Matthew 15:1–20 Defilement Comes from Within

[Study Aired July 14, 2025]

The study focuses on Jesus’s interactions with religious leaders, highlighting the contrast between outward rituals and inward purity, and demonstrating Christ’s compassion and power. The study involves Jesus’s rebuke of the Pharisees’ traditions and His teaching on what truly defiles a person. 

Traditions and Commandments

Mat 15:1  Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus. They asked, 
Mat 15:2 “Why do your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? They do not wash their hands before they eat.” 

The Pharisees and the Scribes represent the leaders of our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world, of which we were part at a certain stage of our walk with Christ. Coming from Jerusalem means that these Pharisees and Scribes or our brethren in Babylon worship another Jesus, and are therefore in bondage with their children.

2Ch 21:13  Instead, you have followed the ways of the kings of Israel. You, like Ahab’s family, have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to chase after foreign gods as if they were prostitutes. You have killed your brothers, your father’s family. Your brothers were better than you.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

Instead of worshiping the Lord, these Pharisees and Scribes focus on the traditions of their ancestors. 

Mar 7:3  For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 
Mar 7:4  And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 
Mar 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 

When our worship is based on the traditions of our fathers, we make of no effect the word of the Lord. In other words, when we cherish the false doctrines of our fathers more than the truth of the word of the Lord, the word of God becomes ineffective in our lives.

Mar 7:13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. 

In the word of the Lord, there are many instances where the traditions of the fathers blocked the people from seeing the truth of the word of the Lord. For examples, when Jesus had a chat with the Samaritan woman at the well, the woman was initially focused on the traditions of their fathers as follows:

Joh 4:7  There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
Joh 4:8  (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 
Joh 4:9  Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 
Joh 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 

Joh 4:19  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 
Joh 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  

When Jesus asked for water, the woman’s response was to remind Jesus of the traditions of her Samaritan fathers who had no dealing with Jews. In addition, she being a woman means that Jesus shouldn’t have asked her for a drink. Later, the woman also told Jesus that their fathers worshiped on a mountain when she raised the issue that the place to worship was Jerusalem.  As we know, a woman represents a church, and therefore this woman initially signifies the elect when we were in captivity in Babylon or the churches of this world. At that time, we were focused on the traditions of our fathers, and therefore we did not want to have anything to do with the Lord’s elect, just as the Samaritans had no dealings with the Jews.

The question is, “What are these traditions of our fathers?” In the Bible, “the traditions of our fathers” refers to the oral and written laws, customs, and interpretations passed down through generations. These traditions include Christmas and birthday celebrations, physical baptism, Nicolaitan practices of having pastors lording over God’s people, adherence to the law of Moses, etc. 

In the book of Galatians, Paul reflects on his past life as a devout Jew, highlighting his zealous adherence to the “traditions of my fathers” before becoming the Lord’s elect.

Gal 1:13  For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 

Now, let’s turn our attention to the issue of washing of hands before eating which the Pharisees and the Scribes accused Jesus’ disciples of not doing. Our hands represent our works, and to eat signifies knowing the Lord through His word. Therefore, spiritually, washing our hands before eating means that we must purify our works before we can know Christ. In other words, it is our works which pave the way for us to know Christ. That is what those who live according to the law of Moses do. They think it is our works that save us. 

The disciples eating without washing their hands implies that it is not about works. It is rather through the Lord’s mercy that we are given faith to know Him. In other words, salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by good works, though works are seen as a natural outcome of faith. 

Gal 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 

Rom 3:28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 

When our worship is based on what we can do and not what the Lord will do through us, we end up obeying sets of rules which are in accordance with the law of Moses or the traditions of our fathers. That was what happened to us while we were in the churches of this world. The Pharisees and the Scribes accusing the Lord’s disciples of not washing their hands points to our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world accusing us of not having any physical works to show that we are serving the Lord. The multitude of Christians in the churches of this world attest to their good works while we, His elect, do not have anything to show. However, they forget that in the fullness of time, we shall have more children than them.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 
Mat 15:4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 
Mat 15:5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
Mat 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 

The traditions of our fathers go contrary to the word of the Lord. This is because while the Lord is seeking His people to worship Him in spirit and truth, because He is spirit, our traditions focus on physical worship which portrays itself in physical praise and worship, physical baptism, reciting of Bible verses, physical speaking of tongues, adherence to set rules and regulation, etc. 

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.  

In verses 4-6, the Lord gave us an example of how we had perverted the word of the Lord regarding honoring our father or mother. This is because we had come to believe that if we give to the Lord what is due our fathers and mothers, then we do not have to honor them, although the word of the Lord says clearly that we should honor our fathers and mothers, so that we shall live long.

Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  

Outwardly, it may sound like we want to please the Lord by giving to Him and not our fathers and mothers. However, the Bible teaches that love is a defining characteristic of a true follower of Christ. If we claim to love God but fail to show love and compassion to those around us, our claim is questionable. In other words, serving the Lord and caring for others are intertwined. 

Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 
Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

The churches of this world are endowed with physical wealth while the individual worshipers are struggling financially. This attest that the tradition of our fathers in giving to God and not having any obligation to our brothers and sisters undermine the word of the Lord. It is not surprising therefore that the whore shall be judged in the fullness of time.

Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her (the whore), shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 
Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

At a certain stage of our walk with Christ, when we were in the churches of this world, we lived as hypocrites, which is defined in verse 8 as having the form of godliness in our worship of the Lord, but denying His power to transform us to become like Him. 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 
2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 
2Ti 3:8  Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 
2Ti 3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

The question is, “Why do we draw near to the Lord with our mouth and honor Him with our lips, but our hearts are far away from Him?” The answer is given in verse 9 which shows us that it is because of the teachings of doctrines of men which are perversive in the corridors of the churches of this world or Babylon, which had kept us in bondage to serving the Lord without transforming us into His image. In other words, at that stage of our walk with Christ, we could not serve the Lord in truth and in spirit.

The question is, “What are the doctrines of men?” The following is the Lord’s definition of what the doctrines of men are:

Col 2:18  Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 
Col 2:19  and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.
Col 2:20  If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances, 
Col 2:21  Handle not, nor taste, nor touch 
Col 2:22  (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men? 
Col 2:23 Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh. (ASV)

From these verses, we can see that doctrines of men show up in will-worship, the humility and severity of the body. In other words, these doctrines of men subtly promote what we think we can do. However, they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. Any teaching that promotes what we can do by ourselves, and not what the Lord will do through us, is a doctrine of men. Our walk with Christ is a walk of faith, and faith is not what we produce by ourselves, but the faith of Christ given to us as a gift. We therefore bring nothing to the table. Everything is of the Lord. 

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.  

Let’s take a look at the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament. To become a priest, one has to be part of Aaron’s linage. It has nothing to do with what one can do. It is determined by the Lord before one is born. In a similar vein, our status as the Lord’s elect is given and not attained by will-worship, humility and severity to our bodies. 

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: 
Eph 1:4  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 
Eph 1:5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

What Defiles a Person

Mat 15:10  And he called to him the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 
Mat 15:11 Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man. 

Remember that on most occasions, it is the multitudes who seek the Lord. However, in verse 10, it is the Lord that called the multitude. The multitude in this case therefore represents the elect, which is a positive application of multitude. It represents the period when Christ comes to us when we are still under the sway of Babylon, when our eyes of understanding are being enlightened to know that we are defiled by what is within us and not anything external which comes through our mouth. 

The source of our defilement is the man of sin or our flesh, when he is sitting on the throne of our hearts and minds. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

As we shall see later in this study, it is out of our hearts that all kinds of sins of the flesh come from.

Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 

The sins mentioned here in Matthew 15:19 are the manifestation of the works of the flesh which are described as follows:

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

What strengthens the man of sin in our heavens or hearts and minds is false doctrines which serves as the blockage to the truth of the Lord’s words which sanctify us within.

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. 

As indicated in the case of the elders of Israel coming to enquire of the Lord from Ezekiel, the idol of their hearts, which is the same as the stumbling block of their iniquity, is what strengthens the flesh or the man of sin to defile the elders within and not what enters them through the mouth.

Eze 14:1  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. 
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; 
Eze 14:5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.  

On the contrary, it is the truth of the Lord’s words which dethrones the man of sin or our flesh.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Mat 15:12  Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 

The Lord’s reformative teaching caused the Pharisees to be offended. According to Strong’s Dictionary, to be offended means to stumble. This shows us the double-edged sword nature of the word of the Lord. While to the elect, the Lord’s words lead to salvation, to our brothers and sisters in Babylon, represented by the Pharisees, the truth of the word of the Lord causes them to stumble and fall. 

1Pe 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 
1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 
1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 

Mat 15:13  But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 
Mat 15:14  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. 

Here in verse 13, the Lord is showing us that to the elect, every false doctrine which is planted in our hearts and minds by the evil one shall be uprooted. 

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.   

In verse 14, the Lord saying that the Pharisees should be left alone is another way of saying the following:

Rev 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 

The blind leaders refer to the Pharisees who in this case represent the leaders of the church system of this world. The blind leaders of the blind means that the leaders of the church system of this world are blind spiritually and are therefore leading the blind who signifies our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world. The end result of the blind leading the blind is that both will eventually fall in a pit. To fall into a pit means to become spiritually dead as shown in the following verses:

Eze 32:22  Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: 
Eze 32:23 Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.

Eze 32:29  There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.

Mat 15:15  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 
Mat 15:16  And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?
Mat 15:17  Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 
Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 
Mat 15:20  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. 

Peter asking the Lord to explain the parable of what defiles us in verse 15 and Jesus asking Peter whether he also did not understand, means that at that time, the disciples were not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven even though they were walking with Christ. This indicates that at a certain stage of our walk with Christ, we did not know Him through His words. 

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 

Jesus explaining what defiles us to Peter in verses 17 to 20 show us that if we are called and chosen, just like Peter, we shall surely come to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. 

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

It is when the man of sin or our flesh sits in the throne of our hearts that out of it proceeds evil thoughts and all kinds of evil. On the other hands, eating with unwashed hands, which signifies knowing Christ through faith, even as we come to Him as we are. However, over time, His judgment of our old man shall result in our works (washed hands) being a sweet smelling offering to the Lord. 

May His Name be Praised for Choosing us in Him Before the Foundation of the World. Amen!!!

Psa_106:30-33 – “The idols of Canaan”, Part A

Part One – Psa_106:1-11 “Remember me, O LORD, with the favour thy people”
Part Two – Psa_106:12-20) “He gave them their request”, Part A
Part Two – Psa_106:21-29 “He gave them their request”, Part B

Part Three – Psa_106:30-33 “The idols of Canaan”, Part A
Part Four – Psa_106:34-39 “The idols of Canaan”, Part B
Part Five – Psa_106:40-48) “He regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry”

Psa 106:30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.
Psa 106:31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.
Psa 106:32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
Psa 106:33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

In last week’s study we read how Moses, who is a type of Christ,”stood before him in the breach” which is what Christ has done for us being the propitiation for our sins.

Psa 106:23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood [through God’s word – Joh 6:68, Joh 6:55, Joh 17:17], the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments [Eph 5:26, 1Jn 3:3, Joh 8:31-32]

Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood [in his word], to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD [our hope of glory within who is purifying us – Col 1:27, 1Jn 3:3].
Lev 16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

The emphasis on this week’s study will be on “The idols of Canaan” spoken of in Psalm 106:38 and how the elect are as Christ (1Jn 4:17) standing before Christ now as Christ does before our Father to stay the plague spoken of in Psalm 106:29-30, Mat 24:22, and 1Jn 2:1-3 through judgment.

Phinehas^H6372 (whose name is a variation of H5175; mouth of a serpent also Phinehas = mouth of brass ) represents the elect or the seraphim (the serpent made of copper) which was used to stay the plague of snake bites in the wilderness. That event typified sin which brings about spiritual death (Rom 6:22-23, 1Co 15:55-56, Num 21:9, Joh 3:14-15, Eph 2:6).

In these following verses we see the feet of Christ that have been tried in the fire, feet that are likened unto fine brass (copper) symbolizing the process of the fiery judgment that we must go through in order to seize from sinning as Christ’s heel is bruised within us by going through the crushing of the idolized serpent (Nehushtan) within us.

Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

2Ki 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
2Ki 18:5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
2Ki 18:6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

Phinehas

– Definition: Phinehas = mouth of brass

1. son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron; his zealousness for the Lord averted a plague on Israel and gained him the promise of the Lord of an everlasting priesthood in his family
2. a priest and the son of the priest Eli
3. the father of a helper of Ezra

– Origin: apparently from H6310 and a variation of H5175
– TWOT entry: None
– Part(s) of speech: Proper Name Masculine

– Strong’s: Apparently from H6310 and a variation of H5175; mouth of a serpent;
Pinechas the name of three Israelites: – Phinehas.

We are like Christ in that our flesh is being judged so that we can be made perfect through a lifetime of overcoming.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life [Joh 6:29, Joh 6:68].

Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

The verses we just looked at remind us that we are to believe on Him, and look to Him, for the forgiveness of sins as we are cleansed by those words of eternal life which we are blessed to read, hear and keep in this age (Rev 1:3).

It is important to note that it is in the promised land of Canaan we are shown that Israel, who is a type of us, returns unto their idols (no longer the idols of Egypt but now the idols of Canaan) even after having been miraculously delivered from Egypt. It is there in the wilderness that we take that which was given to us and make an idol of our Lord (2Ki 18:4, Mar 7:7-8).

2Ki 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men,

During the millennium, the copper snake that Moses made (Num 21:9) in the wilderness that took away the symbolic sting of death will be represented by the elect who will be used to heal the nations and bring about idyllic conditions on the earth, even as a spiritually unhealthy undercurrent grows throughout this period which will ultimately see the elect being fully rejected as Christ was (Mat 10:22, Isa 53:3). Satan is loosed for a season and moves the masses (Gog and Magog are symbolic of all the world from the four corners – Rev 20:8) to come up against the camp of the saints as this prophecy unfolds according to the counsel of God’s will (Joh 13:27, Rev 20:8-9, Eph 1:11).

All these events are purposed by God and accomplished for our sakes to show us, and all the world in time, that there is none good and that there is only One who has dominion over the light and the darkness of man’s heart (Isa 45:7). Just as the serpent in the wilderness which was raised, and Christ who was raised on a cross, and the elect who are raised during the millennium before men as leaders, all three are eventually rejected and taken for granted to show us that flesh and blood cannot neither inherit the kingdom of God nor receive Christ or His Christ (Nehushtan, 2Ki 18:4, Christ, Joh 3:14, The elect, Isa 6:2, Rev 4:8-11).

Joh 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

This part of scripture which we are examining this evening (Psa 106:30-33) reveals how we want the name of Christ but hold fast to our own customs and traditions while in Babylon. We receive those traditions from the nations around us (Jer 10:2, Isa 1:3-4), and it is the religious beast, the one who has been healed from the consequence of sinful actions (in the land of Canaan), who comes back two-fold the child of hell to reveal the strong delusion of physical healing (wood, hay and stubble 1Co 3:12-13) that precedes the true spiritual healing or conversion that must occur in man’s heart if we are to be accepted before our Father (Mat 23:15, 1Co 15:46). Our Father speaks of things that are not as though they were (Rom 4:17) and so the order in 1Corinthians 3:12 is gold, silver, precious stones, THEN wood, hay, stubble

Isa 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world [Eph 2:10], when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Rev 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

Christ did not convert anyone during his ministry here on the earth, and very shortly after he had done “Many good works” the very people that he had been healing physically and feeding physically wanted to kill him (Joh 10:32). Christ’s experience typifies what the elect can expect to see happen to them in this physical life, as well as during the millennium (Mat 10:22).

Tonight’s study highlights our life in Christ which enables us to read, hear and keep the the words of the prophecy of this book so that we can remain free from “The idols of Canaan” (Rev 1:3, Rev 22:18).

Psa 106:30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.

Notice that it is after many of the sins of Israel are categorized in the earlier verses of this Psalm 106 that the burnt offering for sin – represented by Moses – is introduced in Psalm 106:23, then the trespass offering is introduced – and typified by Phinehas in this verse we’re looking at. What this reminds us is that in order to stay the plague of sin for all of the world, God requires both doves and goats; both the sin offering (fulfilled in Christ) and the trespass offering (fulfilled in the elect with Christ in them). As the scapegoat, we are “to make an atonement with him“.

Lev 14:4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
Lev 14:5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
Lev 14:6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
Lev 14:7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times [being completely washed by the word of these seven times Isa 4:1, Rev 17:7, Rev 17:9], and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

Lev 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev 16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
Lev 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
Lev 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

Psa 106:31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

If God will grant us to endure until the end, then those things accomplished in us through Christ will be “counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore”.

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Eze 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. [This verse in Ezekiel is another admonition to us to behold the severity and goodness of God]

Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Rom 11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.
Rom 11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Here are some more admonitions that we pray the Lord will execute within our heavens so that the plague can be stayed and our actions counted “unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore“

1Th 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good [Php 4:5].
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. [Be moderate and beseech God for this spirit so that our lives glorify God in the day of visitation for those who are yet to be dragged to Christ – 1Pe 2:12, Col 1:27, Pro 3:11]
1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Psa 106:32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
Psa 106:33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

This section of scripture reminds us again how “He gave them their request” found in Psalm 106:15 as God shows us through Israel what we naturally do against Christ, Who is typified by Moses. They/we “angered him also at the waters of strife“

“The waters of strife” represent our rebellious carnal spirit that does not want to change, and that has been caused to err (Isa 63:17). It “went ill with Moses for their sakes” as God’s sovereign hand caused the situation to unfold that would provoke his spirit “so that he [Moses] spake unadvisedly^H981 with his lips”.

The word “unadvisedly” is actually to vociferate [shout, complain, or argue loudly or vehemently], to speak rashly or angrily, and this reminds us that while we are to be angry at sin all day (revealed in Israel’s actions toward Moses), we are not to sin (Psa 7:11, Eph 4:26). God’s anger is not accompanied with unrighteousness (Psa 92:15), unlike Moses who was fulfilling prophesy by doing exactly what God had determined and written in his book to do (Psa 139:16). This kind of anger which Moses had toward the sins of those around him was akin to the love of God waxing cold because iniquity was abounding (Mat 24:12).

Unadvisedly^H981

rashly or angrily, speak thoughtlessly
a. (Qal) one that babbles, speaks rashly (part.)
b. (Piel) to speak rashly, unadvisedly

– Origin: a primitive root
– TWOT entry: 232
– Part(s) of speech: Verb

– Strong’s: A primitive root; to babble; hence to vociferate angrily: – pronounce speak (unadvisedly).

Total KJV Occurrences: 4

•pronounce, 1
Lev_5:4

•pronouncing, 1
Lev_5:4

•speaketh, 1
Pro_12:18

•unadvisedly, 1
Psa_106:33

Moses’ prophetic action of striking the rock rather that speaking to it as he was commanded would later prevent him from entering into the promised land (Num 20:7-8, Num 20:11-12). Those actions by Moses are witness to what God has caused us to do to Christ, bruising the rock, so that living waters can come forth. God uses the flesh and blood of mankind which will not inherit the kingdom (the promise land) to fulfill His purpose according to the counsel of His will, as the new man is formed through the many stripes and tribulations which we must endure through Him and receive at the hands of men without and via our own iniquities within that chasten us (Eph 1:11, Joh 12:24, Act 4:26-28, Zec 13:7, Psa 106:26-27, Jer 2:19).

All of these “waters of strife” are all “Yea” (2Co 1:20), and demonstrate God’s power over the clay for us, to do what He pleases (Rom 9:21). That strife-filled situation was what God used to bring about the life-giving physical waters for Israel which represent God’s spirit that will eventually go out to heal all the world (Psa 107:20). Waters being stirred up by the angel in this new covenant story (Joh 5:1-9) reveal how God is sovereign over the process of leading us to repentance, and demonstrates His goodness toward us which leads us to the living waters that can only be found in Christ (Rom 2:4). What we are learning from all these stories with Moses’ rebellion as well as Israel’s natural rebellion unfolding time and time again is that we “have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool”, but that, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly and brings us to that symbolic pool to wash us and make us whole (Rom 5:6, 1Ti 2:5).

Joh 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Joh 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda^G964, having five porches [Eph 2:8].

– Definition: Bethesda = house of mercy or flowing water
1. the name of a pool near the sheep-gate at Jerusalem, whose waters had curative powers

Joh 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
Joh 5:4 For an angel [symbol of God’s elect] went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water [Heb 2:3]: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
Joh 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
Joh 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
Joh 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
Joh 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Joh 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. [Christ is our sabbath rest who enables us to carry our cross, our bed, and helping each other bear that cross and so fulfill the law of Christ]

Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at part B of our sub-titled study called “The idols of Canaan” where will look at more examples of how God “gave Israel their request”, knowing that this was all going to eventually lead to them crying out for deliverance before God delivers them/us from their/our oppressors, or as it is stated in the last part of this study “He regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry”.

Psa 106:34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:
Psa 106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
Psa 106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
Psa 106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
Psa 106:38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
Psa 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

Last week’s focus of the study was on how God is making known his salvation to few in this age, a salvation that is declared openly amongst the heathen but only able to be received through God dragging us to Christ and converting our minds to “the mind of the Lord”.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

We looked at the scriptures that clearly declare who these few true spiritual Jews are and who a gentile is in God’s eyes, and by comparing spirit with spirit using these physical realities of Jews and gentiles which the word of God says we are to do (1Co 2:13), it becomes clear that our praise^G1868, our (Judah), is of God and not of men.

H3063 yehûdâh yeh-hoo-daw’: From H3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory: – Judah.

https://www.behindthename.com/name/judah: From the Hebrew (Yehudah) which meant “praised”. In the Old Testament. Judah is the fourth of the twelve sons of Jacob by Leah, and the ancestor of the tribe of Judah. An explanation for his name is given in (Gen 29:35). His tribe eventually formed the Kingdom of Judah in the south of Israel. King David and Jesus were among the descendants of him and his wife Tamar. [Ed note: we know that Tamar was never the wife of Judah, but had a child by him. Gen 38:26  And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.]

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise^G1868 is not of men, but of God. [Isa 37:31-32, Rev 11:15]

Mankind’s praise of God is centered around obedience to God in the letter or in the traditions of men which traditions worship God in vain. We cannot first worship God in spirit and in truth until a day of judgement or visitation comes (1Pe 4:17, Luk 19:42) and burns away the idols of our hearts and loosens our minds from all the false traditions of mankind that prevent us at first from worshipping as all true worshippers should worship in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23). We full well reject the commandments of God at first, like the rich young ruler, in order that we may keep our own tradition; and our natural man is easily snared and taken, not being able to rightly divide the word of God without having the comforter within to lead us into all truth and strengthen us in our convictions (1Co 15:46, Isa 28:13, Joh 16:13).

Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Mar 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

2Co 11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

What we’ve been blessed to freely see, by the grace and faith of Christ, is that all men come short of the glory of God, and that redemption is through Jesus Christ alone, and that God is not focused on the Jew or the Gentile, the male or the female, but rather upon those who have been given the spirit of God that separates us from the world.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Today’s verses will focus on the praise^G1868 and spirit of thanksgiving that comes forth from a people who are being redeemed from the earth as God’s kind of first fruits, who are empowered to witness to the world within and without of our Father’s great unfailing love and mercy.

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Isa 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Jas 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Jas 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Lam 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Before we start the main part of the study, we will look at the eleven times that the word praise^G1868 is used, so we can hopefully see more clearly why our praise^G1868 is not of men but of God and what it is that we ought to be praising God for in this age as His children.

Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise^G1868 is not of men, but of God.

G1868 epainos
Total KJV Occurrences: 11
praise, 11
Rom_2:29, Rom_13:3, 1Co_4:5, 2Co_8:18, Eph_1:6, Eph_1:12, Eph_1:14, Phi_1:11, Phi_4:8, 1Pe_1:7, 1Pe_2:14

1. Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Luk 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

2. Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? [I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions WITHIN to overcome “the wrath of man [that] worketh not the righteousness of God”] do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:[of the outward powers – God will make our enemies to be at peace with us when our ways please him]

Pro 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies [serpents and scorpions- within and without] to be at peace with him. [Php 4:4-7]
Pro 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
Pro 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Pro 16:10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

3. 1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time [Luk 21:17-21], until the Lord come [And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh], who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts [within]: and then shall every man have praise of God. [We praise God for giving us the peace that passes all understanding that enables us to not despise his correction of old Jerusalem within which must be compassed with armies, to see desolation come about or the destruction of the man of perdition within].

Luk 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish. [I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions]
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

4. 2Co 8:18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

2Co 8:18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
2Co 8:19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
2Co 8:20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
2Co 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
2Co 8:22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.
2Co 8:23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
2Co 8:24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

5. Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Nobody is just “accepted in the beloved” without the first part of this verse that says “To the praise of the glory of his grace^G5485“. In order to be of value to the body of Christ, we must endure much tribulation (Act 14:22), and go from glory to glory (2Co 3:18) and that process starts with God’s favour, or gift, or pleasure of giving us the kingdom in earnest (Luk 12:32, Eph 1:14).

G5485 charis khar’-ece: From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): – acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

6. Eph_1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

We praise God for this privilege and honour to truly know him and His words of eternal life (Joh 6:68, Psa 150:2), and for the ability that He gives us to trust Christ with a trust that is formed through the fiery trials that bring us to rest in the living God and no longer live our lives to the will of men but to the will of God (Rom 14:8, 1Pe 4:2).

7. Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Again right after seeing that “we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” in Eph 1:12 [#6 above], here in verse 14 we see that this praise is centred around the miracle of being given to be amongst the first who trust in God after we hear the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed [unlike these Jews which believed on him but were still of their father the devil Joh 8:31, Joh 8:44], ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. [Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven].

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

8. Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

We are being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, and unto the glory and praise of God (Eph 4:8-12). That praise is “the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb 13:15-16) for this glorious workmanship of His that is unfolding for the salvation of all the world in time, but manifesting for us in this age in the church: he is showing us His salvation in the church today.

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

2Co 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

9. Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Our praise of God is tied into knowing the true God, “whose praise^G1868 is not of men, but of God”, and when we think on all of these ‘whatsoevers’ expressed in Php 4:8, we are in fact being given the spiritual fuel we need to go through this life to act in a way that glorifies our Father in heaven (Pro 23:4-9).

Pro 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Pro 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Pro 23:6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Pro 23:8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. [Jas 3:11-18]
Pro 23:9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

10. 1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Have you noticed how phrases such as, “unto the glory and praise of God”, “to the praise of his glory” and “to the praise of the glory of his grace” were inspired to remind us that all of our growth is a gift from God (1Co 3:6) so that we “might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”.

11. 1Pe 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

We praise God and glorify God when we are obedient to him, and that obedience is something we learn from the things which He allows us to suffer (Heb 5:8, 1Jn 4:17). It pleases God to bruise us because he knows that we are going to learn obedience through the suffering, and He will be glorified in our being able to endure unto the end of this age (Mat 24:13, Php 4:13).

We are to do all things to the glory of God and when we look at the verses that follow 1Pe 2:14 after we just read about how God sends governors that will either punish us or reward us “for the praise of them that do well”, we have further confirmation of those verses applying to us inwardly.

1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
1Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
1Pe 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

——————

So that’s the list of where this Strong’s number translated praise^G1868 is used, and we can see that it does take a miracle to see and understand that all we do we are to do “unto the glory and praise of God, and that it is God that makes this possible through the grace and faith relationship that we have with our Father and Jesus Christ, and each other.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: (Jer 22:29) I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

Psa 98:3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Psa 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Psa 98:5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
Psa 98:6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
Psa 98:7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Psa 98:8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Psa 98:3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth within us will experience His mercy if we are the “Israel of God”, and his peace will pass all understanding in our heavens so that we will be able to do what would otherwise be impossible to do without Christ who strengthens us.

Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When we see “the salvation of our God”, we must be miraculously doing so, hearing and seeing our Saviour, and knowing and believing that he is well able to deliver us, as these verses below remind us.

2Ki 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
Dan 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Dan 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Paul says, right after talking about peace being on the new creation formed through spiritual circumcision of the heart which comes at the hand of God, ‘look at my wounds’ like Christ said to Thomas, ‘and be believing’, or ‘don’t trouble me as a man but know me through these wounds’. In other words, know the life of Christ being formed in me through these wounds, “and be not faithless but believing”.

Joh 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Gal 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Gal 6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Psa 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

That first verse of this study sets the stage for the next five verses which are the result of God remembering us and showing us his mercy and his truth which is toward the Israel of God.

Rom 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Rom 11:12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

Starting with verse 4, we can see his salvation drawing nigh, and our heads are lifted up and we are making “a joyful noise unto the LORD”.

Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. [Psa 148:1, Psa 121:1]
Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. [Joh 14:20]
Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. [Luk 17:21]
Luk 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

All the body of Christ is glorifying our Father with “loud noise” because of the trumpets that are blowing in our heavens, trumpets of judgement that we know are needful to bring us unto perfection on the third day.

Rev 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

Rev 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Rev 9:14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Rev 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
Rev 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

For those wonderful works of judgment, we “rejoice” and “sing praise” to the Almighty God who has promised He can finish what he has started in His people (Php 1:6).

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Psa 98:5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

As we read on, notice a progression of praise taking place and instruments being added, which is a shadow for us of how the body of Christ is growing in harmony and unity (2Pe 3:18, Eph 4:13). Each voice is adding a little more, every joint contributing to this holy chorus of saints who are taking the word of God and putting those words to a song or Psalm, which is a shadow of us taking the words of God into our hearts (Joh 15:7), into our lives, as God teaches us how to apply those words skillfully, and seeking His inspiration so we can walk in this world of darkness and be at peace with all men (Eph 4:16, 2Ti 2:15, Rom 12:18).

Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

As God’s instruments, we are instructed in the word and glorifying God with all that we say and do (Col 3:17). The word harp is used twice in this verse alone, as a witness to the fact that it is God who is making this harmony and praise all possible (Heb 13:6).

Psa 98:6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.

Here come the trumpets and cornets that are making a joyful noise before the LORD, or for a moment let us think of the Trumpets as our family in Trinidad, and the Cornets as abiding in Australia, and the Harps are in England, etc., etc., and that is what is most pleasing to God: when we are of the same mind and making the same sound, and speaking the same thing “a joyful noise before the LORD, the King” (Php 2:2, Psa 133:1).

Psa 98:7 Let the sea roar^H7481 , and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Now we have the sea roaring, like a lion of the tribe of Judah, moving the elements of our minds to the glory of God, the world within us brought unto subjection unto God through that judgement symbolized by the ‘roar’ or ‘thundering’^H7481 [Psa 29:3], and “the world and they that dwell therein”, so no nation is left out, no people left out, to the end that, eventually, God will be all in all (1Co 15:28).

Psa 98:8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.

More unity is being expressed in this verse, where God has the floods^H5104, translated as ‘river(s)’ in other verses, clapping their hands, along with hills that are “joyful together”, which is all symbolism to tell us that God is going to bring peace and harmony to all the world in time, taking the elements which represent our heavens, the seas within, and all the contributing factors that make us who we are, and making it all work together for good because we are called according to His purpose and we love Him.

Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

We see in this last verse of our study that all of those things previously mentioned in regard to harmony, one voice, praising God together, working together, and esteeming each other better, all those things are a by product of “for he cometh to judge the earth” and not as a man but “with righteousness shall he judge the world”. His righteousness will be the new standard that will bring lasting peace and not the flawed and weak obedience to the letter and the traditions of man that can never bring lasting peace.

Eze 13:10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:

Jer 6:14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

All people will come to learn of the equity^H4339 of God and how His ways are not our ways, so much higher, and only attainable through Jesus Christ, “The LORD [who] hath made known his salvation” to the body of Christ today, and will one day show it to all the world.

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Truly, our praise^G1868, our (Judah), is of God and not of men (Rom 2:29).

Audio Links

Awesome Hands – part 71

“The judgments” part B

December 3rd, 2014

We are continuing this week to cover “the judgments” as laid out to us in Exodus 21.

Last study we covered the “intents of the heart” concerning slavery and murder, and in this study we are going to cover the judgments given to us in the Old Testament concerning assaults and injuries that do not result in death, as well as those same types of injuries that happen from masters and their beasts as well as “free men”.

Exo 21:20  And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
Exo 21:21  Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.

Like many things that came before the law of Moses, there were many things that were given more consideration and judgment on how the Lord laid out His laws to His people.

Much like women were not treated very well in marriage before the law of Moses and then were given a bill of divorcement with the law, so, too, did things change a bit with slavery.

Before the law, there were almost no laws that gave slaves any sorts of rights if they were treated brutally by their masters. However, the Lord gave slaves a way to be somewhat protected from outright savagery. The law did a lot to ameliorate the slaves that were slaves under the law of Moses.

As we just read, if a master smote his slaves and they died, they were to be punished. Some translations say the masters were also put to death, but I do not think this was the action that was taken most of the time given what we will read in a few minutes.

The spiritual significance of the lessons of smiting our servants is that we do not intend to cause death but to give life. Even if death occurs, spiritually speaking it would only be the death of the old man, and it is a good thing for the new man to be born.

If you look at verse 19 again, you will notice that any hurt that is NOT a slave was to be repaid for his time loss because of the injury. Likewise, nothing is paid to a slave that is hurt because the owner’s punishment itself is that “his money” is producing nothing while being injuried. So, this is enough under the law for a master to be reprimanded with.

As I mentioned last week, the law really emphasizes intent of the heart. Take for example these next verses:

Exo 21:22  If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
Exo 21:23  And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
Exo 21:24  Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Exo 21:25  Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

In verses 22 we are clearly being told that if men are fighting and a woman intervenes, is with child, and is then hurt, then there are two courses of action in this matter.

1. If the baby dies but the woman doesn’t, the husband can determine the compensation that will then be determined to be proper in the sight of the judges.
2. If they woman dies too, then equal payment would be paid for whatever the loss was that happened.

This is where we clearly see the concept of eye for and eye and tooth for a tooth coming from. There are many commentaries on “eye for and eye, tooth for a tooth”, as you can imagine, but I honestly believe most are rubbish.

Most contend that eye for an eye can’t possible mean what it says. Many of these commentaries give the example of a one-eyed man having to pay the penalty of becoming completely blind if he had to actually follow through with obeying this law if he caused injury to the eye of a two-eyed man. Most contend that this just wouldn’t be fair, and this is not what the law intended.

However, as can be seen when you just read what is said and written, a lot of situations allow the person being wronged to determine the course of action including compensation.

What is not written is that a one-eyed man can determine his own punishment if he broke the law concerning “eye for an eye”. Simply stated, most people do not want to take the Lord at what He says and instead want to interpret what is said to mean something else “more fair”.

If the Lord did not intend “eye for an eye” for example, then He would not have restated it in Leviticus.

Lev 24:17  And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
Lev 24:18  And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.
Lev 24:19  And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
Lev 24:20  Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
Lev 24:21  And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
Lev 24:22  Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

Another example and witness of this is when Jesus Himself said that the Pharisees and scribes were hypocrites because they DID NOT follow the law but instead created their own “traditions of men” to make themselves feel better about disobeying the law they were given.

I read this before, but it is an important point to get across.

Mat 15:1  Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
Mat 15:2  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Mat 15:4  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Mat 15:5  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
Mat 15:6  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

In other words, the lesson we are take from these judgments given to us in Exodus 21 is that we all are guilty of taking what the Lord tells us to do, twisting it to be our own better version of that law/judgment, and then claim we are serving the Lord by doing so instead of DOING WHAT HE SAYS TO DO.

Jesus calls this VANITY.

If you think I am preaching something that is too harsh on those who have committed these vain actions, then you aren’t realizing that I am speaking about myself when I say we ALL have participated in this VANITY and are GUILTY before the law which is “a law unto ourselves”.

I’ll prove this with Jesus’ own words, which are about this very “eye for an eye” doctrine. Now, which doctrine are you believing whole-heartedly? Is it a doctrine of “the commandments of men” i.e. what you have learned to be “FAIR” and “JUST” in your life and upbringing or is it according to what Jesus told us to do? Are we being DOERS of the Word?

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

I know and I feel naturally just how UNJUST and UNFAIR these “but I say unto you” Laws of Liberty feel and sound to my heart and mind. Likewise I know this is the same for you naturally.

However, we are now SLAVES buried in baptism with Christ Jesus and BORN into the Life He would have us represent Him in as His ambassadors. After all, what is a coat or cloak that I have on and someone else wants if not the cloak the Lord put on my back to be given to that person who is in the position to ask it of me?

Do we truly believe the Lord works all things after His own counsel, and if so, what is our REACTION to that?

I’ve said many times that Jesus’ walk on this earth was to show us REACTION to what the Father placed in front of Jesus, and those reactions were for OUR BENEFIT to know how to live our lives out.

When considering the law we are discussing in Exodus, we must take the same thought process and apply it to what we are to truly glean spiritually from what we are being told.

When the bar is being raised, we must simply accept that standard and DO IT or we are not obeying our Father, and we are simply just paying lip service to Him.

Look at what we continue to read in Exodus 21 concerning a master and his servant and the concept of “eye for and eye”.

Exo 21:26  And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.
Exo 21:27  And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.

We just read that an eye was to be repaid for an eye, but that is NOT the case in the relationship of master and slave. Why?

1) We are being given clarification on the different situations, but 2) we are being told that the master realizes the seriousness of what has happened the servant and is being put in check by the law

Likewise and of a “higher” spiritual application, our Master knows the price that is being paid when we actually do what we are commanded to do and He tells us that our freedom lies there. We are prisoners of Christ but we are FREE in His Liberty because we know why it is we serve.

“If an ox gore a man or a woman”

Exo 21:28  If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
Exo 21:29  But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
Exo 21:30  If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
Exo 21:31  Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

These laws were put into place to show us just how much the Lord cares about the “life” of a son of man. It may not seem like He does, but He does.

If an ox kills a man or woman, that beast was to be put to death and not even be eaten. In other words, it was a complete loss for the owner of the beast.

However, if the owner of the beast was neglectful Himself of the life of a fellow man by ignoring that His ox was given to goring things, it was the same penalty as murdering that person – death. The only exception to that was that unlike murder, the owner could get out of the death penalty by paying whatever fee was laid upon him.

This was the same penalty regardless if it was done to a man or woman, girl or boy.

However, if it was done to a slave, then the price of a slave must be paid.

Exo 21:32  If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Thirty shekels of silver is what was paid to betray Jesus, and it is interesting to note that a spiritual type of being an ox stoned for the penalty of murder is that we, as natural beasts with the old man in us, will have the stone fall on us, too.

Mat 21:42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mat 21:43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Luk 20:17  And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
Luk 20:18  Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

The gospel of Mark actually links the act of murder with the stone falling on us.

Mar 12:6  Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
Mar 12:7  But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
Mar 12:8  And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
Mar 12:9  What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
Mar 12:10  And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
Mar 12:11  This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

What is “marvelous in our eyes” is that and eye for an eye applies directly to these verses just read.

The penalty of killing the son of the “Lord of the vineyard” is death for death. The reason given that the husbandmen wanted to kill the son was so that the “inheritance shall be ours”.

Spiritually speaking, the old man represented by the husbandmen DOES NOT gain this inheritance but the DEATH resulting from the old man’s actions, PRODUCES LIFE in the new man represented by “unto others” who gain the vineyard having done NOTHING to gain it.

It is all about the death of the Son which gives INHERITANCE to others. This indeed is a marvelous mystery which is “the Lord’s doing”.

There are always two men being talked about in the entire bible and in each story and this is no different when talking about the kingdom of God being spoken about in the parables Jesus taught.

In the next study, we are going to cover chapter 22 and the judgments contained in it concerning thievery, seduction, bestiality, witchcraft, worshipping of false gods and oppression.

Hi Mike,

I really enjoyed your study ever present help, tongues and tithing.
It is a challenge to break tradition but the freedom is definitely worth it. I would never of thought that “I” had an idol of the heart! Huge encouragement and enjoy the fruit from it already.
Cheers and many thanks.
J____

Hi J____,

Thanks for taking the time to send this note. It is for responses like this that we at iswasandwillbe. com do what we do.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike

Hello Mike, 

I just thought I would drop you an email to touch base and let you know I am continuing to enjoy all you do on your website and in your talks on Revelation. It does get somewhat lonely when one has no one close that believes the truths of the bible. As I have emailed to you previously, God began to open my eyes and ears to truths several years ago. He has not given my wife or kids that same revelation. It amazes me how God has performed the miracle of completely blinding the world so that they cannot see the obvious truths.

Several years ago I searched the phrase “none effect” and it is amazing how powerful the findings were. Mar 7:13 “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” It’s a great verse whose meaning is repeated throughout the bible that nails how God has blinded us.

We are told as children that there is a heaven and a hell. Even cartoons had devils and angels and scenes of hell fire or heavenly clouds. We are inundated with the lie of Satan that we are responsible for everything we do until when we finally open a bible in our teens, 20’s, 30’s, etc. we already know the parts about heaven, hell and freewill so we wrestle with the scriptures to make them fit what we already think they mean. It is so amazing how God deceives the world by making the Word of God of none effect because our tradition has already indoctrinated us with the lie of the world.

Again keep doing what you are doing.

Thanks
D____

Hi D____,
Wow! what a wonderful revelation concerning how God blinds those who think they see:

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

He does it through our traditions which make the truth of “none effect.” Thanks for sharing this with me. I remember in Andrew Jukes’ writings he said the closer we get to Christ, the more separated from the world we will become. That is simply our calling, and it is few who can endure such a calling.

You remain in my prayers.
Mike>

Hello everyone.

I am forming this letter with as much love as the Lord allows me to create it with, and in doing so, my hope is that you will all receive it in the spirit in which it is sent – Love. I ask that you read it thoroughly, a few times if necessary, before you make a decision as to what you think about what I am about to write. I apologize for the length of this letter, but the length of the letter testifies as to why a face-to-face talk without this letter happening first, would only confuse everyone further. Hopefully, this letter will act as a guide to what will inevitably turn into future conversations.

For a few years now, I have began to search for the truth about a lot of things in my life, and the only Truth I have found lies within a few simple scriptures.

Joh 14:6 (KJVR)  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 6:44 (KJVR)  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Within these powerful words is rest for me, and I know they are rest for anyone that sets aside their burdens and sits down at His feet.

Mat 11:29 (KJVR)  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 (KJVR)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

A yoke is a device that is used for one or more oxen to share the load of the burden they have around their necks. While I have Christ’s yoke on, He is right alongside of me, helping me every step of the way. If I am to listen to the words of our Savior, I must also keep and do His commandments; otherwise, I am none of His. I am a citizen of another country, and my country is heavenly – a city prepared for me.

Heb 11:14 (KJVR)  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 (KJVR)  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 (KJVR)  But now they desire a better country, (they is me) that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Joh 14:15 (KJVR)  If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 15:10 (KJVR)  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide(abide is the same greek word for continue) in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11 (KJVR)  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Joh 15:12 (KJVR)  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13 (KJVR)  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14 (KJVR)  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:15 (KJVR)  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Joh 15:16 (KJVR)  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Joh 15:17 (KJVR)  These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Joh 15:18 (KJVR)  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 (KJVR)  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:20 (KJVR)  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

This brings me to the point of this letter. I have learned over the last few years, through rigorous study and discipline, some of the biggest holidays practiced by the “historical orthodox Christian church” and most of the world, are not what they appear to be. These holidays are Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. There are several sources that have provided the information below. These sites may interest some of you if you feel inclined to read more about the advent of these holidays, but I will give you a brief history also. You can read from these sites later if you wish to find out more about these holidays.

http://www.history.com/minisites/christmas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
https://www.history.com/topics/halloween

Christmas

“Christ’s”–“Mass” was instituted by the Roman Catholic Church around 350 A. D. However, the worship of the winter solstice, or December 25th, started much earlier than what is today known as Christmas. Winter festivals that have influenced Christmas include the pre-Christian festivals of Yule and Saturnalia, and many of the traditions associated with the holiday have origins in these pagan winter celebrations. Pay close attention to who these festivals worshipped. I’ve bolded and underlined them so they are easy to find.

Yule or Yuletide – Many of the symbols associated with the modern holiday of Christmas such as the burning of the Yule log, the eating of ham, the hanging of boughs, holly, mistletoe, etc. are derived from traditional northern European Yule celebrations. When the first missionaries began converting the Germanic peoples to Christianity, they found it easier to simply provide a Christian reinterpretation for popular feasts such as Yule and allow the celebrations themselves to go on largely unchanged, rather than trying to suppress them. The tradition derives from the sacrifice to the god Freyr at the Yule celebrations.

Freyr[1] is one of the most important deities in Norse paganism and Norse mythology. Worshipped as a phallic fertility god, Freyr “bestows peace and pleasure on mortals”. He rules over the rain, the shining of the sun and the produce of the fields.

Saturnalia– Worshipped in Rome much before the birth of Christ. Saturn, a god of agriculture. The Saturnalia was a large and important public festival in Rome. It involved the conventional sacrifices, a couch set out in front of the temple of Saturn and the untying of the ropes that bound the statue of Saturn during the rest of the year. Besides the public rites, there were a series of holidays and customs celebrated privately. The celebrations included a school holiday, the making and giving of small presents and a special market. Gambling was allowed for all, even slaves; although it was only officially condoned during this period, one should not assume that it was rare or much remarked upon during the rest of the year. It was a time to eat, drink, and be merry. The toga was not worn, but the pilleus (freed- man’s hat) was worn by everyone. Slaves were exempt from punishment and treated their masters with disrespect. The slaves celebrated a banquet, before, with, or served by the masters. A Saturnalicius princeps was elected master of ceremonies for the proceedings. Saturnalia became one of the most popular Roman festivals which led to more tomfoolery, marked chiefly by having masters and slaves switch places, which led to widespread drinking and debauchery, so that among Christians the (lower case) word “saturnalia” came to mean “orgy”.

Mithras– In 274, Emperor Aurelian designated December 25 as the festival of Sol Invictus (the “unconquered sun”). Aurelian may have chosen this date because the solstice was considered the birthday of Mithras, a syncretic god of Persian origin. Mithras is often identified with Sol Invictus, although Sol was originally a separate Syrian god.
Mithras was a god of light and a child of the earth who sprang up next to a sacred stream. He was born bearing a torch and armed with a knife. Some later Mithratic beliefs were derived from Christianity, such as the belief that Mithras’ birth was attended by shepherds. Sundays were dedicated to Mithras, and caves were often used for his worship. A series of emperors promoted Mithraism beginning with Commodus. The cult emphasized loyalty to the emperor, and Roman soldiers were expected to participate. Mithraism collapsed rapidly after Constantine I withdrew imperial favor (312), despite being at the peak of its popularity only a few years earlier.

These are just a few examples of the traditions and holidays that revolve around the December 25th Holiday.

Easter

The ancient Saxons celebrated the return of Spring with an uproarious festival commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eastre. When the second-century Christian missionaries encountered the tribes of the north with their pagan celebrations, they attempted to convert them to Christianity. They did so, however, in a clandestine manner.

It would have been suicide for the very early Christian converts to celebrate their holy days with observances that did not coincide with celebrations that already existed. To save lives, the missionaries cleverly decided to spread their religious message slowly throughout the populations by allowing them to continue to celebrate pagan feasts, but to do so in a Christian manner.

As it happened, the pagan festival of Eastre occurred at the same time of year as the Christian observance of the Resurrection of Christ. It made sense, therefore, to alter the festival itself, to make it a Christian celebration as converts were slowly won over. The early name, Eastre, was eventually changed to its modern spelling, Easter.

Ishtar – was the ancient Sumero-Babylonian goddess of love and fertility. She is often described as the daughter of Anu, the god of the air. In most of the myths concerning her, she is described as an evil, heartless woman who destroyed her mates and lovers. Her greatest lover was the farm god Tammuz ( remember this god. He is specifically mentioned in the scriptures), who is similar to the Greek Adonis. After he died, she went into the underworld to retrieve him, but her efforts were in vain, and she returned to the living world alone.

Later, in the great epic of Gilgamesh, she tried to make Gilgamesh her husband, but he refused her and reminded her of her former lovers, whom she mercilessly killed or left injured. She reported this to her father, Anu, and he gave her the mystical bull of heaven to avenge herself. Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu stopped and killed the mighty creature and threw its headless body at her feet. They also insulted her, and she responded by sending disease to kill Gilgamesh’s best friend, Enkidu.

Halloween

Halloween began over 2000 yrs ago with a people known as the Celtics. They lived in what is today Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, Scotland and Wales. Halloween was also the beginning of the Celtic New Year, November 1st, to give thanks to the sun god for the harvest and to practice the festival of Samhain.
Halloween, All saints day, All hallows eve or All souls day is a festival practiced for many, many years. It was held to honor the Samhain the so-called “lord of death“. It was a Druidical belief that on the eve of this festival Samhain, lord of death, called together the wicked spirits that within the past 12 months had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals.
It was a pagan belief that on one night of the year the souls of the dead return to their original homes, there to be entertained with food. If food and shelter were not provided, these evil spirits would cast spells and cause havoc toward those failing to fulfill their requests.
Sacrifices were offered on this night to the dead spirits because it was thought they visited their earthly dwellings and former friends.

There was a prevailing belief among all nations that at death the souls of the good men were taken possession of by good spirits and carried to paradise; but the souls of the wicked men were left to wander in the space between the earth and the moon, or consigned to the unseen world. These wandering spirits were in the habit of haunting the living… But there were means by which ghosts might be exorcised.

To exorcise these ghosts, that is to free yourself from their evil sway, you would have to set out food and provide shelter for them during the night. If they were satisfied with your offerings, they would leave you in peace. If not, they were believed to cast an evil spell on you.

In modern day Satanism and Witchcraft covens, this is the day when Satan himself comes to “fellowship” with his followers. Many changes have occurred over the centuries, but one thing has stayed the same, the practice of giving an “offering” has stayed the same. Oh, we do it under the name of fun, but what is the real meaning? Is it still the same as in the old days? I say the answer is YES.

The celebration in the Roman Catholic Church, which was later to merge with Samhain, was known as All Saints’ Day. All Saints’ Day originated in the 7th century when the Pantheon at Rome was wrested from the barbarians, made into a cathedral, and renamed the Church of the Blessed Virgin and All Martyrs. Thus, from honoring “all gods” (which is the meaning of the Greek word “pantheon”), the Pantheon became the center for glorifying all saints.
This day that honored all the “hallowed” saints was first observed on the evening of May 13 and was known as the All hallows festival. The day was officially authorized in 835 by Pope Gregory IV after it was moved to November 1 to coincide with Samhain. It began on the evening of October 31, which was called All Hallows Eve.

Thus, without forcing the pagans to drop their pagan practices and accept Christianity, the Roman Catholic church merely made room to accommodate the barbarians. Just as it confiscated the pagan Pantheon for its own uses, this church incorporated the customs of Samhain to further its mission to convert the known world to Catholicism. The two celebrations made strange bedfellows: one in respect of evil spirits, the other honoring “saints.”
Nevertheless, the joining of the two celebrations produced a hybrid of beliefs about what was supposed to happen in the spirit world. Souls in purgatory appeared as witches and toads to persons who had wronged them. Halloween fires took on a new meaning and now were used to comfort souls in purgatory as people prayed while holding burning straw in the air.

Even the idea of trick-or-treating by evil spirits took on an acceptable church flavor: costumed children went around on All Souls Day offering to fast for the departed souls in return for money or an offering.

As the Celts converted to the new religion, they did not forget their stories of the dead traveling to the afterworld on Halloween. Rather, exhibitions of this night became more evil and the observance adopted even more malicious overtones.

Here come the witches, jack-o-lanterns and black cats: In America it’s a pumpkin, but in Europe it was often a turnip, large beet, potato, rutabaga or even a skull with a candle in it. The fearsome face of the jack-o-lantern was representative of the god of the dead, Shamin, who would drive off less powerful evil spirits abroad that night.  As glimmering lights flickered over an English marsh or an Irish bog, people imagined dead souls had returned to earth. They would place the jack-o-lantern on posts and in windows to ward off the spirits of the dead on Halloween.

The word jack-o-lantern is an abbreviation of “Jack of the Lantern.” Jack is another name for joker or Satan. In the Irish tale, a man named Jack was fond of playing tricks on the devil. Annoyed, the devil tossed Jack a burning coal from hell. With the coal in his “lantern” Jack was condemned to walk the earth forever searching for rest.

The jack-o-lantern is a Halloween idol that keeps alive an ancient symbol of demonic superstition.

Black Cats and Witches: A pagan practice that was not eradicated upon the coming of Christianity was witchcraft. The word “witch” comes from the Anglo-Saxon Wicca, or “wise one.” Witches were thought to be possessors of magic.

Witches, who worship the deities of nature, have living talismans or symbols through which they derive their dark powers. They invoke evil spirits to enter the bodies of their talismans. Some have dogs, owls, snakes or swine for their talismans, but the most common are cats.

The broomstick is a symbol of the male organ, on which the witch mounts and leaps high around the fields to “teach” the crops how high to grow. The notion of flying witches relates to the fact that witches believed they could fly great distances to their feasts by smearing their bodies with ointments containing drugs. The drugs gave them psychedelic “trips” making them think they flew.

Witchcraft is demonic worship in diametric opposition to the worship of the Heavenly Father. Our Father minces no words about it. He told Israel through Moses,

Exo 22:18 (KJVR) Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

In Deu 18:10…

Deu 18:10 (KJVR) There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

Cats have been closely associated with mystery religion from the Egyptians to the Norse. But the Celts had a particular fear of cats, believing they were humans who had been changed into feline form by evil powers. The black cat particularly was connected to demonic powers.

Black cats are the chief idol of the goddess of Wicca, Diana. In legend, she turns into a black cat to commit incest with her brother, Lucifer. Eventually, the Druids themselves came to be regarded as witches. Witch hunting during Halloween became almost a national pastime in the colonial years of our nation. But that was yesterday. Halloween is regarded as the high “Sabbath” for practicing witches today.

Orange, black and red, the devil’s colors, are the colors associated with Halloween. Black prefigures black magic and demonic influence. The black of night is when these forces of evil are busiest, using the cover of darkness for their sinister works.

As you can see with the above examples, there are very old traditions that are tied into all the holidays that we all practice today. However, I am at a point in my walk with the Lord that I cannot faithfully participate in any of them any longer. The scriptures, and the Lord through them, tell me that my faith is not my own, and it is not proper for me to judge someone else’s faith that He has given to them.

Rom 10:17 (KJVR)  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1Co 2:5 (KJVR)  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Gal 3:11 (KJVR)  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Heb 11:6 (KJVR)  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Rev 14:12 (KJVR)  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rom 14:1 (KJVR)  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 (KJVR)  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 (KJVR)  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 (KJVR)  Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 (KJVR)  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

1Co 10:31 (KJVR)  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

You may be asking yourself why and how I have come to the conclusions to not participate in the holidays of our land and of most of the entire world. Once I knew the truth of these things, I could not faithfully participate any longer, and I will not be doing so from this point forward.

Remember the farm god Tammuz from Easter?  Remember, Easter is a holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important holiday in the Christian world, though in our society many esteem Christmas above all others. Here are a few scriptures which speak specifically about the god Tammuz. God is revealing to Ezekiel just what he thinks of this type of worship.

Eze 8:14  Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
Eze 8:15  Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
Eze 8:16  And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east.
Eze 8:17  Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
Eze 8:18  Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

We are given many admonitions (examples) to follow in the Old and New Testament which tell us exactly how our Lord feels about following after others’ gods and the traditions of worshipping other gods. Even if we are not worshipping other gods in our minds, we are worshipping them IN TRADITION, by keeping the same traditions that were meant to worship them.

Deu 12:28  Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.
Deu 12:29  When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
Deu 12:31  Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, 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.
Deu 12:32  What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Even though I’ve personally practiced these holidays for many years, I must now give account for knowing the truth of the history of them, and for doing what I know to be right and truthful in regards to them, once I have been given the truth of them.

Deu 29:16  (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by;
Deu 29:17  And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
Deu 29:18  Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
Deu 29:19  And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
Deu 29:20  The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
Deu 29:21  And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:
Deu 29:22  So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it;
Deu 29:23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:
Deu 29:24  Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?
Deu 29:25 Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
Deu 29:26 For they went and served other gods, and worshiped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them:
Deu 29:27  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
Deu 29:28  And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.
Deu 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Rom 14:22  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
Rom 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Now, this is not an easy situation for me. The whole world participates in these holidays, and the whole world feels justified for “keeping the spirit” of the holidays. The whole world, however, does not know what spirit they are keeping, and in doing so, they are participating in abominations the Lord will not ignore.

1Jn 4:1 (KJVR)  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

Jas 4:4 (KJVR)  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity (hatred) with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Men and women of this world have taught me many of the things I have come to believe throughout my short life. After I set out to only know the truth, and I cried out to the Father in heaven to make it known to me, He was not slack in answering my prayers. Now that I know the truth, I cannot go back to un-knowing it. It is ingrained in my very spirit and mind. That mind is none other than the mind of Christ.

Rom 12:16 (KJVR) Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Eph 5:17 (KJVR)  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Pro 3:5 (KJVR)  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

1Co 1:10 (KJVR)  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Php 2:2 (KJVR)  Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Rom 15:6 (KJVR)  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 2:15 (KJVR)  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 (KJVR)  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Php 4:7 (KJVR)  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

It is essential that this mind be in me. If it is not, then all is vanity. The mind of Christ instructs me that:

2Pe 2:1 (YLT)  And there did come also false prophets among the people, as also among you there shall be false teachers, who shall bring in besides destructive sects, and the Master who bought them denying, bringing to themselves quick destruction,
2Pe 2:2 (YLT)  and many shall follow out their destructive ways, because of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of,
2Pe 2:3 (YLT)  and in covetousness, with moulded words, of you they shall make merchandise, whose judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction doth not slumber.

You may also be asking yourself “how I can pit myself against the entire established church world and claim to know the truth about this, which they do not possess?”

Mat 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

Transgressing the commandments of God is done BY participating in the traditions of men. The traditions spoken of here are RELIGIOUS traditions. Christmas, Easter, and Halloween are by nature religious traditions.

Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Mar 7:9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Tit 1:16 (NIV) They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Christ did not tell his apostles to do away with the traditions of the Jewish holy days (very close to our English word holiday), just to turn around and give them new ones to practice in relation to his birth and resurrection. That is why there is NO PLACE in the scriptures that tells us to celebrate these things called Christmas and Easter. Men have devised these holidays, and men practice them for fun and sport. It is fun, but that is not the topic of this paper. We can have fun without using the name of Christ to do so.

It is not unbelievers who “claim to know God”. It is his own people, who claim to know God the Father. It was Christ’s own people who crucified him at Calvary. It has not changed in over 2000 years, because with their hearts and actions they crucify him continually.

Tit 1:16 (NIV) They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

Paul wrote this to the believing church of Galatians.

Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law,(the Law of Moses, i.e. the ten commandments) that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Gal 4:8  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Gal 4:11 (KJVR)  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

Gal 3:22 (KJVR)  But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 (KJVR)  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 (KJVR)  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 (KJVR)  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Gal 4:1 (KJVR)  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2 (KJVR)  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3 (KJVR)  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 (KJVR)  But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 (KJVR)  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Heb 5:12 (KJVR)  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 (KJVR)  For every one that useth milk is unskillfull in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 (KJVR)  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Heb 6:1 (KJVR)  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 (KJVR)  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 (KJVR)  And this will we do, if God permit.
Heb 6:4 (KJVR)  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 (KJVR)  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 (KJVR)  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

When it comes time to answer my own children, I will answer them in the spirit of truth. It may not have come to me this way, but I will be teaching my children the ways of the Lord as best the Lord affords me the ability to do so. The entire Christian world believes that touting Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, the tooth fairy, and many others alongside the name of Christ is acceptable. Well, it is to the Christian world, but it is not acceptable to the Lord. There is but one Lord and King and only one mind in worshipping him. That can only be done in spirit and in truth.

Joh 4:23 (KJVR)  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 (KJVR)  God is a Spirit: and t hey that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh 14:17 (KJVR) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 16:13 (KJVR)  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

1Jn 4:6 (KJVR)  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1Jn 5:6 (KJVR)  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When my children ask, they will be told the truth from their father. I know this will probably not go very well with others, but so be it. I know of whom and where I speak, and I know that all liars have their place also. There are going to be many obstacles that come my way for taking such a stand in the Lord, and I fully understand my actions, for the Lord is the cause of my standing in the first place. Without Him I can do nothing.

Joh 5:30 (KJVR)  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Joh 15:5 (KJVR)  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

I also understand that I have been chosen to stand on such ground because I have been blessed to be given the truth when I asked for it.

Heb 11:6 (KJVR)  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Mat 7:7 (KJVR)  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Act 17:27 (KJVR)  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

This stand in the truth will inevitably pit me against family, friends and foes. Some of you will probably think I have gone crazy, while others may not want to have anything to do with me. I hope this isn’t the case for any of you. I know this to be true because the scriptures do not lie. All of my friends and family will be receiving this letter, so everyone I know will know how I feel on this matter.

Mat 10:32 (KJVR)  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 (KJVR)  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 (KJVR)  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 (KJVR)  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Mat 10:36 (KJVR)  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 (KJVR)  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 (KJVR)  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 (KJVR)  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:40 (KJVR)  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

In closing,

I hope I have not offended any of you with this news, though I know it may come as a shocker to a lot of you. Though I have participated in these holidays in the past, my future will not include participating in the “traditional events” of them, such as gift giving, mistletoes, caroling of “Christmas songs”, Christmas services, etc. I will not decorate for them nor will I participate in them. I have no issues with “family time” and the gathering together with family and friends to socialize. To ‘be family’ is what I wish to do the most during this time of year. However, using the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST to do so is not something I will do any longer. I can attend family events to visit with loved ones up until the point that the traditions of these holidays start. I will not be able to participate, and you’ll have to accept me separating myself as those things happen.

I know this is a big change for me, and I am sure this will be for you, too. However, my faith in the Lord and the Father in heaven do not allow me to compromise on this topic. There is no middle ground for me, and as all of you are probably aware, once I feel something is the truth, I do not budge on it.

As for gift giving and such, please do not purchase any for me for these holidays. I do not plan to practice this at all, so I will be giving random gifts to everyone I know throughout the entire year, as I feel the spirit guides me to do so. It will all be done for love and love only. I will be doing the same for our children. My wife and I have decided to have random “family days” throughout the year where we will have gifts and the baking of cookies, etc., as we wish to celebrate being a family and the things that the Lord chooses to bless us with. These times will be random when we feel like doing them, and they will not have a set time of year to do them in. Our children will come to their own conclusions, as the Lord guides them in all things, but in my home, they will not be participating in the traditions of men either. However, they will know the truth of the holidays from the beginning, as soon as they are ready to understand. Also, rest assured that I judge no person according to their participation in these holidays and events. Judgment begins at the house of God, whose house we are.

1Pe 4:17 (KJVR)  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1Co 3:16 (KJVR)  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 (KJVR)  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1Co 4:4 (KJVR)  For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

1Co 2:15 (KJVR)  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

1Co 5:13 (KJVR)  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Joh 12:31 (KJVR) Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Rom 14:10 (KJVR)  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Joh 5:30 (KJVR) I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

1Jn 4:17 (KJVR)  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world

I always take this particular scripture to heart:

Jas 1:22 (KJVR)  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

That is what I intend to be, a doer. I am, have been, and Lord willing, will be continuing to learn many truths of the Word of God. This topic is simply just one of many idols which I intend, Lord willing, to tear down in my life. There is absolutely nothing more important to me in my life than to follow the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no institutionalized church of men, no building, no group which I follow. I follow Christ because he is the way, truth and life. I would be thrilled to share with anyone and everyone all the things the Spirit of God has been revealing to me in the past few years. You are all welcome to come and discuss this and many other topics that I am sure will develop as the Lord permits. I truly know I am called and chosen to be a part of the great plan of God for all of humanity. It is indeed a grand and marvelous plan, and all are included. I now must embark on the hardest of all endeavors of my God-breathed life, and remain faithful to the Word of God, Christ. I am now running the race to overcome to the end, and I hope you all will join me, Lord willing. I’ll close with this:

Rev 17:14 (KJVR) These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Rom 12:21 (KJVR)  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

1Jn 4:4 (KJVR)  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Mat 10:22 (KJVR)  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Joh 6:27 (KJVR)  Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

1Co 13:7 (KJVR)  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Jas 1:12 (KJVR)  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1Co 9:24 (KJVR)  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 (KJVR)  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26 (KJVR)  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27 (KJVR)  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Heb 12:1 (KJVR)  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 (KJVR)  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Joh 16:33 (KJVR)  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1Jn 4:17 (KJVR)  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1Co 10:31 (KJVR)  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.