Verbal
Assault
“Then
the king ordered the guards attending him, “Turn around and kill the kohanim [priests] of Adonai,
for they are in cahoots with David, for they knew that he was running away but
did not inform me.” But the servants of the king were NOT WILLING TO RAISE
THEIR HAND TO ASSAULT THE KOHANIM OF ADONAI. So the king said to Doeg, “You,
turn around and kill the kohanim!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and fell upon the
kohanim and on that day killed 85 men who wore the linen ephod [priestly
garment].”
(1Sam 22:17-18 TLV, insert and emphasis mine)
The entire tribe of Levi belongs to
Elohim (Num 3:12; 8:14); their purpose was to minister to and serve HIM, first in the Mishkan (the Tabernacle), and then later in the Hekal (the Temple, see Num 1:50, 8:22). Not only were the Levites given certain
cities to dwell in (Num 35:2), but they were also to be supported through the
tithes, in order that they might spend their time in the duties required of
them in service to Elohim (see Num 18:24).
They were Adonai’s anointed, appointed, sanctified and set-apart tribe
of priests, that their entire lives might be dedicated to Him.
And yet we find, in 1Samuel 22, a crazed and demented king ordering the murder of a group of priests, simply because they aided and abetted someone that Saul believed to be his enemy. Eighty-five priests were killed, along with an entire city consisting of the families of these priests (1Sam 22:18-19). While I could find nowhere within the pages of Torah that gave a direct warning concerning harm to the tribe of Levi, I understand that there are those injunctions found within the Talmud. However, most of us are familiar with the verse that says, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no evil.” (Ps 105:15)
At this time in our history, we do not have a Temple, or a tribe of Levi that is standing before our Creator day and night on our behalf. Nevertheless, we DO have those anointed and appointed men and women that are set in place to act as our teachers, guides and leaders. When we choose to use our words – verbal or written – to judge and condemn those that stand in a ministry position, we are inviting trouble. Daily, and not just on social media, I see evidence of folk verbally assaulting servants of Elohim with not only the spoken word, but those that are written for all the public to bear witness to. Brethren, this ought never to be.
Miriam and Aaron chose to ridicule and mock their brother Moses and were judged accordingly (Num 12:1-16). Miriam was stricken with Biblical leprosy, and it was only because 0f the intervention of her brothers that this leprosy was taken away from her. In the case of Saul, Elohim repaid him measure for measure, in that most of his family was completely wiped out (see 1Sam 31; 2Sam 4:1-7; 2Sam 9; 2Sam 21). If it had not been for the covenant between Jonathan (Saul’s son) and David, there would have been no left alive of the family of Saul.
Please understand, folks, I am not concerned with those who are openly and consistently teaching a false doctrine. My focus will always be on those who practice, teach and preach the truth of the Torah. We will not always agree with everyone on anything and everything. However, we can make the choice to disagree RESPECTFULLY, and not slay one another with the words that come out of our mouths (and our fingertips).
“And I say to you that
for every idle word men speak, they shall give an account of it in the day of
judgment. For by your words you shall be declared righteous,
and by your words you shall be declared unrighteous.” (Mat 12:36-37 ISR)
©2022
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