Your Daily Slice

Iyar 15

WHO Are You Hearing?

“What has been is what will be, what has been done is what will be done, and THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. Is there something of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It existed already in the ages before us.”   (Ecc 1:9-10 CJB, emphasis mine)

When the serpent appeared to Chavah (Eve) in the Garden, his plan was to twist and pervert the Torah, the divine instructions in righteous and moral living that YHWH Elohim had given to these first humans.  This deliberate perversion caused them to doubt the sincerity and integrity of Elohim (see Gen 3:1-5), and His Word.  When Messiah Yeshua was tempted in the wilderness by the adversary, it was the same plan and purpose that was used in the Garden.  Twisting and perverting the Torah, the Word of God (see Mat 4; Luke 4:1-13), the adversary tried to trick and trap our Master. 

Please understand, brothers and sisters, our adversary (haSatan) is very familiar with the Word of YHWH, and knows it backwards, forward, and inside out.  He has studied YHWH’s Word since it was first spoken, which is why he is able to so easily pervert and twist it.

Cults and false religions are easily started by well-meaning people who take one (or more) verses of scripture out of context, and start a new doctrine from them.  It is all easily done; history bears the accuracy of my statement with records of Waco, Texas, and the Jim Jones tragedy in Guyana, South America.  But let us consider our personal lives:  how often do we pick and choose verses in the Torah, the Word of God, which we like, and then discard or ignore much of the rest?  How often do we allow the adversary to come and whisper to us, “Did YHWH really say that?”

Brethren, we must be careful who we are hearing.  Yes, there are parts of the Word of God that I would like to ignore, but to do so would mean disobedience to my ABBA Father.  His Word tells me that all flesh must die (Rom 7:18), that the spirit may live (Gal 6:8).  We do not have the prerogative of picking and choosing what parts of the Word we will keep, and what parts we will forget.  If we call ourselves “Disciples of Messiah Yeshua”, we are not allowed to tickle our ears (2Tim 4:3-4) with any doctrine that seems comfortable.  We must take the Word of God in its entirety; all of it, for it “will bring health to our body and give strength to our bones.” (Proverbs 3:8)

“My son, watch over your father’s command, And do not forsake the Torah of your mother. Bind them on your heart always; Tie them around your neck. When you are walking about, it leads you; When you lie down, it guards you. And when you have woken up, It talks to you. For the command is a lamp, And the Torah a light, And reproofs of discipline a way of life.”  (Pro 6:20-23 ISR)

“ALL SCRIPTURE is breathed by Elohim and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for setting straight, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of Elohim might be fitted, equipped for every good work.”  (2Tim 3:16 ISR, emphasis mine)

©2018

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 14

HOW you Hear

“BE CAREFUL therefore HOW you listen. For to him who has [spiritual knowledge] will more be given; and from him who does not have [spiritual knowledge], even what he thinks and guesses and supposes that he has will be taken away.” (Luke 8:18 Amp, emphasis mine)

I have a young (grade school age) grandson that I call “busy”. He has excellent hearing; however, there are times that he is not careful how he hears, or to put it another way, he has “selective hearing”.  I would suggest there are many of us that have had occasions where we have been guilty of this “affliction”.

Hearing is one of our five physical senses, so with what are we hearing, if not just our ears?  Yes, we need to hear with our ears, but we also must perceive, understand and receive the Word of YHWH with our spirit, and into our hearts.  And yet, there needs to be a willingness to hear in our hearts; we can no longer afford to be selective in our hearing. This is part of “being circumcised in our hearts” (see Rom 2:29); are we treating the Word of YHWH like the treasure that it is?  Are we handling it with care, and with reverential awe?  Do we sh’ma, hear and obey?

“Let these words SINK DOWN into your ears …” (Luke 9:44 NKJV, emphasis mine)

The Greek word that is translated in this verse from Luke as the phrase “sink down” is the word tithēmi (Strong’s #G5087), and in most of its definitions, it means “to set, put, or place; to make; to establish”[1].  This verse in Luke is the only place in scripture where it is translated as “sink down”.  If all scripture is written by the inspiration of the Spirit of YHWH (2Tim 3:16), then this is no accident or coincidence.  I venture to put forth a sequence of events here.  When we “hear” with our ears, we take the Word of God in, and through the power of the Ruach, it “sinks down” into our hearts, where we keep, and guard it (Deu 11:22; 32:46; IJohn

5:3).

“If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain IN you and continue to live IN YOUR HEARTS {sink down}, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”  (John 15:7 Amp, emphasis and insert mine)

“Incline your ear and HEAR the words of the wise, And APPLY YOUR HEART to my knowledge; For they are pleasant If you guard them WITHIN YOU; Let all of them be ready on your lips.”  (Pro 22:17-18 ISR, emphasis mine)

©2018

---

[1] Thayer’s Greek Definitions, Copyright 1999

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 13

Judgment

“Her heads judge for a bribe, her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for a price. Yet they lean on יהוה, and say, “Is not יהוה in our midst? EVIL DOES NOT COME UPON US.” (Mic 3:11 ISR, emphasis mine)

It is always with amazement that I look at people who are so obviously breaking Torah, yet believe with everything in them that they will not be held accountable for the wrong that they are doing.  And truthfully, is this not the heart of the “once saved, always saved” doctrine?  In other words, “I said the magic words, recited the mantra, paid up my fire insurance, now I can do whatever I want with the assurance that my eternity is taken care of”.  What horrible deception!

If “what has been is what shall be, what has been done is what shall be done” (Ecc 1:9), then we should be able to study the history of Yisra’el, to learn from their mistakes, that we would not be in error, and fall into the same judgment – correct?  We can follow through the pages of the Tanakh of the rise to prominence of the Hebrew nation, and their subsequent decline into captivity, and eventual dispersion.  The reason for their punishment: Disobedience to Torah, and to the Elohim who chose them from among the nations (see Deu 28:15; Jer 2:13; Isa 1:4).

According to our opening verse, these people believed that because they were the chosen people of Elohim, nothing evil or bad would happen to them, regardless of what they themselves did.  My perception of this scenario would be that there was no longer a real and necessary fear of Elohim, of facing the repercussions of disobedience and rebellion.  How can we, those of us who cling to the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and believe that we are grafted in, deceive ourselves into believing that this same punishment for disobedience does not apply to us as well?

“Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness [Torah-lessness]!” (Mat 7:21-22 ISR, insert mine)

“Because IT IS TIME for judgment to begin from the House of Elohim. And if firstly from us, what is the end of those who do not obey the Good News of Elohim?” (1Pet 4:17 ISR)

©2018

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 12

The Price of Divination

“… and her prophets divine for a price.” (Mic 3:11 ISR)

 We have an example of a man, attempting to garner riches from his prophesying, revealed to us through the pages of Torah.  Bil'am (Balaam) was a “prophet” hired by a king to prophesy curses over the nation of Israel, while they travelled to their final destination of the Promised Land.  Though Bil'am was promised great wealth and riches at the completion of his “employment”, he was never successful in cursing those whom our Creator had set-apart and blessed (see Num chapters 22-24).  Torah also records for us the death of Bil'am by the Israelite army, a consequence (I believe) of his attempting to curse and destroy the people of Elohim (see Num 31:8).

What of today, in our present day and age?  I remember – years ago – watching a popular tele-evangelist during his weekly broadcast, prophesying.  He would hold his fingers to his forehead, and declare, “someone within the sound of my voice is being healed of cancer, BUT if you send such-and-such amount to my ministry, I will send you a prayer cloth to insure your healing.”  I am guessing, that at that time, this particular minister had a viewing audience of close to one million people, and was most likely very successful at soliciting funds in this manner.  I have seen (and heard) other prominent ministers use much of the same method – that of broadcast prophesying – to insure financial solvency.  But is it right?  Is it Scriptural?

First and foremost, we must remember the guidelines set out for us in Torah concerning the office and person of the prophet.  And the number one rule that is never to be set aside is that a true prophet of Elohim will always adhere to, endorse, and confirm the Torah, the divine instructions of righteous and moral living (Deu 13:1-5).  Always, no exceptions.  Do I believe that an anointed and appointed prophet of the living Elohim will keep the Saturday Sabbath?  Yes, I do, and I also believe he/she will keep all of the feasts of our Creator as laid out for us in Lev 23, and will wear the tzitzit while doing so (see Num 15:38).

Years ago, I read a copy of what is known as “The Didache”, or “The Teachings of the Apostles”.  This small book is believed to have been in circulation during the second and third centuries CE, and supposedly, was an accompaniment to the texts carried by most of the first evangelists.  Whether it is true or not is not relevant to me; the one section that did jump out at me concerned travelling “prophets”.  According to the Didache, if an apostle or prophet stayed in one place for longer than three days, he was a false prophet.  If said prophet asked for money, he was a false prophet.[1]  Interesting to think on, in light of the times we live in.

The Apostle Paul cautions us concerning financial gain:  “For the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some, by longing for it, have strayed from the belief, and pierced themselves through with many pains.” (see 1Tim 6:10)  Why would all of these people – including all of those mentioned previously from our opening verse of Micah 3:11 – have such a love and obsession about money?  It is really quite simple, when we stop and think about it: for the power it brings.  Those people of great wealth most generally are people of great power, and have no qualms about using it.  And there is your motive for the “prophets who divine for a price” …

©2018

---

[1] http://jesus.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/documents/books/others/didache.pdf, chapter 11

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 11

Getting Paid

“…her priests teach for pay …” (Mic 3:11 ISR)

Everyone has an opinion, and many people are very vocal about voicing their own point of view.  Opinions concerning Bible translation and interpretation are myriad, and books concerning said opinions number by the thousands.  However, when it comes right down to where “the rubber meets the road”, they are all just that:  someone’s viewpoint and opinion.

And every religion and denomination has them:  from Orthodox Judaism, through the halls of Catholicism, to the tenets of what I refer to as “Westernized Christianity”, every single one has its favorite commentator/s.  Please don’t misunderstand me; I am not saying that all these commentators are wrong.  I am saying that what they are presenting are predominantly opinions, interpretations, assumptions and comments made concerning what each person believes is the accurate translation of the Word of Elohim.

Be that as it may, when an individual is paid monetary compensation to teach something that is Biblically wrong as something that is now right, or something that is Scripturally correct as being something that is now wrong (or done away with), this is when that particular individual stands in danger of Elohim’s judgement.  Let me give you an example …

There are several popular denominations where each individual church that is part of this organization is governed by a local, church council, made up of members of long standing.  Policies are voted on within this council, and pastors are hired through this council as well, using the same format as any employer would use to interview and hire a new employee.  I understand that there are those councils that even have a written “job description” for prospective new pastors.  These pastors – and I am not belittling their faith and/or relationship with our Creator – are, in essence, ruled and governed by these church councils, and they are expected to preach and teach along the guidelines laid out by that particular denomination. Should any pastor choose to detour from these guidelines, wages are either terminated or withheld.  Therefore, these pastors “teach” for their pay, with the majority of what they are teaching being erroneous and incorrect.

Teachers have the greater accountability to our Elohim for what they do (Jam 3:1), for it is by what and how they teach that they have the ability to bring many to the truth of Torah, or on the reverse side, lead many into a false doctrine.  Nonetheless, a bona-fide teacher is one that is anointed and appointed by YHWH our Elohim, and does not need a resume to be “hired” (see Eph 4:11; 1Cor 12:28).  Let me also remind all of us of how we are instructed, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” (1Tim 5:18; see also Deu 25:4; Mat 10:10; Luk 10:7)  An anointed and appointed teacher is worth financial compensation, and we are expected to participate in that.

The ultimate responsibility is upon our shoulders, those of us who hear (or read) the words of a teacher.  Is what we are being taught lining up with the entire Word of our Elohim?  Or is the teaching one that is being taken out of context, with the intent of deceiving, if possible, the chosen ones (see Mat 24:24)?  I urge you, brethren, to study out what you are being taught.  Be a Berean (see Acts 17:11).  Investigate, as much as is possible, the life and lifestyle of the one that is doing the teaching.  Does this person’s life reflect the teachings that they are giving?  And remember:  not every loud-mouth needs a soap box.

‘Nuf said.

©2018

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 10

Bribe

“Her heads judge for a bribe …” (Mic 3:11 ISR)

We clarified several days ago that “heads” referred to those that were the individual leaders, or chiefs, of their tribe or clan.  These men were acting in the capacity of a law-giver, judging and executing judgement in circumstances and situations that were brought before them for arbitration.  However, what sentence and punishment that was being given out was not righteous, nor was it according to Torah, as we find from the instructions in Deu 16:18-19:

“Appoint judges and officers within all your gates, which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, according to your tribes. And they shall judge the people WITH RIGHTEOUS RIGHT-RULING. Do not distort right-ruling. Do not show partiality, NOR TAKE A BRIBE, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.”

Noah Webster has a very complete definition of the word “bribe”, and it is ugly.  “1. A price, reward, gift or favor bestowed or promised with a view to pervert the judgment, or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness or other person. A bribe is a consideration given or promised to a person, to induce him to decide a cause, give testimony, or perform some act contrary to what he knows to be truth, justice or rectitude. It is not used in a good sense, unless in familiar language. 2. That which seduces.”[1]

There is a personal application to be examined through our opening Scripture.  No, not all of us are in a position of leadership or authority.  And no, most of us would not accept any sort of monetary compensation for declaring something right that should be wrong, or visa versa.  However, bribery comes in many different forms.  What of the husband who knows the truth of the Saturday Sabbath, yet never says a word when his wife decides to hit all of the garage sales on Saturday morning, because she always brings something home for him?  What of that friend that offers to bring you lunch, showing up with a BLT, all the while assuming you will be grateful because, after all, you didn’t have to pay for it?  And what of the grandchildren who show up at your house on Christmas Day, bearing gifts for you and your spouse, all the while expecting you to celebrate the day with them?

Anything that “seduces” us to compromise our Torah observance is a bribe.  YHWH our Elohim commands, and demands, that we be kadosh – set apart – in every area of our lives, with no excuse (see Lev 19:2; 2Pet 1:16).  When we begin to allow any form of bribery to affect our judgement, especially when it concerns our own lifestyle, we have strayed from the path of righteousness (see Deu 13:5; Pro 19:27).

“Blessed is the man who shall not walk in the counsel of the wrong, And shall not stand in the path of sinners, And shall not sit in the seat of scoffers, But his delight is in the Torah of יהוה, And he meditates in His Torah day and night.” (Ps 1:1-2 ISR)

©2018

---

[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, emphasis mine

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 9

At What Cost?

“Hear this, please, you heads of the house of Yaʽaqoḇ and you rulers of the house of Yisra’ĕl, … those BUILDING UP Tsiyon with bloodshed and Yerushalayim with unrighteousness.” (Mic 3:9-10 ISR, emphasis mine)

The majority of us are well familiar with the clique of “tele-evangelists” that broadcast their programs through television and internet.  The message that they all have in common is “send me your donation, and God will bless you (financially, with healing, etc).  And while “the flock” is beggaring themselves to support said individuals, the head of each organization is growing richer and richer.  Most of the members of this “clique” are multi-millionaires (one individual is close to a billionaire), accumulating homes, planes, and other “toys” to give evidence of their enjoyed prosperity.[1]

Please do not misunderstand me; I am in no way taking any kind of a stand against prosperity.  However, I would seriously challenge any one of these “tele-evangelists” to give away as much as 90% of their wealth – especially to their constituents who made them wealthy in the first place!  Money – in and of itself – is not evil (1Tim 6:10); in fact, it is a necessity for survival in today’s world.  However, I truly believe that Elohim blesses us financially in order that we give to those that are in need (see 2Cor 9:8; Eph 4:28; 1John 3:17), as an extension of Him.

The three major prophets of this time period in which Micah lived (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) all had scathing words directed toward the shepherds and leaders that fleeced and abandoned “the flock” (see Isa 56:10-12; Jer 23:1-2; Eze 34).  Those in leadership were feeding themselves at the expense of the people they were responsible for (Eze 34:2-4; 19-21), something that the Apostle Paul also warned us about (1Tim 6:3-5).  In our opening section of Scripture, the Hebrew word that has been translated as “building up” is the word bânâh (Strong’s #H1129), and implies not only construction, but also an establishing, such as setting a precedence.  From this definition, we can surmise that the rulers of that time were establishing themselves, using violent, illegal, immoral and evil methods, and at the expense of any and every one.

Our Creator does not look kindly upon this type of behavior.

“Therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of יהוה! ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, I am against the shepherds, and shall require My flock at their hand, and shall make them cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more. And I shall deliver My flock from their mouths, and they shall no longer be food for them.” (Eze 34:9-10)

©2018

---

[1] https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/net-worth-richest-pastors-will-blow-your-mind.html/?a=viewall

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 8

Distortions

“Hear this, please, you heads of the house of Yaʽaqoḇ and you rulers of the house of Yisra’ĕl, who DESPISE right-ruling and DISTORT all that is straight …” (Mic 3:9 ISR)

The Hebrew word that has been translated into the word “despise” is the word tâ‛ab (Strong’s H8581), and means, literally, to regard as an abomination.  Many versions of our Bible use the word “abhor” instead of “despise”, both are correct.  Noah Webster defines “abhor” as “To hate extremely, or with contempt; to loathe, detest or abominate; To despise or neglect; To cast off or reject.”[1]  Regardless of which definition we use, the word tâ‛ab has a strong, negative connotation. 

“Distort” is the word translated from the Hebrew ‛âqash (Strong’s #H6140) – a word which is only found five times in the Tanakh (Old Testament).  To twist, to pervert, and to make crooked are all meanings found within this word ‛âqash, further endorsing the ugly and negative undertones we discovered with the word tâ‛ab.

And what is “right-ruling”, and “all that is straight”?  Is it not the divine instructions in moral and righteous living that our Elohim has laid out for us in His Torah?  To “loathe, detest and despise” the Word of our Creator, and then to “turn and twist it” to mean something that is completely unrecognizable – is this not something that we are still seeing today?  And what is disturbing is that it is predominantly those who are in the positions of authority, those who are in leadership that continue to operate in this fashion.  They are the ones who dictate just what is the proper interpretation of the Scriptures, when in reality, the truth is far from them (see John 14:6; Mat 15:8).

Look at the fruit of those people you see in leadership positions (Mat 7:16-20).  Do they truthfully love the Elohim of Abraham, Issac and Jacob (see Deu 6:5)? Or are they in love with the power that their position gives them?  Do they cling to the Torah of our Creator, and strive with everything in them to walk in all of His ways (Deu 10:12-13)?  Or do they pick and choose – like a smorgasbord – only those parts of the Word that they believe are relevant for today (see Mark 7:6-9)?

Be careful, folks, whom you follow.

©2018

---

[1] American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, emphasis mine

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 7

Heads and Rulers

“Hear this, please, you heads of the house of Yaʽaqoḇ and you rulers of the house of Yisra’ĕl …” (Mic 3:9 ISR)

The prophet Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah, of the southern kingdom of Judah, prophesying between 704 and 696 BCE (approximately).  According to the book by his name, Micah spoke his words during the reigns of three of the kings of Judah:  Yotham (Jotham), Aḥaz, and Ḥizqiyah (Hezekiah) (see Mic 1:1). Similar to Isaiah, Micah’s message was one that was strong, stern and harsh, warning of the consequences of neglecting Torah, and of abandoning the One who created them.

In our opening verse, Micah is addressing those who were in authority.  “Heads of the house of Yaʽaqoḇ” refers to those who were the individual leaders of the twelve tribes, the chiefs of the sons of Jacob (see Ex 6).  “Rulers of the house of Yisra’ĕl” appears to imply one who had a governmental position, such as a judge, or a magistrate, those who would “sit in the gate” (see Amos 5:10, 15).  Both groups of people had the ability to make decisions affecting many, regardless of whether these decisions were correct and right, or whether they were completely wrong, and erroneous.

Yes, the prophecies found within the book of Micah were fulfilled by the Babylonian conquest and captivity, somewhere between 598 to 586 BCE.  However, those of us who claim to belong to the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob also believe that we have been grafted in to the olive tree that is Israel (see Rom 11), making us a part of the “house of Yisra’ĕl”.  With that thought in mind, would you suppose the words of the prophet Micah may have an important message to those of us living in the world today?

“For I am יהוה, I shall not change …” (Mal 3:6 ISR)

“What has been is what shall be, what has been done is what shall be done, and there is no new matter under the sun.” (Ecc 1:9 ISR)

©2018

Your Daily Slice

Iyar 6

Hear THIS

“Hear this, please …” (Mic 3:9 ISR)

Most of us are familiar with a particular verse from Deu 6 ("Sh'ma, Yisra'el! YHWH Eloheinu, YHWH Echad”, Deu 6:4), a verse that is prayed by millions of Jews worldwide, and many Messianics as well, several times a day.  We understand that Sh’ma (Strong’s #H8085) means not only to hear, but to also do, to perform a corresponding action.  And we can connect the admonishment of James, the brother of Messiah Yeshua, when he tells us to “become doers of the Word, and not hearers only”, that we would not be open to deception.  Clearly, we can comprehend that when our Elohim tells us to Sh’ma, we had best be paying attention.

The Hebrew word that has been translated as “this” is the word zô'th (Strong’s #H2063), and implies a sense of requiring immediate attention, meaning now.  In other words, this “message” cannot be put off until such a time as it is more convenient to listen to it; not only is it urgent and a priority, this “message” demands our full focus.  Now.

In all honesty, is this not how we should always consider the words of our Creator?

“TAKE HEED TO LISTEN to all these Words which I am commanding you, in order that it may be well with you and with your sons after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in the eyes of YAHWEH your Elohim.”  (Deu 12:28 HRB, emphasis mine)

©2018