Learn Not the Customs of the Nations
Vayyiqra (Leviticus) 20:23
“And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation, which I cast out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.”
There are a lot of people who seek out all the ways which a person should not walk therein. May I suggest that this is doing exactly what YHWH warns His people not to do. YHWH does not want His people learning and knowing about ways which are not His. He wants His people to learn about His ways and then walk in them.
I do not know if it is still this way, but it used to be that treasury agents were taught how to spot a counterfeit bill. This was done by teaching the agents about all the details of a true bill. At a glance they knew exactly what a true bill looked like. They spent no time whatsoever looking at or learning about counterfeit bills. They only learned what true and good bills looked like.
Likewise, one cannot learn to recognize evil by learning about evil. One can only recognize evil by learning and doing good. That is, only by learning and living the ways of YHWH can one truly recognize evil.
Ivrim (Hebrews) 5:14
But solid food is for full grown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
It is a trap that many get caught up in seeking to know and understand all the ways of darkness. When a person accepts Mashiach Yeshua, that person has turned his back upon the darkness. Why would he choose to turn back to darkness and learn of its ways? It is not a wise or good choice.
The following passage of Scripture indicates one of the many ways in which a person can get caught up in learning the ways of the nations and be pulled away from the ways of YHWH.
Yeshayah (Isaiah) 8:11-12
11 For YHWH spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this nation, saying,
12 “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ concerning all whereof this people shall say it is a conspiracy; neither fear what they fear, nor be in dread thereof.”
There are many theories running about in the world today concerning all sorts of conspiracies, and this group of people who conspired to do this, and that group of people who conspired to do that, et cetera. However, what each and every conspiracy fails to take into account is the sovereignty of YHWH over His own creation. Besides, YHWH through His prophet has told His people that they are not to learn the ways of the nations by buying into the whole idea of a conspiracy.
YHWH knows full well the ways of men. He knows what the leaders of the nations are doing. After all, has He not placed each person at the head of each nation according to His will? To be sure! Since He is sovereign over all the affairs of men, they can only do His will. It may look at times as though they go astray from that, but sometimes the will of YHWH includes judgment upon His creation or a portion thereof.
Let the reader please understand, there are several things which we are not suggesting in this study. First, we are not suggesting that a person should not be informed of what is going on in the present world. One can be informed without chasing after all the different conspiracies. Second, we are not suggesting that one should not obey Scripture, specifically, Yeshua warned that His return would be just like the days of Noach and that as Noach prepared for what was coming, so should the followers of Mashiach Yeshua. One does not need to know all the details about the latest conspiracy to obey Yeshua in this manner. One can prepare in obedience to Yeshua without defiling himself with the knowledge of evil. Third, we are not suggesting that these things are not happening in our world today. What we are suggesting is that it is YHWH's will for them to happen as prophesied from long ago. YHWH is sovereign over His creation, nothing happens without His approval. Do not fight against these things, for one could find himself on the wrong side. Lastly, one cannot know what to do or when to do it by studying the ways of the world and learning about all the conspiracies. This can only come through the infilling of His Spirit and walking according to His Spirit. All the preparations in the world will be meaningless if one is not led by His Spirit. Judgment is coming upon this world and only those who walk in His Spirit will be spared.
How does one stay out from under the judgment of YHWH? By learning and doing His ways, not the ways of the nations. The Psalmist records a brief history of Israel doing this very thing, learning the ways of the nations.
Tehillim (Psalm) 106:34-35
34 They did not destroy the peoples,
As YHWH commanded them,
35 But mingled themselves with the nations,
And learned their works,
Please note what happened to Israel because they learned the ways of the nations. The specific context of this passage is idol worship leading to child sacrifice. However, there are many ways in which people learn the ways of the nations. There are many ways in which people sacrifice their children which do not literally shed the child's blood. These ways are more subtle, but just as evil. We are not to learn and follow any of the ways of the nations regardless of how benign one might think those ways are, YHWH commands us not to learn of them and follow them.
Tehillim (Psalm) 106:36-43
36 And served their idols,
Which became a snare unto them.
37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons,
38 And shed innocent blood,
Even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
Whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Cana’an;
And the land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus were they defiled with their works,
And played the harlot in their doings.
40 Therefore was the wrath of YHWH kindled against His people,
And He abhorred His inheritance.
41 And He gave them into the hand of the nations;
And they that hated them ruled over them.
42 Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were brought into subjection under their hand.
43 Many times did He deliver them;
But they were rebellious in their counsel,
And were brought low in their iniquity.
Chasing after the ways of the nations, which includes conspiracy theories, is a good way to end up serving and being subservient to a nation away from YHWH. Please understand that the ways of these groups instigating these conspiracies are evil in the sight of YHWH, and what they are doing is in service to the gods which they serve. It is not necessary to learn all of the details to know what they are doing is wrong. One can better serve YHWH by learning of His ways, not theirs.
Galatians 5:9
A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
I wonder if the people of YHWH will ever learn this simple truth. Conspiracies are leaven. Filling one’s mind with this type of information will only serve to leaven one’s whole being. It is sin!
1st Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals.
While a person who chases after conspiracies may have the best of intentions, they are still misplaced intentions and will lead one away from YHWH, not towards Him. One cannot keep company with the ways of the nations and also walk in the ways of YHWH. Each person can only serve one master.
Which master will you serve: YHWH or conspiracies and the ways of the nations?
Shabbat Shalom
Zerubbabel ben Emunah
www.onetorahforall.com