One Torah for All

back

Combating the Lie – part 2
A Deluding Influence

2nd Thessalonians 2:11 
And for this reason Elohim will send them a deluding influence, that they should believe the lie.   

In the first part of this series we examined what “the lie” was, which originated in the Garden of Eden from the dragon, Satan.  In this study we are going to examine a particular future event in which YHWH Himself is involved.  This event is a deluding influence sent upon the whole world which causes all those who do not love His truth to believe the lie from Satan.  Before we get into what this actually means, we need to examine some Scriptural history which has already set a precedent in this matter.

Melakim Aleph (1st Kings) 22:19-23
19 And he said, “Therefore you hear the word of YHWH: I saw YHWH sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on His right hand and on His left.
20 And YHWH said, ‘Who shall entice Ahav, that he may go up and fall at Ramot-gil’ad?’  And one said on this manner; and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before YHWH, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22 And YHWH said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’  And He said, ‘Thou shall entice him, and shall prevail also; go forth, and do so.’
23 Now therefore, behold, YHWH has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all your prophets; and YHWH has spoken evil concerning you.”

As we see in this passage YHWH is directly responsible for sending a spirit who deceives king Ahav.  This is basically the same thing happening as in our opening verse, except in this case it is on a much smaller scale.  The important question for us is: why did YHWH do this?  What are we to learn from this record?

Melakim Aleph (1st Kings) 21:20 
And Ahav said to Eliyahu, “Have you found me, my enemy?”  And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in the sight of YHWH.”

King Ahav and his wife Jezebel, murdered Navot and wrongfully took his vineyard.  They conspired with the elders of the city in which Navot lived.  This was all done in the name of the king.  When Ahav went to take possession of the vineyard after Navot had been wrongfully accused and murdered, YHWH sent Eliyahu to meet Ahav at the vineyard of Navot to pronounce YHWH’s judgment upon Ahav.  What we then find in chapter 22 is a record of the judgment of YHWH being carried out upon Ahav which He had declared to the king through Eliyahu in chapter 21.  The rest of the judgment against all of his children would not be carried out until after the death of Ahav.

In the same way that Ahav had used deception and conspiracy to wrongfully gain that which did not belong to him, so YHWH used deception and a lying spirit to bring Ahav to his judgment.  We can therefore use this same standard of measure to understand what is happening in the passage from 2nd Thessalonians in which we are told that YHWH shall send a deluding influence upon all those who refuse to receive the love of the truth.  So those who have not loved His truth in a way so as to submit their lives to His truth to live according to the standards which He has declared in His word will receive a lying spirit instead and be led away into judgment in the same manner as king Ahav was deceived and led away to judgment.

1st Timothy 4:1-2
1 But the Spirit says expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron.

We are witnessing this happening in our world today.  Men and women are giving in to seducing spirits and following after lies and traditions of men.  YHWH has told us in advance that He would cause this to happen because these people did not love His truth in order to be saved.  But rather they have loved their traditions over His commandment.

2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and impostors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Let me again state as clearly as possible that traditions are not wrong in and of themselves.  There are many beautiful traditions in the Hebrew culture, some of which actually help us to keep and to do His Torah commandments.  However, there are other traditions in both Christianity and Judaism, which if done, actually cause one to set aside His commandments.  This is never a good thing and this is what we must carefully guard against at all times.  Simply doing something because it has been done for a long time is not a good, sound reason to continue doing it. 

The thing about traditions that one must realize is that they are not commandments.  As helpful and as beautiful as a tradition might be, it cannot be put forth as a binding requirement upon others.  Doing this elevates the tradition over the commandment thereby nullifying the commandment of YHWH.

When a person overemphasizes tradition in which the tradition is elevated above and beyond the commandment of YHWH and then teaches others to do this as well, then this person is teaching against the commandment of YHWH.

Matithyah (Matthew) 23:15 
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you travel sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, you make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves.”

Is it any wonder then that Mashiach Yeshua taught us to beware of the coming of false messiahs and false teachers?

Matithyah (Matthew) 24:24 
“For there shall arise false messiahs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”

The word “false” in the above passage means to intentionally deceive and lie.  So, in order to fit into this description a person would have to intentionally be telling a lie in order to deceive.  A person who is misleading another simply because he does not know better does not fit into this category.  So, one should be very careful about attaching this label to a person unless he knows with a great deal of certainty that this is happening, that is, the person in question knows the truth and is teaching in opposition to that truth.  And the only way a person can be certain of this is if he has gone to the person in question in person to see if correction is forthcoming.

What we need to understand about these words as spoken by Mashiach Yeshua is that these false messiahs and false prophets most likely are from YHWH and have come in order to test and refine His people.

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 13:3 
“You shall not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams; for YHWH your Elohim is testing you, to know whether you love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Do you love the words of men and follow them?  Or do you love the words of YHWH our Elohim and follow Him?  When I write these studies it is for the purpose of directing people into His word so that they will dig and study and show themselves approved.  I have no desire for another to follow me personally.  My desire is for others to walk with me as my fellow brothers and sisters in Mashiach Yeshua loving Him and hearing and obeying His Voice.  I am, like you, a flawed person.  I make mistakes.  We all need each other in order that the entire body of Mashiach can be perfected in His love.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
3 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts;
4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside to fables.

In our world today one can easily find someone spouting just about anything at all.  So it is not difficult to shop around and find a “teacher” who is espousing what a person would like to hear to justify what he wants to do or is already doing.  I do not mind others quoting me, but I would much prefer that he would learn the word well enough to quote that as his source of authority rather than any other man.  Regardless of who that man is, each one of us must be careful to do the work of proving all things.  Let us not be guilty of simply accepting what another is teaching simply because we like what he says.  What if that man is wrong?  Are we to follow him into his error?  YHWH forbid!

Kepha Bet (2nd Peter) 2:1-3
1 But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be maligned.
3 And in greed they shall with feigned words make merchandise of you; whose sentence now from of old does not linger, and their destruction does not sleep.

I personally have seen instances and heard of many other occasions in which those who teach and minister sell their wares upon Shabbat in the assembly and this is tolerated by many because they are selling religious items.  They do not realize the destructive nature of this activity and they heap upon themselves condemnation.  We should have nothing to do with such men, lest we be caught up in their error and thus gain a share in the sentence of destruction that will surely come upon all those who refuse to honor and keep His Shabbat.

We must walk uprightly before YHWH at all times realizing that we must test every spirit that comes to us; yea, we must test every word and measure it against the standard of YHWH’s Torah.  The Torah of YHWH is the foundation upon which we must stand in order not to be deceived, and this by and through the teaching of His Spirit which He has so freely given to all who will accept it.

Beware of those who are always asking for money in some way.  This is surely chasing after wealth in the same way that the prophet Bala’am did to his own destruction.

Yehudah (Jude) 1:10-12
10 But these revile things they do not understand; and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.
11 Woe unto them!  For they went in the way of Qayin, and ran riotously in the error of Bala’am for hire, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
12 These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Scripture teaches us that Bala’am was one of YHWH’s prophets.  But this prophet rushed headlong into error chasing after the lure of wealth and power.  He was willing to sell the prophetic word of YHWH in order to gain wealth and status.  He did not understand that one cannot sell His word and stay in a right relationship with Him, for as Scripture teaches us:

Matithyah (Matthew) 10:8 
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you have received, freely give.”

What YHWH has given to us without cost must be passed on and shared without cost.  It is a very gross error in our world today to believe that one can receive from YHWH and then turn around and sell it to others.  Brothers and sisters, be careful what you support with your purchases, especially when it comes to ministry.

Mashiach warned of the coming of false messiahs and false prophets and this began to be manifested even during the first century.

Qorintyah Bet (2nd Corinthians) 11:3-4
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Mashiach.
4 For if he that comes preaching another Yeshua, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different gospel, which you did not accept, you bore this well.

Just because one comes to you preaching and teaching in His name does not necessarily mean that one is teaching truth.  There are many things which are taught that are not based upon the solid foundation of Mashiach and Torah.  We need to test all things so that we will not be misled and deceived.

In our world today there are many messiahs being preached which are not the one true Mashiach Yeshua.  They are substitute messiahs.  Any messiah who is being preached which does away with even one single jot or tittle of His written word is a false messiah and should not be followed in any way.  Mashiach Yeshua taught us that He did not come to do away with the Torah, but rather to teach us to adhere to it, rather than to the traditions of men.

Be careful of substitutions when it comes to Mashiach Yeshua or the written word.  Be careful of those who substitute other names and titles for His name and for what Scripture actually says.  Be careful of those who substitute another day for His seventh day Shabbat.  Be careful of those who substitute other holidays for His appointed feasts.  Be careful of those who substitute a gospel that is divorced from the Torah for what Mashiach Yeshua gave us whose foundation is the Torah.  Be careful of those who substitute a manmade messiah for the one true historical Yeshua.

In the incident of the golden calf this is essentially what happened.  They substituted a lie for the truth.  As a result 3000 of them died because YHWH was sorely displeased with this action. 

Romans 1:23 
And they substituted the glory of the incorruptible Elohim for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of fowls, and of four-footed creatures, and of reptiles.

This is the essence of idolatry:  to say something about YHWH our Elohim that is not true, and then to act as if it is true.  Substitutions of any kind when it comes to YHWH and His word are dangerous and deadly.  We simply cannot afford them.  We cannot afford to substitute something that is not true for His truth and commandments.  It is His every word that is our life. It is not the ideas of man, nor the words of man which will bring us into eternal life.

As we have demonstrated above from Scripture there are many things already in this world which attempt to deceive us into following the lie rather than His truth.  It is very important for us to understand, that while there are many shades of this deluding influence already in the world today, there is not simply just one thing which deludes.  Some focus upon one specific thing as being the deluding influence.  However, as we can see, it is not just one thing, but many things all centered in the lie that has been around since the Garden of Eden and is from Satan.

Matithyah (Matthew) 7:13-14 
13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.
14 For narrow is the gate, and constricted is the way, that leads to life, and few are they that find it.”

It is easy to follow the deluding influence.  In fact, this is the path that most will take.  Even many who are even now reading this study will take this path.  So, how can one make sure that he does not walk this path- the path of the deluded?

Each man must take full responsibility for all that he chooses to do and say.  Each man must stop reasoning within himself so as to justify his own actions to himself.  Just because another is doing something, or even just because the majority is doing something does not mean that this is the right and correct path.  Please read again the passage above.  Do you see it?  The majority is wrong.  The majority walk the path of destruction.  If one goes with the majority, then he can be sure he is walking the wrong path.

How many people walked the path of Noach?  How many walked the path of Avraham?  How many walked the path of Moshe?  How many walked the path of Yehoshua and Calev who stood against the majority?  How many walked the path of Daniel and was thrown into the lion’s den?  How many walked the path of the three Hebrews and were thrown alive into the fiery furnace? 

Do you see?  YHWH has a path for you that no one else can walk.  Are you willing to walk it?  If not, then the likelihood of you being deceived is increased manifold. 

While there is only one deluding influence, the ways that this deluding influence is manifested in this world are many.  Look how many have substituted a different name for our Creator and His Mashiach Yeshua.  Look how many have substituted a different Sabbath for the seventh day Shabbat.  Look how many follow the traditions of men reasoning in their own minds and elevating their own piety.  The majority follow on blindly, never questioning, and will receive the fullness of this deluding influence unless they repent of their evil ways and turn to YHWH fully and completely.

ABBA YHWH, open our eyes to all of Your truth and give us the strength to walk in the fullness thereof; in the name of Yeshua our Mashiach.  Amein.

Shabbat shalom
Zerubbabel ben Emunah
www.onetorahforall.com
zerubbabel@onetorahforall.com

© All material is copyrighted and no part may be changed, added to, shortened or edited; however, the entirety of the article may be reproduced as long as the author’s name remains attached to the article.  It is encouraged and a blessing for others to forward these teachings to others, and permission is hereby granted for this as long as the teaching is kept wholly intact, which includes the author’s name and contact information, the “One Torah For All” header, and this copyright paragraph.  Furthermore, it must be passed on without any cost whatsoever to those who receive it.  The act of forwarding or sharing this teaching in any way constitutes agreement by the party forwarding it that he agrees to the terms and conditions of this paragraph.

Combating the Lie - The Love of the Truth - part 3