Click here for the PDF version
8th of the 3rd months 2022/2023
Shalom all,
Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:37-39 “And as the days of Noaḥ, so also shall the coming of the Son of Aḏam be. 38 “For as they were in the days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noaḥ entered into the ark, 39 and they did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also shall the coming of the Son of Aḏam be.”
It was these words of our Master that struck me once again this week, along with the realisation of how most people today has no clue what is coming!
As a base for this message, I would like us to consider the words of our Master and consider how important it is for us to be about the Master’s business, just as Noaḥ was, and make sure that we guard righteousness, so that we can faithfully enter into the rest of our Master, when He comes for His Bride that has prepared herself!
In a message called, “THESE ARE THE DAYS OF NOAḤ – WAKE UP AND ENTER IN!” let us take a closer look at the warning that our Master is giving us, recognising the level of depravity that mankind is in right now, causing us to diligently take heed to call to be sober, watchful and alert, as we do our utmost in walking upright and in complete righteousness, as we hear, guard and do the commands of Elohim!
As one stops to consider what is really going on in the world, it is clear that we are able to recognise how wicked and depraved mankind has become and much is clearly pointing to the state of these days that we are living in as being closely characterised as being similar to the days of Noaḥ.
In Mattithyahu/Matthew 24 our Master makes it very clear to us what the end of the age will look like, or rather, He makes it clear to the signs that we will be able to identify as marking the days that draw closer to the end and His imminent return.
In teaching His taught ones of the days of the end of the age, He cautioned them to take heed that no one leads them astray, for many would come in His Name and lead many astray.
We need to take heed of this clear warning!
He also encourages us to not be troubled, as we hear of fightings and reports of fightings for they have to take place before the end and then He tells us that there shall be scarcities of food, and deadly diseases, and earthquakes in places, which are all the beginning of birth pains.
He then warns us and tells us how many will stumble and hate one another and the love for the Truth will grow cold, as lawlessness increases and false prophets will rise up and lead many astray, yet those who endure to the end shall be saved!
He warns us of false prophets that will do many great signs and wonders, in order to lead people astray, which teaches me that we must be on guard against being swayed by the “miraculous signs” in these last days.
We must rather be able to rightly handle the Truth and be able to discern the between the clean and the unclean and between the set-apart and the profane, as many people so easily get caught with various signs and wonders, without testing the validity of them according to the Word.
What am I saying here?
To put it simply: we cannot base our faith/belief on circumstances alone, as the end days are extremely tough, they are wicked and depraved and they are very destructive days, wherein we are therefore called to endure in the Truth and be on guard against falling away.
Now think about this for a moment: if perfect circumstances were the measure of belief, then where would that leave earnest believers who are enduring under trials?
So many people are being led astray by the miraculous signs and wonders that are being seen in their midst and, in the process, they are falling away to deceptive teachings that are causing division and rebellion, which יהוה (Yahweh) hates.
Mattithyahu/Matthew 24:6-8 “And you shall begin to hear of fightings and reports of fightings. See that you are not troubled, for these have to take place, but the end is not yet. 7 “For nation shall rise against nation, and reign against reign. And there shall be scarcities of food, and deadly diseases, and earthquakes in places. 8 And all these are the beginning of birth pains.”
One doesn’t have to look too far, at recognising the beginnings of birth pains that are taking place, and have been for some time already, as there are more fightings and reports of fightings taking place, nations are rising up against nations and there are earthquakes in places.
I think that one of the clear signs that can be seen worldwide is that of deadly diseases.
I am not sure if many of you are aware of what extreme weather conditions are being seen and experienced around the world in these days, and we do not have to look too far to see this here in South Africa too.
While many may not recognise the clear conditions of the beginning of birth pains, that our Master teaches us about, we are able to see how wicked the days are becoming, as these are ‘as the days of Noaḥ’, and herein lies the urgent call to obedience and the proper pursuit of set-apartness!
We are to be armed in the Truth, sober, watchful and alert and have our lamps trimmed and filled, as we guard against compromise and disobedience to the Torah of Elohim.
As we consider the words of our Master, we take note that He was clearly emphasising that the end days will be as in the days of Noaḥ, where people will be so consumed with their own lives and the chasing of pleasures, that only satisfy the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, thus being totally ignorant of the call to come out and be separate, before destruction comes!
While going through many of the prophets, the thing that strikes me, in terms of the coming DAY of יהוה, is that the majority of people are totally clueless as to what is coming and, in the process, they are simply carrying on with their own self-consumed lives as if there is nothing to be concerned about!
יהושע (Yahushua) compared the characteristics of the people during the days of Noaḥ to that of people at the time of His return, and just as most refused to heed the warnings that Noaḥ gave, when he preached righteousness for 120 years, choosing to shut their ears and be ignorant of the Truth, so too do we see the same thing happening today and judgement will come and strike and catch most people by a frightening surprise!
So what were the people like in the days of Noaḥ?
Our Master and Elohim, יהושע Messiah, tells us that they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage right up to the day Noaḥ entered the ark.
The day that Noaḥ entered the Ark, those who were not in the Ark were destroyed by the flood, as a righteous judgement for their depravity had come from יהוה!
There is a lot that we can learn, from understanding what the days of Noaḥ were like, according to the details that we have been given in Scripture and, in the process, be armed with the Truth that will equip us to not be found to be like those who were destroyed through the flood, due to their disobedient, selfish and destructive lifestyles.
Kěpha (Peter) referred to the days of Noaḥ, as days wherein the patience of Elohim waited! Waited for what?
Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 3:20-21 “who were disobedient at one time when the patience of Elohim waited in the days of Noaḥ, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight beings, were saved through water, 21 which figure now also saves us: immersion – not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward Elohim – through the resurrection of יהושע Messiah”
As one reads this 1st letter of Kěpha, we take note here, in the context of these words, that the ones who were disobedient at one time, is a reference to the spirits who were in prison that יהושע Messiah went and proclaimed to, at His death.
What spirits?
The Spirits of the sons of Elohim, who saw that the daughters of men were good to look at and took for themselves wives, who bore children to them and these children were the Nephilim (giants).
In other words, in the days of Noaḥ the ‘fallen messengers’ of Elohim came and had intercourse with humans and giants were brought forth.
These fallen messengers have been bound until judgement day and these were the ones that our Master went to proclaim to at His death – proclaim what?
The judgement that was to come and He proclaimed that He had defeated death and that they who were bound would be bound until He comes again to judge the living and the dead!
Yehuḏah/Jude 1:6 “And the messengers who did not keep their own principality, but left their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting shackles under darkness for the judgment of the great day.”
Why I am mentioning this, is to set the scene as to how depraved and wicked the days of Noaḥ were, as we see that the wicked union of messengers and humans brought forth giants, due to a wrong union and it was at this point that we see the following, in:
Berěshith/Genesis 6:3-6 “And יהוה said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever in his going astray. He is flesh, and his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of Elohim came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, the men of name. 5 And יהוה saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And יהוה was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”
Wickedness of man!
The Hebrew root word that is translated as ‘wicked’ is רַע ra – Strong’s H7451 which means, ‘bad, evil, wicked, harmful’.
Tehillah/Psalm 66:18 “If I have seen wickedness in my heart, יהוה would not hear.”
This was the song and praise of a fearing servant of Elohim, a servant that looked intently into the Torah and walked accordingly.
He knew that if he had seen wickedness in his heart that Elohim would not hear his prayer!
The way we can see if their wickedness in our heart or not is by looking into the mirror of the Word and allowing the Word to wash away any dust of the world that we make pick up on our journey!
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 28:9 “He who turns away his ear from hearing the Torah, even his prayer is an abomination.”
While this is not a truth that many want to hear today, we see it made clear in the Renewed Writings:
Yoḥanan/John 9:31 “And we know that Elohim does not hear sinners. But if anyone fears Elohim and does His desire, He hears him.”
Sinners are lawless, in that the Truth is not in them and have not the Torah on their hearts, which have become hardened by the deceit of unrighteousness because they did not receive a love for the Truth in order to be saved!
The inclination of the thoughts of the heart of man is evil continually!
The Hebrew word translated as ‘inclination’ is יֵצֶר yetser – Strong’s H3336 which means, ‘imagination, a form, fashioned, framing, purpose’
In other words, יהוה understands and knows exactly the forming of our thoughts and the fashioning of our thinking in our life.
He knows what shapes our thinking and the warning here is clear: if we depart from His Word that ought to shape our thoughts and direct our lives, then we risk the end result of being rejected by Him forever!
יהוה searches the hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts!
The Hebrew root word that is translated as ‘thoughts’ is the word מַחֲשֶׁבֶת maḥasheḇeth – Strong’s H4284 which means, ‘thoughts, devise, scheme, plan, purpose’.
Messiah clearly warned us, that the last days will be as the days of Noaḥ, and we are certainly able to see how the inclinations of the thoughts, of most, are only evil continually!
A heart without the Torah will continue to plot, scheme, and devise wicked ways and plans, that seek to excuse away the need to obey the Torah – and this is an abomination to יהוה.
Instead of simply obeying the Torah of Elohim and meditating on His Word, day and night, the lawless continue to come up with reasons as to why they think that they do not have to submit and obey, and in doing so they plot and scheme various man-driven systems that have people meditating on lawlessness or a false grace rather than meditating on the Truth!
Yirmeyahu was clearly shown the state of the hearts of Yisra’ĕl and Yehuḏah, and under the influence of inherited lies and vain traditions, the hearts of a called-out nation had become desperately sick, and we see a call to get cleaned up in:
Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 4:14 “O Yerushalayim, wash your heart from evil, and be saved. Till when would your wicked thoughts remain within you?”
The Truth was no longer in their hearts, even though they boasted in the Hěḵal of יהוה, and all that was in their hearts was wicked thoughts.
The Hebrew word translated as ‘your wicked’ is אוֹנֵךְ owneyḵ which is from the root אָוֶן aven – Strong’s H202 which means, ‘trouble, sorrow, wickedness, iniquity, emptiness’.
The primary meaning of this word seems to have two facets:
1) a stress on trouble which moves on to wickedness, and
2) an emphasis on emptiness which moves on to idolatry.
In terms of deception, we see in Mishlĕ/Proverbs 17:4 how the word אָוֶן aven is tied to thoughts and words of falsehood that the unrighteous give heed to:
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 17:4 “An evil-doer gives heed to wicked lips; a liar gives ear to a tongue of desire.”
In Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 4:14 the Hebrew root word for ‘thoughts’ is מַחֲשֶׁבֶת maḥasheḇeth – Strong’s H4284 and Messiah clearly warned us that the last days will be as the days of Noaḥ, and we are certainly able to see how the inclinations of the thoughts of most are only evil continually!
One of the things that יהוה hates is a heart that devises ‘wicked’ (אָוֶן aven) ‘schemes’ (מַחֲשֶׁבֶת maḥasheḇeth):
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 6:18 “A heart devising wicked schemes, feet quick to run to evil”
Our thoughts are to be pure and not wicked:
Pilipiyim/Philippians 4:8 “For the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is righteous, whatever is clean, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any uprightness and if there is any praise – think on these.”
As we think on and meditate upon that which is good and true – that is: to think upon and mediate upon the Torah of Elohim day and night, we will find our hearts being filled with the good treasure of The Word of Elohim, a sure treasure that will come forth from, or brought out of, a pure heart!
While the abominations and wickedness of man angered Elohim to the point of repenting for creating wicked man, he did find favour in one man, which is a great shadow picture of the favour we find in our Master and Elohim!
It is a heart thing, and without Messiah and His redemptive work over our lives, the thoughts of our hearts remain evil continually and therefore we need to have our hearts circumcised through immersion and allow His Spirit to lead and guide us as we meditate upon His Torah that He writes upon the hearts of those who turn to Him!
Messiah has paid the cost for our deliverance, yet we must count the cost of following hard after Him and seeking Him with all our heart!
יהוה was grieved in His heart and He was sorry that He had made man, as the wickedness of man was great in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually!
Think about this for a moment: the thoughts of the heart of man were only evil continually! That is to say that there were not any good thoughts in the heart of man!
When Messiah came and began to teach, He got right down to the issues of the heart, as He would say things like:
Mattithyahu/Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart come forth wicked reasonings, murders, adulteries, whorings, thefts, false witnessings, slanders.”
Marqos/Mark 7:20-23 “And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil reasonings, adulteries, whorings, murders, 22 thefts, greedy desires, wickednesses, deceit, indecency, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 “All these wicked matters come from within and defile a man.”
These, of course, were accounts of our Master’s answer to those who were accusing His taught ones of breaking the traditions of the elders, by not washing their hands, yet we take note that He was highlighting the clear fact that evil thoughts reside in the heart of man.
When He taught the crowds, He also made clear ‘the heart of the Torah’, as He said things like:
Mattithyahu/Matthew 5:21-22 “You heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and whoever murders shall be liable to judgment. 22 “But I say to you that whoever is wroth with his brother without a cause shall be liable to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raka!’ shall be liable to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to fire of Gehenna.”
Mattithyahu/Matthew 5:27-28 “You heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 “But I say to you that everyone looking at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
What Messiah was making abundantly clear, was that it is out of the heart of man that comes forth evil and wickedness and this is why we need a Saviour into whose rest we can enter, be refined, refreshed and find refuge so that we may be hidden in the day of His wrath!
The heart of man was only evil continually and this grieved יהוה and His patience waited. What did His patience wait for?
Did it wait for man to change His heart?
No! He waited patiently while the ark was being prepared!
He gave mankind a 120-year notice, as He made it clear that man would have only 120 years left before the flood would come.
This was not a change in the lifespan of a man as we take note that Noaḥ lived for another 350 years after the flood and died at the age of 950 years of age.
So this was not a passage that said that man would only live to 120 years old from now on – NO – this was a statement that in 120 years’ time the appointed judgement was coming and it was during this time that the patience of יהוה waited!
From this point on, we can be sure that Noaḥ preached righteousness and called for repentance, yet nobody would listen!
In his second letter, Kěpha calls Noaḥ a ‘preacher of righteousness’ (Kěpha Bět/2 Peter 2:5).
While the ark was being prepared יהוה’s patience waited and Noaḥ preached righteousness and nobody listened as nobody cared about righteousness as they only cared about themselves!
The Greek word that is translated as ‘patience’, in Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 3:20, is the noun μακροθυμία makrothumia – Strong’s G3115 which means, ‘patience, longsuffering’, and this word comes from two Greek words:
a) – μακρός makros – Strong’s G3117 which means, ‘long, far, distant’ and
b) – θυμός thumos – Strong’s G2372 which means, ‘passion, angry tempers, fierce, wrath, outbursts of anger’.
In other words, יהוה held back His anger while the ark was being prepared!
During the time of preparation, our Mighty Master and Elohim patiently waits and holds back His wrath, yet His appointed Times are exactly that – His Appointed Times – and the Day of יהוה is drawing near! (Kěpha Bět/2 Peter 3:9)
Our Master told His taught ones, in:
Yoḥanan/John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I shall come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you might be too.”
He has gone to prepare and when His Appointed Time comes He is coming to fetch His Bride, ready or not!
We are to be like Noaḥ during the time of preparation, so to speak, and be proclaimers of righteousness, even while most will refuse to hear, for hearing they hear but do no hear nor understand!
Let us look further into what the days of Noaḥ were like:
1 – THEY WERE WICKED DAYS
Sha’ul writes in his letter to the believers in Ephesos, the following:
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 5:15-17 “See then that you walk exactly, not as unwise, but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are wicked. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the desire of יהוה is.”
The Greek word that is translated as ‘wicked’ comes from the root word πονηρός ponēros – Strong’s G4190 which means, ‘malignant, evil which corrupts, worthless, vicious, toilsome, bad’.
What is יהוה’s desire?
Sha’ul tell us, in:
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 nations who do not know Elohim”
Despite the sentence of 120 years being made clear, nobody redeemed the time because the days were wicked, as man’s heart was only evil continually.
Today it is no different, as most people couldn’t care less about the drawing near of the Day of the wrath of יהוה and are foolishly walking about without any care of redeeming the time and seeking after wisdom and do not care what the desire of Elohim is!
There was unequal yoking taking place between heavenly beings and woman and the wicked offspring of this union were the mighty men who ruled – so the wicked ruled the earth!
Therefore, there were abominable unions taking place and wicked rulership was in authority.
In Berěshith/Genesis 6:11, we are told that the earth was corrupt and was filled with violence! So, it was a corrupt and violent world!
This was a terrible time of rebellion and utter disregard for the Master יהוה; and when we try to consider how corrupt it must have been, we can begin to recognise just how corrupt it was, as we see how the world today is getting more and more wicked and how violence is all over the earth, and very few are actually seeking the Master יהוה.
In Berěshith/Genesis 6:12 we are told that all flesh had corrupted themselves!
It was an adulterated and corrupt world that was ruled by wickedness in the days of Noaḥ. How different is it today?
Do I need to answer, as it is a rhetorical question where the answer is obvious!
2 – THEY WERE DARK DAYS
This was a time of apostasy, where no one cared about hearing righteousness and nobody wanted to walk in the Light!
Sha’ul warned us, in his second letter to Timotiyos, in regards to how dark the days will be:
Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days hard times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, thankless, wrong-doers, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, haters of good, 4 betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim, 5 having a form of reverence but denying its power. And turn away from these!”
Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 3 is a very powerful and very instructive chapter indeed!
To sum it up in a nutshell, what we see Sha’ul telling Timotiyos here is simply this: “cheer up, things could be worse!”, or better yet, “cheer up, things will get worse!”
Hard times are ahead Timotiyos!!!
I submit to you today, in case you did not notice, that they are indeed here right now – and it is going to get harder – it is going to get ‘more worser’, so to speak!
If you are not ready for this, you will be consumed by it!!!
He was basically saying to Timotiyos back then, as well as to us today, “Buckle up – things are about to get messy!”
Certainly not the kind of message you would expect from mainstream Christianity today!
Having already warned Timotiyos to keep away from profane and empty babblings, and that he should rather do his utmost to present himself approved to Elohim, by rightly handing the Word of Truth, and flee from all lusts by pursuing righteousness, Sha’ul begins to tell him, in this section of the letter with the clear warning to Timotiyos, to ‘know’ that hard times lay ahead.
The Greek word that is translated as ‘know’ is γινώσκω ginōskō – Strong’s G1097 which means, ‘to know, be aware of, perceive, understand, take notice’.
He was not to be ignorant that it was going to get tough and often very messy.
The Greek word that is translated as ‘hard’ in ‘hard times’ is χαλεπός chalepos – Strong’s G5467 which means, ‘difficult, dangerous, furious, harsh, violent, hard to bear, fierce – referring to times that will reduce your strength’.
The times are coming, and are now here, where one’s strength can get reduced under the increase of difficult and hard to bear times, of they are not being strengthened in The Truth!
Sha’ul proceeds to express to Timotiyos what people living in these hard times would be or become like; and he mentions 18 descriptive characteristics that describe the kind of people that we will find ourselves living among, and being able to identify these unrighteous characteristics will help us to avoid being influenced by such, guarding ourselves from any form of compromise.
Let’s run through these descriptive words of how men shall be in the last days, and then by understanding these, be able to determine whether or not we are in fact living in such times already!
Timotiyos Bět/2 Timothy 3:2 – 4 gives us 18 characteristics of what men will be like and what we are to avoid:
1 – Lovers of self:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘lovers of self’ is φίλαυτος philautos – Strong’s G5367 means, ‘selfish, too intent on one’s own interest, self-centred’ and comes from the two root words:
1) φίλος philos – Strong’s G5384 which means, ‘beloved, dear, friend’ and
2) αὐτός autos – Strong’s G846 which is a pronoun that means, ‘self, he, she, it’.
One does not have to look too far today, to see many people who are like this, and I am sure that many of us were like this too, in many ways, before we started walking in the Torah of Elohim!
Westernised Christianity is, in itself, a very selfish religion, disguised as something sacrificial, yet is primarily all about self, as it promotes selfishness and the pursuit of one’s own interests, while claiming to teach the opposite!
So many people are too intent on their own interests, that they put aside the need to guard the clear instructions of Elohim!
Some who are even walking in the Torah, find themselves falling prey to this, as they put their own interests first and quickly turn aside from guarding the Sabbath, for selfish compromise!
2 – Lovers of silver:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘lovers of silver’ is φιλάργυρος philarguros – Strong’s G5366 which means, ‘fond of money, covetous, excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain’ and comes from the two words:
1) φίλος philos – Strong’s G5384 which means, ‘beloved, dear, friend’ and
2) ἄργυρος arguros – Strong’s G846 which means, ‘silver’.
Once again, this is an obvious characteristic that is seen by the majority in the world today – as they are chasing wealth and stopping at nothing to get what they want, as the desire for wealth drives their lives.
The desire for ‘living the dream life’, so to speak, drives them to be obsessed with money and riches, always coveting what someone else has, as they set their goals on achieving ‘materialistically’ what others have!
3 – Boasters:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘boasters’ is ἀλαζών alazōn – Strong’s G213 which means, ‘boaster, an empty pretender, an imposter’.
There are so many ‘hot-aired’ people today, who like to boast of what they do not have!
They are empty pretenders – pretending to be something that they are not, and by boasting lies, they try to steer away the reality of who they are away from themselves. They can even come across as ‘know-it-all’s’, as they claim to have insight into all matters of life!
4 – Proud:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘proud’ is ὑπερήφανος huperēphanos – Strong’s G5244 which means, ‘proud, haughty, arrogant, presumptuous’.
In its literal sense, from the two words that this word is contracted from, it can carry the meaning of, ‘going beyond one’s appearance’, in other words it is lifting oneself up to a higher position than what one actually is – and we know that the Scripture is clear that the proud shall be brought low!
5 – Blasphemous:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘blasphemous’ is βλάσφημος blasphēmos – Strong’s G989 means, ‘slanderous, speaking evil, abusive, reproachful, reviler’.
A derivative of this adjective is the word βλασφημία blasphēmia – Strong’s G988 which means, ‘slander, abusive language, blasphemy’ and is translated as ‘slander’ in:
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and displeasure, and uproar, and slander be put away from you, along with all evil. 32 And be kind towards one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as Elohim also forgave you in Messiah.”
You do not have to look too far to see many evil speaking and abusive slanderers!
What is very sad, is that you will even find people like this among claiming believers!
When understanding that ‘blasphemy’ speaks of a clear irreverence toward Elohim, we must recognise the danger of speaking against our brothers, who are a part of the Bride of Elohim, lest we find that we are being found to show little respect toward the body of Messiah!
Sha’ul makes it clear to Titos that he was to remind those he taught to not be slanderers!
Titos/Titus 3:1-2 “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 not to slander anyone, not to be quarrelsome, to be gentle, showing all meekness to all men.”
The Greek word used here for ‘slander’ is the verb βλασφημέω blasphēmeō – Strong’s G987 which means, ‘to slander, speak lightly or profanely of set apart things, hurl abuse, dishonour’.
The Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines ‘slander’ as:
1) “the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation”, and
2) “a false and defamatory oral statement about a person”
In recognising how we are not to be a false witness we learn that the opposite is true, in that we are to be a trustworthy witness!!!
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 1:10-16 “A trustworthy witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.”
This parable contrasts the trustworthy witness with the false witness!
6 – Disobedient (to their parents):
The Greek word that is translated as ‘disobedient’ is ἀπειθής apeithēs – Strong’s G545 which means, ‘disobedient, non-compliant, rebellious, bitter, unpersuadable’.
All through Scripture, we are given a clear theme of children needing to obey the instructions and discipline of their parents, and we are also reminded that the first command with a promise is related to the honouring of parents – which metaphorically speaks of our obedience to the Torah, as obedient children.
So many people want to claim to be children of the Most–High, yet they cast His Words behind them and are clearly non-compliant to the Torah!
7 – Thankless:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘thankless’ is ἀχάριστος acharistos – Strong’s G884 means, ‘ungrateful, unpleasing, ungracious’.
We are clearly instructed in Scripture, to ‘give thanks’ to Elohim in all circumstances!!! (Tas’loniqim Aleph/1 Thessalonians 5:18).
When you are not ‘giving thanks’ or being ‘thankful’, have you perhaps found yourself ‘moaning’ and being ungrateful?
This is a characteristic that is often so easily seen by so many – are you one of them?
8 – Wrongdoers:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘wrongdoer’ is ἀνόσιος anosios – Strong’s G462 means, ‘wicked, no regard of duty to Elohim, unrighteous’ and is constructed from two words:
1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 which is used as a negative prefix, and
2) ὅσιος hosios – Strong’s G3741 which means, ‘devout, pious, righteous, set-apart’.
This word ὅσιος hosios – Strong’s G3741 corresponds to the Hebrew word ‘lovingly committed’ is חָסִיד ḥasiḏ – Strong’s H2623 which means, ‘kind, pious, lovely, faithful, lovingly-committed’ and comes from the primitive root verb חָסַד ḥasaḏ –Strong’s H2616 which means, ‘to be kind, to show yourself kind, loving-kindness, mercy, unfailing love’, and therefore, this Greek word denotes the person who readily accepts the obligations which arise from the covenant relationship to Elohim, by being set-apart as He is set-apart!
So, ἀνόσιος anosios – Strong’s G462 is one who is NOT kind or set-apart and righteous and is therefore unrighteous!
This is very sobering for us to recognise here, as many who have no regard toward the need to walk in the Torah, do not realise that they are wrongdoers!!!
In these last days, the righteous will become more righteous as they pursue righteousness, and the unrighteous will become more unrighteous as they continue to have no regard for the clear Torah and refuse to keep the Sabbaths and Feasts of יהוה!
Often, when one hears the term wrongdoer, they never want to associate themselves with that characteristic, yet when one clearly disregards the instructions of Elohim, then they are nothing more than a wrongdoer!
9 – Unloving:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘unloving’ is ἄστοργος astorgos – Strong’s G794 means, ‘without natural affection, hard-hearted’ and is constructed from two words:
1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 which is used as a negative prefix, and
2) στοργή storgē which means ‘family affection’
We were made to praise and show our natural affection and love toward our Creator, and sadly, the love of many has grown cold as they are without the natural affection they ought to have toward Elohim and, as a result, have become hard-hearted and stubborn!
We are only half way with these ugly characteristics, that many will reflect in their lives, and already, when we consider these characteristics, we ought to be making sure that none of these are evident in our lives!
10 – Unforgiving:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘unforgiving’ is ἄσπονδος aspondos – Strong’s G786 means, ‘truce breaker, irreconcilable – that is unable to be reconciled’ and is constructed from two words:
1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 which is used as a negative prefix, and
2) σπένδω spendō – Strong’s G4689 which means, ‘to pour out (as a drink offering), to make a libation’.
If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither shall your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mattithyahu/Matthew 6:15).
How many of you have been a truce breaker at some time or another?
Where you have gone back on your word and held a great grudge against someone who wronged you and you forgave them when they came and apologised to you, only to go back on your forgiveness and allow bitterness to take root?
11 – Slanderers:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘slanderers’ is διάβολος diabolos – Strong’s G1228 means, ‘false accuser, slanderer, malicious gossiper, devil (or of the devil)’.
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.”
Your speech and actions reveal who you belong to!
If you gossip and slander, then you are of the devil!
We are clearly told, that whatever we do, whether in word or deed, we must do all in the Name of יהושע Messiah, giving thanks to the Father (Qolasim/Colossians 3:17).
Once again, if you are not giving thanks in all, are you slandering?
And if you are slandering – who is your father!!!
12 – Without self-control:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘without self-control’ is ἀκρατής akratēs – Strong’s G193 means, ‘powerless, impotent, without self-control, lack of restraint’ and is constructed from two words:
1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 which is used as a negative prefix, and
2) κράτος kratos – Strong’s G2904 which means, ‘strength, might, power, dominion’.
Many try to make excuses for their lawless behaviour and try to claim that they were made to do whatever they did!
This just simply shows immaturity and lack of discipline, in saying no to the very things of the world that are screaming for your time and focus!
In Scripture, the Greek word that is translated as ‘self-control’ is ἐγκράτεια egkrateia – Strong’s G1466 which means, ‘mastery, self-control’, and speaks of the virtue of one who ‘masters his desires and passions’, especially their sensual appetites.
This word comes from the adjective ἐγκρατής egkratēs – Strong’s G1468 which means, ‘strong, master of, self-controlled, having power over, restraining, controlling one’s self’, and is made up of two words:
1 – ἐν en – Strong’s G1722 which is a primary preposition denoting position and by implying the state of being instrumental meaning, ‘in or on, with, by’; and
2 – κράτος kratos – Strong’s G2904 which means, ‘strength, might, power, dominion’.
Let me ask, “Have you mastered your sensual appetites?”
Or does the flesh get the better of you, more often than you would care to mention?
The fruit of self –control is critical in the life of any believer; and we are called to walk according to the Spirit.
Sha’ul clearly tells us in Romiyim/Romans 7:14 that the Torah is Spiritual, and therefore, we are to exercise great restraint and self-control, so as to not give in to the lusts of the flesh that hinder and damage a set-apart walk.
As you grow in knowledge are you actually being diligent in applying that knowledge – or, does it just become more knowledge that you store up for no other use than to simply just ‘know’ more?
Some people will hoard loads and loads of knowledge, just so that they can be ‘in the know’, so to speak.
They may have all the information, or rather, they think that they have, yet their lives do not change. They research the truth, find the truth – yet refuse to walk in the truth – why?
This reveals a lack of self-control – as they just become a ‘knowledge store of information’ that actually has no impact in their own lives, or in the lives of others around them, as they refuse to simply exercise self-control and, in the process, become puffed up, as they lack the ability to apply the truth; and Kěpha says clearly that just “knowing” without application is not enough!
13 – Fierce:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘fierce’ is ἀνήμερος anēmeros – Strong’s G434 which means, ‘fierce, savage, brutal’ and is constructed from two words:
1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 which is used as a negative prefix, and
2) ἥμερος hēmeros which means, ‘tame’
This says enough! There are so many people today, who could not care about hurting another and they can be very brutal in their attack!
How quick are you at pointing the faults of others out and doing so with harshness?
14 – Haters of good:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘haters of good’ is ἀφιλάγαθος aphilagathos – Strong’s G865 means, ‘opposed to good, without love of good’ and is constructed from two words:
1) α alpha – Strong’s G1 which is used as a negative prefix, and
2) φιλάγαθος philagathos – Strong’s G5538 which means, ‘loving that which is good’.
Those who stand opposed to doing what is instructed in Scripture, are simply haters of ‘good’ – in other words: they are haters of the ‘functional design’ of our Creator and are opposed to functioning as they were made to do so!
We are to ‘hate evil and love good’ and set up ‘right-ruling’ in the gate!
This means that to love good, we are to have the Torah and Word of Elohim established in our lives, so that we guard to do all He has commanded us to.
Amos 5:15 “Hate evil and love good, and set up right-ruling in the gate. It might be that יהוה Elohim of hosts shows favour to the remnant of Yosĕph.”
15 – Betrayers:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘betrayers’ is προδότης prodotēs – Strong’s G4273 means, ‘traitor, betrayer, surrender – in the sense of giving forward into the enemies hand’.
So many people cripple under the pressure of the world and betray the truth, by being given into the enemies hand in pursuing the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.
16 – Reckless:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘reckless’ is προπετής propetēs – Strong’s G4312 means, ‘falling forward, hasty, rash, careless, thoughtless’.
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 14:16 “The wise fears and turns away from evil, but a fool rushes on and is reckless.”
The fool is not like the wise and therefore Shelomoh makes it clear that a fool who does not fear does not turn from evil but rushes on and is reckless!
The ‘reckless’ are often very confident in their carelessness and give no thought to their actions!
What Shelomoh is contrasting for us here, is how a fool does not show caution, nor does he guard righteousness but instead he throws of all restraint and is reckless.
In other words, a fool acts too quickly by being overconfident and arrogant, while a wise one is cautious and walks in the proper fear of יהוה.
17 – Puffed up:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘puffed up’ is τυφόω tuphoō – Strong’s G5187 means, ‘high minded, proud, vanity, arrogance, conceited, foolish’.
Timotiyos Aleph/1 Timothy 6:3-5 “If anyone teaches differently and does not agree to the sound words, those of our Master יהושע Messiah, and to the teaching which is according to reverence, 4 he is puffed up, understanding none at all, but is sick about questionings and verbal battles from which come envy, strife, slander, wicked suspicions, 5 worthless disputes of men of corrupt minds and deprived of the truth, who think that reverence is a means of gain – withdraw from such.”
18 – Lovers of pleasure:
The Greek word that is translated as ‘lovers of pleasure’ is φιλήδονος philēdonos – Strong’s G5369 means, ‘loving pleasure’.
Here Sha’ul tells us that those who will become lovers of pleasure, will in fact love their pleasures ‘more’ than they love Elohim.
The Greek word for ‘lovers of Elohim’ is φιλόθεος philotheos – Strong’s G5377, and the Greek word translated as ‘rather’ is μᾶλλον mallon – Strong’s G3123 which means, ‘more, in a greater degree, all the more, instead of’. Lovers of pleasure love their pleasures more than, or instead of loving Elohim.
This is love for Elohim: that we obey His commands (Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 5:3).
Those who disregard His commands and do as they please reveal that they are rather lovers of pleasure!!!
Yeshayahu/Isaiah 58:13-14 “If you do turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My set-apart day, and shall call the Sabbath ‘a delight,’ the set-apart day of יהוה ‘esteemed,’ and shall esteem it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, 14 then you shall delight yourself in יהוה. And I shall cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and feed you with the inheritance of Ya’aqoḇ your father. For the mouth of יהוה has spoken!”
Those who disregard the need to observe the Sabbath Day and set it apart clearly show that they are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim!!!
There are many who claim to be true reverent followers of Messiah, yet they at times too find themselves neglecting to fully observe the Sabbath, and esteem the set-apart day of יהוה in its fullest measure.
For they too will often tend to give in to the ‘love of pleasure’, as they seek their own time and rest, instead of simply gathering as they ought to do, as a body delighting itself in יהוה.
Sadly, the flesh has a way of easily justifying away the need to assemble on the Sabbath, and will even use excuses of having had a very rough week and need to therefore be alone for Sabbath to ‘switch off’, so to speak…!
In other words, seeking their own ‘pleasure’ rather than that of יהוה!
His Sabbath day is to be esteemed above all days and be delighted in, hence the clear instruction given in Iḇ’rim/Hebrews, for us to encourage one another to not neglect the gathering of the set-apart ones, as some are in the habit of doing!
What we are to recognise today, is how in this messy state of the world and the overwhelming distracting characteristics of the lovers of self and pleasure, one who earnestly seeks to faithfully pursue righteousness, can so easily find themselves influenced by the negative character traits that Sha’ul is discussing here – and these we are to avoid! Bad company corrupts good character, and as we seek to have the pure character of set-apartness of Elohim being established and formed in us, we must turn away from such who display these negative characteristics of the ‘last days loveless man’!
What is worth noting here in all these characteristics that Sha’ul mentions here is that he starts with ‘lovers of self’ and ends here in this list with ‘lovers of pleasure’. What is being identified here is that many, in the last days, will have departed from their first love – that is the call to pure and undefiled obedience to Elohim – all for the sake of their own selfish pleasures!
So many people, who display most of these characteristics, may indeed assume to have a ‘form’ of reverence, by putting on a big show, yet their lives deny the True Power of the Truth of True reverence!
The Greek word for ‘reverence’ is εὐσέβεια eusebeia – Strong’s G2150 and carries the meaning of, ‘well-directed reverence’, and at its root it carries the meaning, ‘to be true and to adore’ speaking of one’s devout worship and being dutiful in one’s obedience’.
This word εὐσέβεια eusebeia – Strong’s G2150, applied to a believer, denotes a life that is truly acceptable unto Messiah, indicating a proper attitude toward יהושע Messiah, who saves him.
It reflects both an attitude and a way of life.
Timotiyos Aleph/1 Timothy 4:7 tells us to stay away from old wives’ tales and rather exercise ourselves to reverence!
This tells me that this is not an automatic condition that happens – it must be exercised and effort, that is ‘great effort’, must be put into reverently living unto Messiah!
Let me be very clear – it is possible to fake εὐσέβεια eusebeia – that is: to have a form of reverence, only in appearance, while not having the real thing – this is what many do – for they put on a show, having a form or reverence but no power to actually live it out!
The sad reality is that ‘fake’ εὐσέβεια eusebeia may be, and more often than not, is used for personal profit by false teachers which Sha’ul is clearly warning Timotiyos about here!
The Greek word for ‘deny’ is ἀρνέομαι arneomai – Strong’s G720 which means, ‘contradict, deny, reject, renounce, disown’.
We certainly see many people who are denying true fear of Elohim as they reject the Word as their lives contradict the Truth!
The Hebrew equivalent to this word is כָּחַשׁ kaḥash – Strong’s H3584 which means, ‘to be untrue, to lie, disown, fail’, and we see this word being used in:
Mishlĕ/Proverbs 30:8-9 “Remove falsehood and a lying word far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me my lawful bread; 9 Lest I become satisfied and deny You, and say, “Who is יהוה?” And lest I be poor, and steal, and seize the Name of my Elohim.”
Having described most of the world today, we are warned to ‘turn away’ from these!!!
The Greek word used for ‘turn away’ is ἀποτρέπω apotrepō – Strong’s G665 and means, ‘deflect, turn oneself away from, shun, having nothing to do with, turn away completely’.
Perhaps you have been facing some very tough trials of late and you are feeling the battles on every side!
My encouragement to you is to stay in the Truth and not be led astray by the captivating tactics of the lawless.
Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 3:14-17 “But even if you suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not fear their threats, neither be troubled.” 15 But set apart יהוה Elohim in your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer to everyone asking you a reason concerning the expectation that is in you, with meekness and fear, 16 having a good conscience, so that when they speak against you as doers of evil, those who falsely accuse your good behaviour in Messiah, shall be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the desire of Elohim, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”
Kěpha Aleph/1 Peter 4:14-16 “If you are reproached for the Name of Messiah, you are blessed, because the Spirit of esteem and of Elohim rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is praised. 15 For do not let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or doer of evil, or as a meddler. 16 But if one suffers being Messianic, let him not be ashamed, but let him esteem Elohim in this matter.”
Knowing then, that we are living in these last days, let our character be found as one that reflects Messiah and not that which reflects the world and self!
And being armed with this truth, let us not be afraid to be persecuted for our reverent lives in Messiah!
In the days of Noaḥ the Righteousness that was preached was rejected and only 8 were saved while the rest of mankind were subjected to the fierce appointed judgement of Elohim, who patiently waited in the time of preparing the ark!
3 – THEY WERE TRYING TIMES
As we consider the depravity of mankind, we can certainly recognise how difficult it must have been for Noaḥ and his family, who endured much slander, persecution and hatred for standing firm in righteousness and endured to the end and were saved through water!
Think about it for a moment: the people refused to hear the Truth, as they carried on with their fleshly lives and if we put it into context of what many people are doing today, we could say that they were simply going about their days partying, shopping and indulging in fleshly lusts, with no regard to the call to walk according to the Spirit and be saved!
The work of building the ark and preaching righteousness to a wicked lot, was extremely difficult for Noaḥ yet, he never wavered in the task at hand!
So many people today tend to give up too quickly, at the first sign of conflict or persecution and lack the endurance required of a true set-apart one of Messiah!
According to worldly standards of measurement, we can see that the results of Noaḥ’s preaching was not successful at all, yet this did not cause him to stop and neglect to do what he was commanded to do!
We cannot look to numbers to determine if we are being successful in adhering to the call and appointment of יהוה on our lives, after all it is a narrow path that few find and only a remnant shall be saved.
Sadly, many people ‘judge by numbers’ and often deem a small group of believers that guard righteousness, as not being good enough due to their lack of numbers!
This is sadly a misguided and incorrect method of measurement and one that Noaḥ was not concerned about and neither should we be!
However, we do take note that while numbers is not the objective, the goal of our belief/faith is the deliverance of lives and therefore, whether people hear or not, we cannot stop preaching righteousness and be about the Master’s business of building His body, as each one does their part.
I do not think that there is any doubt in any of our minds, as to the times that we are living in, yet what we ought to be concerned about is how we are preparing in these days of יהוה’s patience while He holds back His bow that is prepared with arrows of fire for the great Day of His wrath!
As we clearly recognise that we are living in days that are likened to the days of Noaḥ, we need to assess our own lives and ask what kind of people ought we to be, in order to be faithful ambassadors of the coming reign of our Master and Elohim.
Kěpha Bět/2 Peter 3:10-18 “But the day of יהוה shall come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are in it shall be burned up. 11 Seeing all these are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be in set-apart behaviour and reverence, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of Elohim, through which the heavens shall be destroyed, being set on fire, and the elements melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we wait for a renewed heavens and a renewed earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 So then, beloved ones, looking forward to this, do your utmost to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and reckon the patience of our Master as deliverance, as also our beloved brother Sha’ul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them concerning these matters, in which some are hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the other Scriptures. 17 You, then, beloved ones, being forewarned, watch, lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the delusion of the lawless, 18 but grow in the favour and knowledge of our Master and Saviour יהושע Messiah. To Him be the esteem both now and to a day that abides. Aměn. ”
The entire chapter of Kěpha Bět/2 Peter 3 highlights for us what kind of people we ought to be, yet what we can see from these words of Kěpha, is that our behaviour ought to be set-apart and in true reverence for Elohim, as we do our utmost to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless and reckon His patience as deliverance, which we are to work out with fear and trembling!
Too many people are not taking His ‘patience as deliverance’ seriously, as they are clueless in regards to the extreme heat of His displeasure that is coming upon the sons of disobedience!
He also warns us here, in his letter, to not twist Sha’ul’s writings, which many do to their own destruction!
Sadly, we see how many people today are foolishly rejecting the letters of Sha’ul, simply due to a lack of understanding as they refuse to be taught by יהוה’s appointed teachers and as a result they end up twisting Sha’ul’s often hard to understand words, as they do with other Scriptures!
In other words, the caution here is to not get led astray with the delusion of lawlessness, but grow in the favour and knowledge of our Master and Saviour, יהושע Messiah.
There are simply two groups of people – the prepared or those who are properly making themselves ready and the unprepared.
Which group do you find yourself in?
The name of נֹחַ Noaḥ – Strong’s H5146 means, ‘rest, comfort’ and comes from the primitive root נוּחַ nuaḥ – Strong’s H5117 which means, ‘to rest, abandon, give comfort, settle down and remain’.
His name speaks of the rest that we enter into in יהושע Messiah upon our immersion into His Name, and as we look at the accounts of the life of Noaḥ we can learn some very vital lessons of faith and obedience.
This righteous man was perfect amidst a depraved and wicked generation!
Iḇ’rim/Hebrew 11:7 “By belief, Noaḥ, having been warned of what was yet unseen, having feared, prepared an ark to save his house, through which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to belief.”
How are you preparing?
Are you preparing by belief as you hear, guard and do the Word or has compromise and difficult circumstances caused you to close your ears and be led astray by false doctrines of men that only tickle ears?
Are you being actively involved in the preparation work of the body of Messiah or are you busy building your own life while the House of Elohim lies in ruins?
Are you properly staying in the Master or do you find yourself wandering away from complete set-apartness due to the pressures of this wicked and depraved world that we live in the midst of?
Yoḥanan Aleph/1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, stay in Him, so that when He appears, we might have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”
Ya’aqoḇ/James 5:7-8 “So, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Master. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You too, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Master has drawn near.”
Patient and established hearts!
To be properly patient, until our Master’s return, entails a proper pursuit to know Him, by running in the way of His commands and in the proper execution of patience, we show our love for Him by guarding His commands and guarding to soil of our hearts, where His Torah has been firmly planted, and being sober and watchful, against the enemy who is constantly seeking an opportunity to sow deception and lies into hearts that are not well tilled, through worries and the cares of this life and the deceit of wealth or the broad path of worldly ways that are full of the lust of eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life!
There are many more passages that we could go through, in terms of realising the clear call that Scripture continually cries out, and that is: to hear the call to come out and be separate, and for some this is a huge wake up call to come out from all wickedness and enter in to the Master and His rest as we guard to do all He commands us to through His Word!
In a wicked and depraved time, let us be encouraged to continually choose to be like Noaḥ and be perfect in our generation, for our Master clearly tells us, in:
Mattithyahu/Matthew 5:48 “Therefore, be perfect, as your Father in the heavens is perfect.”
The Greek word that is translated as ‘perfect’ is τέλειος teleios – Strong’s G5046 which means, ‘having reached its end, complete, perfect, mature’ and is used in the following verse, in regards to the body of Messiah being equipped unto maturity, through the proper working and service of building up the body of Messiah by those He has appointed to perfect the set-apart ones:
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 4:13 “until we all come to the unity of the belief and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the completeness of Messiah”
This word τέλειος teleios – Strong’s G5046 is also used in:
Ya’aqoḇ/James 1:25 “But he that looked into the perfect Torah, that of freedom, and continues in it, not becoming a hearer that forgets, but a doer of work, this one shall be blessed in his doing of the Torah.”
Looking into the ‘perfect’ Torah and continuing in it – that is to be one who guards to do what is instructed in it – shall be blessed – for it is the Perfect Torah that perfects our set-apartness!
How perfect are you being?
Perhaps you have found yourself in a state of slumber under the influence of a wicked world.
If this is so, then recognise and hear that:
THESE ARE THE DAYS OF NOAḤ –
WAKE UP AND ENTER IN!
Iḇ’rim/Hebrews 4:1 “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering into His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”
The Greek word used here for ‘entering’ is εἰσέρχομαι eiserchomai – Strong’s G1525 which means, ‘enter, go in, come, come in, arise’, which comes from the two words:
1) εἰς eis – Strong’s G1519 which is a primary preposition that means, ‘to or into (indicating the point reached or entered, of place and time, or figuratively meaning the purpose or result)’, and
2) ἔρχομαι erchomai – Strong’s G2064 which means, ‘to come, go, arrive, brought’, which is used in:
Ḥazon /Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And he who hears, let him say, “Come!” And he who thirsts, come! And he who desires it, take the water of life without paying!”
The Greek word that is translated 3 times here as ‘come’ is the word ἔρχομαι erchomai – Strong’s G2064 which means, ‘to come, go, arrive, brought’, and here, it highlights the clear picture of those who are able to enter into the reign of the new heavens and earth, where no unrighteous will be allowed.
It is obedient belief that gets one to be able to respond clearly to the call to ‘come in’ and dwell with the Master!
Ḥazon/Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.”
This kind of obedient belief is what got Noaḥ to become the heir of true righteousness which is by an active belief!
Noaḥ is given to us as a clear example of how we can certainly enter in by faith in the Master and Elohim of our deliverance, יהושע Messiah and therefore there is now no excuse for anyone to not respond to the patience of Elohim before the Appointed Time of His wrath comes!
THESE ARE THE DAYS OF NOAḤ –
WAKE UP AND ENTER IN!
Eph’siyim/Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Master. Walk as children of light”
Tehillah/Psalm 89:15 “Blessed are the people who know the sounding! They walk, O יהוה, in the light of Your face.”
The Hebrew word that is translated here as ‘sounding’ is the word תְּרוּעָה Teru‘ah – Strong’s H8643 which means ‘a shout or blast of war, alarm or joy’, which comes from the root verb רוּעַ rua – Strong’s H7321 meaning, ‘to raise a shout, give a blast, sound the alarm, shout for joy’.
What a powerful verse this is!!!
Blessed are those who know the festal trumpet call, is how this could also be translated, as we certainly recognise that the Appointed Times of Elohim are critical to our understanding of Scripture and the ability to know and walk in His commands, as we follow His cycles and seasons gives us the blessing of walking in His light!
Romiyim/Romans 13:11-14 “And do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for us to wake up from sleep, for now our deliverance is nearer than when we did believe. 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. 13 Let us walk becomingly, as in the day, not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in living together and indecencies, not in fighting and envy, 14 but put on the Master יהושע Messiah, and make no provision for the lusts of the flesh.”
THESE ARE THE DAYS OF NOAḤ –
WAKE UP AND ENTER IN!
יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show you favour; יהוה lift up His face upon you and give you Shalom!