Shabbat Shalom all,

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 17:19 “He who loves transgression loves strife, he who exalts his door seeks destruction.”

The Hebrew word used here for ‘transgression’ is פֶּשַׁע pesha – Strong’s H6588 which means, ‘rebellion, breach of trust’, and speaks of one’s outright breach of trust and rebellion to walking in the Truth! The Hebrew word translated as ‘strife’ is the noun מַצָּה matstsah – Strong’s H4683 which means, ‘strife, contention, debate’, and comes from the root verb נָצָה natsah – Strong’s H5327 which means, ‘to struggle contend, fight’.

Those who rebel against walking in the truth love to fight and debate away their need for any obedience to the Torah; and we know that under the corrupt reign of Yaroḇ’am, Yisra’ĕl had gone further and further away from obedience to the Torah. They had become immoral, were riddled with idolatry, and injustice prevailed as the poor and righteous among them were traded for the love of money and enslaved; as the wicked grew in power, ruling with wickedness and corruption. The moral values and instructions of Torah had been forsaken and immorality reigned as father and son shared women, and they forsook the Torah by taking garments in pledge and lying on them by every alter – outright abominations in the face of יהוה. These were the transgressions that a rebellious people loved to do – transgressions that יהוה would not turn back His fire for, as we are told in Amos 2:6-8!

Amos, a shepherd from Teqowa, was sent to speak out against these terrible transgression that the people loved, and in Amos 5:12 we are once again given a clear reference to the transgressions of a rebellious Yisra’ĕl, as they were afflicting the righteous and accepting bribes, and turning aside the poor at the gate.

Pretty much sounds a lot like society at large today – immoral, corrupt, blasphemers, showing no justice or any standards of righteousness, and showing no true care or regard for the poor. Those who love to breach the commands of Elohim, by declaring that there is no longer a need to guard His Torah, are making it clear that they are exalting their own ways above the ways of Elohim – and this is the broad way that leads to destruction! He who exalts his door seeks destruction!

The Hebrew word translated as ‘destruction’ is שֵׁבֶר sheḇer – Strong’s H7667 which means, ‘a breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, smashing’ and comes from the root word שָׁבַר  shaḇar – Strong’s H7665 which means, ‘break in pieces, crush, shatter’. Sadly, what the arrogant and proud resisters of walking in the Torah of Elohim do not realise is that they are going to be crushed and shattered, instead of being built up and established! The root verb for ‘seek’ is בָּקַשׁ  baqash – Strong’s H1245 which means, ‘to seek, aim, search, look, inquire’, and it is written in the ‘piel’ form which expresses an intensive or intentional action and could therefore be expressed as, ‘seek earnestly or seek the face, seek to find, demand, desire, ask’, and this kind of ‘seeking’ is an intense seeking with a purpose! So the wrong are earnestly seeking destruction instead of earnestly seeking יהוה! Why? Well it comes down to the door that they are exalting! The word for ‘door’ is the word פֶּתַח pethaḥ – Strong’s H6607 meaning, ‘opening, doorway, entrance’, and speaks of the place of coming in and going out and that under which you abide and follow. Why I am mentioning this is to show how so many are exalting the wrong door, and because of that they are seeking destruction! The Hebrew word that I want us to consider a little more closely here tonight is the word that is translated here as ‘exalts’, which is the Hebrew גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361 which means, ‘to be high, exalted, pride, build high, haughty’. In a message tonight called, ‘EXALTING THE RIGHT DOOR – a caution against pride!’, I want us to be reminded to be continually exalting our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, who is THE DOOR! Yoḥanan/John 10 speaks about the Shepherd who enters through the door and how His own hear His voice and follow Him! יהושע Messiah then continues and declares very plainly that He is the Shepherd – the Shepherd who has entered through the Door,  and when using this figure of speech they did not understand what He was saying to them, so He made it clear that He is The Door of the sheep and in verse 9 He says:

Yoḥanan/John 10:9 “I am the door. Whoever enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and find pasture.”

As we understand the Hebraic concept of the door giving reference to ‘The Door of the Tent of Appointment’, we are able to understand that יהושע Messiah was making it plain that He is the One who fulfils the Appointed Times, and is the One who established and appointed the Appointed Times. He is not only the One who enters in through the Door (that is to fulfil the requirements of the Feasts of יהוה, so that we can enter in), but that He is the One Creator and Elohim who ‘appointed’ the Feasts, in order to provide for us a way to enter in and have shalom.

This reference to going in and out and finding pasture, is a reference to the blessing of walking in the Torah as found in:

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 28:6 “Blessed are you when you come in, and blessed are you when you go out.”

In the clear call given to Yisra’ĕl to earnestly seek יהוה, with the promise that if they did so that He would be found by them, we see that it was given to a people who for far too long had been without the True Elohim, and without a Torah priest and without Torah, and in their distress they turned to יהוה, and sought Him and was found by them, as written for us in:

Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 15:2-4 “And he went out to face Asa, and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Yehuḏah and Binyamin. יהוה is with you while you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He is found by you, but if you forsake Him, He forsakes you. 3 “And for many days Yisra’ĕl has been without the true Elohim, and without a Torah priest, and without Torah. 4 “But in their distress they turned to יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, and they sought Him, and He was found by them.”

Now I just want to make it clear that יהוה is by no means lost in any way – it is us who, through sin and lawlessness, go astray and get lost; and so we earnestly seek Him while He is to be found, as we seek to please Him and walk in His Truth.

In the next 2 verses we are told:

Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 15:5-6 “And in those days there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, for great disturbances were on all the inhabitants of the lands, 6 and they were beaten down, nation by nation, and city by city, for Elohim troubled them with every distress.”

What we can clearly see from this is that with no Torah priest, no Torah and without the True Elohim, Yisra’ĕl could not have the blessing of going in and out with peace! And this is what יהושע Messiah was declaring to a lost people – that He is the True Elohim, He is not only a Torah priest but He is the High Priest and He is, in essence, The Torah in the flesh; and now those who would seek Him while He is to be found, enter in through Him, by obeying His Torah, would be saved and have the blessing of coming in and going out, finding pasture and complete provision and sustenance in Him!

יהושע Messiah is the Door that was exalted and the One whom we are to exalt!

The Greek word often used in the LXX (Septuagint) for the Hebrew word גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361 is ὑψόω hupsoō – Strong’s G5312 which means, ‘to lift up, exalt, raise up, uplift, made or make great’, and is used in:

Yoḥanan/John 3:14-15 “And as Mosheh lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of Aḏam has to be lifted up, 15 so that whoever is believing in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life.”

Messiah – The Door – was lifted up and Messiah said in Yoḥanan/John 12:32 that if He was to be lifted up from the earth that He would draw all men unto Himself – for He – The Door – is the only Way to Everlasting Life!

To exalt one’s own door is a metaphor for seeking one’s own way or one’s own means of access, and the Hebrew word גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361 can also give reference to one being proud and lifting themselves up, instead of humbling themselves in complete submission to the Torah of Elohim!

יהושע Messiah tells us in:

Mattithyahu/Matthew 23:12 “And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Refusal to submit to seeking יהוה and guarding to keep His Torah is an act of pride, for the proud presume to have another way or means of entrance; yet we take careful note of how important the Appointed Times/Feasts of יהוה are, and how they are extremely important for us to guard, as we humbly come to the Door of Appointment and guard His feasts with joy – including the weekly Sabbath too, as clearly described for us in Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23!

Anyone who has, through the misguided teachings, traditions and theologies of man, turned away from keeping the Feasts and Sabbaths of יהוה, and have exalted another door, such as the improper and profane door of ‘sun-day’ worship and the adherence to the keeping of false, pagan rooted feasts, do so to their own destruction, for the door they seek is not the right door! Anyone who claims that the Feasts of Wayyiqra/Leviticus 23 are of no importance and do not be guarded and observed as commanded, is being proud and boastful against the Truth, as they bring down the right door and exalt another!

The duty of man is to walk humbly before Elohim, and the way to do this is to come to the Door as we should:

Miḵah/Micah 6:8 “He has declared to you, O man, what is good. And what does יהוה require of you but to do right, and to love loving-commitment, and to walk humbly with your Elohim?”

The root word used here for humble is צָנַע tsana – Strong’s H6800 meaning, ‘to be modest or humble’, and is expressed as follows: וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת ‘ve-ha-ts’nea lechet’ which literally expresses ‘a making humble to walk’ or ‘showing a humble walk’, again emphasising that our humility is seen in our walk – that is our walk of obedience as we clearly see and understand the words in:

Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 2:6 “The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.”

The Greek word for ‘walk’ is περιπατέω peripateō – Strong’s H4043 and carries the same meaning, and that is, ‘to walk, behaviour, to conduct one’s self, to make one’s way, to tread with the feet, to make one’s life’.  Why all the definitions? To clearly reiterate that to walk as Messiah walked involves action, and that action is to be in complete line with His walk –  and that is a walk of total obedience – as we come to The Door and follow our Shepherd’s voice by obeying His Torah – for this is the greatest expression of humility! To choose to walk any other way is to exalt one’s own door, or the door of another, while bringing down the True Door!

Mishlĕ/Proverbs 18:12 “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before esteem is humility.”

The Hebrew word translated here as ‘humility’ is עֲנָוָה anavah – Strong’s H6038 and means, ‘humility, gentleness’, and comes from the root word עָנָה anah – Strong’s H6031 which means, ‘to be bowed down, afflicted, humbled’. This carries the understanding of being ‘grounded’ as well as the ability to ‘pay close attention’ and open one’s ears to hear! It carries the concept of denying oneself and submitting to Elohim as you understand, and are aware of, one’s status before an Almighty Elohim who has appointed for us His Door of Appointment!

Ya’aqob tells us clearly in:

Ya’aqob/James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Master, and He shall lift you up.”

The one who is truly humble subjects himself to Elohim and Ya’aqob also tells us in Ya’aqob/James 4:6 that Elohim resist the proud and gives favour to the humble! As I have mentioned previously on a  number of occasions, favour (grace) is only extended by יהוה on the basis of His Covenants of Promise – and anyone who does not walk in or stay in His Covenants of Promise that they have been grafted into by the Blood of Messiah, by guarding to do what has been commanded, are not extended the favour of Elohim! (for more on this please see article – UNDERSTANDING GALATIANS).

Walking in humility is expressed clearly as one fixes their eyes on the Truth and walks in it, not looking to one’s own ways, nor leaning on one’s own understanding!

In Deḇarim we are told that when Yisra’ĕl would ask for a sovereign, that they were to set a sovereign whom יהוה would choose and clear instructions are given as to how a sovereign should live, as we read in:

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 17:18-20 “And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his reign, that he shall write for himself a copy of this Torah in a book, from the one before the priests, the Lěwites. 19 “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he learns to fear יהוה his Elohim and guard all the Words of this Torah and these laws, to do them, 20 so that his heart is not lifted up above his brothers, and so as not to turn aside from the command, right or left, so that he prolongs his days in his reign, he and his children, in the midst of Yisra’ĕl.”

What we as a royal priesthood, who are the body of our Master and King, can learn from this is very clear – and that is, that the reading of the Torah all the days of our life will teach us to fear יהוה and to guard His Torah, so that our hearts are not lifted up above another’s, and will teach us to not turn away from obedient servanthood!

 

We have many kings that we can learn from, kings who did not do as commanded here, as well as  kings who did. And to begin with I want us to look at the beginning of the reign of Yehoshaphat, the son of Asa. Yehoshaphat was considered one of the ‘good kings’ of Yehuḏah, although he had a weakness when it came to making wrong partnerships and ended up paying the price. His sons were killed by his first born who had married into Aḥaḇ; and he put his army at risk; and suffered great financial loss by making wrong business decisions! Unequal yoking will cost you, and instead of falling into compromise by joining ourselves to that which only renders the fruitless works of darkness, we must reprove them

Eph’siyim/Ephesians 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

As we look at the beginning of his reign as recorded in Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 17 we are told in verse3-4 that יהוה was with Yehoshaphat, for he walked in the ways of Dawiḏ, and did not seek the Ba’als, but sought Elohim and walked in the commands, and not according to the deeds of Yisra’ĕl!

His obedience to the commands caused יהוה to establish the reign in his hand – that is the Reign of the Kingdom of Elohim could be firmly established is the hand of the king who had humbly submitted to the Torah of Elohim!

 יְהוֹשָׁפָט Yehoshaphat – Strong’s H3092 means, ‘יהוה has judged’; and we can certainly see in the reign of Yehoshaphat, which spans over 4 chapters, that  יהוה is a ‘just’ and righteous Elohim who judges His people in righteousness and truth. As a result of disobedience by Yehoshaphat a door was opened for the enemy to bring an attack against Yehuḏah; and in faith, as Yehoshaphat and the nation called upon יהוה, יהוה responded and remained faithful to His Word of promise given to Shelomoh. For when Shelomoh issued a plea to יהוה in Diḇre haYamim Bet/2 Chronicles 6:28-30, יהוה responded and agreed to his request in Diḇre haYamim Bet/2 Chronicles 7:13-15, saying that if His people, who are called by His Name would humble themselves and call out and seek His face and turn from their sin then He would hear them, forgive them and deliver them; which is, in a nutshell, what happened here in the accounts of Yehoshaphat.

So while Yehoshaphat had a couple of bumps along the way, so to speak, I wanted to simply highlight the beginning of his reign, and what we can learn from it.

We see the use of this word we have been talking about tonight – גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361 in:

Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 17:6 “And his heart was exalted in the ways of יהוה, and he again removed the high places and the Ashĕrim from Yehuḏah.”

Here this word is used in a positive sense, when telling us about the heart of Yehoshaphat being exalted! His heart was exalted in the ways of יהוה, and not in his own ways. I want us to look at this word as pictured in the ancient pictographic text.

This root word  גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361 in the ancient text looks like this:

Gimel – גָּ:

This is the letter ‘gimel’, which in the ancient script in pictured as –  –which is ‘a foot’  and carries the meaning to ‘walk, gather, carry’, as clearly referring to the functions of a foot; and it can also give the meaning of a gathering of people, and we know that ‘feet’ in Hebrew speaks of one’s walk and ability to keep the Feasts of יהוה, and represents one’s ‘walk!

Beyt – בַ:

The ancient script has this letter as , which pictures 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, and is the Dwelling Place of the Most High, which we are, as we are as living stones being built up in Messiah.

Hey – הּ:

The ancient script has this letter as  and is pictured as a man standing with his arms raised up and out as if pointing to something, and in essence carries the meaning of ‘behold’ as in when looking at something very great. It can also have the meaning to ‘breath’ or ‘sigh’ as when looking at a great sight and having your breath taken away so to speak! It also has the meaning of revelation or to reveal something by pointing it out.

As we consider these letters in the understanding of this word that expresses an exalting or lifting up, in relation to us lifting up our hearts to the ways of יהוה, and come to the True Door; we are able to see the clear reference to the guarding of the Feasts of יהוה, as our feet walk in His paths, and are built up as His Dwelling Place, and exalt the One to be praised –  יהושע Messiah – The Door!

This pictographic word also must warns us against the pride of walking contrary to the commands of Elohim by following ways that are taught in error through vain traditions and dogmas of man that lead to a false door of destruction!

Yehoshaphat’s ‘exalting’ of his heart was a positive exalting, as his heart was exalted in the ways of יהוה, and he removed the high places and Ashĕrim from Yehuḏah. As we continue to read on in this account we are able to see that with the reign firmly established in the hand of the one who exalted the ways of יהוה, it brought about a true restoration to the Truth, as Yehoshaphat sent out his leaders and priests to teach the Torah! This is a shadow picture of how Messiah has appointed some to teach the body and equip them to maturity! What is also well worth noting here in this passage is that in verse 10, we are told that the fear of יהוה fell on all the reigns of the lands that were around Yehuḏah, and they did not fight against Yehoshaphat!  Take note that the Book of the Torah was in the hands of these leaders and priests, who were teaching the nation! With the ‘Book of the Torah’ being in their hand, we must see that this is a clear reference to what was being taught! Today many will have ‘the Bible’ in their hand, or home etc, yet are not teaching or being taught what is contained therein, as they disregard the need to submit to hearing, guarding and doing the Torah of Elohim, by claiming that the ‘O.T. is no longer valid’. If this is the case why do they carry it in their hand? Ones hand in Hebrew is often a picture of what one does, and to have the Torah in one’s hand speaks of being one who guard the Torah and obeys the clear commands and instructions of Elohim. To have the Scriptures in one’s hand while refusing to do what the Torah teaches is simply a proud and boastful act of complete disobedience and lawlessness, which is sin, as they exalt their own door to destruction.

What we can learn from this is clear, and that is that when the Torah is being taught and observed, then the fear of יהוה will come upon those who are against us and we shall have rest in our True King! We are told in:

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 11:22-25 “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. 24 ‘Every place on which the sole of your foot treads is yours: from the wilderness, and Leḇanon, from the river, the River Euphrates, even to the Western Sea is your border. 25 ‘No man shall stand against you. יהוה your Elohim shall put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, as He has spoken to you.”

And again in:

Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 28:9-10 “יהוה does establish you as a set-apart people to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim and walk in His ways. 10 “And all peoples of the earth shall see that the Name of יהוה is called upon you, and they shall be afraid of you.”

Yehuḏah did not need to be in dread or fear of those who were around them – as long as יהוה was with them, then they would have peace! Clinging to Elohim and guarding His commands, to do it, and loving Him as we walk in all His ways, gives us the full assurance that He is with us, and Sha’ul clearly reminds us in:

Romiyim/Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to this? If Elohim is for us, who is against us?”

When the Torah is being taught, by an appointed priesthood, and it is being upheld by a people who meditate on it day and night, and are being steadfast in the need to guard to walk in the ways of יהוה without compromise, then we have the full assurance of His complete protection and provision, enabling us to be strong and courageous amidst perilous times!

While Yehoshaphat pictures for us a correct lifting up of one’s heart – which is to lift it up in the ways of יהוה, revealing that His Torah is in our hearts and mouths, to do it – we also realise that many are lifting up their hearts in their own ways and this is not good, as it leads to destruction!

In speaking of Uzziyahu we see in:

Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 26:16 “But when he became strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he trespassed against יהוה his Elohim by entering the Hĕḵal of יהוה to burn incense on the altar of incense.”

Here the word גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361 is translated as ‘lifted up’.

Uzziyahu – עֻזִּיָּהוּ –Strong’s H5818 means ‘my strength is Yah’ or ‘Yah is my strength’ and his mother’s name was יְכָלְיָה Yeḵolyah – Strong’s H3203 and means ‘Yah is able’. Uzziyahu is also referred to in Melaḵim/Kings as עֲזַרְיָהוּ Azaryahu – Strong’s H5838 meaning, ‘Yah has helped’.

So coming from a line of people whose names carried great significance in declaring that יהוה is their strength and mighty to help, Uzziyahu started out in a great way in serving יהוה in the right way. We are told that he was a king who ‘sought’ יהוה, and had great guidance from Zeḵaryahu the prophet, and as long as he sought יהוה, Elohim made him prosper! And what started out as a very humble walk with יהוה, in recognising that he could do nothing without יהוה, he became very powerful and was greatly strengthened through the help of יהוה, to the point where he looked to his strength as opposed to יהוה. Instead of holding on to humility he let go and became full of pride and proceeded to trespass against יהוה by simply not adhering to the Torah which he would have, for so long, sought with his all! He took all the success to his head and forgot that it was because יהוה helped him and he became so proud that he simply began to ignore the instructions of יהוה!

The one who had been strengthened in יהוה, had now stopped exalting his heart to the ways of יהוה, but lifted up his heart to his destruction, for he did things his own way thinking he could do as he pleased. Uzziyahu allowed pride to settle in and he became leprous until his death!

Another example of a king whose heart was lifted up is seen in:

Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 32:25 “However, Ḥizqiyahu did not repay according to the good done to him, for his heart was lifted up, therefore wrath came upon him and upon Yehuḏah and Yerushalayim.”

Ḥizqiyahu became sick and near death, and he prayed to יהוה, and יהוה spoke to him through Yeshayahu and he was given a sign, for his extra 15 years that he would be given, yet his heart was lifted up, causing wrath to come on the him and the nation! Ḥizqiyahu did what Uzziyahu didn’t – he humbled himself as we see in the next verse:

Diḇre haYamim Bět/2 Chronicles 32:26 “Then Ḥizqiyahu humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so that the wrath of יהוה did not come upon them in the days of Ḥizqiyahu.”

Holding on to humility is critical in our walk of faith and what we must clearly understand is that humility is not a carrying of a low estimation of one’s self, nor is it the thinking that one is insignificant. In fact truly humble people are often the most assertive people on the planet – you just have to look no further than Mosheh who was very humble, more than all the men who were on the face of the earth (Bemidbar/Numbers 12:3) – and he was certainly no pushover!!!

Humility refers to a knowledge, recognition and acceptance that we are lower than Elohim; and therefore our humility is best expressed by a state of voluntarily submitting to His will. In fact humility will always be measured by our belief and submission to יהוה’s good and well-pleasing and perfect desire which we can do only when we renew our minds daily through His Perfect Word and not be conformed to this world (Romiyim/Romans 12:2), and our clearest indicator of true humility is in our obedience to Elohim. The truly humble person lovingly, willingly and honestly obeys יהוה; unlike the Pharisees who make an outward show of seeming obedience yet clearly omit the importance of the Torah!

Dawiḏ, in a song of degrees sings to יהוה:

Tehillim/Psalm 131:1 “O יהוה, my heart has not been proud, nor have my eyes been haughty. Neither have I concerned myself with great matters, nor with those too wondrous for me.”

The Hebrew word used here for ‘proud’ is the word גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361. He was recognising that his trust was in יהוה alone, and calls for Yisra’ĕl to wait on יהוה, now and forever!

He also says in a Psalm that he sung on the day he was delivered for Sha’ul:

Tehillim/Psalm 18:21-22 “For I have guarded the ways of יהוה, and have not acted wrongly against my Elohim. 22 For all His right-rulings are before me, and I did not turn from His laws.”

He also make it very clear in:

Tehillim/Psalm 119:1 “Blessed are the perfect in the way, who walk in the Torah of יהוה!”

 As we consider and recognise who our Great Shepherd is – The Door – יהושע Messiah – let us make sure that we continue to be a people who are ‘EXALTING THE RIGHT DOOR!’ and hear the clear caution against pride!’

 

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 13:15 “Listen and give ear, do not be proud, for יהוה has spoken.”

Do not let your heart be exalted to walking in your own ways – let your heart be exalted in the ways of יהוה – for His Torah is to be upon your heart – let it be seen in your walk, as you are found to be EXALTING THE RIGHT DOOR!

As we close, let me ask you, “how is your heart?” Is it being lifted up in pride and stubbornness, as you allow subtle compromise to become an acceptable norm, or is your heart exalted in the ways of יהוה, so much so that you are joyfully meditating upon His Torah day and night, and running in His commands?

I want to close with the words of Ya’aqoḇ:

Ya’aqob/James 3:13-18 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good behaviour his works in meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast against and lie against the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but it is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and self-seeking are, there is confusion and every foul deed. 17 But the wisdom from above is first clean, then peaceable, gentle, ready to obey, filled with compassion and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousnesses sown in peace by those who make peace.”

While we can see the clear message of exalting Messiah as we should, when looking at the word גָּבַהּ gaḇahh – Strong’s H1361 in the ancient pictographic text, we are also able to see that when pride sets in that this word can also be a warning against walking in your own ways and exalting your heart against the need to submit to our Good Shepherd and Elohim and guarding His Torah!

 

Are you EXALTING THE RIGHT DOOR!

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show you favour; יהוה lift up His face to you and give you Shalom!