soul was after Yah more than that. It is in the morning that Yah will deliver us from our iniquities and mercifully redeem us, Ephraim and Yehuda, from exile. Q&C
Mattityahu 7.15-27 – I think of a political saying: “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding on what to have for lunch; while Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.” Wolves in sheep’s clothing, false prophets, is what the Torah and Haftarah were about today. Notice please, that we are to check the fruit of the prophets. We are not told to check the fruit of every brother. The reason for this is that the prophet will influence groups of people, not just himself and his immediate acquaintances. As we saw in our portions from YirmeYahu and Tehellim today, the false prophets tell us that we can walk in Torahlessness and still be blessed of Yah, and then David alludes to these same false prophets as they who “watch for the morning, watch for the morning.” I take that to mean that they are looking to the Kingdom and olam haba, but are missing the evil days that we will have to endure to get there: they tickle itching ears, telling people who will rely on their word instead of Yah’s more sure Word of prophecy, that they will escape the calamity that’s coming. If a prophet says he’s a good tree, but all you get from him is this kind of bracken, you have a pretty good idea that he’s a liar and not a prophet from Yah. A prophet brings warning of calamity to come so that Yah’s people will be ready for it. This doesn’t take a lot of discernment, just attention to detail.
The false prophet has broken the 3rd commandment, taking Yah’s Name in vain. The parable in vv.21-23 is speaking directly to the false prophet’s audience. If a prophet says, “Yah has told me such and so will happen”, watch to see if what he says happens. If it doesn’t, you know. V.21 says that those who say they prophesy in Yah’s Name are not necessarily true prophets. Yeshua says, “I never knew you. Depart from me, ye who work iniquity.” Iniquity = Torahlessness. If a prophet tells you that you can do as you please w/Yah’s Word and still get Yah’s blessing, he’s a liar and a false prophet.
Vv.24-27 are the parable of the houses built on a deep, bedrock foundation or on sand. This is also an illustration of houses built by prophets of Yah and false prophets. It is up to us to decide whom to follow and on what we build. If we hear Torah (in its most general sense – all of scripture) and do it, we are building on the rock – and that Rock is Messiah. But if we know to do right and we do not do it, we will not withstand the evil day.
This parable is just more evidence of the folly of the pre-trib rapture. Why build on rock if I don’t need to worry about the tribulation to come, which is likened to the storm. Yeshua is telling the kahal/ecclesia that they are in for a fall of momentous proportion. The NAE president who ‘fell’ a few years ago is yet another wake-up for the kahal. Here’s hoping it does its job. I think the majority of Xianity slept through the alarm.
Here’s my commentary for all these verses from my study on “The Life of Yeshua haMashiyach”. This may repeat a bit. If it seems REALLY familiar, you must have been with us last week, when we discussed the SoM of which these verses are a part.
Matthew 7:15-17, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
The interpretation here is pretty straightforward. We are to be on the lookout to keep false prophets out of our midst. And we’ll know a false prophet by the outcome of their prophecy. Is it true? Did it happen the way he said it would? Does it fit the character of the Creator Elohim of the universe? If not, stone them without the gates.
This does not apply simply to foretelling or predictive prophecy. It also deals with forth-telling or expository prophecy. Is the word from the pulpit (or that guy on the mic who keeps spouting off) in accord with the word of Elohim and the character of Elohim? What kind of fruit do you see in the preacher’s life? Does it meet the test of 1Jn.4.1? How about in your own life? Do you compare scripture with scripture, things spiritual with things spiritual? Or do you look for a scripture that can be twisted to say what you want it to say and support your lusts thereby? Are you a false prophet? What saith your fruit?
We have been warned that anti-Mashiyachs are all over the place. They had already crept into the assemblies in Yochanan’s day. How much more prevalent must they be today, so far removed in time from the source? Stay in the true Word of Elohim so you’ll know a counterfeit when he shows his ugly face. Try the spirit of the prophet and the spirit behind his teaching. If it doesn’t stand the sniff test, if something smells rotten, beware. If it doesn’t stand the comparison test, rebuke that spirit and get it out of your life. Then warn as many as will hear you.
Matthew 7:18-20, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
If you are rooted in the Word of Elohim, sustained by the Root of Jesse (Is.11.10), abiding in the vine (Jn.15.1-7), you will produce fruit to the Kingdom of Elohim. Notice that in Jn.15.2, there are those branches that are in the vine, but do not bear fruit. These the Father takes away. They are suckers, they drain the life from the vine and don’t add anything to it. This is what is removed in the purging. Notice that it does not say that what is purged is cast away, gathered up and burnt. It says that what does not abide in him is cast away and gathered by men and burned. You can be a Xian, in Mashiyach, but not a disciple of Yeshua. There are many of these, especially in these last Laodicean days. The time will come when these will be removed and put where they can no longer drain the vitality from the vine and the good branches. But since they are in Mashiyach, they will not be cast away. They will spend eternity with Mashiyach without reward. Inheritance is what we get because we are adopted children. Rewards are what we get for our service in Mashiyach. All who are in Mashiyach will inherit eternal life. Only those who abide in Mashiyach will receive rewards. What does your fruit look like? Do you have any?
What does a tree in scripture symbolize? Trees are nations. The olive tree signifies Yisrael in belief. The fig tree symbolizes Yisrael in unbelief. If the tree bears no fruit, it is cut down and thrown into the fire. That refers to a nation. Individuals are seen in Jn.15, nations in Mat.7. Do not confuse them, or you will hold to false doctrine. An individual is adopted. A nation is a group of individuals. That nation whose Elohim is Yah is blessed (Ps.33.12). That is why America was blessed for so long, and why she is being cut down to be thrown into the fire now. She, as a nation, has forgotten Yah, though there are still many individuals who serve him. They will be rewarded, but the nation will soon be plucked up and removed, unless a true revival happens by Elohim’s mercy and grace. I would have revival, but I think that America’s vial is almost full (Rev.15.7-8). We MAY get a brief reprieve in 2022, but don’t count on it.
Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Don’t just say that you are saved; be sure of it. False prophets and false professors will get the same inheritance – death. Your faith does not depend on your emotions, how you feel at the moment, or any work of righteousness you perform, or a sinless life. If it did, you would need to be saved hundreds of times a day. In fact, it is not even your faith that saves you, but the faith of Yah Yeshua haMashiyach (Gal.2.16, Rev.14.12). Just because a person says, “I am a blood-bought, spirit-filled, prophet of Elohim and I perform all sorts of miracles” doesn’t make it true. What did Yeshua say in the previous verse? Mat 7:20, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” So be a fruit inspector, especially your own fruit (7.1-5). What does the fruit look like in your life? Are you in the vine? Where is your abode? How tragic it would be if you lived and learned of the Bible, but never got to know the Author.
‘Not everyone that saith Master, Master, but he that doeth the will of my Father’. What is the will of the Father? 2Pe.3:9, “Yah is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” This is the simplest statement of the divine will, the very essence and the bare minimum – repentance. And the outcome of repentance can be seen in 2Chron.7.14, 30.9, Is.55.7, Zech.1.3, Lk.15.7, Job.22.23, Jer.24.7, Lam.3.40. If this is not the attitude of our hearts when we come before Yah to confess, we are wasting our breath. We must truly repent before we can expect to be forgiven. Does this ensure that we’ll never do the same thing again? No way, dude. But the shorter we keep our accounts with Elohim the easier it will be to get on with the rest of his will.
Psalm 40.8 tell us specifically what the will of Yah is, “I delight to do thy will, O Elohai. Thy Torah is in my heart.” His Word is his will. Jms. 1.22 is the Brit Chadashah equivalent, “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
The first thing Elohim wants from us is repentance; the next thing he wants is compliance. After we’ve turned away from our sins and iniquities we are facing in the right direction and can actually comply with the divine will. We can now be made more like Yeshua and bear much fruit. It is up to us to lead people to him, and it is up to the Ruach ha Kodesh to convince them of their need for the Saviour. If we are led by the Spirit of Elohim we will bear witness to Yeshua. If we are not bearing witness to Yeshua, it follows that we are not led by the Spirit. Rom.8.13-17, Gal.5.16-26.
Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
The difference between these two types of men is in what they did with the Word of Elohim. Hearing the Word of Elohim is not enough. It is in the doing that a man is adjudged wise by Elohim, not hearing only (Jam.1.22-25). The word for rock here is petra which means a mass of rock, bedrock. If you can dig your footer into bedrock, there’s nothing short of an act of Elohim that will take that building away. The same is true of your life and the Word of Elohim. If you base your life on compliance to the Word of Elohim, as simply understood as it can be done correctly, you will never waver in your faith, come hell or high water (this is where that saying came from). But if you base your life on the shifting sands of emotions or fashions or cultural whims or momentary fads, the smallest breeze will knock you down. Witness western civilization, and American civilization in particular, over the last 40 years. It’s a house of cards waiting for the wind to shift. When that happens it will all come down, and great will be the fall of it.
Q&C
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