Category Archives: Guide

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Guide, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Selfishness, Traditions / Holidays, Wickedness / Evil

Stick With What God Has Said, Even When It Seems Hard

We should all take great care to avoid changing YHWH’s guidance for our own personal gain or comfort or convenience. There may be difficulties you face to be faithful to what YHWH has said to do. Putting the LORD first and obeying often feels like taking personal risk. Just consider Moses going to Pharaoh, Gideon sending most of his army home when already outnumbered, Paul preaching the truth of Christ even as he face persecution, and many more. If there was no potential “risk”, then too there is little faith required. I don’t need much faith to obey if the LORD asks me to tie my shoes. Neither does it bring Him much glory.

Jeroboam should have remained faithful to YHWH’s commands even if he felt his kingship and his life were at risk. He did not have faith to look toward YHWH, but instead looked only toward himself without consideration of honoring YHWH.

An additional important point is that we should never just create our own versions of what YHWH has said is right. Jeroboam not only did this, but he led many others into his idolatry. This is selfish and wicked. (It is interesting to consider the LORD put him in as king, knowing this. His ways are not our ways.)

1 Kings 12:25-33

Jeroboam’s Idolatry

      25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27“If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 32Jeroboam instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. 33Then he went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised in his own heart; and he instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.

Do not dismiss this message. Look hard at what the Christian church at large celebrates and compare it to what Yeshua celebrated when He was walking as a man to set the example of godly and righteous for us. Followers of Christ largely dismiss the Moedim, or appointed times, which YHWH told us to celebrate. Instead, we continue in the holidays that are culturally normalized but are really a mixture of paganism and Christianity. Consider Christmas or Easter as examples. Don’t get defensive because they are emotionally important to you. Research the history and how they are celebrated and why some common customs (e.g. egg hunt) are part of it. Hint: much of it will never be found in the Bible. It’s not there. To learn more consider our previous posts on Traditions/Holidays. In large measure, we are celebrating in a similar way that Jeroboam did… following celebrations created by man rather than God.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Angels, Dreams, Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Obeying God, Omnipresent, Prophecy, Submitted / Servant

Obedience to our Father Is Crucial

It is always important to obey our Father, YHWH. There are times where it is absolutely crucial. We need to get in the habit of obeying Him all the time. He is not surprised by whatever will happen. He already knows what will happen.

In Matthew 2, we see a good example that demonstrates this principle. YHWH is guiding Joseph to protect Yeshua in His earthly body. YHWH is fulfilling prophecies along the way which is a great reminder that He is not surprised by any of these events. He will not be caught off guard by anything we will face either. He is omnipresent (past, present, future all at once) and omniscient (all knowing).

Matthew 2:13-23

The Flight to Egypt

      13Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

      14So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15He remained there

until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”

Herod Slaughters Babies

      16Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

      18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH,
WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING,
RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN;
AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,
BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”

      19But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20“Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Following the LORD Rather than Our Own Desires

Sometimes the LORD will tell us to do something that is completely different from anything we would visualize or anticipate for ourselves. Sometimes, it seems, the more unusual the “ask”, the more YHWH is in it. We must challenge ourselves to listen to and obey the Spirit as He directs us. I have found personally that YHWH is most visible in my life when He leads me to make decisions and do things that are very much contrary to my personal plans and vision. These are times that are sometimes harder to submit to Him, but it gets easier with practice.

I admire Mary and Joseph in this regard. Yes they got angelic messengers, but they certainly had been given some significant surprise guidance which they would not have anticipated. As a result of obedience, they got to raise Messiah!

Matthew 1:18-25

Conception and Birth of Jesus

      18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” 24And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional

Preparing a Place for YHWH to Dwell Among Us

Preparing a place for YHWH to dwell is not something to be taken lightly. Solomon took his time to get it right when building the temple. But part of the preparation was not just about the building. It was about Solomon and the people and their hearts and obedience toward YHWH.

In the midst of 1 Kings 6, in which Solomon is physically building the temple, we also see YHWH speak to him in verses 11-13 about the relationship they will have. Don’t miss this one, as it applies to all of us. If we want YHWH to dwell among us, then we must walk in His statutes, ordinances and commandments. To make a point, He cares about our obedience to His ways. It is important and we should not assume, like many teach today, that He does not care what we do so long as we claim Him in name. That is not what grace is about (Romans 6:1-2).

In fact, if we now understand that our bodies as followers of Yeshua are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), then this is even more personal. If we want the LORD to dwell among us, then we should obey His statutes and commands, which means we have to read and study them to understand them. We should each take this very seriously and prepare our bodies to be a temple that the Spirit will want to dwell in. We should take great time and care to live our lives in a way in which the Spirit will want to dwell among and in us.

Perhaps it is an interesting perspective to consider more broadly. Let us be in a hurry to begin what YHWH calls us to do, but let us not be in a hurry to finish. To accomplish something truly magnificent and worthy of YHWH will often take time. For Solomon, this applied to building the Temple. For each of us, it may apply to whatever YHWH calls us to to. It could be ministering to a certain person or establishing a ministry or anything really. It certainly applies to how we prepare our minds and bodies to be a place for the Spirit to dwell with us.

1 Kings 6

The Building of the Temple

      1Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. 2As for the house which King Solomon built for the LORD, its length was sixty cubits and its width twenty cubits and its height thirty cubits. 3The porch in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits in length, corresponding to the width of the house, and its depth along the front of the house was ten cubits. 4Also for the house he made windows with artistic frames. 5Against the wall of the house he built stories encompassing the walls of the house around both the nave and the inner sanctuary; thus he made side chambers all around. 6The lowest story was five cubits wide, and the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for on the outside he made offsets in the wall of the house all around in order that the beams would not be inserted in the walls of the house.

      7The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built.

      8The doorway for the lowest side chamber was on the right side of the house; and they would go up by winding stairs to the middle story, and from the middle to the third. 9So he built the house and finished it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar. 10He also built the stories against the whole house, each five cubits high; and they were fastened to the house with timbers of cedar.

      11Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon saying, 12“Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father. 13“I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.”

      14So Solomon built the house and finished it. 15Then he built the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar; from the floor of the house to the ceiling he overlaid the walls on the inside with wood, and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress. 16He built twenty cubits on the rear part of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling; he built them for it on the inside as an inner sanctuary, even as the most holy place. 17The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long. 18There was cedar on the house within, carved in the shape of gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, there was no stone seen. 19Then he prepared an inner sanctuary within the house in order to place there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 20The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar with cedar. 21So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold. And he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold. 22He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar which was by the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

      23Also in the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. 24Five cubits was the one wing of the cherub and five cubits the other wing of the cherub; from the end of one wing to the end of the other wing were ten cubits. 25The other cherub was ten cubits; both the cherubim were of the same measure and the same form. 26The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was the other cherub. 27He placed the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, and the wings of the cherubim were spread out, so that the wing of the one was touching the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall. So their wings were touching each other in the center of the house. 28He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

      29Then he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, inner and outer sanctuaries. 30He overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inner and outer sanctuaries.

      31For the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood, the lintel and five-sided doorposts. 32So he made two doors of olive wood, and he carved on them carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold; and he spread the gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

      33So also he made for the entrance of the nave four-sided doorposts of olive wood 34and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door turned on pivots, and the two leaves of the other door turned on pivots. 35He carved on it cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the engraved work. 36He built the inner court with three rows of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.

      37In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv. 38In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Provider, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Use the Gifts our Creator Gives You to Accomplish His Plans

Solomon clearly was able to benefit in accomplishing YHWH’s work by use of the gift of wisdom that YHWH granted him. We should each seek to do the same… to use our gifts and really focus on what YHWH wants us to do with it rather than what we want to do.

I do find the forced labor of Israelites to be intriguing. My first reaction is to assume this was not good, but there is not indication to that end in scripture. It may be in keeping with a king’s authority as he pursues YHWH’s mission. I like that he gave them time at home more than time on the road. It seems to show some understanding of the value of their lives and families. It would be curious to understand whom he forced. Perhaps they were not folks that already had businesses and farms and such and were available to work. I don’t know.

1 Kings 5

Alliance with King Hiram

      1Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always been a friend of David. 2Then Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3“You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4“But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5“Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ 6“Now therefore, command that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

      7When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” 8So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent me; I will do what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber. 9“My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place where you direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then you shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.” 10So Hiram gave Solomon as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber. 11Solomon then gave Hiram 20,000 kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12The LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

Conscription of Laborers

      13Now King Solomon levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered 30,000 men. 14He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home. And Adoniram was over the forced laborers. 15Now Solomon had 70,000 transporters, and 80,000 hewers of stone in the mountains, 16besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were over the project and who ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17Then the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. 18So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Patient, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God

If YHWH is Silent, That Does Not Make It Ok To Seek A Medium

Sometimes YHWH will be silent when we seek Him. We wants us to be patient and trust Him, not turn to ungodly means to try to figure out what to do. It is in these times we should continue prayer and make decisions by what we know of His character from the scriptures and our relationship with Him. It is never an excuse to seek out a medium or other demonic influence… even to seek a righteous person like Samuel.

Saul was desperate, and he made a very poor choice that made the situation worse for Him and he was even further from the grace and forgiveness of YHWH.

As a side note, for the skeptics, mediums are real and there is real danger in seeking them. Their power is not from YHWH, thus it must be from Satan. He is not one to be trusted in the slightest.

1 Samuel 28

Saul and the Spirit Medium

     1Now it came about in those days that the Philistines gathered their armed camps for war, to fight against Israel. And Achish said to David, “Know assuredly that you will go out with me in the camp, you and your men.” 2David said to Achish, “Very well, you shall know what your servant can do.” So Achish said to David, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

      3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had removed from the land those who were mediums and spiritists. 4So the Philistines gathered together and came and camped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together and they camped in Gilboa. 5When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. 7Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”

      8Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, “Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you.” 9But the woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?” 10Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, “As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, “Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul.” 13The king said to her, “Do not be afraid; but what do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a divine being coming up out of the earth.” 14He said to her, “What is his form?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped with a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.

      15Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” And Saul answered, “I am greatly distressed; for the Philistines are waging war against me, and God has departed from me and no longer answers me, either through prophets or by dreams; therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I should do.” 16Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has departed from you and has become your adversary? 17“The LORD has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. 18“As you did not obey the LORD and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the LORD has done this thing to you this day. 19“Moreover the LORD will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Indeed the LORD will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”

      20Then Saul immediately fell full length upon the ground and was very afraid because of the words of Samuel; also there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no food all day and all night. 21The woman came to Saul and saw that he was terrified, and said to him, “Behold, your maidservant has obeyed you, and I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22“So now also, please listen to the voice of your maidservant, and let me set a piece of bread before you that you may eat and have strength when you go on your way.” 23But he refused and said, “I will not eat.” However, his servants together with the woman urged him, and he listened to them. So he arose from the ground and sat on the bed. 24The woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly slaughtered it; and she took flour, kneaded it and baked unleavened bread from it. 25She brought it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they arose and went away that night.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Guide, Learning To Pray Effectively, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God

The LORD Is Approachable and Available To Those Who Walk With Him

Those who walk with the LORD can approach Him and ask for His council and guidance. He often answers in a very clear way. We can see that He is patient as David comes to Him multiple times because His men are afraid. David does not just ask once, but again when they hear of Saul coming as well. We can keep coming back to our Father. He is not tired of hearing from those who walk with Him. He is not too busy. He is a loving Father and councilor.

1 Samuel 23:1-14

David Delivers Keilah

     1Then they told David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are plundering the threshing floors.” 2So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah.” 3But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then if we go to Keilah against the ranks of the Philistines?” 4Then David inquired of the LORD once more. And the LORD answered him and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5So David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines; and he led away their livestock and struck them with a great slaughter. Thus David delivered the inhabitants of Keilah.

      6Now it came about, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7When it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah, Saul said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he shut himself in by entering a city with double gates and bars.” 8So Saul summoned all the people for war, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. 9Now David knew that Saul was plotting evil against him; so he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10Then David said, “O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has heard for certain that Saul is seeking to come to Keilah to destroy the city on my account. 11“Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down just as Your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” 12Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.” 13Then David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the pursuit. 14David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God

Doing What Is Not Lawful, But For A Good Reason?

When David first fled from Saul, he had neither his weapons nor supplies. He was hungry. He came to a priest and lied before taking bread he was not supposed to eat. Is he condemned for this? No. Actually in Matthew 12 Yeshua seems to pick this example up from 1 Samuel 21 to make the point that sometimes we can not simply be “black and white” with the commandments. We must understand the commandments with some depth and priority.

We also see David uses some cleverness and deception by acting insane. I do not know whether or not YHWH wanted David to flee to a foreign king and deceive him for protection, but David was never rebuked for it and the LORD used it in protecting David from Saul. It would seem a reasonable step to take in this case, to be deceptive.

Do not take this as license to sin, but rather prayerfully reflect on how this may apply in your life. Ask YHWH to enlighten you with deeper understanding. Sometimes chapters like this are easy to overlook and we miss the deeper challenge of what it may be telling us. By all means, do not take this as license to quickly break YHWH’s laws in tough situations.

1 Samuel 21

David Takes Consecrated Bread

      1Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came trembling to meet David and said to him, “Why are you alone and no one with you?” 2David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commissioned me with a matter and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the matter on which I am sending you and with which I have commissioned you; and I have directed the young men to a certain place.’ 3“Now therefore, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.” 4The priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread on hand, but there is consecrated bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.” 5David answered the priest and said to him, “Surely women have been kept from us as previously when I set out and the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was an ordinary journey; how much more then today will their vessels be holy?” 6So the priest gave him consecrated bread; for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence which was removed from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place when it was taken away.

      7Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds.

      8David said to Ahimelech, “Now is there not a spear or a sword on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s matter was urgent.” 9Then the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, take it. For there is no other except it here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

      10Then David arose and fled that day from Saul, and went to Achish king of Gath.

11But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”

12David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. 13So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard. 14Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man behaving as a madman. Why do you bring him to me? 15“Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this one to act the madman in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?”

Matthew 12:1-4

Sabbath Questions

      1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” 3But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, 4how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? 5“Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? 6“But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. 7“But if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Let Us Learn from Yeshua’s Letter to Ephesus

Yeshua knows each of His followers’ innermost thoughts and motivations. He knows us fully and truthfully, even when we may deceive ourselves as we rationalize what choices we make. I appreciate how he sends this message to each church, personalized. Each is in a different place. Each has different struggles they face. He compliments them on what they are doing well and then rebukes them on where they need to change… and He does want them to change. He is not accepting them “the way they are”, as so many teach today in churches.

I believe when He refers to angel of the church, He is perhaps referring to the pastor or leader of that body of believers rather than an “angel” literally. For starters, why would He ask John to communicate with angels. Secondly, the Hebrew word for angel and messenger are one and the same. Understanding that this was written in Aramaic, I still conjecture that the Hebrew writer is likely referring to the messenger or leader of the church.

As we read each letter, remember that it has a specific audience, which is not us. However, many of the same issues are still relevant. Look for what warnings and encouragements may apply to you and ask the Spirit to show you what to apply in your life. Expect that Yeshua wants each of us to change, just like He was calling each church in Revelation to change.

Revelation 2:1-7

Message to Ephesus

      1“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

      2‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

Yeshua hates false teaching that comes from those who claim to teach the word of YHWH. The Nicolaitans are one example in the past, but there are many around today.

They are praised for hating and rejecting evil men, and not encouraged to accept them or invite them into their congregation to fill seats or make donations or even to hear the word taught. We are to be separate from evil men.

Yeshua praises them for testing and judging who is teaching truth and who is teaching false doctrine. They would have used the Old Testament for this task, testing teachers vs. the word of YHWH. We are expected to judge rightly good from evil.

Perseverance and endurance in striving to live for YHWH is recognized and complimented. We will encounter trials and resistance if we stand true to His word in full.

A very important lesson for us to reflect on, truly and prayerfully… Yeshua calls out the church for losing their love for Him and for pursuing Him. They are active and doing “all the right things” on the outside, but they have lost their love for Him. This is a big deal. Even if we “do everything right”, but have no love for Yeshua and for what He calls us to be and do, then we shall be rejected. It is through relationship, not works that we are saved. For more, consider reading at GotQuestions.org/left-first-love.html.

Whatever we are doing for Christ, let us do it with love.

1 Corinthians 13

The Excellence of Love

      1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

      4Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

      8Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Father Knows Best and He Will Deliver on His Plans

Our Father has His own plans and His own ways of bringing them about. He is far wiser than we are and we often may not fully understand the events taking place and their significance until later, if ever. The Spirit of YHWH came upon David, “mightily”, and departed from Saul. Then, almost as if to allow David to get familiar with the life and ways of a king, YHWH arranges for Him to come into the court of King Saul. What are the odds that shepherd boy would come to Saul’s court if not for the LORD arranging it? None. Likely this helps prepare young David for becoming king in the future by broadening him beyond shepherd life.

Do not miss also that we now see Saul experience the results of his disobedience to YHWH. He said he was sorry, but there are still consequences when we knowingly rebel against our Father, especially when the guidance was very clear and He knows we understood it. Saul even made excuses and tried to say he was doing it for YHWH, rather than genuinely admitting he had sinned.

1 Samuel 16:12-23

David Anointed

     12So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

      14Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him. 15Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. 16“Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.” 17So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18Then one of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him.” 19So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” 20Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son. 21Then David came to Saul and attended him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. 22Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

What may be the most perplexing is that the scripture translation seems to state that “an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him”. This is the only reference in scripture to an evil spirit from the LORD that I can remember. I am curious to study the translation and see if there are clues there. Did YHWH really put an evil spirit upon Saul? Whether He caused it or allowed it, and the translation clearly indicates He caused it, YHWH used it for His own purpose to bring in David to the court. I can’t help but think there is more to be studied and understood here.

We should trust in our Father. Often events we don’t understand may be orchestrated by Him to accomplish His plans. If we are faithful and submitted to Him, it will be for our good in that we serve His purposes. Let us seek to find joy even when we don’t understand the LORD’s plans.

Let us repent genuinely and quickly if we drift or rebel.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.