- Torah Portion "Balak" - Jim Staley, 2013
- The Way Biblical Fellowship: Balak (Torah Portion: Balak) 2015 - 2016
- Rob Skiba Virtual House Church
- 2013 Broadcast
TORAH:
Numbers 22:2 - 25:9
PROPHETS:
Micah 5:7-6:8
NEW TESTAMENT:
Mark 11:12-26;
Romans 11:25-32;
1 Corinthians 1:20-31;
Hebrews 1:1-2;
2 Peter 2:1-22;
Jude 11;
Revelation 2:12-17
TORAH
Balak has the same name meaning as the Antichrist Abaddon. They both mean destroyer and devastator. YHWH is giving us an image of an Antichrist like figure. Since he is a king of Moab, and in 2 Samuel 23:20 speaks of the lion men of Moab, could Balak and Balaam be related to the lion headed hybrids with Nephilim genes similar to Abaddon the Antichrist?
Balak goes to a sorcerer named Balaam. There is nothing new under the sun because people today, like the ancients still watch movies about wizards and witches and consort physics and mediums because they feel that they have problems in their lives. The New Age movement is like the spirit of Balaam. Notice how Balaam has the name Baal in it which is a name for Nimrod the Antichrist. Technically, the supernatural realm is very real and there is a real spiritual battle. Baalm was given the ability to tap into this other dimensions but YHWH is going to twist it and use it for good. Baalm is a type in shadow of the coming False Prophet in the End Times.
On seeing the million people coming into Moab, you can only imagine how frighten and confronted the kings of Moab and Midian were. They were once slaves in Egypt and now they have conquered 60 Nephilim cities. This is very unprecedented.
Balaam claims the name of YHWH, as all false prophets do.
In a 20th century discovery, an ancient text found at Deir Alla, Jordan, in 1967 tells about the activities of a prophet named Balaam. The text makes it clear that it is the same Balaam form the Scripture. Three times in the first four lines he is referred to as Balaam son of Beor exactly as in the Bible. This is the first Old Testament Prophet to be recorded archaeologically. The text also represents the first prophecy of any scope from the ancient West Semitic world to be found outside the Old Testament, and the one of the first extra-biblical examples of a prophet proclaiming doom to his own people.
When YHWH speaks, you are not to challenge Him. We can only challenge Him when He pronounces condemnation or judgement on people, we intercede for them so He can change His mind. But when He pronounces blessings, you have no right to challenge Him. The enemy only appeals the judge to curse, we appeal to the judge to bless. Balaam is the over way around. He appeals to curse but YHWH has already made up His mind to bless His imperfect people that desire to go into the land. So we should never feel vindicated on those that question us and hate us are judged, we should intercede for them, we should feel despair. It id written in Aramaic and begins with the title "Warnings from the the Book of Balaam the son of Beor. He was a seer of the gods." More information on the Book of Balaam on http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-balaam-son-of-beor-inscription-tell-deir-alla-succoth-1400-750bc.htm
It is possible that with Balaam being revered in Deir Alla, that it was his home. This is exactly what Dr William Shea of the Biblical Research Institute has proposed. In this case, the river of Numbers 22:5 would be the Jabbok River and the naharaim (two rivers) of Deuteronomy 23:4 would be the Jordan and the Jabbok rivers. It is more Scripturaly obvious is he is from the Kingdom of Aram Damascus on the norther of Deir Alla and Ammon. There also seems to be a linguistic link between Job and Balaam.
"And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
Bela could have been Balaam's brother.
33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
This is Job from the Book of Job. That means around 1400 BC either Bela or Job were Edomite kings. We get allusions to his great wealth and kingship in the Book of Job.
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east." Job 1:1-3
"When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth." Job 29:7-9
"So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys." Job 42:12
So Job lived 140 more years after the events of the Book of Job that may have happened during this time period when Israel was in the wilderness fighting Og and the Amorites in 1401 BC. Job then possibly reigned in Edom after Bela from 1400 to 1260 BC.
According to the unscriptural Talmud, Balaam knew the moment each day that YHWH was angry at the world. If he could curse someone at just that moment, God would be constrained to say "Amen" to the curse.
There are two curses in the Hebrew: Arar which means to put a limitation on someone and qalal which is to make of little importance.
What? God told Balaam to go the next morning on his mule but He gets angry because he obeyed? It says that Balaam had to wait for the princes to call him to go, but Balaam leaves on his own will.
We know that Balaam is greedy and he wants the money. So either way, he just wants to go and not hear their call to go. His will is to not curse the children of Israel because he had gotten paid by the frightful king Balak to curse them. YHWH knew his heart, it had nothing to do with Balaam's physical going.
In the Hebrew, it says that Yeshua stood as a Satan against Balaam.
Its interesting how the angel is leading the donkey into the narrow gate of the sheep. The two walls is the way and the angel (or Yeshua) chose to withstand Balaam in the way. We are not to stray form the right hand or to the left as it says in verse 26.
What's more bizarre than a talking donkey is a man that does not seem surprised he his talking to a talking donkey. It seems this is not something new to Balaam. He has probably seen so much supernatural phenomena that he is desensitised to it.
We know in the Garden animals used to have this ability to speak to Adam. YHWH is reverting the creature to its pre-fall state for a moment.
The donkey saw the angels first because most animal still have a sense that helps them pick up frequencies from the spiritual realm that have been deactivated from the fall. Dogs and cats and donkeys normally sense things first before we do.
When Balaam says he wants to go back out of nervousness, he did not really want to go back because he does nit really want to go back, he wants to go an curse Israel.
When we are on the donkey, we need to open our eyes on our spiritual walk to see all the angels that are being entertained and walking with us. We need the ayin of spiritual insight.The point is that YHWH is leading us with every step of our journey, but He requires of us to open our eyes. This is why the logo of Era of 303 is the paleo Hebrew Ayin. We need discernment in the Era of 303 (or deception and Satan.)
The story of Balaam is a great example of whatever happens in the physical, happens in the spiritual and whatever happens in the spiritual, happens in the physical. Balaam through that the donkey had a mind of its own but Balaam was beating something that was saving his life. He should have stopped for a moment and beseeched YHWH about a possible message He is sending to him.
"How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?" Numbers 23:8
The word curse here in Hebrew is naqab which means to pierce. Recall Yeshua being priced on the cross by Longinus. But the Sepuegent says this:
"How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?" This says that if somebody is not in rebellion against God they cannot have a curse brought against them because they are under YHWH's blessing, because from obedience comes blessings.
There is a mixed seed with Balak and Balaam - light and darkness. We are not to mixed light and darkness. We are not to have fellowship with two masters.
Balaam is speaking prophecy without knowing it. He speaking as an oracle.
Balaam unwillingly is prophesying the Messiah: "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them." Numbers 23:21. The word shout is shofar which means that Yeshua the Messiah was born on the feast day when Israel blows the shofar. The Targums say that that the shofar of the Messiah is among them. If the shout of God is among us, who can be against us.
The only thing in the end days to get Satan out of our face is to know that promises of God. He leaves when we quote the living word of God.
This account is telling us real messages that there is a spiritual war against demonic powers in high places and not flesh and blood.
We are not alone! I am saying this to myself! We have warring angels that are unfathomably powerful at our side. The LORD GOD is with us! He is with you! Open up your eyes in a time of strife because YHWH is with you. He has called us to higher things.
The third time Balaam blesses Israel is when he removes all his magical items and tools used of divination.
"Therefore now flee you to your place! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor.” At this point, Balaam is probably humiliated and uttered defeated since his goal was to gain enough glory to rivalry his brother because of jealousy.
"‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad of my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’? Numbers 24:18 It does here sound like Balaam is making the right decision he is saying whatever YHWH says like a real prophet. However, words can deceive. We know from chapter 23 that was not his intention at all.
"But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
Balaam prophesied Messiah again. You can only imagine how frustrated Balaam is at this point. He wants to curse, then something comes over him, he blesses Israel and wakes up to his senses confused "what on earth just happened?" The star from Jacob is obviously the star of Bethlehem.
"I see him, but not now.
I see him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob.
A scepter will rise out of Israel,
and shall strike through the corners of Moab,
and break down all the sons of Sheth." Numbers 24:17
Others say "break or crush the head of Moab." This refers to the seed war prophecy where God says that the seed of the woman will crush the Nephilim children of Satan. We have established the Nephilim bloodlines of these nations of Edom and Moab.
"I will put hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will bruise your head,
and you will bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15
Also in Jeremiah 48:1-4
"Of Moab. Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Woe to Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is disappointed, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down. 2 The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. You also, Madmen, shall be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue you. 3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction! 4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.: Jeremiah 48:1-4
However, in the End Times, Moab, Ammon and Edom will all be places of safely on the east side of the Jordan and on the west, is the Harlot herself - Jerusalem. It s the east vs west mentality again. The Greek western mindset and the Hebrew eastern mindset clash.
Amalek is the first of the nations but will become that last in the End Days and destroyed.
"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12
"Yahweh said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.”
5 Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.” You can only imagine Balaam in the background going "YEEESSSS!!!!! GLORY IS MINE!"
Phinehas killed two ( the prince of Israel named Zimri and a princess) of that were having intercourse in a tent, with a javelin.
The Nicolaitans are likened unto Balaam because he could not curse his people, but he did make them go whoring after other woman that forced the men to worship false gods and break the Torah. Just like Judah Maccabee, Phinehas in his zeal for the Torah, saw a man take and woman in what some to believe is the Tabernacle to make up and possibly have sex together in God's sanctuary.
Mattathias' zeal (father of Maccabee) was so powerful he was likened unto Phinehas.
"The Faithfulness of Mattathias
2 During that time, a priest of the Jehoiarib family named Mattathias, who was the son of John and the grandson of Simeon, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. 2 Mattathias had five sons: John (also called Gaddi), 3 Simon (also called Thassi), 4 Judas (also called Maccabeus), 5 Eleazar (also called Avaran), and Jonathan (also called Apphus).
6 When Mattathias saw all the sins that were being committed in Judea and Jerusalem, 7 he said:
Why was I born to see these terrible things,
the ruin of my people and of the holy city?
Must I sit here helpless
while the city is surrendered to enemies
and the Temple falls into the hands of foreigners?
8 The Temple is like someone without honor.
9 Its splendid furnishings
have been carried away as loot.
Our children have been killed in the streets,
and our young men by the sword of the enemy.
10 Every nation in the world has occupied the city
and robbed her of her possessions.
11 All her ornaments have been stripped away;
she is now a slave, no longer free.
12 Look at our Temple, profaned by the Gentiles,
emptied of all its splendor.
13 Why should we go on living?
14 In their grief, Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and continued in deep mourning.
15 Then the king's officials, who were forcing the people to turn from God, came to the town of Modein to force the people there to offer pagan sacrifices. 16 Many of the Israelites came to meet them, including Mattathias and his sons. 17 The king's officials said to Mattathias,
You are a respected leader in this town, and you have the support of your sons and relatives. 18 Why not be the first one here to do what the king has commanded? All the Gentiles, the people of Judea, and all the people left in Jerusalem have already done so. If you do, you and your sons will be honored with the title of
Friends of the King, and you will be rewarded with silver and gold and many gifts.
19 Mattathias answered in a loud voice,
I don't care if every Gentile in this empire has obeyed the king and yielded to the command to abandon the religion of his ancestors. 20 My children, my relatives, and I will continue to keep the covenant that God made with our ancestors. 21 With God's help we will never abandon his Law or disobey his commands. 22 We will not obey the king's decree, and we will not change our way of worship in the least.
23 Just as he finished speaking, one of the men from Modein decided to obey the king's decree and stepped out in front of everyone to offer a pagan sacrifice on the altar that stood there. 24 When Mattathias saw him, he became angry enough to do what had to be done. Shaking with rage, he ran forward and killed the man right there on the altar. 25 He also killed the royal official who was forcing the people to sacrifice, and then he tore down the altar. 26 In this way Mattathias showed his deep devotion for the Law, just as Phinehas had done when he killed Zimri son of Salu.
The Guerrilla Warfare of Mattathias
27 Then Mattathias went through the town shouting,
Everyone who is faithful to God's covenant and obeys his Law, follow me! 28 With this, he and his sons fled to the mountains, leaving behind all they owned.
29-30 At that time also many of the Israelites who were seeking to be right with God through obedience to the Law went out to live in the wilderness, taking their children, their wives, and their livestock with them, because of the terrible oppression they were suffering. 31 The report soon reached the king's officials and the soldiers in the fort at Jerusalem that some men who had defied the king's command had gone into hiding in the wilderness. 32 A large force of soldiers pursued them, caught up with them, set up camp opposite them, and prepared to attack them on the Sabbath.
33 There is still time, they shouted out to the Jews.
Come out and obey the king's command, and we will spare your lives.
34 We will not come out, they answered.
We will not obey the king's command, and we will not profane the Sabbath.
35 The soldiers attacked them immediately, 36 but the Jews did nothing to resist; they did not even throw stones or block the entrances to the caves where they were hiding. 37 They said,
We will all die with a clear conscience. Let heaven and earth bear witness that you are slaughtering us unjustly. 38 So the enemy attacked them on the Sabbath and killed the men, their wives, their children, and their livestock. A thousand people died.
39 When Mattathias and his friends heard the news about this, they were greatly saddened 40 and said to one another,
If all of us do as these other Jews have done and refuse to fight the Gentiles to defend our lives and our religion, we will soon be wiped off the face of the earth. 41 On that day they decided that if anyone attacked them on the Sabbath, they would defend themselves, so that they would not all die as other Jews had died in the caves.
42 Then Mattathias and his friends were joined by a group of devout and patriotic Jews, the strongest and bravest men in Israel, who had all volunteered to defend the Law. 43 In addition, everyone who was fleeing from the persecution joined them and strengthened their forces. 44 Now that they had an army, they gave vent to their anger by attacking the renegade Jews. Those who escaped were forced to flee to the Gentiles for safety. 45 Mattathias and his friends went everywhere tearing down pagan altars 46 and circumcising by force every uncircumcised boy they found within the borders of Israel. 47 They were also successful in hunting down the arrogant Gentile officials. 48 They rescued the Law of Moses from the Gentiles and their kings and broke the power of the wicked King Antiochus." 1 Maccebees 2: 1-48
In a 20th century discovery, an ancient text found at Deir Alla, Jordan, in 1967 tells about the activities of a prophet named Balaam. The text makes it clear that it is the same Balaam form the Scripture. Three times in the first four lines he is referred to as Balaam son of Beor exactly as in the Bible. This is the first Old Testament Prophet to be recorded archaeologically. The text also represents the first prophecy of any scope from the ancient West Semitic world to be found outside the Old Testament, and the one of the first extra-biblical examples of a prophet proclaiming doom to his own people.
When YHWH speaks, you are not to challenge Him. We can only challenge Him when He pronounces condemnation or judgement on people, we intercede for them so He can change His mind. But when He pronounces blessings, you have no right to challenge Him. The enemy only appeals the judge to curse, we appeal to the judge to bless. Balaam is the over way around. He appeals to curse but YHWH has already made up His mind to bless His imperfect people that desire to go into the land. So we should never feel vindicated on those that question us and hate us are judged, we should intercede for them, we should feel despair. It id written in Aramaic and begins with the title "Warnings from the the Book of Balaam the son of Beor. He was a seer of the gods." More information on the Book of Balaam on http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-balaam-son-of-beor-inscription-tell-deir-alla-succoth-1400-750bc.htmIt is possible that with Balaam being revered in Deir Alla, that it was his home. This is exactly what Dr William Shea of the Biblical Research Institute has proposed. In this case, the river of Numbers 22:5 would be the Jabbok River and the naharaim (two rivers) of Deuteronomy 23:4 would be the Jordan and the Jabbok rivers. It is more Scripturaly obvious is he is from the Kingdom of Aram Damascus on the norther of Deir Alla and Ammon. There also seems to be a linguistic link between Job and Balaam.
"And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
Bela could have been Balaam's brother.
33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
This is Job from the Book of Job. That means around 1400 BC either Bela or Job were Edomite kings. We get allusions to his great wealth and kingship in the Book of Job.
"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east." Job 1:1-3
"When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth." Job 29:7-9
"So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys." Job 42:12
So Job lived 140 more years after the events of the Book of Job that may have happened during this time period when Israel was in the wilderness fighting Og and the Amorites in 1401 BC. Job then possibly reigned in Edom after Bela from 1400 to 1260 BC.
According to the unscriptural Talmud, Balaam knew the moment each day that YHWH was angry at the world. If he could curse someone at just that moment, God would be constrained to say "Amen" to the curse.
There are two curses in the Hebrew: Arar which means to put a limitation on someone and qalal which is to make of little importance.
What? God told Balaam to go the next morning on his mule but He gets angry because he obeyed? It says that Balaam had to wait for the princes to call him to go, but Balaam leaves on his own will.
We know that Balaam is greedy and he wants the money. So either way, he just wants to go and not hear their call to go. His will is to not curse the children of Israel because he had gotten paid by the frightful king Balak to curse them. YHWH knew his heart, it had nothing to do with Balaam's physical going.
In the Hebrew, it says that Yeshua stood as a Satan against Balaam.
Its interesting how the angel is leading the donkey into the narrow gate of the sheep. The two walls is the way and the angel (or Yeshua) chose to withstand Balaam in the way. We are not to stray form the right hand or to the left as it says in verse 26.
 |
| IT SPEAKS!!!!! |
What's more bizarre than a talking donkey is a man that does not seem surprised he his talking to a talking donkey. It seems this is not something new to Balaam. He has probably seen so much supernatural phenomena that he is desensitised to it.
We know in the Garden animals used to have this ability to speak to Adam. YHWH is reverting the creature to its pre-fall state for a moment.
The donkey saw the angels first because most animal still have a sense that helps them pick up frequencies from the spiritual realm that have been deactivated from the fall. Dogs and cats and donkeys normally sense things first before we do.
When Balaam says he wants to go back out of nervousness, he did not really want to go back because he does nit really want to go back, he wants to go an curse Israel.
When we are on the donkey, we need to open our eyes on our spiritual walk to see all the angels that are being entertained and walking with us. We need the ayin of spiritual insight.The point is that YHWH is leading us with every step of our journey, but He requires of us to open our eyes. This is why the logo of Era of 303 is the paleo Hebrew Ayin. We need discernment in the Era of 303 (or deception and Satan.)
The story of Balaam is a great example of whatever happens in the physical, happens in the spiritual and whatever happens in the spiritual, happens in the physical. Balaam through that the donkey had a mind of its own but Balaam was beating something that was saving his life. He should have stopped for a moment and beseeched YHWH about a possible message He is sending to him.
"How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?
How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?" Numbers 23:8
The word curse here in Hebrew is naqab which means to pierce. Recall Yeshua being priced on the cross by Longinus. But the Sepuegent says this:
"How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?" This says that if somebody is not in rebellion against God they cannot have a curse brought against them because they are under YHWH's blessing, because from obedience comes blessings.
There is a mixed seed with Balak and Balaam - light and darkness. We are not to mixed light and darkness. We are not to have fellowship with two masters.
Balaam is speaking prophecy without knowing it. He speaking as an oracle.
Balaam unwillingly is prophesying the Messiah: "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them." Numbers 23:21. The word shout is shofar which means that Yeshua the Messiah was born on the feast day when Israel blows the shofar. The Targums say that that the shofar of the Messiah is among them. If the shout of God is among us, who can be against us.
The only thing in the end days to get Satan out of our face is to know that promises of God. He leaves when we quote the living word of God.
This account is telling us real messages that there is a spiritual war against demonic powers in high places and not flesh and blood.
We are not alone! I am saying this to myself! We have warring angels that are unfathomably powerful at our side. The LORD GOD is with us! He is with you! Open up your eyes in a time of strife because YHWH is with you. He has called us to higher things.
The third time Balaam blesses Israel is when he removes all his magical items and tools used of divination.
"Therefore now flee you to your place! I thought to promote you to great honor; but, behold, Yahweh has kept you back from honor.” At this point, Balaam is probably humiliated and uttered defeated since his goal was to gain enough glory to rivalry his brother because of jealousy.
"‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I can’t go beyond Yahweh’s word, to do either good or bad of my own mind. I will say what Yahweh says’? Numbers 24:18 It does here sound like Balaam is making the right decision he is saying whatever YHWH says like a real prophet. However, words can deceive. We know from chapter 23 that was not his intention at all.
"But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
Balaam prophesied Messiah again. You can only imagine how frustrated Balaam is at this point. He wants to curse, then something comes over him, he blesses Israel and wakes up to his senses confused "what on earth just happened?" The star from Jacob is obviously the star of Bethlehem.
"I see him, but not now.
I see him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob.
A scepter will rise out of Israel,
and shall strike through the corners of Moab,
and break down all the sons of Sheth." Numbers 24:17
Others say "break or crush the head of Moab." This refers to the seed war prophecy where God says that the seed of the woman will crush the Nephilim children of Satan. We have established the Nephilim bloodlines of these nations of Edom and Moab.
"I will put hostility between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will bruise your head,
and you will bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15
Also in Jeremiah 48:1-4
"Of Moab. Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Woe to Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is disappointed, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down. 2 The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. You also, Madmen, shall be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue you. 3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction! 4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.: Jeremiah 48:1-4
However, in the End Times, Moab, Ammon and Edom will all be places of safely on the east side of the Jordan and on the west, is the Harlot herself - Jerusalem. It s the east vs west mentality again. The Greek western mindset and the Hebrew eastern mindset clash.
Amalek is the first of the nations but will become that last in the End Days and destroyed.
"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12
"Yahweh said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.”
5 Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.” You can only imagine Balaam in the background going "YEEESSSS!!!!! GLORY IS MINE!"
Phinehas killed two ( the prince of Israel named Zimri and a princess) of that were having intercourse in a tent, with a javelin.
The Nicolaitans are likened unto Balaam because he could not curse his people, but he did make them go whoring after other woman that forced the men to worship false gods and break the Torah. Just like Judah Maccabee, Phinehas in his zeal for the Torah, saw a man take and woman in what some to believe is the Tabernacle to make up and possibly have sex together in God's sanctuary.
Mattathias' zeal (father of Maccabee) was so powerful he was likened unto Phinehas."The Faithfulness of Mattathias
2 During that time, a priest of the Jehoiarib family named Mattathias, who was the son of John and the grandson of Simeon, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. 2 Mattathias had five sons: John (also called Gaddi), 3 Simon (also called Thassi), 4 Judas (also called Maccabeus), 5 Eleazar (also called Avaran), and Jonathan (also called Apphus).
6 When Mattathias saw all the sins that were being committed in Judea and Jerusalem, 7 he said:
Why was I born to see these terrible things,
the ruin of my people and of the holy city?
Must I sit here helpless
while the city is surrendered to enemies
and the Temple falls into the hands of foreigners?
8 The Temple is like someone without honor.
9 Its splendid furnishings
have been carried away as loot.
Our children have been killed in the streets,
and our young men by the sword of the enemy.
10 Every nation in the world has occupied the city
and robbed her of her possessions.
11 All her ornaments have been stripped away;
she is now a slave, no longer free.
12 Look at our Temple, profaned by the Gentiles,
emptied of all its splendor.
13 Why should we go on living?
14 In their grief, Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and continued in deep mourning.
15 Then the king's officials, who were forcing the people to turn from God, came to the town of Modein to force the people there to offer pagan sacrifices. 16 Many of the Israelites came to meet them, including Mattathias and his sons. 17 The king's officials said to Mattathias,
You are a respected leader in this town, and you have the support of your sons and relatives. 18 Why not be the first one here to do what the king has commanded? All the Gentiles, the people of Judea, and all the people left in Jerusalem have already done so. If you do, you and your sons will be honored with the title of
Friends of the King, and you will be rewarded with silver and gold and many gifts.
19 Mattathias answered in a loud voice,
I don't care if every Gentile in this empire has obeyed the king and yielded to the command to abandon the religion of his ancestors. 20 My children, my relatives, and I will continue to keep the covenant that God made with our ancestors. 21 With God's help we will never abandon his Law or disobey his commands. 22 We will not obey the king's decree, and we will not change our way of worship in the least.
23 Just as he finished speaking, one of the men from Modein decided to obey the king's decree and stepped out in front of everyone to offer a pagan sacrifice on the altar that stood there. 24 When Mattathias saw him, he became angry enough to do what had to be done. Shaking with rage, he ran forward and killed the man right there on the altar. 25 He also killed the royal official who was forcing the people to sacrifice, and then he tore down the altar. 26 In this way Mattathias showed his deep devotion for the Law, just as Phinehas had done when he killed Zimri son of Salu.
The Guerrilla Warfare of Mattathias
27 Then Mattathias went through the town shouting,
Everyone who is faithful to God's covenant and obeys his Law, follow me! 28 With this, he and his sons fled to the mountains, leaving behind all they owned.
29-30 At that time also many of the Israelites who were seeking to be right with God through obedience to the Law went out to live in the wilderness, taking their children, their wives, and their livestock with them, because of the terrible oppression they were suffering. 31 The report soon reached the king's officials and the soldiers in the fort at Jerusalem that some men who had defied the king's command had gone into hiding in the wilderness. 32 A large force of soldiers pursued them, caught up with them, set up camp opposite them, and prepared to attack them on the Sabbath.
33 There is still time, they shouted out to the Jews.
Come out and obey the king's command, and we will spare your lives.
34 We will not come out, they answered.
We will not obey the king's command, and we will not profane the Sabbath.
35 The soldiers attacked them immediately, 36 but the Jews did nothing to resist; they did not even throw stones or block the entrances to the caves where they were hiding. 37 They said,
We will all die with a clear conscience. Let heaven and earth bear witness that you are slaughtering us unjustly. 38 So the enemy attacked them on the Sabbath and killed the men, their wives, their children, and their livestock. A thousand people died.
39 When Mattathias and his friends heard the news about this, they were greatly saddened 40 and said to one another,
If all of us do as these other Jews have done and refuse to fight the Gentiles to defend our lives and our religion, we will soon be wiped off the face of the earth. 41 On that day they decided that if anyone attacked them on the Sabbath, they would defend themselves, so that they would not all die as other Jews had died in the caves.
42 Then Mattathias and his friends were joined by a group of devout and patriotic Jews, the strongest and bravest men in Israel, who had all volunteered to defend the Law. 43 In addition, everyone who was fleeing from the persecution joined them and strengthened their forces. 44 Now that they had an army, they gave vent to their anger by attacking the renegade Jews. Those who escaped were forced to flee to the Gentiles for safety. 45 Mattathias and his friends went everywhere tearing down pagan altars 46 and circumcising by force every uncircumcised boy they found within the borders of Israel. 47 They were also successful in hunting down the arrogant Gentile officials. 48 They rescued the Law of Moses from the Gentiles and their kings and broke the power of the wicked King Antiochus." 1 Maccebees 2: 1-48
PROPHETS AND NEW TESTAMENT
See Peter Goodgame's take on Micah 5 in his book The Giza Discovery page 315 - 317 that explains the prophecy of the Anarchist and what i think the 15 "avengers" lets say, has in relation to the Judges. Nimrod is the beast that is the Abomination of Desolation and give the mark of the beast and when he comes, we must flee to the wilderness as we read in 1 Maccabees 2.
"As we continue our study we will find that references to Asshur are frequently accompanied by references to Sheol (Hell) and Death. This is explained by the fact that after his death Nimrod/Asshur became viewed as the Lord of the Dead by many ancient cultures. The Egyptians knew Nimrod as Osiris, whose symbol was the constellation Orion, and Osiris was the original prototypical Underworld deity. Nimrod was also known as Adonis in Byblos, as Melqart in Tyre, and as Nergal and Tammuz in Mesopotamia, to name only a few, and all of these deities had strong Underworld connections. When Asshur is resurrected near the beginning of the Day of the Lord he will proclaim that he has conquered Death and defeated Hell, and much of humanity will immediately believe him, including the leaders of Israel with whom he will make a covenant. The prophet Micah began his ministry near the end of King Jotham of Judah ʹ s reign (740 ‐ 731 BC) and like Isaiah and Hosea he predicted, and then witnessed, Assyria ʹ s invasion and destruction of Israel. Micah begins his message with accusations and warnings against Israel and Judah, and against the leaders and false prophets who were deceiving the people. In chapter 4 Micah then turns to a glorious description of the Messianic Kingdom, and then in chapter 5 he predicts the coming of the Messiah Himself. However, what many scholars miss is the fact that after predicting the appearance of the true Messiah Micah also gives a very clear end ‐ times prophecy of Asshur the false Messiah: ʺ Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel ʹ s ruler on the cheek with a rod. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. When the Assyrian [Asshur] invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. They will rule the land of Assyria [Asshur] with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrian [Asshur] when he invades our land and marches into our borders. The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. Your hand will be lifted up in 317 triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed. ʺ (Micah 5:1 ‐ 9) Micah predicts that the Messiah will come from Bethlehem and that his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. Micah then predicts that Asshur will invade Israel (see Daniel 11:41,45), but Israel will be defended by ʺ seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. ʺ Furthermore, ʺ He ʺ (meaning the Messiah) will deliver Israel from Asshur. After this final Messianic deliverance all of Israel ʹ s foes will be destroyed. Clearly this predicted deliverance from Asshur must be viewed in an end ‐ times context. It is certainly no coincidence that when Asshur arises—as the Antichrist who is one of the seven but also an eighth (see Revelation 17:11)—Israel will produce ʺ seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men ʺ who will defend the faithful remnant of Israel during the Day of the Lord until the triumphant return of the true Messiah."
Characters like Lot and Samson are some of the most relatable bible characters in my opinion. I think it would make more sense if God empowered Samson in his wrath to kill the Philistines is because most of them are part Nephilim like Goliath and his bros were. I also found something interesting. In Micah 5 it explains that the Antichrist will have to put up with the rise of these mysterious seven shepherds, and eight principal men. It says in verse 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders." If you do the math, 7+ 8= 15. There were 15 judges who judged Israel. It seems there is a parallel here, and if people agree that AC will be supernaturally empowered by Satan, then maybe, just like Judge Samson, some principle men might also be empowered by the Living God.
"As we continue our study we will find that references to Asshur are frequently accompanied by references to Sheol (Hell) and Death. This is explained by the fact that after his death Nimrod/Asshur became viewed as the Lord of the Dead by many ancient cultures. The Egyptians knew Nimrod as Osiris, whose symbol was the constellation Orion, and Osiris was the original prototypical Underworld deity. Nimrod was also known as Adonis in Byblos, as Melqart in Tyre, and as Nergal and Tammuz in Mesopotamia, to name only a few, and all of these deities had strong Underworld connections. When Asshur is resurrected near the beginning of the Day of the Lord he will proclaim that he has conquered Death and defeated Hell, and much of humanity will immediately believe him, including the leaders of Israel with whom he will make a covenant. The prophet Micah began his ministry near the end of King Jotham of Judah ʹ s reign (740 ‐ 731 BC) and like Isaiah and Hosea he predicted, and then witnessed, Assyria ʹ s invasion and destruction of Israel. Micah begins his message with accusations and warnings against Israel and Judah, and against the leaders and false prophets who were deceiving the people. In chapter 4 Micah then turns to a glorious description of the Messianic Kingdom, and then in chapter 5 he predicts the coming of the Messiah Himself. However, what many scholars miss is the fact that after predicting the appearance of the true Messiah Micah also gives a very clear end ‐ times prophecy of Asshur the false Messiah: ʺ Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel ʹ s ruler on the cheek with a rod. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. When the Assyrian [Asshur] invades our land and marches through our fortresses, we will raise against him seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. They will rule the land of Assyria [Asshur] with the sword, the land of Nimrod with drawn sword. He will deliver us from the Assyrian [Asshur] when he invades our land and marches into our borders. The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind. The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which mauls and mangles as it goes, and no one can rescue. Your hand will be lifted up in 317 triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed. ʺ (Micah 5:1 ‐ 9) Micah predicts that the Messiah will come from Bethlehem and that his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. Micah then predicts that Asshur will invade Israel (see Daniel 11:41,45), but Israel will be defended by ʺ seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men. ʺ Furthermore, ʺ He ʺ (meaning the Messiah) will deliver Israel from Asshur. After this final Messianic deliverance all of Israel ʹ s foes will be destroyed. Clearly this predicted deliverance from Asshur must be viewed in an end ‐ times context. It is certainly no coincidence that when Asshur arises—as the Antichrist who is one of the seven but also an eighth (see Revelation 17:11)—Israel will produce ʺ seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men ʺ who will defend the faithful remnant of Israel during the Day of the Lord until the triumphant return of the true Messiah."
Characters like Lot and Samson are some of the most relatable bible characters in my opinion. I think it would make more sense if God empowered Samson in his wrath to kill the Philistines is because most of them are part Nephilim like Goliath and his bros were. I also found something interesting. In Micah 5 it explains that the Antichrist will have to put up with the rise of these mysterious seven shepherds, and eight principal men. It says in verse 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders." If you do the math, 7+ 8= 15. There were 15 judges who judged Israel. It seems there is a parallel here, and if people agree that AC will be supernaturally empowered by Satan, then maybe, just like Judge Samson, some principle men might also be empowered by the Living God.
The fig tree that Yeshua cursed was Edom trying to be Israel;. That is the nation of Israel today that Jesus cursed. They follow in the ways of Balaam.
Perhaps the reason why Balaam desires this wealth by being a wizard means he might have a grudge or a bit jealous of his brother king Bela. Maybe he saw this opportunity to gather Balak's favour by doing what he says to gain level influence as his brother Bela in Edom. It was a rivalry it seems. It could be that Balaam was after money (greed) and adultery, witchcraft and all other sins as 2 Peter 2:14-15 says:
"having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; 15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;"
"having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; 15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;"
In this Torah Portion, there is a general feeling about it that speaks about men going against YHWH, men coming and arrogantly exulting themselves. This is exactly what the people in charge of Jerusalem today - Edom - have done too many times.
According to Revelation, it seems after Balaam failed in the king's service, in complete desperation and anger, he finally made a final decision that might give him worth in the king;s sight to let the woman of Moab to intermingled with the Israelites to make them sin and commit whordoms.
"But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality." Revelation 2:14
So in sense, Balaam got want he wanted. He knew now that he had no power to curse Israel but, knew that by making Israel sin, they will curse themselves because the wages of sin is death and YHWH says it is a curse. When he could invoke curses, this was his final plan and we do not know if he got the money to rival his brother Bela. From the inference here, it may be the case. Job may have been aware of this plot and scenario that was going on here. So the doctrine of Balaam is idolatry and adultery it seems.
The Nicolaitan Church Model:
First, we should note that the Nicolaitans appear to have flourished in Pergamum, where we see:
Revelation 2:13
New Living Translation (NLT)
I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.
Satan has always loved to twist, distort and steer people away from the words and instructions of YHVH! Thus, he appears to have taken a hold of a particular man and a group of his followers there in Pergamum.
Nicolaitans were one of the heretical sects that plagued the churches at Ephesus and at Pergamum, according to Revelation 2:6,15.
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. - Revelation 2:6
Have you ever wondered who the "Nicolaitans" were, mentioned in the book of Revelation? Whoever they were, Jesus loathed their doctrine and hated their deeds. Let's delve into this subject today to see if we can ascertain the identity of this group. What was their damnable doctrine? What deeds were they committing that elicited such a strong reaction from Jesus?
Let's begin in Revelation 2:6, where Jesus told the church of Ephesus, "But this thou hast [in your favor], that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." Jesus was proud of the church of Ephesus for their "hatred" of the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which He also "hated." The word "hate" is a strong word, so let's see exactly what it means. It comes from the Greek word miseo, which means to hate, to abhor, or to find utterly repulsive. It describes a person who has a deep-seated animosity, who is antagonistic to something he finds to be completely objectionable. He not only loathes that object, but rejects it entirely. This is not just a case of dislike; it is a case of actual hatred.
The thing Jesus hated about them was their "deeds." The word "deeds" is the Greek word erga, which means works. However, this word is so all-encompassing that it pictures all the deeds and behavior of the Nicolaitans - including their actions, beliefs, conduct, and everything else connected to them.
The name "Nicolaitans" is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, a compound of the wordsnikos and laos. The word nikos is the Greek word that means to conquer or to subdue. The word laos is the Greek word for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the name Nicolas, which literally means one who conquers and subdues the people. It seems to suggest that the Nicolaitans were somehow conquering and subduing the people. Thus, as a symbolic reference, many believe that the "teaching of the Nicolaitans" refers to domination of the people (or lording over them). Dominating the people goes against the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 20:25-28.
Ireneus and Hippolytus, two leaders in the Early Church who recorded many of the events that occurred in the earliest recorded days of Church history, said the Nicolaitans were the spiritual descendants of Nicolas of Antioch, who had been ordained as a deacon in Acts 6:5. That verse says,
"And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch."
We know quite a lot of information about some of these men who were chosen to be the first deacons, whereas little is known of others. For instance, we know that the chief criteria for their selection was that they were men "...of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom..."(v. 3). Once they had been chosen, they were presented by the people to the apostles, who laid hands on them, installing and officially ordaining them into the deaconate.
Nicolas
Acts 6:5 tells us that this Nicolas was "a proselyte of Antioch." The fact that he was a proselyte tells us that he was not born a Jew but had converted from paganism to Judaism. Then he experienced a second conversion, this time turning from Judaism to Christianity. From this information, we know these facts about Nicolas of Antioch:
He came from paganism and had deep pagan roots, very much unlike the other six deacons who came from a pure Hebrew line. Nicolas' pagan background meant that he had previously been immersed in the activities of the occult.
He was not afraid of taking an opposing position, evidenced by his ability to change religions twice. Converting to Judaism would have estranged him from his pagan family and friends. It would seem to indicate that he was not impressed or concerned about the opinions of other people.
He was a free thinker and very open to embracing new ideas and concepts. Judaism was very different from the pagan and occult world in which he had been raised. For him to shift from paganism to Judaism reveals that he was very liberal in his thinking, for most pagans were offended by Judaism. He was obviously not afraid to entertain or embrace new ways of thinking.
When he converted to Christ, it was at least the second time he had converted from one religion to another. We don't know if, or how many times, he shifted from one form of paganism to another before he became a Jewish proselyte. His ability to easily change religious "hats" implies that he was not afraid to switch direction in midstream and go a totally different direction.
According to the writings of the Early Church leaders, Nicolas taught a doctrine of compromise, implying that total separation between Christianity and the practice of occult paganism was not essential. From Early Church records, it seems apparent that this Nicolas of Antioch was so immersed in occultism, Judaism, and Christianity that he had a stomach for all of it. He had no problem intermingling these belief systems in various concoctions and saw no reason why believers couldn't continue to fellowship with those still immersed in the black magic of the Roman empire and its countless mystery cults.
Occultism was a major force that warred against the Early Church. In Ephesus, the primary pagan religion was the worship of Diana (Artemis). There were many other forms of idolatry in Ephesus, but this was the primary object of occult worship in that city. In the city of Pergamos, there were numerous dark and sinister forms of occultism, causing Pergamos to be one of the most wicked cities in the history of the ancient world. In both of these cities, believers were lambasted and persecuted fiercely by adherents of pagan religions, forced to contend with paganism on a level far beyond all other cities.
It was very hard for believers to live separately from all the activities of paganism because paganism and its religions were the center of life in these cities. Slipping in and out of paganism would have been very easy for young or weak believers to do since most of their families and friends were still pagans. A converted Gentile would have found it very difficult to stay away from all pagan influence.
It is significant that the "deeds" and "doctrines" of the Nicolaitans are only mentioned in connection with the churches in these two occultic and pagan cities. It seems that the "doctrine" of the Nicolaitans was that it was alright to have one foot in both worlds and that one needn't be so strict about separation from the world in order to be a Christian. This, in fact, was the "doctrine" of the Nicolaitans that Jesus "hated." It led to a weak version of Christianity that was without power and without conviction - a defeated, worldly type of Christianity.
Nicolas' deep roots in paganism may have produced in him a tolerance for occultism and paganism. Growing up in this perverted spiritual environment may have caused him to view these belief systems as not so damaging or dangerous. This wrong perception would have resulted in a very liberal viewpoint that encouraged people to stay connected to the world. This is what numerous Bible scholars believe about the Nicolaitans.
This kind of teaching would result in nothing but total defeat for its followers. When believers allow sin and compromise to be in their lives, it drains away the power in the work of the Cross and the power of the Spirit that is resident in a believer's life. This is the reason the nameNicolas is so vital to this discussion. The evil fruit of Nicolas' "doctrine" encouraged worldly participation, leading people to indulge in sin (which is defined by the Bible as lawLESSness) and a lowered godly standard. In this way he literally conquered the people.
God wants to make sure we understand the doctrine the Nicolaitans taught, so Balaam's actions are given as an example of their doctrine and actions. Revelation 2:14,15 says,
"But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate."
When Balaam could not successfully cure the people of God, he used another method to destroy them. He seduced them into unbridled, sensual living by dangling the prostitutes of Moab before the men of Israel. Numbers 25:1-3 tells us,
"And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they [the daughters of Moab] called the people [the men of Israel] unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people [the men of Israel] did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor...."
Just as the men of Israel compromised themselves with the world and false religions, now the "doctrine" of the Nicolaitans was encouraging compromise. As you are well aware, compromise with the world always results in a weakened and powerless form of Christianity.
This was the reason Jesus "hated" the "doctrine" and the "deeds" of the Nicolaitans.
[Source]
Of even further interest, is the fact that the doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of antinomianism, which makes the fatal mistake that man can freely partake in sin (which is defined by the Bible as lawLESSness) because - supposedly - the Law of God is no longer binding. In our study, we see how the people of Israel often rebelled against Moses and the laws (instructions) he was giving to the people from YHVH.
Antinomianism comes from the Greek meaning lawless. In Christian theology it is a pejorative term for the teaching that Christians are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality. Few, if any, would explicitly call themselves "antinomian," hence, it is usually a charge leveled by one group against an opposing group.
Antinomianism may be viewed as the polar opposite of legalism, the notion that obedience to a code of religious law is necessary for salvation. In this sense, both antinomianism and legalism are considered errant extremes.
Nicolaitans of the 2nd century seem to have continued and extended the views of the 1st century adherents, holding to the freedom of the flesh and sin, and teaching that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no relation to salvation.
Today, the doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has made God's law of no effect: that by "believing" we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned in the book of Revelation.
More on the Nicolaitans:
http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/refuel-with-rick/articles/who-were-the-nicolaitans-and-what-was-their-doctrine-and-deeds--14510.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11067a.htm
http://www.triumphpro.com/nicolaitans.htm
http://www.theopedia.com/Nicolaitans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaism
According to Revelation, it seems after Balaam failed in the king's service, in complete desperation and anger, he finally made a final decision that might give him worth in the king;s sight to let the woman of Moab to intermingled with the Israelites to make them sin and commit whordoms.
"But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality." Revelation 2:14
So in sense, Balaam got want he wanted. He knew now that he had no power to curse Israel but, knew that by making Israel sin, they will curse themselves because the wages of sin is death and YHWH says it is a curse. When he could invoke curses, this was his final plan and we do not know if he got the money to rival his brother Bela. From the inference here, it may be the case. Job may have been aware of this plot and scenario that was going on here. So the doctrine of Balaam is idolatry and adultery it seems.
The Nicolaitan Church Model:
First, we should note that the Nicolaitans appear to have flourished in Pergamum, where we see:
Revelation 2:13
New Living Translation (NLT)
I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city.Satan has always loved to twist, distort and steer people away from the words and instructions of YHVH! Thus, he appears to have taken a hold of a particular man and a group of his followers there in Pergamum.
Nicolaitans were one of the heretical sects that plagued the churches at Ephesus and at Pergamum, according to Revelation 2:6,15.
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. - Revelation 2:6
Have you ever wondered who the "Nicolaitans" were, mentioned in the book of Revelation? Whoever they were, Jesus loathed their doctrine and hated their deeds. Let's delve into this subject today to see if we can ascertain the identity of this group. What was their damnable doctrine? What deeds were they committing that elicited such a strong reaction from Jesus?
Let's begin in Revelation 2:6, where Jesus told the church of Ephesus, "But this thou hast [in your favor], that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." Jesus was proud of the church of Ephesus for their "hatred" of the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which He also "hated." The word "hate" is a strong word, so let's see exactly what it means. It comes from the Greek word miseo, which means to hate, to abhor, or to find utterly repulsive. It describes a person who has a deep-seated animosity, who is antagonistic to something he finds to be completely objectionable. He not only loathes that object, but rejects it entirely. This is not just a case of dislike; it is a case of actual hatred.
The thing Jesus hated about them was their "deeds." The word "deeds" is the Greek word erga, which means works. However, this word is so all-encompassing that it pictures all the deeds and behavior of the Nicolaitans - including their actions, beliefs, conduct, and everything else connected to them.
The name "Nicolaitans" is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, a compound of the wordsnikos and laos. The word nikos is the Greek word that means to conquer or to subdue. The word laos is the Greek word for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the name Nicolas, which literally means one who conquers and subdues the people. It seems to suggest that the Nicolaitans were somehow conquering and subduing the people. Thus, as a symbolic reference, many believe that the "teaching of the Nicolaitans" refers to domination of the people (or lording over them). Dominating the people goes against the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 20:25-28.
Ireneus and Hippolytus, two leaders in the Early Church who recorded many of the events that occurred in the earliest recorded days of Church history, said the Nicolaitans were the spiritual descendants of Nicolas of Antioch, who had been ordained as a deacon in Acts 6:5. That verse says,
"And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch."
We know quite a lot of information about some of these men who were chosen to be the first deacons, whereas little is known of others. For instance, we know that the chief criteria for their selection was that they were men "...of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom..."(v. 3). Once they had been chosen, they were presented by the people to the apostles, who laid hands on them, installing and officially ordaining them into the deaconate.
Nicolas
Acts 6:5 tells us that this Nicolas was "a proselyte of Antioch." The fact that he was a proselyte tells us that he was not born a Jew but had converted from paganism to Judaism. Then he experienced a second conversion, this time turning from Judaism to Christianity. From this information, we know these facts about Nicolas of Antioch:
He came from paganism and had deep pagan roots, very much unlike the other six deacons who came from a pure Hebrew line. Nicolas' pagan background meant that he had previously been immersed in the activities of the occult.
He was not afraid of taking an opposing position, evidenced by his ability to change religions twice. Converting to Judaism would have estranged him from his pagan family and friends. It would seem to indicate that he was not impressed or concerned about the opinions of other people.
He was a free thinker and very open to embracing new ideas and concepts. Judaism was very different from the pagan and occult world in which he had been raised. For him to shift from paganism to Judaism reveals that he was very liberal in his thinking, for most pagans were offended by Judaism. He was obviously not afraid to entertain or embrace new ways of thinking.
When he converted to Christ, it was at least the second time he had converted from one religion to another. We don't know if, or how many times, he shifted from one form of paganism to another before he became a Jewish proselyte. His ability to easily change religious "hats" implies that he was not afraid to switch direction in midstream and go a totally different direction.
According to the writings of the Early Church leaders, Nicolas taught a doctrine of compromise, implying that total separation between Christianity and the practice of occult paganism was not essential. From Early Church records, it seems apparent that this Nicolas of Antioch was so immersed in occultism, Judaism, and Christianity that he had a stomach for all of it. He had no problem intermingling these belief systems in various concoctions and saw no reason why believers couldn't continue to fellowship with those still immersed in the black magic of the Roman empire and its countless mystery cults.
Occultism was a major force that warred against the Early Church. In Ephesus, the primary pagan religion was the worship of Diana (Artemis). There were many other forms of idolatry in Ephesus, but this was the primary object of occult worship in that city. In the city of Pergamos, there were numerous dark and sinister forms of occultism, causing Pergamos to be one of the most wicked cities in the history of the ancient world. In both of these cities, believers were lambasted and persecuted fiercely by adherents of pagan religions, forced to contend with paganism on a level far beyond all other cities.
It was very hard for believers to live separately from all the activities of paganism because paganism and its religions were the center of life in these cities. Slipping in and out of paganism would have been very easy for young or weak believers to do since most of their families and friends were still pagans. A converted Gentile would have found it very difficult to stay away from all pagan influence.
It is significant that the "deeds" and "doctrines" of the Nicolaitans are only mentioned in connection with the churches in these two occultic and pagan cities. It seems that the "doctrine" of the Nicolaitans was that it was alright to have one foot in both worlds and that one needn't be so strict about separation from the world in order to be a Christian. This, in fact, was the "doctrine" of the Nicolaitans that Jesus "hated." It led to a weak version of Christianity that was without power and without conviction - a defeated, worldly type of Christianity.
Nicolas' deep roots in paganism may have produced in him a tolerance for occultism and paganism. Growing up in this perverted spiritual environment may have caused him to view these belief systems as not so damaging or dangerous. This wrong perception would have resulted in a very liberal viewpoint that encouraged people to stay connected to the world. This is what numerous Bible scholars believe about the Nicolaitans.
This kind of teaching would result in nothing but total defeat for its followers. When believers allow sin and compromise to be in their lives, it drains away the power in the work of the Cross and the power of the Spirit that is resident in a believer's life. This is the reason the nameNicolas is so vital to this discussion. The evil fruit of Nicolas' "doctrine" encouraged worldly participation, leading people to indulge in sin (which is defined by the Bible as lawLESSness) and a lowered godly standard. In this way he literally conquered the people.
God wants to make sure we understand the doctrine the Nicolaitans taught, so Balaam's actions are given as an example of their doctrine and actions. Revelation 2:14,15 says,
"But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate."
When Balaam could not successfully cure the people of God, he used another method to destroy them. He seduced them into unbridled, sensual living by dangling the prostitutes of Moab before the men of Israel. Numbers 25:1-3 tells us,
"And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they [the daughters of Moab] called the people [the men of Israel] unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people [the men of Israel] did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor...."
Just as the men of Israel compromised themselves with the world and false religions, now the "doctrine" of the Nicolaitans was encouraging compromise. As you are well aware, compromise with the world always results in a weakened and powerless form of Christianity.
This was the reason Jesus "hated" the "doctrine" and the "deeds" of the Nicolaitans.
[Source]
Of even further interest, is the fact that the doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to have been a form of antinomianism, which makes the fatal mistake that man can freely partake in sin (which is defined by the Bible as lawLESSness) because - supposedly - the Law of God is no longer binding. In our study, we see how the people of Israel often rebelled against Moses and the laws (instructions) he was giving to the people from YHVH.
Antinomianism comes from the Greek meaning lawless. In Christian theology it is a pejorative term for the teaching that Christians are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality. Few, if any, would explicitly call themselves "antinomian," hence, it is usually a charge leveled by one group against an opposing group.
Antinomianism may be viewed as the polar opposite of legalism, the notion that obedience to a code of religious law is necessary for salvation. In this sense, both antinomianism and legalism are considered errant extremes.
Nicolaitans of the 2nd century seem to have continued and extended the views of the 1st century adherents, holding to the freedom of the flesh and sin, and teaching that the deeds of the flesh had no effect upon the health of the soul and consequently no relation to salvation.
Today, the doctrine is now largely taught that the gospel of Christ has made God's law of no effect: that by "believing" we are released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. But this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned in the book of Revelation.
More on the Nicolaitans:
http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/refuel-with-rick/articles/who-were-the-nicolaitans-and-what-was-their-doctrine-and-deeds--14510.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11067a.htm
http://www.triumphpro.com/nicolaitans.htm
http://www.theopedia.com/Nicolaitans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaism
Shalom
Jonathon Karagiannis - 13/7/19
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