Yahweh Sends Elijah
The Prophet Just Before Yah'shuah's Return
In Malachi 4:4-6 we read,
4:4"Remember
the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all
The time when Elijah is sent, before the coming of the great and terrible day of Yahweh, is also the time just prior to the coming of Yah'shuah, as confirmed by Malachi 3:2 among several scriptures. Elijah the prophet therefore precedes Yah'shuah in operating among Yahweh's people.
Elijah Prophesied To
Succeed In His
Malachi 4:6 shows that Elijah will succeed in turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children of their fathers.
How Elijah Succeeded
In His
1 Kings 18:36-39 shows that Elijah prayed that Yahweh hears him and turn the
hearts of the people of
3:7From
the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances, and have not
kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says Yahweh of Hosts.
"But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 3:8Will
a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes
and offerings. 3:9You are cursed
with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. 3:10Bring the whole tithe into the store-house,
that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this," says Yahweh
of hosts, "if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out
a blessing, that there shall not be room enough for. 3:11I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine
cast its fruit before its time in the field," says Yahweh of Hosts. 3:12"All nations shall call you blessed,
for you will be a delightful land," says Yahweh of Hosts.
Who Are The
"Fathers" Mentioned In Malachi 4:6?
It should be noted that Malachi 4:6 mentions FATHERS - plural, rather than a singular father. Who are these fathers?
Yahweh Is The FATHER
Of The CHILDREN Of
The work Elijah did entailed returning the CHILDREN of
The Prophesied
Elijah Replicates The Work Of The Historical Elijah
The work the Elijah to be sent before the great and terrible day of Yahweh is
also the same as that of the Elijah who lived in Ahab and Jezebel's day. For
the Elijah to come will remember the law of Moses, Yahweh's servant, commanded
for all
Who Is The OTHER
Father Of The Children Of
But WHO makes up the FATHERS of the children of Israel, seeing that Malachi 4:6 mentions fathers - plural, rather than singular father?
Yah'shuah The
Messiah Is The Other Father Of The Children Of Israel
Isaiah 9:6-7 reads,
9:6For
to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be on his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace. 9:7Of
the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on the
throne of David, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with
justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever. The zeal of Yahweh
of Hosts will perform this.
One of the names by which the Messiah - the Anointed One - is called is "Everlasting Father"! In other words, the title of Father is not exclusively reserved to Yahweh, the Most High. It is also used for his Son, Yah'shuah, the Messiah or Christ. And just as Yahweh the Father, the Most High, is also called "Mighty God", so also is Yah'shuah the Son called "Mighty God".
The Fathers Of The
Children Of Israel
It should therefore be clear that the FATHERS that the hearts of the children of Israel are turned to by the Elijah to come are Yahweh the Most High and Yah'shuah the Prince of Peace. And when the children of Israel return to them in faithful unadulterated worship, they in turn return to them to bless them greatly. In other words, by the people of Yahweh and Yah'shuah faithfully abiding in their word, worshipping them faithfully and exclusively, Yahweh and Yah'shuah do good to the people.
Yah'shuah Will
Reward The Faithful In Thyatira
And Yah'shuah's word to the Thyatirans is consistent with this message. For he urges his errant servants to return to him in faithfulness, without idolatry. Those who heed his word he will reward with power and authority over the nations, even as he received power and authority from his Father Yahweh. But those who do not heed his word he will throw into great oppression.
1 Kings 19:1-18 reads,
19:1Ahab
told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the
prophets with the sword. 19:2Then
Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more
also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about
this time. 19:3When he
saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs
to Judah, and left his servant there. 19:4But
he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down
under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said,
It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my
fathers.
19:5He
lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and, behold, an angel touched him, and
said to him, Arise and eat. 19:6He
looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar
of water. He ate and drank, and laid him down again. 19:7The angel of Yahweh came again the second
time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too
great for you. 19:8He arose, and ate
and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to
Horeb the Mount of God.
19:9He
came there to a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of Yahweh came
to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 19:10He said, I have been very jealous for
Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your
covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword: and
I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 19:11He said, Go forth, and stand on the
mountain before Yahweh.
Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and
strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh;
but Yahweh was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh
was not in the earthquake: 19:12and
after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the
fire a still small voice. 19:13It
was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle,
and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, there came a
voice to him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 19:14He said, I have been very jealous for
Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your
covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword; and
I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 19:15Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your
way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, you shall anoint Hazael
to be king over Syria; 19:16and Jehu
the son of Nimshi shall you anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the
son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shall you anoint to be prophet in your room.
19:17It shall happen, that he who
escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu kill; and he who escapes from the
sword of Jehu shall Elisha kill. 19:18Yet
will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to
Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.
Jezebel And Her
Cohorts Do Not Easily Give Up Their Opposition Against Yahweh's Servants
It should be noted from 19:1-2 that Jezebel and other idolaters do not easily give up in their opposition against Yahweh's servants. For even after Yahweh had wrought a great victory over the prophets of Baal through Elijah's hand, the idolaters still in powerful places continued their war against Yahweh's servants.
The War Between
Yahweh's Servants And Idolaters Is Long And Drawn Out
In other words, the war between Yahweh's servants fighting for pure worship of Yahweh against idolaters who pollute that worship is a continuing one. Various battles are fought between the two sides, with some battles temporarily being won by idolaters. Nevertheless, provided Yahweh's servants persist in their pure worship of Yahweh and heed his words they will indeed win the war against the idolaters. For Yahweh - he is the Mighty One! For Yahweh - he is the Mighty One!
19:9-10 reveals the nature of Elijah. He was very jealous for Yahweh and upheld Yahweh's covenant with the children of Israel, the covenant Yahweh made with them at Horeb with Moses, Yahweh's servant, presiding over the children of Israel at that time. Malachi 4:4-6 also reveals that the Elijah to come before the great and terrible day of Yahweh is also concerned for Yahweh's covenant made between him and the children of Israel at Horeb, together with the statutes and ordinances. It should therefore be clear that the children of Israel must indeed observe Yahweh's covenant made at Horeb, including the statutes and ordinances. And it should be clear that the Elijah to come will, just as the Elijah in the days of Ahab and Jezebel before him, uphold Yahweh's covenant and teach and urge the children of Israel to faithfully abide by it.
Elijah Drained By
The War He Waged Against Idolaters
It should be noted that Elijah was physically drained by the war he was waging for Yahweh against idolaters. He therefore wanted to retire. Yahweh took note of Elijah's frail condition and desire, and appointed a replacement - Elisha. Nevertheless, Elisha was not to occupy Elijah's office immediately. That would come later at Yahweh's appointed time. In the interim Elijah was to continue with his warring duties, fighting for Yahweh in teaching and urging the children of Israel to faithfully worship Yahweh in purity and forsake idols.
Yahweh Preserved
Faithful Worshippers Of Him Not Known To Elijah
It should also be noted that Elijah thought that he was the only prophet of Yahweh left alive after the idolaters among the children of Israel had killed Yahweh's other prophets. Nevertheless Yahweh informed him that, unknown to Elijah, there were seven thousand Israelites who had not become idolaters, and had remained faithful worshippers of Yahweh.
Only Yahweh Knows
Those Who Belong To Him
By this it should be clear that, ultimately, only Yahweh knows those who are his, and he knows each one of them. Human servants of Yahweh do not know all of Yahweh's other servants. They may sometimes think that they are the only servants of Yahweh, because their eyes have yet to be opened to see other servants of Yahweh. Nevertheless, Yahweh knows how to preserve those who belong to him, even when the luminaries among them are killed or otherwise removed from their midst.
It Is Plausible That
Idolaters Outnumber Yah'shuah's Faithful Servants In Thyatira
Seeing the similarity of the environment Jezebel operated in during the time of Ahab and Elijah, and the assembly in Thyatira, it should indeed be noted that it is plausible that the idolaters in Thyatira gain ascendancy over Yah'shuah faithful servants who do not practice idolatry and sexual immorality. Nevertheless, even if at a point in time Yah'shuah's faithful servants are reduced in numbers on account of their idolatrous brethren increasing in strength and numbers, there will always remain the faithful among them. For Yahweh and Yah'shuah know how to preserve those who belong to them in faithfulness and purity.
Jezebel Was Not
Ahab's Only Wife
1 Kings 20:1-22 reads,
20:1Ben-hadad
the king of Syria gathered all his host together; and there were thirty-two
kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria,
and fought against it. 20:2He sent
messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, Thus says
Ben-hadad, 20:3Your silver and your
gold is mine; your wives also and your children, even the best, are mine.
20:4The king of Israel answered, It
is according to your saying, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.
20:5The
messengers came again, and said, Thus speaks Ben-hadad, saying, I sent indeed
to you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your
wives, and your children; 20:6but
I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search
your house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, that whatever is
pleasant in your eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
20:7Then
the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Please notice
how this man seeks mischief: for he sent to me for my wives, and for my
children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I didn’t deny him.
20:8All the elders and all the
people said to him, Don’t you listen, neither consent. 20:9Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad,
Tell my lord the king, All that you did send for to your servant at the first I
will do; but this thing I may not do. The messengers departed, and brought him
word again.
20:10Ben-hadad
sent to him, and said, The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of
Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me. 20:11The king of Israel answered, Tell him, Don’t
let him who girds on his armor boast himself as he who puts it off. 20:12It happened, when Ben-hadad heard this
message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said
to his servants, Set yourselves in array. They set themselves in array against
the city.
20:13Behold,
a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus says
Yahweh, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into
your hand this day; and you shall know that I am Yahweh. 20:14Ahab said, By whom? He said, Thus says
Yahweh, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who
shall begin the battle? He answered, You. 20:15Then
he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two
hundred and thirty-two: and after them he mustered all the people, even all the
children of Israel, being seven thousand. 20:16They
went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he
and the kings, the thirty-two kings who helped him.
20:17The
young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent
out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out from Samaria. 20:18He said, Whether they are come out for
peace, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive.
20:19So these went out of the city,
the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed
them. 20:20They killed everyone his
man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of
Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen. 20:21The
king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the
Syrians with a great slaughter. 20:22The
prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said to him, Go, strengthen
yourself, and mark, and see what you do; for at the return of the year the king
of Syria will come up against you.
It should be noted that Jezebel was NOT Ahab's ONLY wife, for 20:3, 5 and 7 all show that Ahab had wives - plural.
Jezebel's Influence
Over Ahab Superseded That Of His Other Wives
Despite Jezebel not being Ahab's only wife, she indeed appears to have had greater influence over the affairs of Israel than Ahab's other wives. For through her patronage idolatry and apostasy thrived in Israel, while none of these deeds attributed to Jezebel is attributed to Ahab's other wives.
Yahweh Did Not
Forsake His People Despite Their Impure Worship Of Him
It should also be noted that despite the vast majority of the children of Israel being idolaters, for they did not worship Yahweh in purity but indecisively attempted to worship both Yahweh and idols, Yahweh did not forget his people. For when they were under threat of attack from Syria, Yahweh sent a prophet of his to deliver his message of instruction and comfort to Ahab king of Israel. And Yahweh delivered Israel from the hand of the militarily superior Syria.
Yah'shuah Has Not
Yet Withdrawn Himself From The Imperfect Assembly In Thyatira
In the context of the assembly in Thyatira, it appears that despite the rampant idolatry among professing servants of Yah'shuah, he will not abandon them yet. He will continue to fight their battles for them, to reiterate to them that he indeed is Yah'shuah and that they should serve him faithfully, without attempting to serve both him and idols. For Yah'shuah clearly states in Matthew 6:24,
6:24"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and
Mammon.
Seeing that professing servants of Yah'shuah in the assembly in Thyatira cannot serve both Yah'shuah and idols, they must indeed choose to forsake their idols and faithfully and in purity serve Yah'shuah.
Obey Yahweh's Word
To You, Whatever It Is
1 Kings 20:35-43 reads,
20:35A
certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by the word of
Yahweh, Please strike me. The man refused to strike him. 20:36Then said he to him, Because you have
not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a
lion shall kill you. As soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and
killed him.
20:37Then
he found another man, and said, Please strike me. The man struck him, smiting
and wounding him. 20:38So the
prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself
with his headband over his eyes. 20:39As
the king passed by, he cried to the king; and he said, Your servant went out
into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a
man to me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall
your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver. 20:40As your servant was busy here and there,
he was gone. The king of Israel said to him, So shall your judgment be;
yourself have decided it. 20:41He
hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel
discerned him that he was of the prophets. 20:42He
said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have let go out of your hand the
man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his
life, and your people for his people. 20:43The
king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.
It should be noted from 20:35-36 that when Yahweh speaks a word to a person that person OUGHT to obey that word of Yahweh, irrespective of the nature of word that Yahweh has spoken to the person. When one does not listen to Yahweh the one incurs a penalty for the disobedience. We must therefore be fully obedient to Yahweh.
Those Attempting To
Thwart Yahweh's Penalty Upon Another Receive It On Their Own Heads
It should also be noted that when Yahweh has set a particular penalty for a particular individual, and someone else attempts to thwart Yahweh's penalty from being inflicted upon that individual, the penalty that Yahweh had set for the particular individual comes upon the other person! For when Yahweh had devoted Ben-Hadad for death, and Ahab, who was to execute Yahweh's word on Ben-Hadad failed to do so, Yahweh's penalty of death also came upon Ahab!
Jezebel's Cohorts In
Thyatira Will Share In Her Eventual Fate
In the context of the assembly of Thyatira it should be noted that Yah'shuah has devoted Jezebel for great oppression, for she refuses to repent of her idolatry, sexual immorality and causing Yah'shuah servants to go follow after her in these sins. Yah'shuah desire that his servants separate themselves from Jezebel and not tolerate her sexual immorality and idolatry. But those servants of Yah'shuah who do not heed Yah'shuah's word, and tolerate Jezebel in her wicked practices, will share in her judgement. They will be cast together with Jezebel into great oppression for being in league with her!
The Abominable Deeds
Of Jezebel
1 Kings 21 reads,
21:1It
happened after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which
was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 21:2Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, Give me your vineyard,
that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near to my house; and I
will give you for it a better vineyard than it: or, if it seem good to you, I
will give you the worth of it in money. 21:3Naboth
said to Ahab, Yahweh forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my
fathers to you. 21:4Ahab came
into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the
Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, I will not give you the
inheritance of my fathers. He laid him down on his bed, and turned away his
face, and would eat no bread.
21:5But
Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, Why is your spirit so
sad, that you eat no bread? 21:6He
said to her, Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, Give me
your vineyard for money; or else, if it please you, I will give you another
vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give you my vineyard. 21:7Jezebel his wife said to him, Do you now
govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let your heart be
merry: I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
21:8So
she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the
letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, and who lived
with Naboth. 21:9She wrote in the
letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 21:10and set two men, base fellows, before him,
and let them testify against him, saying, You did curse God and the king. Then
carry him out, and stone him to death. 21:11The
men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as
Jezebel had sent to them, according as it was written in the letters which she
had sent to them. 21:12They
proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 21:13The two men, the base fellows, came in and
sat before him: and the base fellows bore witness against him, even against
Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did curse God and the
king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him to death with
stones. 21:14Then they sent to
Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
21:15It
happened, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel
said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,
which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
21:16It happened, when Ahab heard
that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth
the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
21:17The
word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 21:18Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of
Israel, who dwells in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where
he is gone down to take possession of it. 21:19You
shall speak to him, saying, Thus says Yahweh, Have you killed and also taken
possession? You shall speak to him, saying, Thus says Yahweh, In the place
where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your blood, even your.
21:20Ahab
said to Elijah, Have you found me, my enemy? He answered, I have
found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in the sight
of Yahweh. 21:21Behold, I will bring
evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab every man-child,
and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel: 21:22and I will make your house like the house
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah
for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made
Israel to sin. 21:23Of Jezebel also
spoke Yahweh, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. 21:24Him who dies of Ahab in the city the dogs
shall eat; and him who dies in the field shall the birds of the sky eat. 21:25(But there was none like Ahab, who did
sell himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, whom Jezebel
his wife stirred up. 21:26He did
very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did,
whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.)
21:27It
happened, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes, and put
sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 21:28The word of Yahweh came to Elijah the
Tishbite, saying, 21:29See you how Ahab
humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not
bring the evil in his days; but in his son’s days will I bring the evil on his
house.
Naboth Abided By
Yahweh's Word In Refusing To Satisfy Ahab's Greed
It should be noted from 21:3-4 that the REASON Naboth refused to give his family inheritance to Ahab was because Yahweh had forbidden him from so doing. In other words, Ahab's lust for Naboth's land led him to ask Naboth to disobey Yahweh. But Naboth refused to disobey Yahweh, preferring to incur the king's displeasure rather than Yahweh's displeasure.
How Authority Should
Be Submitted To In This World
Naboth understood how authority should be submitted to in this world. The ultimate authority in any given territory is NOT the human king or ruler of that territory, irrespective of the power and influence he wields in that territory. The ultimate authority is Yahweh. Therefore when a human ruler issues a word that conflicts with Yahweh word, the subjects to that human ruler are NOT to abide by the ruler's word, but are to remain steadfast in Yahweh's word. For Yahweh's authority is greater than that of human rulers.
Ahab Did Not Regard
Yahweh's Word
It should also be noted that Ahab did not regard Yahweh's word, placing his own greed for property ahead of submitting to Yahweh's word. For in Leviticus 25 Yahweh has clearly spoken, forbidding the children of Israel from selling their inheritance land in the fields in perpetuity. But Ahab disregarded Yahweh's word, pursuing instead his own greed!
Yahweh Commanded His
People To Abide By His Word
Leviticus 25 reads, in part,
25:1Yahweh
spoke to Moses in Mount Sinai, saying, 25:2Speak
to the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land which I
give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath to Yahweh.
25:8You
shall number seven Sabbaths of years to you, seven times seven years; and there
shall be to you the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty-nine years. 25:9Then shall you send abroad the loud trumpet
on the tenth day of the seventh month; in the day of atonement shall you send
abroad the trumpet throughout all your land. 25:10You
shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to
all the inhabitants of it: it shall be a jubilee to you; and you shall
return every man to his possession, and you shall return every man to his
family. 25:11A jubilee shall
that fiftieth year be to you: you shall not sow, neither reap that which grows
of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of the undressed vines. 25:12For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to
you: you shall eat the increase of it out of the field.
25:13In
this year of jubilee you shall return every man to his possession. 25:14If you sell anything to your neighbor, or
buy of your neighbor’s hand, you shall not wrong one another. 25:15According to the number of years after the
jubilee you shall buy of your neighbor, and according to the number of years of
the crops he shall sell to you. 25:16According
to the length of the years you shall increase the price of it, and according to
the shortness of the years you shall diminish the price of it; for the number
of the crops does he sell to you. 25:17You
shall not wrong one another; but you shall fear your God: for I am Yahweh your
God. 25:18Therefore you shall do
my statutes, and keep my ordinances and do them; and you shall dwell in the
land in safety.
25:23The
land shall not be sold in perpetuity; for the land is mine: for you are
strangers and sojourners with me. 25:24In
all the land of your possession you shall grant a redemption for the land. 25:25If your brother be grew poor, and sell
some of his possession, then shall his kinsman who is next to him come, and
shall redeem that which his brother has sold. 25:26If
a man have no one to redeem it, and he be grew rich and find sufficient to
redeem it; 25:27then let him reckon
the years of the sale of it, and restore the surplus to the man to whom he sold
it; and he shall return to his possession. 25:28But
if he isn’t able to get it back for himself, then that which he has sold shall
remain in the hand of him who has bought it until the year of jubilee: and in
the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return to his possession.
Jezebel Disregarded
Yahweh's Word
It should be noted from 1 Kings 21:5-7 that Jezebel DISREGARDED Yahweh's commandments, statutes and ordinances. For even though Yahweh had forbidden Naboth from selling his family inheritance to anyone outside his family, Jezebel disregarded Yahweh's word and sought to secure the land for her husband, against Yahweh's word. For, to her, her husband was the ultimate authority in Israel, and not Yahweh!
Jezebel Abused
Yahweh's Word Despite Being Aware Of It
1 Kings 21:8-14 shows that the technique that Jezebel used to secure Naboth's land for her husband Ahab ABUSED Yahweh's word. In other words, Jezebel was NOT IGNORANT of Yahweh's word. She was familiar with it. Only that she did not fear Yahweh to submit to and abide by his word. She only selectively immersed herself into Yahweh's word in order to abuse it!
Exodus 22:28 reads,
22:28"You
shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
Exodus 23:1-3 reads,
23:1"You
shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a
malicious witness. 23:2You shall not
follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a
multitude to pervert justice; 23:3neither
shall you favor a poor man in his cause.
Exodus 23:7 reads,
23:7"Keep
far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous:
for I will not justify the wicked.
Leviticus 24:10-23 reads,
24:10The
son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the
children of Israel; and the son of the Israelite woman and a man of Israel
strove together in the camp: 24:11and
the son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they
brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri,
of the tribe of Dan. 24:12They put
him in custody, that it might be declared to them at the mouth of Yahweh.
24:13Yahweh
spoke to Moses, saying, 24:14Bring
forth him who has cursed outside of the camp; and let all who heard him lay
their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 24:15You shall speak to the children of Israel,
saying, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. 24:16He who blasphemes the name of Yahweh, he shall surely
be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the
sojourner, as the home-born, when he blasphemes the name of Yahweh, shall be
put to death. 24:17He who
strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death. 24:18He who strikes a animal mortally shall
make it good, life for life. 24:19If
a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to
him: 24:20breach for breach, eye for
eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be
rendered to him. 24:21He who kills
an animal shall make it good: and he who kills a man shall be put to death. 24:22You shall have one kind of law, as well
for the sojourner, as for the home-born: for I am Yahweh your God. 24:23Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and
they brought forth him who had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with
stones. The children of Israel did as Yahweh commanded Moses.
It should be noted that Jezebel clearly understood from these scriptural words above that the penalty for blaspheming Yahweh's name was death. She therefore sought Naboth's death on the false charge that Naboth had blasphemed both Yahweh and the king.
Jezebel Disobeyed
Yahweh's Word While She Abused It
In attempting to prove her case she disobeyed Yahweh's word! For where Yahweh has prohibited false charges, malicious witnesses, following a multitude to pervert justice and killing the innocent and righteous, Jezebel took no heed. In other words, she only dipped into Yahweh's word to pick from it what appeared advantageous to her wicked cause, and disregarded the rest that was not consistent with her wickedness! In other words, in perpetuating evil, Jezebel selectively and out of context abused Yahweh's word!
Yahweh's Remedy
Against Jezebel And Her Ilk
Nevertheless, Yahweh's word has a remedy for those who practice the wicked deeds of Jezebel and her cohorts. Deuteronomy 19:15-21 reads,
19:15One
witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in
any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three
witnesses, shall a matter be established. 19:16If
an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to testify against him of wrong-doing,
19:17then both the men, between whom
the controversy is, shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the
judges who shall be in those days; 19:18and
the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness is a
false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother; 19:19then shall you do to him, as he had
thought to do to his brother: so shall you put away the evil from the midst of
you. 19:20Those who remain shall
hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst
of you. 19:21Your eyes shall not
pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot
for foot.
Jezebel Was
Effectively An Idol To The Children Of Israel
Had the children of Israel been fearful of Yahweh's word, rather than selectively picking portions of it out of context in order to abuse it, they would have thwarted Jezebel's wicked murder and abuse of justice. But as opposed to heeding Yahweh they heeded Jezebel. In other words, they had effectively made Jezebel their idol, worshipping Jezebel rather than worshipping Yahweh, fearing Jezebel rather than fearing Yahweh! Therefore, as opposed to heeding Yahweh's word in exterminating the false witnesses and all those who pervert justice in the matter of Naboth, they joined in evil and perverting justice. They therefore incurred, in Yahweh's eyes, the penalty they unjustly executed against Naboth.
The Children Of
Israel Paid Lip Service To Yahweh But Served Idols
In should again be reiterated that the environment in which Ahab, Jezebel and Elijah lived was one where the people attempted to worship both Yahweh and idols. They paid lip service to Yahweh, but, in reality, did not faithfully serve him, serving instead their idols. For they disregarded Yahweh's words and followed after the words of those who were Yahweh's enemies.
Some In Thyatira Pay
Lip Service To Yah'shuah But Serve Idols
In the context of the assembly in Thyatira it should be noted that those in positions of influence in the assembly are similar to Ahab and Jezebel. These pursue their own lusts without regard to Yah'shuah's word. And in pursuing their lusts they seek to cause Yah'shuah's servants to disobey Yah'shuah!
Yah'shuah's Servants
In Thyatira Should Fear Him Rather Than Men
Yah'shuah's servants should be like Naboth. They should be familiar with Yah'shuah's word, and should fear Yah'shuah rather than men - those in positions of leadership and influence in the assembly in Thyatira. Such that when the leaders, in pursuit of their own greed, urge them to disobey Yah'shuah, they will steadfastly refuse to obey their leaders' words contrary to Yah'shuah's word. For they understand that Yah'shuah has authority in both heaven and earth, and therefore is superior to the leaders in the assembly in Thyatira.
Matthew 28:18 reads,
28:18Jesus
came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All
authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
Yah'shuah's servants in the assembly in Thyatira should also note that just as there was a semblance of Yahweh worship in the days of Ahab and Jezebel, coupled with idolatry, so also it is in their assembly. There is a semblance of service to Yah'shuah - lip service. But coupled with this is rampant idolatry and wickedness, for those under the influence of Jezebel and her cohorts among them practice idolatry and do not really fear Yah'shuah. They use Yah'shuah's word selectively to pursue their own greedy ends, but in reality abuse it, not taking the whole of Yah'shuah's word that is applicable to their lives.
Yah'shuah Will
Punish The Unrepentant Wicked Ones In Thyatira
Yah'shuah's servants in the assembly in Thyatira should therefore clearly understand that Yah'shuah will indeed punish these wicked ones, Jezebel and her cohorts, even as he says he will in Revelation 2:18-29. And these wicked ones practising idolatry and other evil in Yah'shuah's assembly should repent before Yah'shuah inflicts his penalty against them for their wickedness.
[Previous Section] [Contents] [Next Section]
Return to Servants of Yahweh Site Contents page.
© 2000, Isaac Aluochier, All rights reserved. Published by Servants of
Yahweh,