Thursday, May 24, 2018

Your Daily Slice


Sivan 9
Evil


but deliver us from evil …” (Mat 6:13 KJV)


The word that has been translated as “evil” is the Greek word ponēros (Strong’s #G4190), and included in its meaning is the sense of a bad nature or condition, and in an ethical sense: evil, wicked, and bad.[1]  The Hebrew word that is most related to ponēros is the word ra (Strong’s #H7451), and means basically the same thing.  Interesting to note, this Hebrew word ra is part of a phrase we used yesterday – the yetzer hara, or the evil inclination, the earthly, fleshly, worldly part of us that always attempts to dominate.

Biblically speaking, “evil” is everything that is in opposition to Torah.  We know from Scripture that Torah is all that is good; therefore it would stand to reason that those things (people, activities, desires, etc) that are against “the divine instructions in moral and righteous living” are bad, wicked, and evil.  What exactly, therefore, are we seeking to be delivered from?  I would venture to say that it would be anything and everything that would endeavor to pull us away from our walk of Torah. 

The “Westernized Church System” has thoroughly deceived us into believing that this verse is in reference to the “evil one”, haSatan.  That is incorrect, as there are many “satans” in this world, just as there are many bad and evil people that we need to stay away from.    Add to this mixture our own yetzer hara, those desires and inclinations that we get that do not line up with Torah, and it is obvious that the need for deliverance is great. 

The Amidah offers a petition for deliverance from affliction, of which “evil” could be considered as an affliction.  Please remember that our Messiah Yeshua was well familiar with the Amidah, and was using the standard prayer of the day as the foundation for His teaching on prayer.  The section from the Amidah is as follows:

“Look upon our affliction and plead our cause, and redeem us speedily for Your Name’s sake, for You are a mighty redeemer.  Blessed are You, oh Lord, the Redeemer of Yisra’el.”[2]



Yet the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one].” (2The 3:3 AMPC)



©2018


[1] Thayer's Greek Definitions

[2] http://www.egrc.net/articles/other/amidah.html

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