April | 2018 | Missing Pieces

This is the second of three articles in a series entitled “Living Kingdom”. We will examine the importance of choosing to abide by YHVH’s commands as we consider the choices of individuals in Scripture. The Good News (Gospel) is about YHVH’s kingdom. Salvation is necessary for Kingdom Living, but it is a part of the process, not the goal. We face the same challenges as the Israelites: recognizing and obeying our King.

In the first article (Law-Abiding Citizens?), we examined the importance of following YHVH’s commands. Obedience provides rewards and disobedience incurs punishment. We who claim to belong to YHVH must recognize that we serve a King. The words of YHVH in 1 Samuel 8:7 ring just as true today as they did then. “Do everything they say to you,” the LORD replied, “for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.”

We sometimes stray from following YHVH without realizing it. We, like many Israelites, are more easily influenced by physical and worldly rather than spiritual and heavenly. We forget that we are on a battlefield and the battle is spiritual, a war being waged between YHVH and hasatan. When we are threatened or suffer injury, we are tempted to build strongholds rather than turn to YHVH. This article provides some examples from Scripture to help us recognize common false strongholds and their pitfalls. First of all, what is a stronghold?

Merriam-Webster defines the word “stronghold” as follows: 1: a fortified place; 2: a place of security or survival; a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic These can be geographical places or places we build within our souls. Strongholds in our souls invite demons to move in so they can more easily torment and manipulate us. Our first example demonstrates this clearly.

YHVH chose Saul to be his human representative because the people had difficulty following a King who is spirit. However, Saul relied on his own judgment and didn’t fully heed YHVH’s instructions, nor was he truly repentant when Samuel pointed out his sin. (1 Sam 15). YHVH removed the Holy Spirit from Saul and placed His Spirit on David instead. When the Holy Spirit departed, a demon of fear entered Saul, followed later by a tormenting spirit. We cannot rely on ourselves; it is YHVH who equips us and supplies all our need. When we deny YHVH access in any area of our lives, we open the door for evil spirits. “I am YHVH, there is no other, besides Me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me (Is 45:5).”

Although YHVH selected David to be Saul’s replacement, it was years before David ascended to the throne. During that time, YHVH tested and strengthened David to be a more faithful representative than Saul. David was tempted to build false strongholds, especially reliance on other people and strategic hideouts, but none of these protected him. David learned that it was reliance on YHVH that kept him safe. We are tempted to rely on human leaders or experts to provide solutions to problems with spiritual roots. These are jobs that only YHVH can handle and we must turn to Him and encourage others to do likewise. O give us help against the adversary, for deliverance by man is in vain (Ps 60:11). Thus says the LORD, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from YHVH (Jer 17:5).

Solomon turned to wealth, power and prestige and strayed from YHVH. He allowed his wives to persuade him to engage in pagan worship. And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded (1 Kings 11:10). Many of us are racing to acquire bigger, better and more to impress others, but is YHVH impressed by our selfishness? In the end, it doesn’t matter what anyone besides YHVH thinks of us. YHVH is our Judge. How can we impress Him? “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Heb 13:16). How different might the United States be if the inalienable rights listed in the Declaration of Independence read “that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of YHVH” rather than “the pursuit of Happiness”?

Throughout history humans have built castles, forts, and other strongholds to keep out the enemy. The people of Jericho relied on their massive walls and sturdy gates to keep them safe from harm. However, the very walls intended to protect them actually destroyed them (Joshua 6). We can build walls to keep others out, but is that our commission from Yeshua? He said we would be known by our love. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).” “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home (Matt 25:35).”

Simon Peter used a sword to cut off a soldier’s ear during Yeshua’s arrest. Yeshua warned him that physical violence was not the right choice (Matt 26:52). We can amass armies and weapons of mass destruction, but how will this help us spread the Good News of the Kingdom of YHVH? Yeshua has promised us that we would suffer persecution for following Him and it is YHVH who will avenge us. “ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth (Luke 18:7-8)?”

The scribes and Pharisees thought genealogy and man-made traditions were sure guarantees, but they were wrong (Matt 3:9; Matt 15:1-20). It is not who we are biologically but who we worship and how we worship. YHVH tests our spirits and our hearts (Prov 16:2, 21:2). The Jewish leaders had constructed their own religion, adding to and subtracting from YHVH’s commands (Matt 23). Sadly, we have inherited man-made traditions and pagan worship passed down for many centuries (Jer 16:19). Now that we know that Sunday worship, Christmas and Easter are not from YHVH but are perversions of His appointed times, how do we respond? Will our love of traditions, pressure from our families or society prevail over what we now know to be the truth? “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers (Matt 7:21-23)! ’These are not easy choices, but Yeshua warned us about that. ^“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matt 7:14).”

It is time to ask Yeshua to shine His glory light on any strongholds within us. It is time to let go of that which is not of Him. Yeshua relinquished all for us. Now He expects the same of us. False strongholds are the means of withholding ourselves from YHVH and are open invitations for the enemy to move in. YHVH is our one and only true Stronghold (Ps 18:2).

Not everyone who says to me Since the time of Martin Luther, much emphasis has been put on salvation through Yeshua as a gift of YHVH’s grace and not something we merit. This is true, but it is only a part of the truth. Yeshua taught about salvation and stressed that reunification with YHVH was possible only through Yeshua Himself. However, the majority of Yeshua’s teaching focused on how to live in the Kingdom of YHVH (Matt 5-7; 16:19, 18:3, 29-30, 19:23). Salvation supplies us citizenship in YHVH’s kingdom, but as citizens we must abide by the rules and regulations of our King. Citizens and visitors in all countries on earth are required to obey the rules of the country where they reside or visit. What are the consequences of ignoring YHVH’s teaching and commandments? What are the rewards? Two books of Scripture (Judges and Ruth) present vivid pictures of the two choices and their consequences. As we review the stories in these two books, let us look for insights into kingdom living and see how the Body of Messiah measures up.

The Book of Judges provides examples of those who made it to the Promised Land but who failed to follow YHVH’s explicit commands (Judges 2:10). Let us begin with the story of Micah (chapter 17). Micah stole 1100 silver pieces from his mother (violating Ex 20: 12, 15). He overheard his mother putting a curse on the thief. Micah confessed his sin and returned the money. His mother used part of the money to “honor” YHVH by creating some idols. Mixing pagan with sacred and is strictly forbidden by YHVH (Ex 20:3-5). Micah hired a Levite to serve as a priest in his home. Levites were to serve YHVH in the Tabernacle, not in individual homes (Num 18:1-2). How do these choices compare to the development of the Body of Messiah? The church early on mixed pagan with sacred (Christmas and Easter replacing the seven feasts of YHVH), misappropriated funds (selling indulgences and relics), provided idols (statues), and created roles for “priests” that YHVH never authorized. These practices continue today. Corruption spreads quickly but is not easily eradicated. Over time, the Israelites’ disobedience led to their expulsion from the land. What will be the consequence of our continued disobedience in the kingdom of YHVH?

Next, the tribe of Dan discovered Micah’s evil setup (Judges 18). They not only failed to root out the evil, but they stole the idols and the Levite “priest” from Micah thus spreading evil throughout an entire tribe. Even though YHVH raised up various judges to lead the people, their influence was short-lived. Strong godly leaders have arisen throughout the history of Christianity. Revivals have come and gone. Leaders can inspire, exhort and teach, but we make our own choices. Each person is responsible for establishing and maintaining a relationship with YHVH by loving Him and obeying Him. We are also responsible for exhorting each other in the Body of Messiah (Col 3:12-17) and rooting out evil from our midst. Each of us will appear before the Judge (Matt 7:21-23).

Finally, there is the tragic tale of the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19). The Levite not only failed to protect his concubine, but he used her as a human shield to protect himself. At that time travel in the Promised Land was no safer than in foreign lands (Judges 19:12). Israel finally addressed the situation by almost eliminating an entire tribe, not to mention the loss of life in the other tribes. The first two days Israel fought with the tribe of Benjamin (where the rape and murder had taken place), the other tribes suffered heavy losses. Was this perhaps punishment for not purging evil from their midst earlier? On the third day, the tribe of Benjamin was defeated and almost totally destroyed. A lot of people were killed, but was the evil eradicated? Being a member of a particular congregation or denomination in the Body of Messiah does not guarantee that we will be righteous before the Judge. The many incidences of corruption, immorality, etc. within the Body of Messiah today bear witness to our failure to purge evil from our midst. How many people have sought to know Yeshua and His Father within the Body of Messiah only to be discouraged or even destroyed? What are we doing to purge evil from our midst?

The book of Ruth provides strong examples of Kingdom of heaven living. Ruth, Naomi and Boaz lived during the same time period as the book of Judges, but their choices brought blessings to themselves and others. They represent the remnant, those in each generation who truly follow YHVH’s ways, the few chosen from among the many who are called (Matt 22:14). The climax of the story takes place in the springtime during the barley harvest, the time of Pesach. Boaz not only followed Torah (Lev 23:22) by allowing Ruth, a poor foreigner, to glean from his fields, but he provided protection and advice for her, unlike the Levite did for his concubine. We are to welcome the “foreigners” to our faith who seek to know, love and serve YHVH. We are called to make disciples of them, providing advice, mentoring and protection, not bias and judgment. Ruth wholeheartedly sought to serve YHVH and her new family. She was willing to follow the advice of both Naomi and Boaz. We have much to learn from each other. Are we proud and obstinate or humble and yielding? Boaz followed the commandments of YHVH in offering to the kinsman redeemer first in line the opportunity to do his duty. When the first kinsman redeemer refused, Boaz assumed his assigned duty. Ruth and Boaz were harvesting barley; we are to harvest souls. (John 4:35-36). While bloodlines are important and respected by YHVH, they are no guarantee for eternity. Neither is the fact that we claim to accept Yeshua as our Savior. The litmus test for all of us is faithfulness to YHVH and His Torah.

The prevailing excuse given in Judges is that Israel had no king. Actually, they did have a King who is Spirit, but they failed to recognize Him. He later came to earth as a human and many still failed to recognize Him. Our King, who is both YHVH and human resides in heaven, but also in our hearts. Do we recognize Him as King? Do we follow His commands?