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26th of the 10th month 2021/2022
Shalom all,
Tehillah/Psalm 32:2 “Blessed is the man to whom יהוה imputes no crookedness, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”
These words form part of a Psalm that has the title:
לְדָוִד מַשְׂכִּיל
le Dawiḏ maskiyl
‘of Dawiḏ, maskiyl’
Some translations have the title as:
‘a Psalm of Dawiḏ, maskiyl’
or,
‘A maskiyl of Dawiḏ’
I just want to remind you, that the name of דָּוִד Dawiḏ – Strong’s H1732 means, ‘beloved, beloved one’ and the Hebrew term – מַשְׂכִּיל maskiyl – Strong’s H4905 means, ‘a song or poem of contemplation’.
This Tehillah/Psalm can therefore be rendered as:
‘a poem or song of contemplation of the beloved’
We can certainly all identify with this Psalm, especially as we understand that this psalm, or poem of contemplation, is usually classified as a thanksgiving prayer, offered up by a man who has had his sins forgiven, as shown by the fact that יהוה had healed him.
The Merriam Webster’s collegiate dictionary defines the word ‘contemplation’ as:
‘the concentration on spiritual things as a form of private devotion’
as well as:
‘the act of considering with attention, the act of regarding steadily, study’
The reason that I am mentioning this, is to simply highlight how we are all able to contemplate what our Master has done for us, especially as we consider the blessing that is being declared in the opening two verses of this contemplative poem, as the first verse states:
Tehillah/Psalm 32:2 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
How often do you take time to contemplate on the redemptive work of our Master, Elohim and Saviour, יהושע Messiah?
Part of our contemplation on His redeeming work, should cause us to study the Word and seek to please our Master in every way, so that we can found to be doing our utmost at doing His desire, which is: our set-apartness, as we see Sha’ul’s first letter to the believers in Thessalonica:
Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 “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”
We must pursue set-apartness and not be like those who do not know Elohim!
How do we know that we know Elohim?
The answer is clearly given to us in:
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 2:4-5 “The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:2-4 “By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and guard His commands. 3 For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands, and His commands are not heavy, 4 because everyone having been born of Elohim overcomes the world. And this is the overcoming that has overcome the world: our belief.”
These words that we find in Yoḥanan Aleph/ 1 John are very clear and are actually very easy to understand, yet so many fail to recognise how simple it is!
To know Elohim is to guard His commands, for love for Elohim is to guard His commands.
We also know that the Master tells us that those who ‘work lawlessness’ will be told to depart from Him, for He never knew them, despite them thinking that they knew/know Him!
Mattithyahu/Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. 22 “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ 23 “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’”
Once again, these words may certainly sound very familiar to most of you and may be wondering why I am even mentioning these verses.
The simple reason is that while many may claim to know our Master and consider themselves cleansed from sin, they still continue to sin and compromise as they struggle to let go of the things of the flesh and end up doing what the world does, despite their confession of belief!
As Yoḥanan teaches us, it is through the proper guarding of the commands that true believers overcome, for true believers and taught ones of Messiah show their belief through the proper works of obedience in righteousness and do not render a vain lip service that bears no fruit of repentance from dead works!
There are many today who will claim that they have a strong belief in Elohim, yet their ‘works’ deny the Master as they do not ‘work righteousness’!
This is why Ya’aqoḇ made it clear in his letter that he would show his belief by what he does:
Ya’aqoḇ/James 2:18 “But someone might say, “You have belief, and I have works.” Show me your belief without your works, and I shall show you my belief by my works.”
He goes on to say that even the demons believe that Elohim is One and they shudder… yet it is only fools who ‘believe’ that they are ‘saved by grace’ and then refuse to submit to the Torah and guard the commands, revealing that they have no true fear of Elohim!
Our ‘works of belief’ do matter, despite what the false and twisted theologies of man claim, under a falsified presentation of what ‘grace/favour’ actually entails.
What we do does count, especially as we daily ‘count the cost’ of staying in Elohim and walking in the Truth!
Having said that, we must therefore recognise how important our set-apartness and the pursuit thereof actually is for us! It is therefore necessary to make sure that we put off the false and be dressed in righteousness and no longer conform to the pattern or the world but be transformed by the renewing our minds!
Coming back to the contemplative poem of Tehillah/Psalm 32, we often need to take time to truly consider the blessing of having our transgression forgiven and our sin covered and how blessed is the man in whom יהוה imputes no crookedness and in whose spirit is no deceit!
What struck me, while contemplating on this poem of Dawiḏ, was the blessing of having no deceit in one’s spirit and so, with a reasonably long introduction out of the way, what I would like to do, is take a closer look at this, in a message called:
NO DECEIT!
Before taking a look at the term ‘deceit’, I just want to highlight some of the words that we see being used in Tehillah/Psalm 32:1-2:
TRANSGRESSION:
The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘transgression’ comes from the root word 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!
While most of us, in fact all of us, were in complete breach of trust as we walked in rebellion by not guarding the Torah of Elohim, we are able to see that by His great love for us, our Master and Saviour has given us the ability to walk upright in Him and be covered in His Blood that cleanses us, as we walk in Him and stay in Him, which is to love Him as we guard His commands!!!
Blessed in the man whose rebellion and breach of trust has been forgiven! The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘forgiven’ is נְשׂוּי nesui which comes from the root verb נָשָׂא nasa – Strong’s H5375 which means ‘lift up, carry, take up, exalt, and accept’.
SIN:
The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘sin’ is חֲטָאָה ḥataah, which comes from the root word חָטָא ḥata – Strong’s H2398 which means, ‘to miss the mark, do wrong, incur guilt, fail to reach’, and when understanding that the root meaning of ‘Torah’ means ‘to aim or point in the right direction and move in that direction’, one can clearly see that to sin is to walk against, or walk contrary to, the Torah, for Yoḥanan makes it very clear for us, as seen in:
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 3:4 “Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”
When shooting an arrow or other object to a target, the distance that one misses is measured with a cord.
The wrong actions of one are also measured against the correct action!
The Torah is, in a manner of speaking, the ‘chord’ or ‘plumb-line’ that we are ‘measured against’; for we would not know what we have missed if there were no measuring line to guide and instruct us!
Sinners are those who walk contrary to the Torah and ‘miss the mark’, so to speak, of the called for set-apartness and obedience to the Torah.
The Hebrew root word that is translated here as ‘covered’ is כָּסָה kasa – Strong’s H3680 which means, ‘to cover, conceal, clothe, hide, forgive’.
CROOKEDNESS:
The Hebrew word that is translated here in Tehillah/Psalm 32:2 for ‘crookedness’ is עָוֹן avon – Strong’s H5771 which means, ‘iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity, blame, perversity, depravity’, which comes from the root verb עָוָה avah – Strong’s H5753 which means, ‘to twist, bend, distort, make crooked, pervert’.
Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 18:30 “Therefore I judge you, O house of Yisra’ĕl, every one according to his ways,” declares the Master יהוה. “Repent, and turn back from all your transgressions, and let not crookedness be a stumbling-block to you.”
This was a call to repent and not let crookedness be a stumbling block, showing us that the clear call was to guard loving-commitment and truth, in order that their crookedness could be pardoned!
It is a blessing when crookedness no longer becomes a stumbling block in one’s path!
By that I mean that it is truly a blessing to walk in the Truth and not have the stumbling blocks of twisted and perverse teachings of man that seek only to nullify the commands of Elohim!
In another Tehillah, we see the psalmist declaring the following:
Tehillah/Psalm 130:3-4 “O Yah, if You should watch crookednesses, O יהוה, who would stand? 4 But with You there is forgiveness, that You might be feared.”
It is a blessing to receive the forgiveness for our perverted crooked ways and therefore we must recognise how important it is to guard righteousness and have no crookedness imputed/reckoned to us!
Sha’ul understood this blessing being declared here in this contemplative poem, as he wrote the following in his letter to the believers in Rome:
Romiyim/Romans 4:7-8 “Blessed are those whose lawlessnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered, 8 blessed is the man to whom יהוה shall by no means reckon sin.”
Lawlessnesses forgiven, sins covered and no sin reckoned – what a blessing!!!
Our Master redeemed us from lawlessness, as Sha’ul writes, in:
Titos/Titus 2:11-14 “For the saving Gift of Elohim has appeared to all men, 12 instructing us to renounce wickedness and worldly lusts, and to live sensibly, righteously, and reverently in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed expectation and esteemed appearance of the great Elohim and our Saviour יהושע Messiah, 14 who gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people, His own possession, ardent for good works.”
We have been redeemed from ALL lawlessness and have been cleansed, so that we are now equipped and enabled to walk in the Torah, and no longer continue in lawlessness!!!
And this brings me to the word that I want us to take a closer look at:
DECEIT!
While we contemplate on the clear blessing of having no crookedness imputed to us, transgressions and sins forgiven and covered, we are reminded that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah!
Those who are ‘in’ Messiah יהושע, do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and in doing so, they guard the clear commands of Elohim and no longer walk as the nation’s walk!
To do this we need to make sure that there is no deceit in our spirit!
The Hebrew word for ‘deceit’ in Tehillah/Psalm 32:2 is רְמִיָּה remiyyah – Strong’s H7423 which means, ‘deceit, treachery, slothful, slack, idle’, which comes from the root verb רָמָה ramah – Strong’s H7411 which means, ‘to beguile, betray, deal treacherously with’.
This noun רְמִיָּה remiyyah – Strong’s H7423 can also mean, ‘deceit or treachery, as in the state or condition of causing something that is false to be believed as true (in both word and action) and so mislead many’.
The Hebrew word רְמִיָּה remiyyah – Strong’s H7423 is used in:
Tehillah/Psalm 101:7 “He who practises deceit does not dwell in my house; He who speaks lies does not stand in my presence.”
Practising deceit and speaking lies and falsehood will keep you out of the House of Elohim!!!
Deceit is clearly associated with lies and hypocrisy – and these are the very things that Elohim hates!
Qolasim/Colossians 3:9 “Do not lie to each other, since you have put off the old man with his practices”
As the days become darker, through the increase of lawlessness, deceit is increasingly highlighted, as we see many who are misled through the promotion of falsehood and lies of vain traditions of man that are taught and presented as truth!
We are to make sure that we do not have deceit on our lips or in our actions.
Once again we see the Hebrew word רְמִיָּה remiyyah – Strong’s H7423 being used by Iyoḇ, when he said the following, in:
Iyoḇ/Job 27:3-4 “as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of Eloah in my nostrils, 4 my lips do not speak unrighteousness, nor my tongue utter deceit.”
The clear promise of a clean lip being restored to the remnant is given to us in:
Tsephanyah/Zephaniah 3:13 “The remnant of Yisra’ĕl shall do no unrighteousness and speak no falsehood, nor is a tongue of deceit found in their mouth. For they shall feed their flocks and lie down, with none to frighten them.”
The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘deceit’ here is תַּרְמִית tarmiyth – Strong’s H8649 which means, ‘deceitfulness, deception, delusion’ and is also derived from the root verb רָמָה ramah – Strong’s H7411
This word תַּרְמִית tarmiyth – Strong’s H8649 is used 6 times in Scripture and I will highlight the other 5 verses where we see it being used:
Shophetim/Judges 9:31 “And he sent messengers to Aḇimeleḵ by deceit, saying, “See, Gaʽal son of Eḇeḏ and his brothers have come to Sheḵem. And see, they are besieging the city against you.”
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 8:5-8 “Why then has this people, Yerushalayim, turned away in a continual backsliding? They cling to deceit, they refuse to turn back. 6 “I have listened and heard – they do not speak right. No man has repented of his evil, saying, ‘What have I done?’ They all turned to their own course, like a horse rushing into battle. 7 “Even a stork in the heavens knows her appointed times. And a turtledove, and a swallow, and a thrush observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the right-ruling of יהוה. 8 “How do you say, ‘We are wise, and the Torah of יהוה is with us’? But look, the false pen of the scribe has worked falsehood.”
Here, we are able to get a very vivid picture of what we see happening today, as many are also clinging to deceit and refuse to turn back to walking in obedience to the Torah of Elohim, as the false pens of many scribes and translators have worked falsehood, deceiving many with a ‘lawless grace’!
The deceit that most are clinging to has caused them to not know the right-rulings of Elohim and in deceit they make the vain excuse, ‘but it has been done away with’!
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 14:14 “Then יהוה said to me, “The prophets prophesy falsehood in My Name. I have not sent them, nor commanded them, nor spoken to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own heart.”
Not only had the false pens of the scribe’s worked falsehood, the false prophets were prophesying falsehood in the Name of יהוה, which He had certainly not sent, spoken to or given command to.
They just simply prophesied false visions from the deceit of their own hearts!
This is exactly what we continue to see happening today as we see so many false prophesies and visions being given, when יהוה has not spoken to or through them at all! Many will use the Word of Elohim deceitfully, in order to push their false visions of an assumed peace and their false messages do not line up with the clear pattern of Scripture! Sadly, there are so many people that are being deceived, as they simply follow what they are told and are unable to rightly divide the truth and discern against deceit, for they do not know the right-rulings of Elohim, because the false prophets and false teachers and false shepherds that are wilfully listening to have muddied the waters and taught deceit, treachery and falsehood, through a dangerous tickling of the ear!
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 23:26-27 “Till when shall it be in the heart of the prophets? – the prophets of falsehood and prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My Name by their dreams which everyone relates to his neighbour, as their fathers forgot My Name for Baʽal.”
The deceit that is coming forth from the hearts of false prophets and false teachers, continues to cause people to forget the Name of יהוה for Ba’al!!!
The Hebrew word בַּעַל ba’al – Strong’s H1167 means, ‘owner, lord, master, land owner’, and at its root form it means, ‘to marry, rule over, husband’.
We also take note that the name בַּעַל Ba’al – Strong’s H1168, as it is used in this verse from Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 23:27, was the name of a Phoenician deity and as a name it can be rendered from the Hebrew into English as ‘The Lord’!!!
When understanding this, we are able to get clarity and insight into the clear words that Eliyahu declared to a backsliding Yisra’ěl:
Melaḵim Aleph/1 Kings 18:21 “And Ěliyahu came to all the people, and said, “How long would you keep hopping between two opinions? If יהוה is Elohim, follow Him; and if Baʽal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.”
If we translate the Hebrew of the highlighted text correctly into English, we would have the following being presented in a more accurate way:
If יהוה is Elohim, follow Him; and if The Lord, follow him.
For many this may seem offensive, yet to the true hearer and doer of the Truth, this is a sobering reality of what the false and deceitful traditions of man has done, in causing many to not know Elohim and in doing so, they have forgotten the Name of יהוה, which highlights how the deceived have forgotten who it is who actually causes them to be!
Tehillah/Psalm 119:118 “You have made light of all those who stray from Your laws, for falsehood is their deceit.”
In a Psalm that gives resounding praise for the Torah of Elohim, we are able to clearly see from this verse that falsehood is the deceit of those who stray from יהוה’s laws!!!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘falsehood’ in Tehillah/Psalm 119:118 comes from the root word שֶׁקֶר sheqer – Strong’s H8267 which means, ‘deception, disappointment, falsehood, lies’, and this comes from the root verb שָׁקַר shaqar – Strong’s H8266 which means, ‘to do or deal falsely, lie’.
Ěḵah/Lamentations 2:14 “Your prophets have seen falsehood and folly for you, and have not shown you your crookedness, to turn back your captivity. But their visions for you are false and misleading messages.”
Through the many false and misleading messages of deceit, we are able to see how so many have actually begun to teach themselves to speak falsehood; a falsehood that has been so ingrained in them, just as we are able to see through the mirror of the examples that have been given to us in all of these verses that I have highlighted, in regards to deceit!
As mentioned, we are to make sure that we are doing the desire of Elohim, which is our set-apartness and in doing so, we are to be on guard against the deceit of unrighteousness, which is presented with a lot of power, signs and wonders of falsehood!
Tas’loniqim Bět/2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those perishing, because they did not receive the love of the truth, in order for them to be saved.”
Lawlessness is promoted by the deceit of unrighteousness!
What I mean by that, is that many are falling prey to the deceit of unrighteousness that promotes that observance of the Torah and commands of Elohim is no longer valid.
We know that Scripture clearly defines for us what righteousness is:
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 6:25 “And it is righteousness for us when we guard to do all this command before יהוה our Elohim, as He has commanded us.”
With righteousness being clearly defined for us as “the guarding of the commands”, we are then able to clearly understand that unrighteousness involves a willful defiance toward the guarding of the commands and therefore, promotes lawlessness, which is sin!
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:17-19 “All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not unto death. 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. 19 We know that we are of Elohim, and all the world lies in the wicked one.”
When we guard righteousness, we are guarded against the deception of the lawless one!
The Greek word that is translated as ‘unrighteousness’ is ἀδικία adikia – Strong’s G93 which means, ‘unrighteousness, iniquity, wrong, deed violating law and justice’ and the reason that I am highlighting this here, is to point out that:
‘unrighteousness’ is ‘sin’
The Greek word that is translated as ‘sin’ is ἁμαρτία hamartia – Strong’s G266 which means, ‘sin, failure, miss the mark, to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong’, and also carries the meaning of, ‘wandering from the law of Elohim, violate the law of Elohim’.
I am sure some of you know where I am going with this!
Ok…so we are clearly told that
unrighteousness is sin –
ἀδικία adikia is ἁμαρτία hamartia –
that is pretty clear!
And ALL unrighteousness is sin!!!
But what else does Yoḥanan tell us?
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 3:4 “Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”
Sin is lawlessness!!!
The Greek word for ‘lawlessness is ἀνομία anomia – Strong’s G458 which means, ‘lawlessness or lawless deeds, unrighteousness’ and comes from the word ἄνομος anomos – Strong’s G459 which means, ‘lawless or without law, transgressors’.
This verse spells it out very plainly for those who seem to miss the fact that to not walk in the Torah is sin!
It is as though Yoḥanan was spelling out this fact very bluntly and straightforward for those who struggle with a Greek mind-set and see no need to walk in the Torah – well right here in the Greek it is clear – If you are lawless (that is to walk contrary to the Torah) then you are indeed sinning!
Sin is lawlessness:
ἁμαρτία hamartia is ἀνομία anomia!
With this in mind we are able to clearly see that with ‘unrighteousness’ being ‘sin’, that unrighteousness is lawlessness:
ἀδικία adikia is ἀνομία anomia!!!
Sha’ul warns us, in his letter to the believers in Thessalonica, about the deceit of unrighteousness, as already quoted from Tas’loniqim Bět/2 Thessalonians 2:10!
In this verse, the Greek word that is translated as ‘deceit’ comes from the root word ἀπάτη apatē – Strong’s G539 which means, ‘deceit, delusion, deception’ and is used 7 times in the Renewed Writings (N.T.).
Let us take a look at the other 6 verses:
Mattithyahu/Matthew 13:22 “And that sown among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the worry of this age and the deceit of riches choke the word, and it becomes fruitless.”
These words form part of the parable of the Sower and the seed and warn us against the deceit of riches that choke out the life of the Word.
We are also told in:
Luqas/Luke 8:15 “And that which fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with worries, and riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”
Bringing fruit to perfection can only happen when we do not allow the worries, riches and pleasure of life to get in the way of our set-apartness in the Master.
The worries, riches and pleasures of life can cause many to shrink back, as the Truth is choked out; and this can only happen when the soil of our hearts are not being continually tilled and kept free from these deceitful wicked thorns and weeds of doubt that render one fruitless.
Marqos/Mark 4:18-19 “And others are those sown among thorns, these are they who hear the word, 19 and the worries of this age, and the deceit of riches, and the desires for other matters, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes fruitless.”
The Greek word that is translated here as ‘riches’ is πλοῦτος ploutos – Strong’s G4149 which means, ‘to flow or abound in wealth and riches’, and comes from the root word πλέω pleō – Strong’s G4126 which means, ‘to sail, sailing, passenger’!
I find this an interesting picture here, for if your dreams and hopes are set on ‘sailing off into the sunset’ with all your worries taken care of, think again.
This mind-set of being so wealthy that you can live the dream life and have no cares or worries is a lie and a fantasy that is not a Scriptural concept for the true set-apart believer, and having this mind-set can be very dangerous in choking out the very Truth that ought to sustain you.
The world today is riddled with the luring attraction of finding wealth and happiness; and movies and media play a big role in shaping many minds into thinking what their dream fantasy must look like – this is dangerous and choking, to say the least.
With this word πλέω pleō – Strong’s G4126 also meaning ‘passenger’ we need to take heed that we are not just ‘passengers’ here but are rather being trustworthy ‘sojourners’.
The difference between a passenger and a sojourner is that the passenger thinks that they are the ones to be served and simply seeking to be on a cruise of success, whereas a sojourner realises that he is a foreigner and stranger, and his need to guard the commands of the reign to which he belongs is vital, as his need to serve as an ambassador of that coming kingdom will cost him everything!
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 4:22 “that you put off – with regard to your former way of life – the old man, being corrupted according to the desires of the deceit”
Put off the former way of life!
Put of the desires of the deceit!
These words of Sha’ul emphasise for me the clear power that deceit has, especially as we consider the deceit of riches and the desires that many have in chasing riches that cannot satisfy!
The Greek word that is translated as ‘desires’ comes from the root word ἐπιθυμία epithumia – Strong’s G1939 which means, ‘desire, passionate longing, lust, coveting, desires’ and this comes from the word ἐπιθυμέω epithumeō – Strong’s G1937 which means, ‘desire, covet, lust, seek that which is forbidden’ and is translated as ‘lusts’ in:
Galatiyim/Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. And these are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you desire to do.”
How many of you have found yourself looking at or seeking things that you know you should not!
This can cause sin, and bring a breach in the wall which can affect the entire assembly!!!
No matter how pretty the worldly ways of worship may appear – be on guard against being drawn into desiring what is not fitting for the House of Elohim!
Do not get captivated by what the ‘evil woman’ (whore) does.
Qolasim/Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one makes a prey of you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary matters of the world, and not according to Messiah.”
Here, Sha’ul clearly warns us against being led astray by empty deceit, which is according to the tradition of men that so easily and quickly cast the Torah of Elohim behind their backs! When traditions of men run contrary to the Word of Messiah then be on guard and be sober in making sure that you are not made a prey of such empty deceit!
So many vainly claim that they know Messiah yet are walking contrary to His ways as they do not walk, even as He walked and they do not guard the Sabbaths and commands of Elohim, the very things He came to teach and lead us in!
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:13 “but encourage one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened by the deceivableness of sin.”
Once again, we are able to recognise just how deceitful sin and lawlessness, which is unrighteousness, can be and here, in this letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded of how important it is for us to encourage one another daily in the Truth, so as to keep each other’s hearts from becoming hardened by the deceit of sin, which is often presented as something attractive!
So many reveal that their hearts are hardened by deceit, as they stubbornly refuse to hear the voice of elohim and repent of their lawlessness and sin and refuse to turn from unrighteousness as they live according to the deceitful lusts of the flesh!
Kěpha Bet/2 Peter 2:12-13 “But these, like natural unreasoning beasts, having been born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheme that which they do not know, shall be destroyed in their destruction, 13 being about to receive the wages of unrighteousness, deeming indulgence in the day of pleasure, spots and blemishes, revelling in their own deceptions while they feast with you”
In speaking of the clear fate of the wicked, Kěpha highlights how the unrighteous revel in their own deceptions, even while they feast with you!
This is a sobering thought indeed, as we take note that there are many who are ‘feasting with the righteous’ yet they themselves are revelling in deceit.
This goes to show how assemblies can be greatly affected by the deceit of many who may be able to put on a ‘religious show’ before others yet their deceptive reveling in compromise will not go unrewarded as they will receive their wages for unrighteousness!
This is a very sober warning that must cause us to make sure that there is NO DECEIT found in us!!!
So many are reveling in the deception of lawlessness and have no concept or idea of the severe punishment that is coming upon the unrighteous.
Deceit is falsehood disguised as truth and is extremely life threatening to those who have no knowledge of Elohim, due to their adherence to teachings of lawlessness.
Therefore, what we are to make sure of, as set-apart treasured ones of the Most–High, is that we put off the false and put on the Truth and make sure that we are being correctly dressed in righteousness, with the full armour of Elohim being the only true dress code that guards against deceit.
Above all we must make sure that no deceit is found on our lips as we are to make sure that we meditate on the Torah, day and night, in order for us to be firmly planted in our Rock, Messiah, who is the Truth!!!
As we contemplate on the blessing of the deliverance that our Master has worked for us and consider the blessing of the forgiveness and cleansing, He brings through His Word that does not change nor fail, let us make that there is no deceit in us, as we continue to pursue apartness before the face of our Mighty Master and Elohim, Husband and King, יהושע Messiah!!!
As we consider the dangers of deceit, we can also glean much insight from the wisdom of Shelomoh, where we see the following in regards to deceit:
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 26:24-26 “He who hates, pretends with his lips, and lays up deceit within him; 25 though he speaks kindly, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26 Hatred is covered by deceit. His evil is disclosed in the assembly.”
Shelomoh continues to give us a clear warning against words of falsehood and deception, for those who hate will pretend to love!
The Hebrew root word for ‘hates’ is שָׂנֵא sane – Strong’s H8130 which means, ‘to hate, detest, turn against’, and is the complete opposite of ‘love’, which reflects a proper obedience an adherence and correct response to the truth!
יהוה disciplines us because He loves us and He does not spare the Rod of His word from us, showing us that He treats us as sons that are dearly loved.
The false messages of the twisted dogmas of man have portrayed a counterfeit love that declares that the rod of discipline, as seen through the Torah, is no longer applicable.
This is a lie and has many believing that they are sons, yet under a false ‘grace’ message they have been led to believe that the rod of discipline has been spared, giving many a license to do as they please and think that they are still accepted as sons!
When understanding that love for Elohim is to guard His commands, as we are clearly told in Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:3, we take note that the one who does not guard the commands of Elohim does not love Elohim but rather hates Him!
Two Masters cannot be served:
Mattithyahu/Matthew 6:24 “No one is able to serve two masters, for either he shall hate the one and love the other, or else he shall cleave to the one and despise the other. You are not able to serve Elohim and mammon.”
Haters pretend with their lips!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘known’ comes from the primitive root verb נָכַר naḵar – Strong’s H5234 which means, ‘to regard, recognise, acknowledge, discern, distinguish’.
This root verb conveys the idea of ‘inspecting’ or ‘looking over’ something, with the intention to recognise what it is.
This verb can also be used to mean, ‘take notice of’ or ‘pay attention’ and the third use of this verb can be used in the sense of ‘recognising something’ that was formerly known.
A person might be recognised by another by observation, be it in the sound of their voice or by their clothes etc.
This root is also used to give the meaning of ‘acknowledge’, as a father would acknowledge the rights of the firstborn son etc.
Other translations have used the English word ‘disguises’ here, as we take note that the verb form that this is written in, can carry the understanding of ‘recognise, to be recognised’ and what Shelomoh is making clear to us here, is that a hater (one who does not guard the commands of Elohim) will recognise with their lips, what the Word teaches, yet not do it!
There are many people today who will recognise and declare that the Word of Elohim is the Truth and that it is used to teach us and train us etc. yet, by their lawless actions, it becomes clear what is truly laid up inside their heart!
Deceit is laid up in their heart, as this is proven through their lawless actions, despite the recognition of the Truth of the Word of Elohim with their lips, hence the translation of ‘pretends’ actually being very fitting!
There are masses of ‘pretenders’ out there!
The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘deceit’ is מִרְמָה mirmah – Strong’s H4820 which means, ‘deceit, treachery, dishonesty, falsehood’, and also is used in Amos 8:5 with reference to those who couldn’t wait for the Sabbath to be over so that they could trade and falsify their scales by deceit!
This word is translated as ‘false’, in:
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 11:1 “A false scale is an abomination to יהוה, but a perfect weight is His delight.”
False measures are an abomination to יהוה.
There is no reward for ‘half’ obedience or for lukewarm obedience – your either obey or you do not, for there is no partiality with Elohim.
His Word is the same yesterday, today and forever and to assume a differing scale is an abomination to Him.
In order to get a better picture, of the warning against deceptive words and flattering speech, that is an abomination to Elohim, we need to take a closer look at the next two verses and understand that verse 24-26 collectively form a very clear warning against falsehood and deception!
The Hebrew word that is translated as ‘deceit’ in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 26:26 is מַשָּׁאוֹן mashsha’on – Strong’s H4860 which means, ‘deceit, guile, or dissimulation (which is to hide under a false appearance)’, which comes from the root verb נָשָׁא nasha – Strong’s H5377 which means, ‘to be beguiled, deceived and wholly seduced’.
The first use of this root verb נָשָׁא nasha – Strong’s H5377, is used by Ḥawwah who said she was deceived:
Berěshith/Genesis 3:13 “And יהוה Elohim said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
This word נָשָׁא nasha – Strong’s H5377 is also used in:
Oḇaḏyah/Obadiah 1:3 “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose dwelling is high, who say in your heart, ‘Who shall bring me down to the ground?’”
Shelomoh is clearly teaching us that the one who hates, gives a vain lip service and his heart is filled with deceit; which is the total opposite as to what should be in the heart!
The Torah is to be in our heart and in our mouths – to do it:
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 30:14 “For the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart – to do it.”
There are so many people today that are rendering a vain lip service, in their falsified confession of faith, as their actions reveal otherwise, for by their lack of walking in the Torah, their actions reveal that the Torah is not in their mouth, nor in their heart; and if the Torah is not laid up in one’s heart then what is?
Deceit!!!
What we can clearly recognise, is the clear fact that hatred and love are complete opposites and we also are told that ‘love for Elohim’ is to obey His commands; therefore, we can understand that the purest expression of our love for our Master, is seen through our obedience to His commands, as outlined in the Torah – and to Him we cleave, despising the way of falsehood and deceit.
Those who are not expressing their love through obedience to the instructions of Elohim, by walking according to His commands as outlined in the Torah, prophets and writings, yet proclaim to love, are clearly doing what we are reading about, here in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 26:24, and that is: that they are ‘pretending’ with their lips, as they disguise themselves, under a false appearance that has been constructed by man-made dogmas and theologies.
Many people who disregard the Torah and declare it to be of no effect, and very boldly make the claim that they are not required to walk in subjection to the Torah of Elohim, quickly develop a strong dislike to those who obey the commands of Elohim and actually walk in the Torah; and, as a result, the disobedient tend to harbour feelings of hostility toward the obedient, and wilfully act in opposition to what is clearly commanded in the Torah, as they cleave to a ‘lawless’ system that claims a right of inheritance in the True Master, yet totally disregards his instructions!
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 26:25 tells us very clearly here, to not believe such a person: one who pretends with their lips! For their lips can often pour forth very sweet-sounding words and explanations, yet all that is revealed through their lawless actions, is a heart that is filled with deceit.
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 26:26 struck me, when I recognised how ones ‘hatred is covered by deceit’!
What I mean is this: those who do not love Elohim by guarding to do His commands, as clearly taught in the Torah, instructing us how we are to live and walk in righteousness in a dark and wicked world, are simply ‘haters’ of Elohim, yet their ‘hate’ is ‘covered’ by deceit!
And this is where I began to look a little closer at the concept of covering.
The Hebrew root word that is used here for ‘covered’ is כָּסָה kasa – Strong’s H3680 which means, ‘to cover, conceal, clothe, hide’ and here, it is written in the ‘hithpael form’, which expresses a reflexive action and can render the meaning, ‘to cover oneself, clothe oneself’ and can also be understood as, ‘to keep hidden, keep to oneself, not respond with knowledge, keep information from others although known by oneself’.
Therefore, what the lawless and disobedient do, is cover their hatred for the Law/Torah with deception, be it wilfully or ignorantly! For the “lawless love for Elohim”, which is a covered hatred, is easily embraced by the masses who get their ears tickled by deception and falsehood and so, they clothe themselves with vain theologies which will render them as being unfit to enter the reign of Elohim, as their garments will be the wrong ones!
Listen up, for it says here, in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 26:26 that the one who hates and covers his hatred with deceit, will in fact be shown up in the assembly!
This has many applications for daily living, as well as the resulting judgement that is coming upon the lawless and all who render vain lip service out of hearts that have little or no regard for the Torah of Elohim!
The Hebrew root word that is translated as ‘disclosed’ is גָּלָה galah – Strong’s H1540 which means, ‘uncover, remove, to be uncovered, exposed’, and the root word for ‘assembly’ is קָהָל qahal – Strong’s H6951 which means, ‘assembly, congregation, convocation’, and can mean the gathering of the set-apart ones for Sabbaths, New Moons and Feasts, as well as a convening for a meeting of the people, and can certainly give reference to a gathering of all for right-ruling and judgement.
What we can see from this, is how hatred that is covered by deception will be exposed.
This can take place within an assembly, as those who claim to walk the Torah yet do not do so wholeheartedly, as they compromise in certain areas, will certainly be exposed in the gathering, as the Truth of the Word shines upon their falsehood and deceptive reasonings.
This exposing will definitely take place when Messiah returns and every eye shall see Him, and many who are covered with deceit will cry out to the Master, with their plea for entrance into the Kingdom, through their empty and lawless works, and they shall be exposed on that day as having been haters of Elohim and not lovers, as He shall declare to them that He does not know them!!!
It is a very frightening and daunting thought to even think upon the pain that will be felt by so many who have walked under a disguised covering, only to be revealed as garments that are unfit for service in the Kingdom!
When Messiah encouraged His taught ones to not fear what accusations and slander and persecutions they would face, he told them that their accusers covering of deceit and darkness would be exposed:
Mattithyahu/Matthew 10:26 “Therefore do not fear them. For whatever is covered shall be revealed, and whatever is hidden shall be made known.”
Knowing that love is expressed through our obedience, we can safely then say that hatred is certainly expressed through disobedience; and we have one of two options, as we sojourn here in the earth – and that is: that we can either be correctly covered in the love of Messiah which, by His Blood we are covered and cleansed from all unrighteousness, or we can try to cover ourselves with man’s deceitful ways, which can often appear as the right kind of covering, yet is not – when measured against the plumb line of the Word.
In other words, we are either ‘covered’ with light (knowledge and Truth) or ‘covered’ with darkness (lies and deceit).
A derivative of this Hebrew word כָּסָה kasa is כֶּסֶא kese – Strong’s H3677 which is understood as the full moon or the full covering of the moon – that is: when it is fully illumined – or best understood as being ‘covered with light’!
What is interesting and worth taking note of, is that this takes place by the 15th of each month, and two major Feasts take place on the full covering of the moon – and that is: when we eat the Pěsaḥ Meal and begin the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as well as the day that we begin Sukkoth.
These two Feasts speak of our being covered in righteousness and clothed with light, in order to walk as children of light and enter into the Kingdom Reign of Messiah; and those who are obedient to His commands, having been covered, cleansed and clothed by the Master, in His Blood, are also promised His protection (as His Light shines upon us), as long as we remain in the Light, by walking in His commands; while those who are disobedient are covered by darkness and deception, and their covering will be exposed on the day of judgement!
We can either be clothed in righteousness and put on the Armour of Elohim/Armour of Light and serve as a royal, set-apart priesthood or, we cover ourselves and risk being laid naked before the Master, because we did not serve in spirit and truth by walking according to His Torah.
When Aḏam and Ḥawwah sinned, they tried to cover themselves, which proved to be fruitless, as they were exposed in the Light of the presence of יהוה, yet in His great provision and mercy, He extended His loving commitment and gave them a covering of ram’s skins, to protect them in the now ‘darkened world’, always with the plan of redeeming man to Himself, by bringing the only covering, that can not only cover and protect, but also forgive and cleanse – which He sent by the Blood of our Master – the Light of the World.
Having been born into a corrupt and dark world, we all need the covering of the Light of Messiah in order to help us walk in straightness and truth, and therefore, we recognise that while we once walked in darkness under the covering of deceptive falsehood and inherited lies, the Word Himself called us out of darkness into His Light, in which we must now walk:
Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.”
Sha’ul tells us the following, in:
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Master. Walk as children of light”
Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 5:5 “For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
Yoḥanan tells us the following, in:
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and are not doing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of יהושע Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
Sha’ul urges us in:
Romiyim/Romans 13:12 “The night is far advanced, the day has come near. So let us put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
We have the Torah – our Armour – to put on each day, as it becomes a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Those who do not receive a ‘love’ for the truth – that is: the willingness to guard to walk in and do the commands, are handed over to deception in order to believe the lies and falsehood.
Here in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 26 we are told that the ‘hater’ does not have the Torah in his heart but rather, he has 7 abominations in his heart!!!
The number 7 (Seven), in Scripture, represents wholeness or completion – as we have the 7 Feasts, the Lampstand with 7 Lamps, which represents the fullness of the Assembly in Messiah.
And so too then, does darkness have a complete form, in its direct hatred for the Truth.
So, while the ‘deceived’ refuse to receive the fullness of the Truth, they hold fast to the deceptions and lies, by keeping dark and wicked man-made feasts, gatherings and times, which are disguised by a manufactured covering, rather than the real deal of the Truth in Messiah.
There are no half measures of obedience – you either love the true Master and serve Him in loving obedience, completely covered by the Light of His Word or you hate Him and walk in darkness and ignorance and deceit!
As mentioned earlier, we are clearly warned against being hardened by the deceivableness of sin, which can begin to happen when we are not encouraging each other daily (Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:13)
The Greek word that is translated as ‘hardened, harden’ in Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:8 & 3:12-15 is σκληρύνω sklērunō – Strong’s G4645 which means, ‘to harden, becoming hardened, to become obstinate or stubborn’:
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:8 “do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness”
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:12-15 “Look out, brothers, lest there be in any of you a wicked heart of unbelief in falling away from the living Elohim, 13 but encourage one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened by the deceivableness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Messiah if we hold fast the beginning of our trust firm to the end, 15 while it is said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
What becomes abundantly clear from various passages in Scripture, is that the severe warning of a heart becoming hardened is a very real danger if not guarded against!
When people do not like what they hear and rebel, they do so because their heart is hardened to the Truth and here, we are also warned of the deception of sin that hardens the heart!
A hardened heart is a stubborn heart that refuses to submit and walk in the Truth and will cause one to grow in pride rather than in humility!
When a heart is hardened, the Truth is not considered properly as it should be or as it would normally be, and this teaches us the vital lesson we must learn in being on guard against selfishness and pride that hardens one’s heart!
Selfishness and pride shut out the ability for one to pay a calm and focused attention to the Truth, rendering the one with a hardened heart unable to give proper ear to the hearing of the Word!
That is why we see the instruction given to us in Iḇ’rim/Hebrews is of vital importance; as we are to encourage each other daily so that none be hardened by the deceivableness of sin!
When the heart is hardened, one cannot understand the Truth, and when one does not pay proper attention to the Truth, possibly due to the drifting desires of selfishness and pride, then the Truth cannot be properly understood!
Hardness of heart influences people opinions as well as their emotions!
When a heart becomes hardened for various reasons, then the one who is hardened will become very defensive in their justification of their wickedness and pride, under the deceivableness of sin.
Many have hardened their heart from hearing the Torah and the Prophets and in the day of His wrath they who have hardened their hearts will call and not be heard!
As we consider the danger of a hardened heart, let us all be on guard against anything that can cause this, be it the deceit of wealth and the worries of this age, or be it because we do not get our own way!
How many times have you found that you hardened your heart because you did not get what you want or because you were reproved for something that you did wrong, or even when someone has wronged you and you harbour bitterness, which can harden even the softest of hearts?
Fear can also cause a heart to be hardened and forget the Truth!
When hearts get hardened, they do not remember who it is who gives them life and therefore risk the danger of being deafened by selfish deceit and blinded by sin and compromise.
How is your heart?
Is the Torah of Elohim upon your heart and in your mouth, in order to do it?
Or, have you found that there are 7 abominations in your heart, which has been covered up by deceit!
These passages highlight the clear dangers of deceit and therefor let us have ears to clearly hear the Word of our Master and hear what His Spirit is saying to us, His Set-Apart Bride, making sure that there is no deceit in our Spirit and no deceit in our mouths!
NO DECEIT!
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!