TEVET
11
Reprobate
“In whose eyes a reprobate one is despised …” (Ps 15:4 ISR)
Dictionary dot com defines a ‘reprobate’ as “a person rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation.”[1] The implications of this are terrifying – to be rejected by the One who created me. And does this not go along with an individual who has no ‘fear of Elohim’, does not care if he/she disappoints, rebels against, and rejects our Creator?
The Hebrew word mâ'as (Strong’s H3988) is the word that has been translated as ‘reprobate’, and in other translations, it reads as ‘vile’. However, mâ'as is a verb, requiring an action, and it loosely means to strongly reject, to despise and abhor. Most of the time mâ'as is used in reference to the nation of Israel turning away from Elohim, and His Torah (see Num 11:20; 2Kin 17:14-15). There are, however, other references that are the reverse, where our Elohim is rejecting His people, ultimately for their disobedience to Torah (2Kin 17:20; Jer 6:19).
The most well-known example we have from the Scriptures of one who was rejected by Elohim is that of King Saul, Israel’s first king. In 1Samuel chapter 13, we find Saul offering up an illegal and invalid burnt offering. Saul was not a Levite, and it was AGAINST TORAH for him to even make this sacrifice in the first place (see 1Sam 13:8-14; Num 18:1-7). Chapter 15 relates to us Saul’s final fall from the favor and esteem he had walked in. Given the command to completely destroy all the Amalekites, including all their livestock, Saul disobeyed, leaving the King of the Amalekites alive, as well as the livestock. The prophet Samuel pronounces the final sentence upon Saul:
“Samuel said: “Does Adonai delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Adonai? Behold, TO OBEY is better than sacrifice, TO PAY HEED than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry. Since you have rejected [MÂ'AS] Adonai’s word, He has also rejected [MÂ'AS] you as king.” (1Sam 15:22-23 TLV, emphasis and inserts mine)
The words “to obey” and “to pay heed” are the necessary key to never being part of the group called ‘reprobate’. When we reach the place of treating the kadosh – holy – words of our Elohim as something common and ordinary, and only to be acted upon when we feel like it, we are headed toward the quicksand called mâ'as, or a rejected reprobate. May these words that I have written here be the exhortation needed for ALL of us to stay on this path called Torah, and may we totally despise the idea of rejecting the words and person of Adonai our Elohim.
“My people have perished
for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected [MÂ'AS]
knowledge, I reject you [MÂ'AS]
from being priest for Me.
Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children.” (Hos 4:6 ISR, insert mine)
“My son, never despise [MÂ'AS] Adonai’s discipline or dread His correction. For Adonai loves those He reproves, even as a father, the son in whom he delights.” (Pro 3:11-12 TLV, insert mine)
©2021
No comments:
Post a Comment