1st of the 5th month 2015/2016
Shabbat Shalom,
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:7-11 “Therefore, as the Set-apart Spirit says, “Today, if you hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers tried Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. 10 “Therefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ 11 “As I swore in My wrath, ‘If they shall enter into My rest…’ ”
These words, in this letter to the Iḇ’rim/Hebrews, were a direct quote from Tehillah/Psalm 95, from which we can learn a great deal when understanding the context of these words! The call is clear – do not rebel against the voice of Elohim!
In Tehillah/Psalm 95 we take note that in this wonderful Psalm there is a clear call to praise יהוה, the Rock of our Deliverance, for He is a great Ěl and Sovereign above all mighty ones. He holds all in His hands and has made all and the call is then given for us to come bow down and bend low and kneel before יהוה our Maker, after which we see these words:
Tehillah/Psalm 95:7-11 “For He is our Elohim, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice: 8 “Do not harden your hearts as in Meriḇah, And as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, 9 “When your fathers tried Me, Have proved Me, though they saw My work. 10 “For forty years I was grieved with that generation, And said, ‘They are a people who go astray in their hearts, And they do not know My ways.’ 11 “As I swore in My wrath, ‘If they enter into My rest…’ ”
The reason I am mentioning this is to make it very clear to us the context of the words given in the letter to the Iḇ’rim/Hebrews, and we therefore are able to take note what is being clearly declared here, and that is that we are not to harden our hearts as in the rebellion, when hearing the clear voice of our Elohim, before whom we all shall bow and kneel! Elohim is the builder of the House, and the builder of the House is greater than the House!
In the letter to the Iḇ’rim/Hebrews we are able to see in the verses that come before the quote from Tehillah/Psalm 95, the clear context that is given in perfect similarity to that which is sung:
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 3:3-6 “For this One has been deemed worthy of more esteem than Mosheh, as much as He who built the house enjoys more respect than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all is Elohim. 5 And Mosheh indeed was trustworthy in all His house as a servant, for a witness of what would be spoken later, 6 but Messiah as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the boldness and the boasting of the expectation firm to the end.”
Elohim is the builder and the One who built the House is worthy of more esteem than Mosheh! In a manner of speaking, Mosheh is the House, just as we are the House/Dwelling Place of Elohim, yet our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, is greater than the House, for He is the builder of the House! With this proclamation of the revelation of who Messiah is and the call to come and bend low and kneel before our Maker, we take note that the same call was being given – and that is to not harden hearts and rebel!
The Master builder has spoken and “today”, giving a clear reference to the day you hear, as in “today”… not yesterday or a day in the future… but “today” … “If you hear His voice”…. whose voice? The Only Master and Elohim and Rock of our deliverance!!!… “do not be rebellious and stubborn!” This call to hear… “Today” was given to a rebellious house as an urgent call to hear, submit, obey and praise the Rock of our deliverance and not be like those who had rebelled before!!!
Rebellion caused an entire generation to not enter into the rest of Elohim and is something that we see repeatedly being the very thing that causes many to perish and risk not entering in. During the exile of Yehuḏah we see the prophet Yeḥezqěl was repeatedly told to go and ‘speak to the Rebellious House’, even if they hardened their hearts and closed their ears! In a message tonight called, “SPEAK TO THE REBELLIOUS HOUSE – a warning against rebellion!”, may we exercise great caution against the clear dangers of having ears that do not hear!
Rebellion was something that we see happening over and over in Scripture and I think that today is no different, as we see how many are being very stubborn in hearing the call to come out and be separate and are hardening their hearts to hearing the clear voice of our One Master and Elohim, and due to the corrupt teachings of man, many wicked ones have slipped in and perverted the favour of Elohim, causing many to deny the only Master!
Yehuḏah/Jude 1:4 “For certain men have slipped in, whose judgment was written about long ago, wicked ones perverting the favour of our Elohim for indecency, and denying the only Master יהוה and our Master יהושע Messiah.”
Over the next couple of weeks our Torah portion readings will deal a lot with complaining, grumbling and rebellion, and we are reminded of what happened to those who grumbled and rebelled, as we are told in:
Qorintiyim Aleph/1 Corinthians 10:11-12 “And all these came upon them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come, 12 so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall.”
In this week’s Torah portion that we will be going through in the morning, from Bemiḏbar/Numbers 8-12, we will read of the complaining and grumbling that took place in the Wilderness. Sha’ul warns us in his letter to the Corinthians that we must not become idolaters, nor commit whoring, nor should we try Messiah, nor grumble, as many of them did and were destroyed! Complaining and grumbling are serious problems within the body and are equally abominable as idolatry and whoring – all of which can fall under the collective banner of rebellion!
From Bemiḏbar/Numbers 11-16 we see a whole lot of rebellion going on in the form of complaining, grumbling and the speaking out against the authority of Elohim and His appointed leadership!
In Bemiḏbar/Numbers 11 the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of יהוה and the fire of יהוה consumed the outskirts of the camp. Mosheh prayed to יהוה and the fire died down, and he called the place Taḇʽĕrah – תַּבְעֵרָה – Strong’s H8404 meaning, ‘burning’ from the root word בָּעַר ba‘ar – Strong’s H1197 meaning, ‘to burn, consume, kindle, destroy’. The mixed multitude then began to lust after meat and caused the children of Yisra’ĕl to cry out and complain about their eating arrangements. You would think that the fire that had killed many would have got them to shut up and obey, yet we see the power of influence that mixed relationships can have and how it can corrupt any good character! They began to look back to the veggies they used to eat and began to moan about the manna that had been supplied from יהוה. Mosheh prays again and יהוה sends them so much quail that they would each until it came out of their nostrils and it became an abomination to יהוה. The wrath of יהוה then burned and He struck them with a plague, and Mosheh called that place Qiḇroth Hatta’awah – קִבְרוֹת הַתַּאֲוָה – Strong’s H6914 which means, “graves of lust”, as they buried the people who had lusted.
Yisra’ĕl complained about their hardships and coveted that which they did not have, and today it is no different as this is two of the main reasons people complain and grumble today – as they do not like their circumstances and moan about that which they do not have!
In Bemiḏbar/Numbers 12 Aharon and Miryam spoke against Mosheh and what happened? Miryam became leprous and had to be put outside the camp for 7 days, causing an entire nation to be delayed in their journey! This teaches us how speaking out against יהוה appointed leaders can cause a halt for an entire group of people!
In Bemiḏbar/Numbers 13 Yisra’ĕl did not want to listen to the good report of Kaleḇ and Yehoshua but believed the bad report of the 10 spies who feared the giants and complained that they were too weak and small. Complaining and grumbling is often simply a cover up for fear. When people are afraid, they tend to complain and grumble in order to justify the reason as to why they should not or cannot do something they should, am I right?
In Bemiḏbar/Numbers 14 the entire nation spoke out against Mosheh and Aharon and wanted to appoint their own leader who would take them back to Mitsrayim! Yehoshua and Kaleḇ tore their clothes, and it was at this point that יהוה said that they would spend 40 years in the Wilderness – 1 year for every day that the 12 spied out the land. All of that generation except Yehoshua and Kaleḇ would perish and not enter the Promised Land and therefore not enter the rest of Elohim! The 10 spies who gave negative report were killed by a plague! The nation mourned and then acknowledged they had sinned, yet continued to rebel in their arrogance by going up to fight when told that they should not for יהוה was not in their midst. What happened? They presumed to go without the presence of יהוה and were beaten down by their enemies! Many people think that a simply confession makes everything right while they still refuse to submit to doing what is commanded!
In Bemiḏbar/Numbers 15 we do not see any grumbling or complaining going on, yet we do see some strict regulations being given in terms of what they were to do once in the Promised Land in regards to the offerings that were to be brought. In this chapter we are also able to see the clear instructions for all of Yisra’ĕl to wear Tsitsit, so that they would remember the commands of Elohim and not grumble or rebel!
In Bemiḏbar/Numbers 16 we are given the account of the rebellion of Qoraḥ, and how יהוה made it abundantly clear who His Authority was with, and all those leaders who had rebelled and all who were joined with Qoraḥ were swallowed up by the earth! The congregation then continued to grumble against Mosheh and Aharon, and יהוה sent another plague which was stopped when Aharon had made atonement for the people and stood in between the dead and the living. 14 700 died in the plague, besides those who had died on account of Qoraḥ!
This is a whole lot of complaining, grumbling and outright rebellion against authority that we see taking place, and the effects of this that caused many to be put to death and the clear sentence that those who had hardened their hearts would not enter the rest of Elohim! This is serious business and a severe warning that is written for us to learn from, so that we are not like those who grumbled, complained, rebelled, whored and committed idolatry!
I fear that this warning is not being heard today as we see a hardening of hearts still going on and we see ears that simply refuse to hear, and the Word of Elohim to the rebellion House is still an urgent call to come out and be separate with the clear warning against rebellion! We will obviously be going more in-depth into these accounts as we go through the different Torah portions over the next couple of weeks, and the simple reason for highlighting or summarising these events for you tonight is to show that rebellion is still a major problem in the House of Elohim!
Many, who have come out of the church system and acknowledged that they had inherited lies, are still rebelling against the clear design and function of the House of Elohim as they are still as complainers and grumblers against that which יהוה has appointed and given as a clear pattern to function according to, as most are doing as they see fit and refuse to submit to any form of structure or fellowship that is designed to mature the Bride of Messiah!
Having said that I thought it best to do a word study on rebellion, and take a look at many of the passages that we can learn vital lesson from, in helping us to walk in obedience and hear the clear warning against rebellion, as we hear, guard and do what is commanded.
The Hebrew word used for ‘rebellion/rebellious’ is מְרִי meriy – Strong’s H4805 meaning, ‘rebellious, rebels, bitter’ and comes from the primitive root verb מָרָה marah – Strong’s H4784 meaning, ‘to be contentious, disobedient, hostile, provoke, openly defiant of authority’. Collectively these two words are used 68 times in 65 verses, and the primary use of these words are in specific reference to the rebellion of Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah against יהוה, both during the Wilderness wanderings and during their exile.
The noun מְרִי meriy – Strong’s H4805 is used 23 times, and of those 23 times we see it being used 16 times in the Yeḥezqěl, with 14 of those being used in the phrase, “rebellious house”:
Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 2:3-8 “And He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Yisra’ĕl, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against Me. They and their fathers have transgressed against Me, until this day. 4 “And the children are stiff of face and hard of heart to whom I am sending you, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה.’ 5 “And they – whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are a rebellious house – shall know that a prophet has been in their midst. 6 “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or discouraged by their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 7 “And you shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. 8 And you, son of man, hear what I am speaking to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house, open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”
For more on this chapter in Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 2, please see the notes from the message I gave in 2014 called, “STAND UP AND SPEAK THE MASTER’S WORD!”, which you can find on our site (Http://atfotc.com) under the ‘sermons 2014’ menu or by clicking the following link:
https://atfotc.com/index.php/our-sermons/sermons-2014/558-stand-up-and-speak-the-master-s-word-ezekiel-2
So what made Yisra’ĕl a rebellious house? Well, it is pretty clear from these words we see in Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 2: They transgressed, stiffened their hearts and refused to hear and obey the clear commands of Elohim!
The sin of rebellion may be in both word and deed! In what one speaks and in what one does. Rebellion in word can be seen in the examples we have of all the complaining, murmuring, grumbling and speaking against the Word of Elohim and against His appointed ones, as many rebel in word when challenging or defying Elohim and in the process of refusing to obey they resort to doing what is abnormal in order to cater for their own covetous desires. Rebellion in deed can be seen in how many will rather obey man over Elohim, and act contrary to the commands of Elohim instead of guarding to do them, in order to please man rather than Elohim. What people say and what they do can either reflect pure and set-apart obedience or it can reflect outright rebellion, which even the slightest compromise can be classed as!!!
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 3:8 “For Yerushalayim has stumbled, and Yehuḏah has fallen, because their tongue and their doings are against יהוה, to provoke the eyes of His esteem.”
Their tongues and their doings are against יהוה!!! In Word and deed they rebelled against Him. Sha’ul reminds us in:
Qolasim/Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Master יהושע, giving thanks to Elohim the Father through Him.”
Do all in the Name of our Master!!! I often think that many do not realise that every word and action of our lives matters, and if not done in the Name of our Master, meaning that if it is not said or done in complete adherence to the plumb-line of the Truth, then that word or action that is done contrary to the Truth is rebellion!
The most frequent use of the words מְרִי meriy – Strong’s H4805 and מָרָה marah – Strong’s H4784 are found in speaking of the rebellion against the commands or Word of Elohim. The verb מָרָה marah – Strong’s H4784 is often found being used in parallel with a number of Hebrew words, and I would like to mention 10 of these so that we get a clearer picture of how ugly and terrible rebellion is and that which is often seen to be present in one who is rebellious. These are in no particular order of relevance but simply highlight that which goes alongside rebellion!
1 – Stubborn! The Hebrew word used for ‘stubborn’ is סָרַר sarar – Strong’s H5637 which means, ‘stubborn, rebellious, backslide’.
Tehillah/Psalm 78:8 “And not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation which did not prepare its heart, whose spirit was not steadfast to Ěl.”
Stubborn and rebellious people are not steadfast and therefore cannot be trusted! This word also carries the meaning of backsliding, and what we take note of is that when one compromises and backslides, even in the slightest manner, they are being rebellious!
2 – Grieved! The Hebrew word used for ‘grieved’ is עָצַב atsaḇ – Strong’s H6087 which means, ‘to hurt, pain, grieve, distort, displease’.
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 63:10 “But they rebelled and grieved His Set-apart Spirit, so He turned against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.”
Rebellion grieves the Spirit of Elohim!
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
For more on this please see the notes from the message called, “DO NOT GRIEVE THE SET-APART SPIRIT” under the ‘sermons 2015’ menu on our site (Http://atfotc.com) or click on the following link:
https://atfotc.com/index.php/our-sermons/sermons-2015/606-do-not-grieve-the-set-apart-spirit
3 – Refuse! The Hebrew word used for ‘refuse’ is מָאֵן ma’en – Strong’s H3985 which means, ‘to refuse, absolutely refuse’, and represents an intentional action as opposed to one of ignorance.
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 1:19-20 “If you submit and obey, you shall eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword,” for the mouth of יהוה has spoken.”
To refuse is rebellion, and many today are refusing to hear that which is being spoken and refuse to be taught, while thinking that they are fine, when in fact they are rebelling.
4 – Transgressed! The Hebrew word used for ‘transgressed’ is פָּשַׁע pasha – Strong’s H6586 which means, ‘transgress, to be in rebellion, revolt, offend’.
Ěḵah/Lamentation 3:39-42 “What? Should mankind complain, a living man, because of his sins? 40 Let us search and examine our ways, and turn back to יהוה. 41 Let us lift our hearts and hands to Ěl in the heavens and say: 42 we, we have transgressed and rebelled. You, You have not forgiven.”
Many are refusing to acknowledge that they have transgressed and offended Elohim!
5 – Despised! The Hebrew word used for ‘despised’ is נָאַץ na‘ats – Strong’s H5006 and means, ‘to spurn, treat with contempt, blaspheme, scorn’.
Tehillah/Psalm 107:11 “Because they rebelled against the words of Ěl, and despised the counsel of the Most High.”
To scorn Elohim or treat Him with contempt is a clear action of rebellion, and to scorn means, ‘to show an open dislike and disrespect or derision often with mixed indignation’! To despise the counsel of the Most High is to openly disrespect it by not submitting to it! Many are in rebellion today as they openly disrespect the advice and counsel that is given through the Word as they openly disrespect the one bringing the counsel and advice!
This word נָאַץ na‘ats – Strong’s H5006 is found in:
Tehillah/Psalm 10:13 “Why do the wrong scorn Elohim? He has said in his heart, “It is not required.”
Those who disregard the commands of Elohim, blaspheme Him – especially when they say regarding the Torah, ‘it is not required’!
6 – Sinned! The Hebrew word used for ‘sinned’ is חָטָא ḥata – Strong’s H2398 meaning, ‘to miss the mark, do wrong, incur guilt, fail to reach’, and when understanding the root meaning of “Torah”, one can clearly see that to sin is to walk against, or walk contrary to, the Torah, for:
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 3:4 “Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”
Tehillah/Psalm 78:17 “Yet they sinned still more against Him to rebel against the Most High in the desert.”
Lawlessness is rebellion – to be without the proper Torah observance, that is commanded, is rebellion!!!
7 – Tried! The Hebrew word used for ‘tried’ is נָסָה nasah – Strong’s H5254 meaning, ‘to test, try, prove, put to the test’.
Tehillah/Psalm 78:56-57 “Yet they tried and rebelled against the Most High Elohim, and did not guard His witnesses, 57 but they turned back and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a treacherous bow.”
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 6:16-17 “Do not try יהוה your Elohim as you tried Him in Massah. 17 “Diligently guard the commands of יהוה your Elohim, and His witnesses, and His laws which He has commanded you.”
So many ‘try’ Elohim by forsaking His commands and walking in twisted traditions and dogmas of man. If one does not diligently guard the commands, witnesses and laws of Elohim then you are ‘trying’ Him and are walking in rebellion!
8 – Rebelled! The Hebrew word used for ‘rebelled’ is מָרַד maraḏ – Strong’s H4775 which means, ‘be rebellious, to rebel, revolt’.
Neḥemyah/Nehemiah 9:26 “But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, and cast Your Torah behind their backs. And they slew Your prophets who had warned them, to bring them back to Yourself. And they worked great blasphemies.”
Here מָרָה marah – Strong’s H4784 is translated as ‘disobedient’ and מָרַד maraḏ – Strong’s H4775 as ‘rebelled’!
Disobedience is rebellion, and those who cast the Torah of Elohim aside and refuse to walk in obedience to it are disobedient and rebellious and are ‘the wrong’. The disobedient and rebellious have no right to claim to be the Bride of Messiah, nor do they have a right to claim His Covenant promises!
Tehillah/Psalm 50:16-17 “But to the wrong Elohim said, “What right have you to recite My laws, or take My covenant in your mouth, 17 while you hated instruction and cast My Words behind you?”
So many like to ‘recite’ the 10 commandments and love to claim the Covenant promises and blessing found in the Word, while they rebel against the Word that they are reciting and claiming as their own as they wilfully cast aside The Word of Elohim by casting His Torah behind their backs and declaring that it is no longer valid!
9 – Rejected! The Hebrew word used for ‘rejected’ is מָאַס mâ’as – Strong’s H3988 and means, ‘reject, completely abhor, despise, refuse, cast away’.
10 – Profaned! The Hebrew word used for ‘profaned’ is חלל ḥālal – Strong’s H2490 and means, ‘to bore or pierce through or kill or wound or defile’.
Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 20:13 “But the house of Yisra’ĕl rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My laws, and they rejected My right-rulings, which, if a man does, he shall live by them. And they greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.”
This verse in Yeḥezqěl has both the words for ‘rejected’ and ‘profaned’ being used along with מָרָה marah – Strong’s H4784. The verse before this one tells us how יהוה gave Yisra’ĕl His Sabbaths (which includes all His Appointed Times/Feasts) to be a sign between us and Him, to know that He is יהוה who sets us apart. What we see is that they profaned His Sabbaths and rejected His right-rulings! So many today have profaned His Sabbath and rejected His right-ruling and are not walking in His laws, this shows that they are in walking complete rebellion to the Truth!
10 words that are used along with the word for rebellion:
Stubborn, grieved, refuse, transgressed, despised, sinned, tried, rebelled, rejected, profaned!
As we consider these words, we are able to see how depraved and corrupt the rebellious are and all of these have been written as warnings to us so that he who thinks he stands, let him take heed lest he fall!!! The message to the rebellious house is not just to come out, but to come out from all forms of rebellion and be separate, for set-apartness befits His House!
If this does not highlight to you the depravity of what rebellion is, then listen to this verse from:
Shemuʼěl Aleph/1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of יהוה, He also does reject you as sovereign.”
When king Sha’ul did not do as commanded and did not put all the sinners, the Amalĕqites, under the ban and fight against them until all were consumed, Shemuʼěl confronted him for not obeying the voice of יהוה, and for taking of the spoil that was to be put under the ban too. Sha’ul excused away his disobedience by claiming obedience and said that the spoil that was taken was to be used as an offering to יהוה. Shemuʼěl then made it very clear to him that to obey is better than sacrifice, for if Sha’ul had brought the spoil as an offering it would have been an offering done in disobedience! This is not a verse that nullified any offerings that were to be brought, but rather emphasises the clear fact that offerings done from a point of disobedience are not acceptable in יהוה’s eyes, and is clearly seen as rebellion! Many today are ‘sacrificing’ certain things to יהוה, be it their time, their possessions or even themselves for a specific task or duty, yet they are doing it from the base of rebellion as they have not guarded the commands and have been disobedient in rejecting the word of יהוה. Sacrifice is only accepted when done in obedience and not in one’s own way or what seems right in one’s own eyes!
Many are doing whatever is right in their own eyes and are being extremely rebellious in their words and deeds, hardening their hearts to the hearing of His voice, risking the fate of the rebellious – and that is that they shall never enter His rest!
Reject the Word of יהוה and He will reject you!
The Hebrew word used for ‘rejected’ is the 9th word we looked at, which is mâ’as – Strong’s H3988 and means, ‘reject, completely abhor, despise, refuse, cast away’. Sha’ul rejected the Word of יהוה and easily cast is aside and refused to do what is commanded and for that clear rebellion he was ‘rejected’ by יהוה, just as many who work lawlessness will be!
Mattithyahu/Matthew 7:21-25 “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!’”
The Hebrew word translated as ‘divination’ in Shemuʼěl Aleph/1 Samuel 15:23 is קֶסֶם qesem – Strong’s H7081 which means, ‘divination, witchcraft’, which is a practice that is strictly forbidden, as we see in:
Deḇarim/Deuteronomy 18:10-11 “Let no one be found among you who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practises divination, or a user of magic, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.”
What יהוה makes very clear in His Word is that ‘rebellion’ is in no way different to one who uses magic, conjures spells or calls up the dead etc.! Do you see the clear message to a rebellious house? To be rebellious is like being a Satanist – to put it bluntly!!!Now while may sound extremely harsh, let us remember what יהושע Messiah said to the Yehuḏim who were questioning his identity:
Yoḥanan/John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you wish to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
These Yehuḏim, who claimed to be sons of Aḇraham, יהושע called sons of the devil!!! In other words he was, to put it plainly, calling them Satanists – children who were of their father the devil!
We can only serve one master, we either worship and serve our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah – the Truth and Giver of Life, or we serve another and if we rebel against Him and deny Him, we are serving another, which can be classed as serving lies, which is of the devil!
Hoshěa/Hosea 4:6 “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children.”
So many have perished for lack of knowledge and many risk being rejected and forgotten – all because of rebellion!
Many need to hear the words that Yeḥezqěl was told to speak:
Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 44:6 “and shall say to the rebellious, to the house of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “O house of Yisra’ĕl, enough of all these abominations of yours”
As we consider the clear depravity of rebellion, we need to assess our own lives by looking intently into the mirror of the Word and make sure that we do not find ourselves rebelling in word or deed, but are rather found to be doing all in the Name of our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah! Have you recognised any of the traits of rebellion being present, even if so subtly, in your own life? Have you found that you have rebelled against the Word and the authority of those יהושע Messiah has appointed to equip and mature His Bride? Have you been stubborn and refused to do what you know you should?
Have you ever found yourself despising, rebelling and rejecting the Truth, especially when you are not getting your own way? Today, if you hear His voice… do not rebel!!! He who has an ear to hear let Him hear what the Spirit is saying to His House!
Listen to the clear instruction that יהוה gave Yeḥezqěl:
Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 3:27 “But when I speak with you, I open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה.’ He who hears, let him hear. And he who refuses, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.”
As a faithful Bride and ambassadors of the coming reign of our King we are called to say to the thirsty, along with the Spirit, “COME!” And in telling people to come, we are to speak to the rebellious house and make known the clear warning against rebellion!
יְחֶזְקֵאל Yeḥezqěl – Strong’s H3168 means, ‘Ěl strengthens’, and comes from the two words: 1) חָזַק ḥazaq – Strong’s H2388 and carries the meaning, ‘to grow firm, fasten upon, strengthen, take firm hold of’ and can have the concept of ‘grasp between your ears, get a firm handle on the matter’ and 2) אֵל ěl – Strong’s H410 meaning ‘mighty, power or mighty one’ and is also used as a title of יהוה. Yeḥezqěl was certainly commissioned with a great task of calling a rebellious people back to Elohim. As we meditate on the Word and walk in the Truth we are able to learn a great deal of how we must be strengthened by Elohim, so that we can be urgent and boldly courageous in our need to call many rebellious and stubborn people back to the Truth!
Those who will hear let them hear and those who refuse let them refuse… just go out there and
SPEAK TO THE REBELLIOUS HOUSE – a warning against rebellion!”
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!