WE CONCLUDED OUR LAST CHAPTER AS THE DELUDED JEROBOAM WAS PROUDLY STANDING AT THE ALTAR OF THE GOLDEN CALF THAT HE HAD ERECTED IN BETHEL. ACTING SOMEWHAT LIKE THE POPE, ONE CAN IMAGINE THE EYES OF THE THOUSANDS OF HIS PEOPLE WHO WERE FIXED ON HIM AS HE REGALLY MADE HIS WAY UP THE RAMP TO THE SMOKING FIRE PIT IN ORDER TO INAUGURATE THIS NEW HOLIDAY IN THE 8TH MONTH OF THE YEAR WHERE ONE HAD NOT EXISTED BEFORE (A KIND OF ANTI-TABERNACLES) - HE HAD CREATED IT IN HONOR OF HIS TWO GOLDEN CALF-GODS. JUST AS PEOPLE TODAY WILL VENTURE SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCES TO WITNESS THE PRESENCE OF A HIGH-HEAD OF STATE SO IT WAS IN THAT ERA WHEN TO GET A CLOSE-UP GLIMPSE OF THE KING USUALLY REQUIRED A JOURNEY AND SOME PERSISTENCE.
IT WAS NOW TIME FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SOLEMN PART OF THE SERVICE - THE KING WOULD OFFER INCENSE TO THE CALF-GOD, BUT SUDDENLY THE HUSH OF THE CROWD AND THE IMPACT OF THE EVENT IS INTERRUPTED WHEN A VOICE FROM THE THRONGS SHOUTS SOMETHING TO KING JEROBOAM. THE CROWD FREEZES IN SHOCK AND THE KING THROWS A DEADLY GLARE AT THIS MAN ... LET’S READ ABOUT IT NOW :
IMPOSTER (1 Kings 13)
1YAHUAH commanded a man of Alahim (from Judah) to go to the city of Bethel. King Jeroboam was standing at the Altar offering incense when the man of Alahim arrived. 2YAHUAH had commanded the man of Alahim to speak against the Altar, saying,
“Altar! YAHUAH says to you: ‘David’s family will have a son. His name will be Josiah. The Priests of the High Places are now burning incense on you, but Josiah will offer the Priests themselves on you and burn human bones on you, so you can never be used again!’”
WHY WAS THIS ALTAR CURSED? BECAUSE IT KEPT THE PEOPLE FROM GOING TO SOLOMON’S AUTHORISED TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM AND SO THIS FAKE ALTAR WAS A CAUSE FOR YAHUAH’S WRATH TO FALL UPON THE PEOPLE OF THE 10 NORTHERN TRIBES. AS PART OF THE CURSE, A PROPHECY WAS UTTERED THAT SOME YEARS INTO THE FUTURE A SON WOULD BE BORN TO DAVID’S DYNASTY (FROM DAVID’S LINE) AND THIS KING WOULD DESTROY THIS PAGAN ALTAR AND KILL THE WICKED PRIESTS (WHO WEREN’T OF THE LEVITE LINE ANYWAY) ... WHO SERVICED IT.
PART OF THE DESECRATION WOULD BE THAT HUMAN BONES WOULD BE BURNED ON THE ALTAR INSTEAD OF ANIMAL BONES - AND THE IMPLICATION IS THAT THE HUMAN BONES WOULD BE OF THOSE WHO HAD PAID HOMAGE TO THIS ALTAR, ESPECIALLY THE PRIESTS - AND THIS PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED BY DAVID’S DESCENDANT KING JOSIAH DURING HIS REIGN OVER JUDAH FROM 641 TO 609 B.C.
3The man of Alahim gave proof to the people that this would happen, saying, “This is the proof that YAHUAH told me about ... 'this altar will break apart, and the ashes on it will fall onto the ground.’”
4When King Jeroboam heard the message from the man of Alahim about the Altar in Bethel, he took his hand off the Altar and pointed at the man, saying, “Arrest that man!” But as the King said this, his arm became paralysed and he couldn’t move it. 5Then the Altar broke into pieces, and all its ashes fell onto the ground, proving that what the man of Alahim had said, came straight from YAHUAH. 6Then King Jeroboam said to the man of Alahim, “Please pray to YAHUAH your Alahim for me ... Ask Him to heal my arm!”
So the man of Alahim prayed to YAHUAH and the King’s arm was healed as it was before. 7Then the King said to the man of Alahim, “Please come home with me ... Come and eat with me, and I will give you a gift.”
THE KING DECIDED HE WOULD TRY TO FLATTER HIM AND IGNORE THE PROPHECY OF DOOM. IN TYPICAL EASTERN THOUGHT THE KING GAVE CREDIT FOR THE POWER THAT CAUSED THE ALTAR TO SPLIT AND HIS ARM TO WITHER, TO THE MAN OF ALAHIM FROM JUDAH. SO BY OFFERING THE MOST GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY THAT ONLY A KING COULD, THE HOPE WAS THAT NOT ONLY WOULD THE PROPHECY BE ANNULLED BUT HE MIGHT EVEN RECEIVE THE REWARD OF A BLESSING!
8But the man of Alahim said to the King, “I won’t be going home with you, even if you offer me half of your Kingdom! I won’t eat or drink anything in this place. 9YAHUAH told me not to eat or drink anything here, and not to go back the same way I came.” 10So the man of Alahim took a different road home, instead of travelling the same way he came to Bethel.
WHY NOT EAT THE FOOD AND DRINK THE WATER? BECAUSE BETHEL WAS NOW `UNDER THE BAN'. IT WAS OFF-LIMITS IN EVERY ASPECT TO YAHUAH’S FOLLOWERS. THE UNCLEANNESS OF IDOL-WORSHIP WAS SO THOROUGH THAT EVEN THE FOOD AND WATER SUPPLY OF BETHEL WAS NOW SPIRITUALLY IMPURE!
WHY NOT RETURN HOME BY THE SAME ROAD? EVEN THE WAY BY WHICH THIS SPECIAL MESSENGER HAD COME WAS NOW UNDER THE BAN AND THE UNCLEAN RADIOACTIVITY (DUST) THAT WAS NOW ON HIS SANDALS WOULD POLLUTE THE PATHWAY.
11There was an old Prophet living in Bethel. His sons came and told him what the man of Alahim did in Bethel and what he said to King Jeroboam. 12The old Prophet said, “Which way did he go when he left?” So the sons showed their father which road the man of Alahim from Judah had taken. 13The old Prophet told his sons to saddle his donkey. So they put the saddle on the donkey, and the Prophet left. 14The old Prophet went after the man of Alahim and found him sitting under an oak tree and asked him, “Are you the man of Alahim who just came from Judah?” The man answered, “Yes, I am.”
15So the old Prophet said, “Please come home and eat with me ...let’s chat!” 16But the man of Alahim said, “I cannot go home with you. I cannot eat or drink anything in this place. 17YAHUAH said to me, ‘You must not eat or drink anything in that place, just get in, do what I asked and then get out on a different road.’” 18So the old Prophet lied to him and said, “But I’m a Prophet like you, and an Angel from YAHUAH came to me and told me to bring you home and give you something to eat and drink.”
ESSENTIALLY THIS GUY IS A FALSE-PROPHET, AND LIKELY A PROPHET OF BA’AL BECAUSE IN 2 KINGS 23 WE’RE TOLD THAT HE WAS FROM SAMARIA WHICH WAS A BA’AL STRONGHOLD AT THAT TIME. SO (JUST LIKE LIKE BALAAM) THIS MAN OF ALAHIM FROM JUDAH DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ALL THAT DEDICATED OR LOYAL TO YAHUAH'S VOICE AT ALL. RATHER HE WAS LIKE A MOUTH FOR HIRE. HE WOULD MECHANICALLY ACCEPT AND RECITE WHATEVER HE FELT HE WAS TOLD WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE CONTENT OR ITS TRUSTWORTHINESS. SADLY, THAT IS THE STATE OF MIND OF THE `MAN OF ALAHIM' FROM JUDAH.
19So the man of Alahim went to the old Prophet’s house and ate and drank with him. 20While they were sitting at the table, YAHUAH spoke to the old Prophet, 21and the old Prophet spoke to the man of Alahim from Judah, saying, “YAHUAH said that you did not obey Him! You did not do what He commanded. 22He told you not to eat or drink anything in this place, but you came back here and ate and drank. So now your body will not be buried in your family’s grave.”
AS THE TWO MEN ARE DINING, THE FALSE PROPHET FROM BETHEL SUDDENLY RECEIVES A TRUE WORD FROM YAHUAH!
YES, THIS PROPHET WHO HAD LIED TO THE MAN OF ALAHIM FROM JUDAH (AND WHO WAS PROBABLY A COMPLETELY PAGAN PROPHET HIMSELF) IS VISITED BY THE ALAHIM OF ISRAEL AND GIVEN AN ORACLE TO SAY TO HIS GUEST. SO, WE SEE NOW THAT BOTH THIS UNAMED OLD PROPHET AND THE MAN OF ALAHIM OPERATED IN THE SAME MANNER OF BALAAM. AND THE MESSAGE IS THE ULTIMATE IRONY - FROM THE MOUTH OF THE LIAR NOW CAME THE WORD FROM YAHUAH ... THAT BECAUSE THE MAN OF ALAHIM BELIEVED HIM AND CAME TO HIS HOME IN BETHEL AND ATE AND DRANK IN REBELLION TO YAHUAH, HE WOULD DIE AND HIS CORPSE WOULD NOT LIE WITH HIS ANCESTORS.
THIS STORY SHOWS US THAT WE ARE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE TO KNOW AND BELIEVE YAHUSHA’S WORD AND CARRY OUT WHAT HE TELLS US TO DO, AND IF HE HAS ALTERATIONS OR CHANGES TO THE PLAN - HE WILL TELL YOU PERSONALLY - SO WE MUSTN’T LET OTHERS BORK US OR CHANGE OUR MINDS AND LOOK TO OTHER MEN AND WOMEN FOR OUR INSTRUCTIONS FROM YAHUSHA!
23The man of Alahim finished eating and drinking. Then the old Prophet saddled the man’s donkey for him and the man left. 24On the way home, a lion attacked and killed the man of Alahim. His body was lying on the road while the lion stood next to it. The donkey also stood nearby. 25Some people came walking by and saw the body and the lion standing by it. So they went into the city where the old Prophet lived and told people what they'd seen on the road.
26The old prophet heard the story and said, “This is the man of Alahim who did not obey YAHUAH’S command, so YAHUAH sent a lion to attack him. The lion has killed him, just as YAHUAH said would happen.” 27Then the Prophet told his sons to saddle his donkey, and they did so. 28The old Prophet went to find the body lying on the road. The donkey and the lion were still standing near it. The lion had not eaten the body or hurt the donkey.
IN FURTHER PROOF THAT THIS DEATH WAS AT THE HAND OF YAHUAH, THE LION NOT ONLY DOESN’T MUTILATE OR EAT THE CORPSE, BUT ALSO DOESN’T ATTACK THE DONKEY, BUT STANDS NEXT TO THE CORPSE ALONG WITH THE DONKEY! NONE OF THIS WOULD BE THE NATURAL WAY THAT EITHER A LION OR DONKEY WOULD BEHAVE !
29The old Prophet put the body on his donkey and carried it back to the city to mourn for him and bury him. 30The old Prophet buried the man of Alahim in his own family grave. The old Prophet cried for him and said, “Oh, my brother, I’m sorry for you.” 31So the old Prophet buried the body, then said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in this same grave. Put my bones next to his. 32YAHUAH used him to speak against the Altar at Bethel and against the High Places in the other towns in Samaria. And what he said will certainly happen!”
THE OLD PROPHET HAD SUCH GREAT RESPECT FOR THE MAN OF ALAHIM (AND PROBABLY FELT SOME MEASURE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED) THAT HE BURIED HIM IN HIS FAMILY GRAVE-PLOT AND MOURNED OVER HIM.
33But despite all this, King Jeroboam did not change, but continued doing evil. He continued to choose people from different Tribes to serve as Priests at the High Places. Infact whoever wanted to be a Priest was allowed to be one! 34And this is the sin that caused the ruin and destruction of his Kingdom.
PRIESTS COULD ONLY BE FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVI REMEMBER, SO NOW THE PRIESTS, THE ALTAR AND THE HIGH PLACES OF PAGAN BAAL-WORSHIP ARE AN ABOMINATION TO YAHUAH.
KING JEROBOAM (WHO HAD HIS ARM WITHERED BY YAHUAH ... WHO WAS PRESENT AS HIS WICKED ALTAR WAS CRACKED AND BROKEN ... WHO HEARD THE MAN OF ALAHIM'S MESSAGE FROM YAHUAH LOUD AND CLEAR) ... WAS TOLD OF THE MAN OF ALAHIM'S DEATH, THE LION THAT KILLED HIM (AND STOOD GUARD OVER THE BODY), AND HOW HE'D PROPHESIED IT ALL ... AND STILL THIS KING REFUSED TO REPENT. HE WENT RIGHT BACK TO APPOINTING UNQUALIFIED PRIESTS TO THE PAGAN ALTARS HE ERECTED. NOTHING, IT SEEMS, WOULD CAUSE JEROBOAM TO CEASE HIS SPIRITUAL REBELLION, AND OF COURSE IT DOOMED HIS MONARCHY AND HIS DYNASTY.
WHAT BEGAN WITH SUCH PROMISE (THAT DESPITE THE CIVIL WAR AND THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER TEMPLE IN THE NORTH, YAHUAH HAD PROMISED TO GIVE JEROBOAM AN ENDURING DYNASTY ON THE CONDITION OF OBEDIENCE) ... ENDED IN THE WORST POSSIBLE CONDEMNATION OF HIM. HIS SUCCESSORS FAILED TO STOP ISRAEL’S TAILSPIN INTO IDOLATRY AND DEGRADATION AND WITHIN LITTLE MORE THAN 130 YEARS, THE 10 NORTHERN TRIBES WERE ATTACKED AND EXILED BY THE ASSYRIANS FROM THEIR LUSH AND FERTILE TERRITORY AND THE ERRONEOUS LEGEND OF THE 10 LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL WAS BORN.
TODAY THERE ARE HUGE HEBREW-ROOTS MOVEMENTS STILL SPINNING THIS FALSE (LOST 10 TRIBES) `OLDER-BROTHER' TEACHING. BUT IN TRUTH, ALL THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL WERE JUST A SHADOW OF WHO YAHUSHA'S NEW BLOOD-COVENANT BRIDE IS TODAY. YAHUSHA DIVORCED HIS OLD BRIDE ISRAEL AND (THROUGH THE POWER OF HIS DIVINE BLOOD) RAISED UP (IN HIS OWN WORDS) "A NEW COVENANT" (TRANSPOSING ALL THE COMMANDS AND PROMISES OF HIS EVERLASTING COVENANT - THE BLESSINGS AND CURSES - WITHOUT ABOLISHING ANYTHING) …
MAKING DELIVERANCE FROM THE POWER OF SIN AND DEMONS AVAILABLE TO ALL NATIONS AND PEOPLES WHO WOULD ‘GRAFT-IN’ TO YAHUSHA HIMSELF AND HIS NEW COVENANT BRIDE - A GLOBAL FELLOWSHIP OF LIKE-MINDED BELIEVERS!
EVERYTHING ‘OLD’ WAS TO TEACH US ABOUT BEHAVIOUR - EVERY LESSON IN THE NATURAL WAS TO SHOW US SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL AND AMAZING … NOT TO JUST MAKE US DO FOOLISH-PRACTICES UNDER THE BANNER OF ‘HE DOESN’T CHANGE!’ ... FORCING YAHUSHA'S PEOPLE INTO LEARNING AND SPEAKING THE HEBREW LANGUAGE IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE, OBSERVING FEASTS THAT SAME AS THEY DID IN ANCIENT TIMES AND GENERALLY DRESSING AND BEHAVING WITH NO SPIRITUAL CONTEXT OR UNDERSTANDING OF YAHUSHA'S DIVINE WORDS.
TO BEHAVE AS YAHUSHA BEHAVES IS OUR OBJECTIVE, NOT TO MIMIC THE FASHION OF A POST-SHADOW ERA THAT YAHUSHA WAS BORN INTO. IN HIS FLESH YAHUSHA WAS BORN A JEW AND WALKED LIKE A JEW IN EVERY WAY (FESTIVALS-TSITTSIT ETC) … BUT HIS LIVING WORD OPERATES AND FUNCTIONS OUTSIDE OF ALL TIME, SPACE AND CULTURE … HEBREW OR NOT!!
YAHUSHA TRANSFORMED EVERY COMMAND - LAW - PROPHETS … INTO REAL ACTIVE BEHAVIOUR WRITING HIS DESIRES ONTO THE DIVINELY OPERATED HEARTS OF HIS NEW-BLOOD-COVENANT BRIDE … PUTTING AN END TO USELESS OUTWARD SHADOWS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE A MOCKERY OF HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE … AND KEEP IGNORANT (NOT KNOWING) PEOPLE ASLEEP IN THE SHADOWS WHEN THERE’S A REAL CROWN OF LIFE TO BE ATTAINED !!
Dictionary Understanding:
1. IMPOSTER :
A person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.
2. LEADING ASTRAY :
verb. lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions. synonyms: misdirect, misguide, mislead.
Scripture Understanding :
1. IMPOSTER :
2 COR 6:8
“Through honour and dishonour, through slander and praise, we are treated as impostors, and yet are true”.
MATT 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves”.
MATT 7:16-20
“You will recognise them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognise them by their fruits”.
Scripture Understanding :
2. LEADING ASTRAY :
2 TIM 3:12-13
“Indeed, all who desire to live a righteous life in Yahusha Messiah will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived”.
2 PETER 2:1-22
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words”.
2 TIM 3:5
“Having the appearance of righteousness, but denying its power … Avoid such people”.
MATT 24:5
“For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will lead many astray”.
MATT 23:13
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”
SUMMARY:
We are constantly and repeatedly warned in Scripture, not to be deceived by carpetbaggers. This Scripture explains exactly what’s going on in the scandalous “”RENEWED”” Hebrew shadow-teachings… (such as the ‘older brother’ movement). This confuses believers to be hoodwinked into old Hebrew shadow-teachings that all pointed to Yahusha anyway, and were fulfilled.
It’s obvious that Yahusha expects His Bride/Body to be in unity with His mindset through His Living Words. It’s also obvious that those who call themselves His Bride/Body today are in a depraved state of defilement, ignorant of not understanding the truth. All through Timothy it gives us a clear view of what to avoid letting into the mindset of the unity of the Body.
For example 2 TIMOTHY 3-5:
“Suffer hardship with us as a good soldier of Yahusha Messiah. No one serving as a soldier gets into the affairs of this life, in order to please Him who enlisted him as a soldier (that’s Yahusha). If anyone competes in a game, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”
The word tells us here, that if we are willing to suffer hardship as a good soldier of Messiah, that WE DON’T GET INVOLVED WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE! The ‘so called’ Bride today is COMPLETELY INVOLVED in the affairs of this life, starting with politics, religion (which is not of Yahusha) fantasy, pornography, and the list goes on. These things are worldly affairs which we should not partake of in our mindset.
It’s so good that we have the understanding of the Bride/Body of Yahusha through the parable of the 10 Virgins. It shows us that half the Bride is foolish.
VERSE 11 says … “Trustworthy is the Word ... for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also shall deny us. If we are not trustworthy He remains trustworthy, it is impossible for Him to deny Himself”.
VERSE 16 ... “But keep away from profane, empty babbling, for they go on to more wickedness, and their words shall eat its way like gangrene”.
VERSE 19 ... “However, the solid foundation of Yahusha stands firm, having this seal, 'YAHUSHA KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS'. So let every one who knows the name of Messiah turn away from wickedness”.
2 TIM 3:13 … “But evil men and imposters shall go on to the worse, leading astray and being led astray.”
Obviously from the parable of the Ten Virgins THESE IMPOSTERS ARE AMONG US … they are not teaching the Bride how to behave, and she is believing them!! There is so much more instruction in Timothy to show us how the Bride/Body can recognise these carpet-baggers.
Remember the Bride can distinguish THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF BEHAVIOUR OF THE WORD by these carpetbaggers to see the difference in how Yahusha expects them to act. Don’t be deceived by them, LET THEM HAVE IT which is what the wise virgins did and sent them on their way, because they thought they could buy the Spirit of Yahusha.
The Bride has to make up her mind... who is foolish and who is wise! And THE LITMUS TEST IS THAT THEIR BEHAVIOUR DOES NOT SHOW THE LOVE OF YAHUSHA! They pretend it, which is easy for the spirit-filled Bride to recognise.
The Bride must be active in this mindset, to make up her mind just what the affairs of this life are and stay clear of the foolish who mix this together. Once this is recognised, unity and love should appear.
Again Brothers & Sisters don’t be deceived, make up your mind. Who is and who isn’t, otherwise you won’t make the Wedding Feast. We had better hurry and prepare!
YAHUSHA CAME FOR THE LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL, AND GUESS WHAT? ... HE FOUND THEM. MANY ACCEPTED HIM AND MOST REJECTED HIM ... SO NOW HE'S FLUNG OPEN THE DOORS OF DELIVERANCE AND MOVED ON TO WHOEVER WANTS THE NEW COVENANT.
ISRAEL IS DEALT WITH! YAHUSHA WANTS HIS BRIDE FROM THE GLOBAL NATIONS. ISRAEL IS NOT THE BRIDE! YISHARAL IS NOT THE BRIDE! THEY HAVE BEEN DIVORCED! REPENTANT SINNERS TODAY ARE THE BRIDE.
CARPET-BAGGER TEACHERS WANT TO HERD ALL BELIEVERS INTO THE SHADOW-TEACHINGS OF OLD ISRAEL UNDER `THE OLDER BROTHER DOCTRINE'. BE DECEIVED AND LOSE YOUR LIFE TO ANOTHER FALSE RELIGION!
CARPET-BAGGERS SCREW UP SCRIPTURE UNDERSTANDING. THEY WANT US TO INCLUDE JEWISH SHADOW TEACHINGS TO OUR LIBERTY WHICH BRING US BACK INTO BONDAGE. STAND FREE IN YOUR LIBERTY. ALL GROUPS INTRODUCING JEWISH (HEBREW) SHADOW TEACHINGS ARE ENDANGERING YOUR SALVATION/DELIVERANCE AND ARE USUALLY CARPET-BAGGERS !!
YAHUAH’S FIRST BRIDE WAS CALLED YISHARAL SHE PLAYED THE WHORE AND WAS DIVORCED. YAHUSHA HAS NOW A NEW WIFE CALLED THE BRIDE, AND SHE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE NATION OF ISRAEL.
THE BRIDE OF YAHUSHA HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YISHARAL. THE BRIDE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISRAEL. ISRAEL AND YISHARAL ARE BOTH FALSE BRIDES FORCING THEMSELVES ONTO THE BRIDE COMPANY!