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Spiritual Gifts
Understanding the structure of the body of Mashiach

This study is about the various gifts that He bestows upon His people.  There are three places in the Brit that speak about gifting in the body of Mashiach.  Each of these three places actually classify three different types of gifts:  1) individuals; 2) natural; and 3) spiritual gifts.  We will deal with each of these three in order.

He Gave Some

Ephesians 4:11
And He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Please note that each of the five listed in the above passage is an individual person.  This is important to understand, as these individual people are given to the body as a gift.  Their abilities are given to them permanently.  In many cases, these people are born with their calling upon them.  YHWH has set them apart from the womb.  Let us list them, then we will discuss each one.

1. Apostles – שְׁלִיחִם – sh’lichim (pl) שְׁלִיחַ – sh’liach which means one who is sent
2. Prophets – נְבִיאִים – n’vi’im (pl) נָבִיא – navi which means a prophet (one who pours forth words)
3. Evangelists – מְבַשְּׁרִים – m’vas’s’rim (pl) – מְבַשֶּׁרֶת – m’vasseret which means a messenger of good news or one who announces
4. Pastors – רוֹעִים – ro’im (pl) – רוֹעֶה – ro’eh which means one who strengthens, also one who breaks
5. Teachers – מוֹרִים – morim (pl) – מוֹרֶה – moreh which means a teacher or archer

For the remainder of this study we shall use the Hebrew terms to refer to each of these individuals.

The beginning of our understanding of each of these individuals, is that Yeshua our Mashiach is the epitome of each one.  He is the perfect Sheliach, Navi, Mevasseret, Ro’eh and Moreh. 

Ivrim [Hebrews] 3:1 
Therefore, set-apart brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Shaliach and High Priest of our confession, even Yeshua Mashiach;

Notice that Yeshua is the Shaliach. 

Luqa [Luke] 24:19 
And He said to them, “What things?”  And they said to Him, “The things concerning Yeshua from  Natzaret, who was a navi (prophet) mighty in deed and word before the Elohim and all the people.”

And;

Ma’aseh [Acts] 3:20-22
20 “and that He may send the Mashiach who has been appointed for you, even Yeshua;
21 whom the heavens must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof Elohim spoke by the mouth of His set-apart prophets that have been from of old.
22 Moshe indeed said, ‘A prophet shall the YHWH Elohim raise up to you from among your brethren, like me.  To Him shall you shema in all things whatsoever He shall speak to you.’”

We also know that Yeshua was the prophet like Moshe who he prophesied would come after him.

Luqa [Luke] 8:1 
And it came to pass soon afterwards, that He [Yeshua] went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of Elohim, and with him the twelve.

Yeshua also brought the good news of the kingdom to us.

Matithyah [Matthew] 21:44 
“And he that falls on this stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.”

Notice that a ro’eh (pastor) is one who both strengthens (builds) and breaks.  If we fall on Yeshua we are broken and useable.  However, if He falls on us, we will be shattered and scattered as dust and of no use.  Yeshua is the Cornerstone, and when we fall on Him, He builds us together into a set-apart structure.

Matithyah [Matthew] 26:18 
And He said, “Go into the city to such a man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand; I keep the Pesach at your house with My talmidim.”’”

It is recorded in the Besorot (Gospels) many times that Yeshua was referred to as the “Teacher.”  Yeshua also referred to Himself as the Teacher.

Please note that the individual as a teacher not only teaches others to follow Torah, but also this person is an archer.  This fits quite well in our understanding of Torah.  Torah – תוֹרָה , means “instruction” and comes from the root word יָרָה – “yarah” which means “to throw, cast or shoot, to instruct, to hit the mark.”  So the task of a teacher is to instruct on how to hit the mark of the Torah.  Yeshua our Mashiach did this in every case.

While Yeshua fulfills each and every one of these offices, when He selects and raises up an individual, that individual will most likely stand in only one of these offices.  This is not to say that a shaliach, for example, cannot give prophecy, for prophecy is also one of the gifts of the Spirit.

Let us now briefly examine each of these individuals whom YHWH gives to the body.

Shaliach

A shaliach is a person sent for a specific task from YHWH.  We see this quite often in the Tanak when a king would send a person on a task or with a message.  This person is a shaliach, or sent one.  In this case, it would seem that the shaliachim that Yeshua appointed, were to stand as the earthly heads of the tribes.  Therefore, this is why He only appointed twelve into this position. 

Marqos [Mark] 3:14 
And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.

At any given time, there are only to be twelve shaliachim in Israel.  When one passes on, then YHWH will send another one to take his place so that there will always be twelve leaders or shaliachim in Israel.

Here is something that is quite interesting that we need to give serious consideration and prayer to concerning these individuals YHWH raises up for the body of Mashiach.

Shemot [Exodus] 18:25 
And Moshe chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

There are also five leaders listed here:  the heads of the people, tribal leaders.  Then there are the rulers of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.  Let us chart this so we can see how each of these corresponds to the five individuals YHWH gives to the body of Mashiach.

The five leaders as given in Torah through Moshe, seem to line up quite well with the five leaders given to the body of Mashiach.  We are not saying that every navi, for example, is a שָׂר אָלַף – prince of a thousand, but we cannot rule that out either.  YHWH will reveal this to us in His time.  The same is true for each of the leaders of Israel.

Navi

The gift of a navi to His body is to be distinguished from the gift of prophecy through the Spirit.  The navi is a person who walks in that office regardless of what else he does; he is always a navi (prophet).  On the other hand, the gift of prophecy through the Spirit may only come upon an individual at certain times, where it might not be present at other times. 

B’midbar [Numbers] 12:6 
And He said, “Hear now My words; if there be a prophet among you, I YHWH will make Myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream.”

YHWH speaks to His people through His prophets.  When YHWH gives a message to a prophet, that prophet is then sent to deliver that message.  In a sense, the prophet becomes a sent one or shaliach as YHWH sends him to deliver the message.  But it is in the task of a sent one, rather than in the office of a shaliach.

Qorintyah Aleph [1st Corinthians] 14:37 
If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of YHWH.

If a person thinks himself to be a prophet, then he needs to know and obey all the commandments of YHWH.  He needs to be a Torah keeping Israelite.

Mevasseret

Yeshua has commissioned all of His talmidim to go into the world and find those who would hear and heed the good news.

Marqos [Mark] 16:15 
And He said to them, “You go into all the world, and preach the good news to the whole creation.”

It is important that we understand that there are those who YHWH raises up specifically as a mevasseret (evangelist); and then there are times when anyone can do the work of a mevasseret.

2nd Timothy 4:5 
You be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

There will be times in each person’s life when he finds himself in a situation in which the Spirit will speak the good news through him to someone who does not know it.  This is the work of a mevasseret (an evangelist).  We should not be concerned about what to say in those times as the Spirit will give us the words we need as we need them.

There are those whose primary duty in the body is to announce the good news of Yeshua to those who do not know it.  They perform a vital function to the body of Mashiach.

Marqos [Mark] 13:10 
“And the good news must first be preached to all the nations.”

YHWH equips His people to accomplish His will.  Part of His will is that all hear the good news.  To help accomplish this He appoints מְבַשְּׁרִים – mevesserim (evangelists).

Ro’eh

A ro’eh (pastor) is responsible for both encouraging and disciplining His people.  They are a type of shepherd, giving the sheep what they need, when they need it.  Unlike the pastor that one typically finds in Christianity, a ro’eh in Israel is one who will properly dispense the discipline of Torah to His people.  Discipline is properly understood as not just correction, but of right instruction and right living as well.  The ro’eh is a prime example of how to live out Torah in our everyday lives.

Kepha Aleph [1st Peter] 2:21 
For you are called, because Mashiach also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow His steps.

Mashiach has given us a proper example to follow through His own life.

Yochanan [John] 13:15 
“For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

Furthermore, we also should be a proper example to others.  However, when that example that Yeshua left for us to follow is not followed, then correction needs to be forthcoming in a timely manner.  That correction should be done following the proper protocols according to Scripture so that we do so in His love.

There are those whose primary duty is to be a ro’eh to His people.  There will be times when anyone of us could be called upon through His Spirit to bring instruction or discipline to a person or group of people.  We must simply walk in the Spirit and obey Him in all things.

Moreh

It is the task of the moreh to help bring His people into proper alignment with His Torah.  The plumb line of Torah must be properly taught and instilled in His people, so that they may as individuals, and as His people, be able to walk the straight and narrow. 

This is in much the same way that an archer shoots an arrow, and the arrow flies along a path that is quite straight.  The arrow being very narrow, follows the path of the straight and narrow.  This is the task of the moreh, to properly instruct His people how to walk this path so that they can be His people and have eternal life.

Matithyah [Matthew] 28:20 
“teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

We all will teach from time to time.  And we all will teach by our good example that we live each day.  However, there are those whose primary task is given by YHWH to teach His people how to live their lives in a manner that is pleasing to Him.  They will teach us how to hear and obey His Voice, because they can hear and obey His Voice themselves.

A Threefold Task

Ephesians 4:12
for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of ministering, to the building up of the body of Mashiach;

The task given to the shalichim, nevi’im, mevasserim, ro’im and morim is threefold.  They are to perfect the people of YHWH.  They are to do the work of ministering to His people.  And they are to build up the body of Mashiach, His people.  When each is doing the task that YHWH has called him to do, then the body is functioning and growing the way which YHWH has intended it to do. 

A Threefold Result

Ephesians 4:13 
till we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Mashiach.

When the shalichim, nevi’im, mevasserim, ro’im and morim are working in and according to His Spirit, then the result seen within His body of people will be a unity of faith, they will have a knowledge of Yeshua Mashiach as the Son of Elohim and each will grow into a spiritually mature person ready to take his own place within the body of Mashiach.

Furthermore, each person is given a measure of the fullness of Mashiach.  If we are going to walk in the fullness of that measure given to each one of us, then each person needs to walk in the fullness of what He has called us each to do.  He has placed each person exactly where He has desired for the building up of His body.  We truly are our brother’s keeper.

Seven Natural Gifts

Romans 12:6-8 
6 And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
7 or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teaches, to his teaching;
8 or he that exhorts, to his exhorting; he that gives, let him do it with liberality; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let us begin by listing each of these seven gifts.

1. Prophecy – נְבוּאָת – n’vu’at which means prophecy or prediction
2. Ministry – שֵׁרוּת – sherut which means to serve or to minister
3. Teaching – מוֹרֶה – moreh which means to teach or to instruct
4. Exhorting – מְנַחֵם – menachem which means to console or to comfort
5. Giving – נוֹתֵן – noten which means to give
6. Leadership – עוֹמֵד בָּרֹאשׁ – ‘omed barosh, literally in the standing head
7. Mercy – מְרַחֵם – m’rachem – to have compassion, pity, mercy

Each person, when he is born, has within himself certain talents that are there from birth.  Each person has at least one talent and others several talents.  As we grow up, those talents and abilities begin to be manifested in our daily lives.  It is up to our parents and teachers to bring those talents to their fullness and teach us how to use these talents and abilities to build His kingdom.  This is the basic struggle between the flesh and the spirit, to use our resources, gifts and talents for ourselves or for Him.

Each one of these gifts is described as to how each one should be used in His body.  Let us look at how each one is to be used according to this passage of Scripture.

The real question that we are faced with concerning these seven particular gifts, is how one goes about taking this natural gift or ability, and transforming it into something useful and beautiful to YHWH.  We are blessed because that very question is answered in this same chapter as we find these seven gifts or abilities listed.

The implementation of these seven natural abilities or gifts is a threefold process.

1. Present oneself as a living sacrifice
2. Be transformed by the renewing of one’s mind
3. Do not elevate oneself

Step One – present oneself as a living sacrifice

Romans 12:1 
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Elohim, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to Elohim, which is your spiritual service.

The very first thing that has to happen if our natural abilities are going to be used effectively for His kingdom, is that one must die to self.  He must stop living for himself and live for YHWH.  The sacrifices of the Levitical system were all dead sacrifices.  A person brought an animal that was to be without blemish.  Each animal could only be used one time.

However, to present oneself as a living sacrifice, means that we are presenting ourselves rather than an animal.  We are living rather than dead.  We are presenting ourselves rather than an animal.  Instead of an animal without blemish, we are set-apart for Him.  And unlike an animal which can only be presented one time for a sacrifice, we present ourselves as a continual offering. 

This offering is our service to YHWH.  This is our spiritual sacrifice to Him.

Step Two – be transformed by the renewing of your mind

Romans 12:2 
And be not fashioned according to this world; but you be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of the Elohim.

We are not to be conformed to this world, which is enmity towards YHWH.  We are to be renewed in our minds that we can live for Him.  It is by the continual renewing of our mind, the continual infilling of His Spirit that empowers us to use our natural abilities to glorify Him.  When we walk in the Spirit, then He sanctifies those talents and abilities that we were born with and teaches us how to use them for His glory and honor.

Step Three – do not elevate yourself

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as the Elohim has dealt to each man a measure of faith.

The continual process of daily living as we work to build His kingdom, can be a source of being lifted up beyond where we should be in one’s thinking of himself.  One thing that we need to continually guard against is the creeping in of pride.  There just simply is no room for pride in His kingdom.  Pride causes one to stop building His kingdom and one begins building his own little empire, which stands in opposition to His kingdom.

We need to think rightly at all times of who and what we are in His kingdom.  We are nothing without Him!  We can do nothing to build His kingdom without the presence of His Spirit in us.  We must never forget that it is YHWH working in and through us that brings any increase to His kingdom.  We can do nothing to increase His kingdom.  The sooner we learn that, the sooner that we know this truth, the less likely we will be to fall into the sin of pride.

Let us now briefly discuss each of these natural abilities individually.

Prophecy

Many who have this natural ability will be found in jobs like analyzing the stock market or commodities.  Or perhaps in some type of consulting in which he takes facts and figures and predicts current and future trends.  It is the natural ability to see what is coming in the financial, political or cultural arenas.  Many people who practice predicting the future in some way have the natural ability to prophecy.  That person has just never chosen to sanctify that ability to YHWH.

If we will notice, this gift is found in all three categories.  A person can be a prophet.  A person can have a natural ability to know things that he has not learned.  And, a person can be given the gift of prophecy through His Spirit. 

Qorintyah Aleph [1st Corinthians] 14:1 
Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy.

If we are to pursue having only one gift, Scripture indicates that one gift should be the gift of prophecy.  Prophecy is actually related to each of the other gifts.  Why is this?

Gilyana [Revelation] 19:10 
And I fell down before his feet to worship him.  And he says to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow-servant with you and with your brethren that hold the testimony of Yeshua; worship Elohim; for the testimony of Yeshua is the spirit of prophecy.”

To have the spirit of prophecy is to have a living and vital testimony concerning Yeshua.  It is being able to understand what the Torah and the prophets have foretold long ago concerning the coming of Mashiach.  When we have the Spirit of prophecy, then we can know and understand these things and realize that Mashiach Yeshua is the fulfillment of all prophecy.  When a person gives a testimony about Yeshua, he is prophesying.

Ministry

The world is full of people who serve others.  There are many trades that are service related.  The sad thing, is that the vast majority of those people have never learned how to take that dedicated service to others and serve YHWH in serving others.

Ephesians 6:5-8
5 Servants, be obedient to them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Mashiach;
6 not in the way of eye service, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Mashiach, doing the will of Elohim from the heart;
7 with good will doing service, as to Adonenu, and not to men;
8 knowing that whatsoever good thing each one does, the same shall he receive again from Adonenu, whether he be bond or free.

If we have a natural ability in serving others, then we are to take that ability to serve and dedicate it to YHWH and always work as if we are working directly for Him.  For in reality that is exactly who we are working for!

Teaching

Again, our world is full of people who are teachers.  We have teachers of grade schools, high schools, colleges, universities, trade schools and many other specialty places of instruction.  Our world is full of teachers.  However, the majority of those teachers have never dedicated their teaching ability to YHWH and for the building of His kingdom.

Divrei Hayamim Bet [2nd Chronicles] 15:3 
Now for a long season Israel was without the true Elohim, and without a teaching priest, and without Torah;

Israel needs to have Spirit filled, Spirit led teachers who will speak to His people, His words and not their own.  When a teacher stands in our midst to teach and he teaches us his own words, they are to further that man’s own agenda and kingdom.  They are the words of death.  We need to hear from YHWH and we need to have men who hear His Voice and proclaim, “Thus says YHWH!”

It is only when a teacher teaches in the power of His Spirit, that true knowledge, wisdom, and life are given forth.

Exhorting

As we discussed above, the Hebrew word for exhort means to comfort; e.g., to give aid when aid is needed.  Our world is filled to overflowing with “causes” to save something.  Some causes are to save the planet or some particular species on the planet, whether that be an animal or a plant.  Some causes are political in nature.  Other causes are humanitarian in nature.  If there is a need somewhere on this planet, there is a cause to meet that need.

Within this word is also the understanding of one who has the ability to entreat others.  Many times in these causes are those who have the ability to convince others to give, to work or to be involved in some way in the cause.  They have the natural ability to exhort, to spur to action those around them.  The natural gift of exhortation will often manifest itself as charisma.  A charismatic person is a person who has the natural gift of exhortation.

1st Timothy 4:13-14 
13 Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.

Some gifts we are born with.  Other gifts can be conferred through His Spirit.  Other gifts are received by the laying on of hands of the elders of the assembly.  Most likely these gifts are not given by name, but rather, as He wills to do so at the time of the laying on of hands.

When a person sanctifies his natural abilities to YHWH, then the natural ability of exhortation will be greatly enhanced as was the case of Apollo who was known as a great orator.

Giving

While there are many causes in our world, there are multiplied thousands of people who give to those causes.  Or, consider how many people put money in an offering plate each week on Sunday.  Many people have the gift to give to others.

Mishle [Proverbs] 22:9 
He that has a bountiful eye shall be blessed;
For he gives of his bread to the poor.

Torah even speaks to how one is to treat the poor in the land.

Devarim [Deuteronomy] 15:7-11
7 “If there be with you a poor man, one of your brethren, within any of your gates in your land which YHWH your Elohim gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother;
8 but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants.
9 Beware that there be not a base thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to YHWH against you, and it be sin to you.
10 You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing YHWH your Elohim will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to.
11 For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.’”

This is what set-apart giving is to look like. 

Leadership

There are political leaders.  There are religious leaders.  There are corporate leaders.  There are leaders in education, science, medicine and many other areas.  These leaders have a natural ability to lead others in their chosen fields of expertise. 

What YHWH asks us to do is to simply take that natural ability to lead and use it to lead His people in a manner that is pleasing to Him.  The sad thing right now is that the seeming majority of leaders among His people are not sanctified.  Their leadership is according to their own desires and thoughts, rather than being in accordance with His Spirit.

1st Timothy 3:5 
but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the assembly of Elohim?

When raising up leaders among His people, this is one of the indicators that we are to look for: a well run and orderly household.  If this is the case, then we can know that this man knows what it means to lead.  But, if everyone in the household is just doing his own thing and there is chaos present, then this is a person who is not ready to take on the additional leadership of His people.

Mercy

One of the many causes today is to do away with the death penalty.  This cause is full of people who have the natural ability to show mercy.  These people just have never surrendered that natural ability to show mercy to YHWH to be used to bring glory and honor.

Ya’aqov [James] 2:13 
For judgment is without mercy to him that has showed no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Scripture teaches that what we have received free of charge, the same we are to give free of charge to others.  Surely we have received an abundance of mercy from the hand of YHWH through Yeshua in commuting the sentence of death that we were all under for our many transgressions against His commandments.

When we have the natural ability to show mercy and that natural ability is sanctified to YHWH, then that person will be one who is constantly showing the mercy of Elohim to others to woo them to Him with his pleadings.

Not For Selfish Gain

Qorintyah Aleph [1st Corinthians] 12:4-7
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are varieties of ministrations, and the same Adon.
6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same Elohim, who works all things in all.
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

We now come to the last portion of this study, which is dealing with the nine gifts given by the Ruach Qodesh.  Each of these nine gifts is given by the same Spirit.  While there are a variety of ways in which these gifts are administered, they are all from the same Source.  Each gift has a different effect upon the body of Mashiach, but it is YHWH our Elohim who is working through each gift.  Each of these gifts is for the common good of His people.

Each person, upon coming to faith in Yeshua our Mashiach, is given by YHWH through the ministry of His Spirit, at least one spiritual gift.  Some will receive more than others, as each is given according to his ability.  YHWH never gives a person a spiritual gift for his own selfish use or for the elevation of that person.  The reason that a spiritual gift is given, is for the good of others.  We are to use what He blesses us with, to bless others.  When we do that He is pleased and increases the gift.

Nine Gifts of His Spirit

Qorintyah Aleph [1st Corinthians] 12:8-10
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;
9 to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;
10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages;

Let us list these nine spiritual gifts.

1. Word of wisdom – דְּבַר חָכְמָה  - d’var chakmah which means word of wisdom
2. Word of knowledge – דְּבַר דַּעַת – d’var da’at which means word of knowledge
3. Faith – אֱמוּנָה – emunah which means faith
4. Gift of healing – מַתְּנוֹת הָרְפוּאָה – mattenot harphu’ah which means gifts of healing
5. Working of Miracles – גְּבוּרוֹת – g’vurot which means mighty deeds
6. Prophecy – נְבוּאָה – n’vu’ah which means prophecy
7. Discernment of spirits – הַבְחָנַת רוּחוֹת – havchanat ruchot which means the tester of spirits
8. Kinds of languages – מִינֵי לְשׁוֹנוֹת – minei l’shonot which means divisions of languages
9. Interpretation of languages – בֵּאוּר לְשׁוֹנוֹת – be’ur l’shonot which means explanation of languages

At least one of these nine gifts of His Spirit is given to each person upon his coming to faith in Yeshua our Mashiach.  It is then up to that person to use that gift according to His will and in accordance to the leading of His Spirit.  This will not happen automatically, but it is a choice that each person must make, and they must continually make this choice.  For it is a common temptation to take these gifts and use them outside of His will.

Let us discuss each one of these gifts briefly.

The Word of Wisdom

Wisdom, according to Scripture, is the ability to understand Torah, to keep and do it, to properly guard it.

Mishle [Proverbs] 9:10 
The fear of YHWH is the beginning of wisdom;
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

One who has been given the spiritual gift of the word of wisdom is able to impart to others the wisdom of fearing YHWH.  This particular gift seems to be rare today, as so many are so familiar with our heavenly Father.  While this is the beginning of wisdom, it certainly is not the summation of it.  We will be known as a wise people if we keep and do Torah.  Surely the depths of Torah have scarcely been searched out in Mashiach!

The Word of Knowledge

Wisdom and knowledge can be compared to a key in a lock.  As a key unlocks a lock so that entrance may be gained, so too, does wisdom unlock knowledge so that true understanding may be gained.  Even so, knowledge still is valuable and needs to be taught.  YHWH has given this spiritual gift to some, in which He has given them a heart to know and understand what they read in Torah and all of Scripture.

Mishle [Proverbs] 11:9 
With his mouth the impious man destroys his neighbor;
But through knowledge shall the righteous be delivered.

When we are given knowledge, then we are given responsibility.  The more knowledge one has, the greater the responsibility he has been given.  YHWH increases one’s knowledge, not for our own selfish benefit, but rather that we might share that knowledge with others that they might turn away from sin and turn towards YHWH.

Faith

Faith is something that is rather infectious.  When we are around a person of great faith, it has a tendency to rub off on us.  A person who has been given this gift is able to see the hand of YHWH in everything. 

Yochanan Aleph [1st John] 5:4 
For whatsoever is begotten of Elohim overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

We must distinguish between saving faith and the spiritual gift of faith.  Each and every person who comes to Mashiach Yeshua and believes upon Him to be saved has saving faith.  There are no exceptions to this.  However, not every person who is saved has the spiritual gift of faith.  The difference can be likened to the difference between a hill and a mountain.  Saving faith is like that hill, while the spiritual gift of faith is like unto a mountain. 

When a person has the gift of faith, nothing is impossible in Him!

Gifts of Healing

YHWH has given to the body of Mashiach according to His will those who have the ability to heal the physical body, the emotions of a person and a person’s mind.    When there is sickness in a person, then there is sickness in His body.  When there is sickness in His body, then it will not function at optimum level.  He has provided in advance for this by giving certain individuals the ability to lay hands on for healing.

Ya’aqov [James] 5:14-15
14 Is any among you sick?  Let him call for the elders of the assembly; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of Adonenu,
15 and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and Adonenu shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.

If we were living in communities, then spiritual gifts such as this one would be more frequently manifested in our midst.

The Working of Miracles

The Hebrew in the Peshitta renders this as “one who works mighty deeds.”  Surely this includes miracles, but quite likely does not exclude other mighty deeds that may not be viewed as miracles per se.  It is interesting to note that when many people think of a miracle they would think of a healing.  But here these two are listed as separate gifts of His Spirit.

Some mighty deeds that come to mind from the Tanak are such things as Eliyah outrunning the chariot, or when he prayed and fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.  Or, when Dani’el was thrown into the lions’ den and remained unharmed.  Or, when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown alive into the fiery furnace and were unharmed.  There are many more that could be listed but you get the idea.

Ivrim [Hebrews] 11:32-34
32 And what shall I more say?  For the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Yephtah; of David and Samuel and the prophets;
33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.

It is these types of things that are to be common in the body of Mashiach: mighty acts of men as His Spirit empowers His people to do these things to His glory and honor!

Discernment of Spirits

Not everyone has the ability to see when an unclean spirit is at work.  But YHWH did give this spiritual gift to some in His body so that the body could remain strong and on the straight and narrow, so that when an unclean spirit did come into their midst, it could be detected and dealt with according to Scripture.

Yochanan [1st John] 4:1 
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of Elohim; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

When each person uses the spiritual gift(s) that YHWH has blessed him with for the building up of His body, then all benefit from that use.  All are protected.  All are nurtured.  All are increased.

Various Kinds of Languages

YHWH has given the ability to learn and speak other languages to some within His body.  Considering the vast number of languages in this world, this gift serves an important function of being able to communicate His good news to the world at large.

This gift is not about babbling something strange.  This is about speaking a real language to a person or group of people for the edification of the person and bringing glory to YHWH.  When I was pastoring, I had a fellow colleague in a neighboring town.  One Sunday morning, he was preaching, and as he was preaching, he noticed a new face in the congregation.  It was an elderly Chinese woman.  She was following along well with the sermon and was nodding her head, and making appropriate gestures to indicate that she was understanding what it was that the pastor was saying.

However, when the service was over and he was standing at the back greeting people as they left, he discovered that this elderly Chinese woman was from mainland China and spoke NO English.  He discovered this through her daughter who was a regular at his church and who was an exchange student at the local university.  This lady’s daughter spoke both English and Chinese.  This was the very first time this woman had ever heard the good news!

Truly this was a completely legitimate outpouring of the gift of languages according to Scripture.

The Interpretation of Language

Sometimes YHWH chooses to work in a different way than that in which He worked as described above.  He also gives the gift of being able to hear a language that is not known, and the hearer will just know through His Spirit what is being said.  This is divine knowledge given as the need arises. 

Qorintyah Aleph [1st Corinthians] 14:22-23 
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.
23 If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that you are all mad?

The speaking in an unlearned language is a gift of His Spirit.  However, it is to be done according to certain guidelines in Scripture.  It is never to be done in a disorderly fashion.  It is to be done in such a way that YHWH is glorified.  Furthermore, if there is no one to interpret, then there is to be no speaking in an unlearned language.

There is much more that could be said concerning this matter, but it will have to be in its own separate study.  Suffice it to say here, that much of what is seen in Christianity today, is not done according to Scripture.  Therefore, it is rightly open to being suspect as to its origin.

Counterfeits

The spiritual gifts from His Spirit all have counterfeits that are produced by Satan and his ilk. 

2nd Thessalonians 2:9 
even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Notice that the working of Satan also has power, signs and lying wonders.  This is also one of the reasons why YHWH gave to His body those who are able to discern spirits.  Sometimes it can be difficult to tell where a notable work (miracle) came from.  We must be alert and watchful at all times, discerning those things according to the working of His Spirit in us.

According to His Will

Qorintyah Aleph [1st Corinthians] 12:11 
but all these works the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one individually even as He will.

Each of these gifts is from the same Spirit.  Furthermore, it is according to the will of our heavenly Father that each gift is given and to whom.  It is never according to our will that He gives us His spiritual gifts.  And when He does give us a gift, then we need to use it in accordance with His Spirit.

We have one final thought concerning this matter.

Parable of the Talents

Matithyah [Matthew] 25:14-30

Let us proceed through this parable and see what is here for us concerning the matter of spiritual gifts.

14 “For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods.”

Notice that Yeshua states that He has given to us His own goods.  In this case, He has given to us His spiritual gifts.  They actually belong to Him, and we are to be good stewards of these gifts.

15 “And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his individual ability; and he went on his journey.”

The gift or gifts that Yeshua gives to us through His Spirit, is according to our ability.  Much of this is determined by how we have used our natural abilities to His glory and honor.  Good stewardship of one’s natural abilities will gain him more spiritual gifts.
 
16 “Immediately he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents.”

Here is the epitome of good stewardship!  It is no wonder his master gave him five to start with.
 
17 “In like manner he also that received the two gained other two.”

According to his ability he received and according to his ability he increased them.
 
18 “But he that received the one went away and dug in the earth, and hid his master's talent.”

Give a fool a gift and he will throw it away (bury it).
 
19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants comes, and makes a reckoning with them.”

Make no mistake about it: the spiritual gift(s) that we receive, we all will give an accounting of one day.

20 “And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; behold, I have gained another five talents.’”

He was faithful with what his master had given into his charge.

21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

The reward to this faithful servant was to be set over even more things.

22 “And he also that received the two talents came and said, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; behold, I have gained another two talents.’”

Likewise, this servant was faithful in what he had been given charge over.
 
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

Once again, we see that the master of this faithful servant is pleased and rewards the servant accordingly.

24 “And he also that had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter;
25 and I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth; behold, you have what is yours.’”

Notice the long explanation of why this servant was not faithful in the task given to him, which is unlike the previous two servants who had been good stewards.  Often when a person does wrong, his explanation is very much like this, long-winded and trying to put the blame upon someone else for his own wrong actions.

26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter;
27 you ought therefore to have put my talent to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest.’”

Clearly, this master is angry that this servant did absolutely nothing with what was given to him.
 
28 “Take away the talent from him, and give it to him that has the ten talents.”

The judgment of this master upon this unfaithful servant is that he lost everything that the master had entrusted to him.
 
29 “For to everyone that has shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that has not, even that which he has shall be taken away.”

Here is the principle that Yeshua is teaching us.  This principle certainly applies to spiritual gifts.  When He gives us a spiritual gift or gifts, then He expects us to increase them.  We have the ability to gain more.

This is a very important concept for us to understand.  While we may only start with one spiritual gift, we can actually gain more as we work to build His kingdom.  He will give to us, more and more, as we show we are faithful, and we shall have an abundance.
 
30 “And cast out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

The unfaithful servant not only lost all he had, but his life was taken away as well.

This gives us a short overview of the gifts, talents and abilities that He gives to us, His people.  Some are in the form of people.  Some are with us from birth.  Others are given to us through His Spirit as He wills.  Regardless of which one we are discussing, there is the need to be faithful in what He has blessed us with.  When we do that, then He receives the glory and honor and He is pleased with our service and thus blesses us all the more.

May YHWH use this brief study to encourage and build up His people into the one body of Mashiach that He may receive all the glory and honor that only He deserves.

ABBA YHWH, we give to you all our gifts, talents, and abilities; and ask that You fill us with Your Spirit, so that each of these, whether there be one or many, may be used to be empowered by Your Spirit to the edification of Your people and the increase of Your kingdom.  In the name of Yeshua our Mashiach we pray.   

Amein and Amein

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

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