12th of the 6th month 2018/2019
Shalom All,
Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 6:14-18 “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 And what agreement has Messiah with Beliya‛al? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 And what union has the Dwelling Place of Elohim with idols? For you are a Dwelling Place of the living Elohim, as Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among them, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה , and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you. 18 “And I shall be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה the Almighty.”
While this passage may be very familiar to many, I often wonder how many of those who are familiar with these words of Sha’ul are actually taking heed of what was being called for here in this letter to the assembly in Corinth and realise just how alive these words are for us today! The very clear call being given is simply this:
COME OUT AND BE SEPARATE!
As simple and clear as this is, it is a sad reality that we do not see people responding as they should; and when we all look into the mirror of the Word, we need to ask ourselves if we have responded to this clear call and command being given!
In these words of Sha’ul we are able to clearly recognise his referencing the same clear call being given to Yisra’ěl from the Tanak, as we take note of as follows:
“Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you.”
These words would be a clear reminder of the call given in:
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 52:11 “Turn aside! Turn aside! Come out from there, touch not the unclean. Come out of her midst, be clean, you who bear the vessels of יהוה.”
As we consider these very striking words we need to have ears to hear and the courageous belief to obey and not find ourselves caught up in a corrupted and poisonous web of mixing that will cause one to be destroyed by a delusion of lawlessness. In Sha’ul’s letter to the believers in Corinth he was compelling them to take this call to come out and be separate seriously, by highlighting that true believers cannot be unevenly yoked with unbelievers, nor can they have any partnership with the lawless and that being called to walk in the light, believers should not have fellowship with darkness and must stay far away from idol worship.
To properly hear the call to ‘come out and be separate’ requires a bold and courageous strength and commitment, that is held fast to with great courage in the Master, and this involves a zealous and determined belief that does not waver when circumstances are not necessarily favourable, nor cause one to shrink back when the heat of trials or the pressures of life is turned up!!!
Being separated involves a ‘coming out’ from among that which is foreign and contrary to the set-apart way that the Torah of Elohim instructs a set-apart Bride to walk in! It is the ability to properly separate oneself from that which is common and that which profanes!
The Greek word that is translated as ‘come out’ is ἐξέρχομαι exerchomai – Strong’s G1831 which means, ‘depart, come out from, go forth’, and is the same word that is used in:
Ḥazon/Revelation 18:4 “And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”
The Greek word that is translated as ‘separate’ is ἀφορίζω aphorizō – Strong’s G873 which means, ‘to mark off by boundaries, ostracise, separate, set-apart’ and this word comes from the two words: 1 – ἀπό apo – Strong’s G575 which is a preposition and primitive particle, meaning, ‘from, away from, against’ and 2 – ὁρίζω horizon – Strong’s G3724 which means, ‘predetermined, fixed, appointed, to mark off by boundaries’.
What is abundantly clear, all throughout Scripture, is that we are ‘called to come out and be separate’. If we do not heed this ‘call to come out and be separate’ then we may just find ourselves among those whom the Messengers of יהוה will ‘separate’ from the congregation!
Mattithyahu/Matthew 13:49-50 “Thus shall it be at the end of the age: the messengers shall come forth, and separate the wicked out of the midst of the righteous, 50 and shall throw them into the furnace of fire – there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
The choice is not a difficult one and in fact is a very clear choice: separate yourself from all foreign worship and its associated practices and separate yourself from all that profanes set-apartness or you will be separated for destruction and thrown into outer darkness!
Mattithyahu/Matthew 25:30 “And throw the worthless servant out into the outer darkness – there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
In Yeshayahu/Isaiah 52:11 the Hebrew phrase that is translated as ‘Turn aside! Turn aside!’ is written as follows: ס֤וּרוּ ס֙וּרוּ֙ – suru suru – and comes from the primitive root verb סוּר sur – Strong’s H5493 which means, ‘turn, turn aside, depart from a way, avoid, be removed from, put away’. With this being written twice in a row, it carries an intensity and urgency in the call to hear what is being commanded!
This Hebrew root word סוּר sur – Strong’s H5493 is used in Scripture in reference to ‘putting away’ that which we should not be associated with and ‘to put away’ or ‘turn aside’ would be ‘to turn aside from’ and ‘come out of’ that which is foreign to the Covenants of Promise.
There are many today who are looking from the side lines, so to speak, and in doing so they are like spectators who may like the view, yet are unwilling to ‘turn aside’ from the way in which they have been walking, based on the inherited traditions and dogmas of man! In their stubbornness and refusal to hear, guard and do the Word, yet desire all the blessings of the Word, they will use various excuses such as, “I will get there but…” or “I will eventually, I first must…” These, and many more like these, are just excuses to not fully come out and be separate as they actually find themselves comfortable with living in a mixed state, thinking that they can have what they deem as the best of both and not recognise the damaging nature of mixing with darkness and idolatry, while assuming that they are fine!
Turing aside and coming out requires a diligent response to clean up one’s life and get rid of all forms of defilement… and then keep clean and separated from that which defiles!
Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 7:1 “Having, then, these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting set-apartness in the fear of Elohim.”
The Greek word that is translated here as “cleanse” is καθαρίζω katharizō – Strong’s G2511 from which we get the term “catharsis” which is a cleaning-out.
The Greek word that is translated here as ‘defilement’ is μολυσμός molusmos – Strong’s G3436 meaning, ‘defilement, filthiness, an action by which anything is defiled and rendered unclean and unfit’ and comes from the word μολύνω molunō – Strong’s G3435 meaning, ‘to stain, defile, soiled’.
We are to keep our garments from being stained or soiled by sin and compromise and cleanse ourselves in the Blood of Messiah and obey His Word! Cleansing oneself from all defilement of the flesh entails a proper coming out of that which is not of us and separating ourselves from the things that can cause us to be filthy! We are not to cleanse ourselves from just some of the defilement of the flesh but from ALL!
So many refuse to accept, or simply ignore, the urgency of coming out and being separate and as a result they so quickly compromise the clear set-apartness that is to be pursued, simply because they do not ‘come out’ properly, as they continue to mix their ways with the twisted practices that present a form of reverence yet lacks proper power, proving by their compromised actions that they are actually lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim!!
We are warned against such people as Sha’ul teaches us to turn away from these!
Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days hard times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, thankless, wrong-doers, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, haters of good, 4 betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim, 5 having a form of reverence but denying its power. And turn away from these!”
There is no way to ‘sugar-coat’ the clear danger of not coming out and being separated unto Elohim and rightly so for those who turn their ears from this call, and refuse to be set-apart, are heading for destruction and the punishment of the ‘second’ death.
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘come out’ twice in Yeshayahu/Isiah 52:11 is צְא֣וּ – tse’u which comes from the root word יָצָא yatsa – Strong’s H3318 meaning, ‘to go or come out, brought, came, go forth, depart, go forward, proceed’ and highlights the clear concept of going with a purpose!
When this call to ‘come out from there’ and ‘come out from her’ is given, it is done with a clear purpose of coming out from the defilement of idolatry and corrupt mixing and the pursuit of set-apartness!
The Hebrew root word that is translated here as ‘touch’ is נָגַע naga – Strong’s H5060 which means, ‘to touch, strike, reach, cause to touch, join’; and the Greek word used in the LXX (Septuagint) is ἅπτομαι haptomai – Strong’s G680 which means, ‘touch, fasten oneself to, cling’ and is used to describe the practice of having no fellowship with pagan practices, as we see the clear command given in:
Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 6:17 “Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you.”
The Greek word translated as ‘not’ is μή mē – Strong’s G3361 which is a primary participle of a qualified negation, meaning, ‘not, know, neither, none’
We see Sha’ul warning the believers in Colossae with this too:
Qolasim/Colossians 2:20-22 “If, then, you died with Messiah from the elementary matters of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to dogmas: 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle” – 22 which are all to perish with use – according to the commands and teachings of men?”
In these words, we see Sha’ul saying not to touch, taste or handle that which is of the world and has been the construct of dogmas that have been enforced through traditions which are developed according to the command and teachings of men!
The reason that I am highlighting these words and its uses in various verses is to simply point out the wonderful work that our Master and Redeemer has done for us, as He was stricken for our transgressions, cleansing us from that which defiles and now, we are to makes sure we do not touch that which does not pertain to complete set-apartness!
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:18 “We know that everyone having been born of Elohim does not sin, but the one having been born of Elohim guards himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”
So many people may claim to be ‘saved’, so to speak, yet they continue to submit to dogmas of man-made traditions that have set aside the Torah of Elohim and enforced a form of reverence that lacks the proper power or empowerment of the Set-Apart Spirit!
Coming out and not touching must go hand in hand if one wants to purse set-apartness and be set-apart!
Letting go of the false is critical in being able to properly come out; and this is where many stumble and fall backwards. We are to cling to the Truth as we cling to the Word of Elohim, having a firm grip on the Truth in order to faithfully guard to do all that Elohim has commanded us! In the Hebraic mind-set one’s hands is symbolic of what one does, or the works of one’s life and clinging to the Word of Elohim emphasises our need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only!!! If one touches that which they should have come out from then their hands, that is their works, are defiled and as a result their assumed set-apartness is defiled!
What are you holding on to? Are you clinging to Elohim or are your hands still filled with muddied works of disobedience and compromise?
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 10:20 “Fear יהוה your Elohim. Serve Him, and cling to Him, and swear by His Name.”
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 11:22-23 “For if you diligently guard all these commands which I command you, to do it, to love יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways, and to cling to Him, 23 then יהוה shall drive out all these nations before you, and you shall dispossess greater and stronger nations than you.”
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 13:4 “Walk after יהוה your Elohim and fear Him, and guard His commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him.”
If we are not clinging to Him then our hands are not doing what is required and as a result we may find that are hands get bound to the futility of lawlessness and false traditions that defile!
The Hebrew word used here for ‘cling’ is דָּבַק daḇaq – Strong’s H1692 which means, ‘to cling, cleave, keep close, closely pursued, fasten its grip, joined, remained steadfast’. Clinging to יהוה expresses our total reliance upon Him – which is very opposite to independence that the world teaches and promotes! We are to be dependent upon יהוה, and we can be, as we know that He fights for us and His Word does not fail!
The Greek word that is used in the LXX (Septuagint – Greek translation of the Tanak – O.T.) for ‘cling’ is κολλάω kollaō – Strong’s G2853 which means, ‘to unite, associate, cling, join’, and comes from the word κόλλα kola which is the Greek word for ‘glue’, giving us a very clear understanding of what is being instructed here!
This root word κολλάω kollaō – Strong’s G2853 is used in:
Romiyim/Romans 12:9 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Shrink from what is wicked, cling to what is good.”
We are to be ‘glued’ to what is good, and be so stuck to what is good that we will not be able to let it go! When we understand this as giving reference to that with which you associate or join yourself to, we are reminded that we must not be joined to that which is wicked as we can be reminded of what happened to those who were ‘joined to Ba’al Peor’:
Bemiḏbar/Numbers 25:5 “And Mosheh said to the judges of Yisra’ĕl, “Each one of you slay his men who were joined to Baʽal Peʽor.”
Yisra’ĕl began to whore with the daughters of Mo’aḇ who enticed them to slaughter to and bow down to their false mighty ones, and the displeasure of יהוה burned. The leaders were hung before יהוה and the judges were told to go and kill anyone who were joined to Ba’al Peʽor!
It was straight after this that one of the Yisra’ĕlite men brought a Miḏyanite woman into the camp and took her to his tent. Pineḥas then stood up and took a spear in his hand and thrust both of them through and the plague that had come into the camp was stopped!
Why I am mentioning this is to highlight the need for us to cling to what is good and shrink from what is wicked and not the other way around!
Who or what do you associate with?
Who we interact with can have a huge impact and influence on our lives. While many may associate with various people in the work place and have dealings with various clients, I am not talking about that kind of association. What I am talking about is who or what do you get personally or intimately associated with?
Who are you closest friends?
What we must remember is that bad company corrupts good character, and if you find that you are closely associating with people who do not hold fast to the commands of Elohim, you are in severe danger of having the good character of Elohim in you being corrupted! When this happens, we tend to find that compromise has a way of creeping in to a person’s life in order to accommodate those to whom they are associating closely with, which can cause one, who was accustomed to clinging to what is good, to lose their grip, as the ‘glue of set-apartness’ begins to be ripped off, bit by bit.
Some people who have found themselves in a place where they are doing their best at doing what is right, while trying to accommodate compromise at the same time, are in a very dangerous place of being led astray by deceptive ways, becoming blinded by sin and risk being thrown onto the same bed as the adulterous whore and be destroyed along with her!
Just as we are to cling to יהוה, we must at the same time be on our guard to not allow anything that is not from Him to cling to us:
Tehillah/Psalm 101:3 “I set no matter of Beliya’al before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it does not cleave to me.”
Clinging to יהוה is not just a stiff literal obedience; but it also involves and earnest seeking of His face in doing our utmost to know Him and therefore embrace His commands as that which separates us and identifies us as His. It is not a matter of “I have got to obey”, but rather it is a “I get the privilege to obey and show my love”
If one tries to do things their own ways then they are unable to cling to יהוה!
In the ancient pictographic alphabet, the word דָּבַק daḇaq – Strong’s H1692 which means, ‘to cling, cleave, keep close, closely pursued, fasten its grip, joined, remained steadfast’.is written as:
Dalet – דָּ:
In the ancient script this letter is pictured as , which is a ‘tent door’. It can also have the meaning of a back and forth movement, as one goes back and forth through a tent door and so speaks of an access point. It can also carry the meaning of ‘dangle’ or hanging as the tent door would hang from the roof pole of the tent. It speaks a great deal in terms of understanding the door of the tent of appointment as the only means of access. We also recognise that יהושע Messiah is The Door, and whoever enters through Him, shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and find pasture.
The commands are also commanded to be put on our doorposts as a continual reminder that we are to guard His commands, as we go out and come in, submitting under the authority of The Door, through which we have been given access to being built up as a spiritual House for Elohim.
Beyt – בַ:
In the ancient script this letter is pictured as , pictured as a ‘tent floor plan’, and means, ‘house’ or ‘tent’. It represents ‘family’ and the importance of those who are inside the tent as opposed to the tent structure itself. We, as living stones are built up in the Master, and are the Dwelling Place of Elohim.
Quph – ק:
In the ancient script this letter is pictured as , a ‘horizon’ and depicts the elements of ‘time’, as it pictures the sun in its rising and setting. It therefore carries the meaning of ‘circle’ or ‘to go around’, representing for us both, appointed cycles or times as well as eternity. This can very well picture for us ‘consistency’ in guarding the commands without compromise, as we do not neglect to adhere to the commands of the House!
These 3 pictographic letters can render for us:
THE DOOR OF THE HOUSE CONTINUALLY!
As we consider this word דָּבַק daḇaq – Strong’s H1692 which means, ‘to cling, cleave, keep close, stick to, follow closely, stay with, joined to, joined together’, in the ancient lettering, we can clearly recognise how we are to be steadfast in our complete commitment in guarding the rules of the House, so to speak, being faithful ‘doorkeepers’ that guard the commands of Elohim, who is The Door!!!
Another way of expressing this call to cling to what is good could best be given as:
HOLD FAST TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE MASTER!
If one done not come out and be separate then the ability to hold fast will be non-existent as compromise will cause one to lose whatever assumed grip they thought they may have had!
In teaching us that we are to be presenting our lives as a daily living offering, that is set-apart and well pleasing to Elohim, Sha’ul was making it very clear to us what reasonable worship is and what it is not, and in the process of being transformed by the renewing of our minds, we must be sober in our thinking and get rid of all selfishness. When we do this, we will realise how we are all uniquely different parts in the body of Messiah, and each has a unique function, yet we are all members of each other. For a body to function as it should, all parts should be functioning as they should. Therefore, as the Bride of our Master and Elohim, we can learn from these words of Sha’ul as he tells us to make sure that we let love be without hypocrisy!
The Greek word that is translated as ‘without hypocrisy’ in Romiyim/Romans 12:9 is ἀνυπόκριτος anupokritos – Strong’s G505 which means, ‘unhypocritical, without hypocrisy, unfeigned’, and therefore can render the understanding of being, ‘sincere, genuine’. Let love be without hypocrisy can also be understood as saying ‘let love be genuine’! This Greek word is a construct of two words:
1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 used as a negative prefix, and
2) ὑποκρίνομαι hupokrinomai – Strong’s G5271 which literally means, ‘to answer, reply, on a stage, pretend’. This is also made up from two words:
1) ὑπό hupo – Strong’s G5259 which means ‘under’ and further means ‘to be controlled by or in subjection to’; and
2) κρίνω krinō – Strong’s G2919 which means, ‘to judge, decide, conclude, determine’. One who is not without hypocrisy is a hypocrite which in the Greek is the word ὑποκριτής hupokritēs – Strong’s G5273 which means, ‘one who answers, pretender, actor, dissembler (one who hides under a false appearance)’; and a ‘hypocrite’ referred originally to “one who judged from under the cover of a mask” thus, assuming an identity and a character which he was not. This term was typically referred to the actors on the Greek stage – that is one who took the part of another, giving the appearance of a false identity in order to indulge the fantasies of the audience.
Understanding this we can therefore see that Sha’ul is clearly telling us to not put up false appearances and indulge the fantasies of others! There are many hypocrites in the faith today as they are indulging the fantasies of those to whom they think they need to impress or please or follow, and are no different to an actor who must learn lines have been scripted for them. Hypocrite believers do not necessarily think for themselves, but will rather immerse themselves in learning the lines of a false identity and in doing so assume that identity in every aspect, becoming unable to properly discern what is truth and what is fiction! In the appeal for the believers to not be conformed to this hypocritical world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of minds, he is making an urgent plea for true believers to stop being hypocrites that are merely putting on a show for others, but rather be sober in one’s thoughts and start meditating on the Truth and let go of the false traditions and teachings that have been held on to for so long, thinking that they gave one an identity! To do that, he tells us to shrink from what is wicked and cling to what is good!
This is very important to understand as many are unwilling to shrink from what is wicked, rendering their hands being too weak to cling to what is good!
The Greek word used for ‘shrink’ is ἀποστυγέω apostugeō – Strong’s G655 which literally means, ‘to abhor, hate, be totally against’, and by implication this means to make sure you have no part with that which is wicked!
If one is not shrinking from that which is wicked then it is clear that they have not come out and are not separating themselves, nor are they cleansing themselves from all defilement of the flesh!
COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!
To come out and be separate means that one must be clean, and as we see in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 52:11, the call to turn aside and come out comes with the clear command to not touch the unclean and the command to come out from ‘her’, which is a clear metaphor to come out from all whoring and ‘be clean’!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘be clean’ comes from the primitive root verb בָּרַר barar – Strong’s H1305 which means, ‘to purify, cleanse, select, choose, purge’.
Those who have turned to the Master and have been immersed in Him have been purged from all sin and lawlessness. By His spoken Word, given through Mosheh and revealed through His life, death and resurrection, we have been chosen in Him and have been purged of all our lawlessness and sin and are therefore called to stay clean and stay set-apart, so as to not fall back to defiling ways, because of not coming out and be separate as we should!!
This command to turn aside, come out and be clean, was given to ‘you who bear the vessels of יהוה’!
We are vessels that are being refined by our Master and we must do our utmost to live set-apart lives and allow His word to cleanse us from all dross that defiles.
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘vessels’ is כְּלִי keli – Strong’s H3627 which means, ‘article, utensil, vessel, armour, weapon, tool for labour’, which comes from the root verb כָּלָה kalah – Strong’s H3615 which means ‘finished, completed, come to an end or accomplished’ and is very similar to the root word כַּלָּה kallah – Strong’s H3618 which means ‘a bride’, which carries a wonderful picture for us of a bride prepared – a bride who has made herself ready and presents herself as one prepared, before Her Husband and Redeemer!
Sha’ul wrote to Timotiyos and encouraged him to do his utmost to present himself approved to Elohim, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth, and to keep away from that which defiles and he then uses the analogy of vessels and tells him the following:
Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 2:19-21 “However, the solid foundation of Elohim stands firm, having this seal, “יהוה knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the Name of Messiah turn away from unrighteous-ness.” 20 But in a large house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some unto value and some unto no value. 21 If, then, anyone cleanses himself from these matters, he shall be a vessel unto value, having been set apart, of good use to the Master, having been prepared for every good work.”
Anyone who cleanses himself from the dross of sin and lawlessness and rebellion will be a set-apart vessel unto value and of good use to the Master!
The Greek word used here for ‘vessels’ is from the root word σκεῦος skeuos – Strong’s G4632 which means, ‘vessel, implement, goods, article, jar’, and is used in:
Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 “For this is the desire of Elohim: your set-apartness! – that you should abstain from whoring, 4 that each one of you should know how to possess his own vessel in set-apartness and respect, 5 not in passion of lust, like the gentiles who do not know Elohim, 6 not to overstep and take advantage of his brother in this matter, because the Master is the revenger of all such, as we indeed said to you before and earnestly warned. 7 For Elohim did not call us to uncleanness, but in set-apartness.”
The Greek word used for ‘value’ in the expression ‘vessel unto value’ is τιμή time – Strong’s G5092 which means, ‘(to value, honour), a valuing, price, honour, honourable use, mark of respect’, and is used in:
Qorintiyim Aleph/1 Corinthians 6:20 “For you were bought with a price, therefore esteem Elohim in your body and in your spirit, which are of Elohim.”
We were bought with a price and therefore must reflect that in our daily lives as we are valuable vessels in our Master’s hand!
Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 4:7-10 “And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power might be of Elohim, and not of us – 8 being hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; being perplexed, but not in despair; 9 being persecuted, but not forsaken; being thrown down, but not destroyed; 10 always bearing about in the body the dying of the Master יהושע , that the life of יהושע might also be manifested in our body.”
Our Master has covered us with the pure silver of redemption, through His own blood, and purchased for us a redemption that we could not buy for ourselves! Our response to His purchasing us is that we make sure that we allow His Word to be that which cleanses us and teaches us how to flee the lusts of the flesh, doing our utmost in presenting ourselves approved to Elohim as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of Truth!
What I find very interesting, is that the Greek word used here for ‘treasure’ in Qorintiyim Bět/2 Corinthians 4:7 is θησαυρός thēsauros – Strong’s G2344 which means, ‘treasure, storehouse, magazine, repository’, and refers to, ‘the place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up’.
The English word ‘thesaurus’, in general use, is a reference work that lists words grouped together according to similarity of meaning (containing synonyms and sometimes antonyms). The main purpose of such reference works is to help the user “to find the word, or words, by which [an] idea may be most fitly and aptly expressed”.
Do you see what treasure we have been given – it is not just some random words, but the very living Words of our Master that He has put in us, in helping us ‘find’ the proper words and actions that can be most fitly applied to every situation!
He has put His thesaurus in us, so to speak!!! His Word is so powerful that it enables us to rightly divide and discern the Truth so that we can behave and live as true set-apart ones in complete righteousness, even whilst we are in exile, and are faithfully enduring, looking for the blessed expectation and esteemed appearance of our great Elohim and Saviour, יהושע Messiah!
His Good and established Word He has put in us, in order that we may be fit for every good work, as we stay in Him and exercise proper reverence! However, our Master makes it clear to us that you cannot put your hand to the plough, look back and think that you are fit enough! Our eyes must constantly be fixed on the Prince and Perfecter of our faith, not turning to the right or to the left but pressing on with great endurance as fit ones of the Most-High!
The heart of this message that I am giving here is clear:
COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!
Now, while this is obvious, I must make it clear that we all need to make sure that we look intently in to the Word of Elohim and not forget what we look like, but become doers of the Word, as we cling to our Master and serve Him in spirit and truth!
This call to come out and be separate needs to be made loud and clear… once again… for many are still clinging to false ways and are leading compromised lifestyles because of mixing falsehood with the Truth, even though they think that they are not! Many who have come to walk in the Torah, keeping the Sabbath and calling on the True Names, still may find themselves clinging to Rabbinic teachings and traditions, and in the process, they do not realise that they are joining themselves with works of darkness and teachings that deny that יהושע Messiah has come in the flesh! Many who have begun to walk in the Truth have not properly come out as they still hold fast to Christian traditions and theologies, and will not let go of false titles and false names and think that they can somehow mix the two and be ok!
I could certainly spend a great deal of time expanded on many passages of Scripture, in relation to this topic, yet what I simply am trying to do is make the call to come out and be separate a loud one!
It is time for mixing to stop…be it with the falsehood of old ways and teachings of Christianity or with the mystical luring of ancient Rabbinic sources that appear to be valid yet are false!
As I have already mentioned… if one cannot let go of the inherited lies of corrupted traditions of man, then the ability to cling to our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, will not be able to be done correctly!
As you hear the repeated call that is given to us in Scripture, how are you responding? As you hear the following, what do you hear and what do you do?
COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!
Are there any areas or workings in your life that you are finding it difficult to be separated from, in order to properly cling to יהוה with your all? Don’t let that which corrupts and compromises cause your attempt and pursuit of set-apartness cripple your ability to be properly clinging to our Master and Elohim!
COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!
Do not be like those who are becoming more wrong and more filthy, but rather be one who is being more righteous and more set-apart! And if you are asking how you can do this, then the answer is clear – dig into the Word, look intently into the mirror of the Word and meditate day and night on the Torah of Elohim, holding fast to the true and narrow way, clinging to Elohim with both hands, so that you become stronger and stronger, perfecting your set-apartness before the face of Elohim!
His day draws near, for He is speedily coming with His reward, to give each according to his work! How will you be found by Him?
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”
How is your path shining? Is your path shining brighter and brighter or has it become dull due to a decline in being diligent in hearing, guarding and doing the word of Elohim, as a result if compromise and mixing due to not having properly come out and be separate? Hear the clear call of our Master and respond in true belief!
It is time to:
COME OUT and BE SEPARATE!
יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face upon you and give you shalom!