Be A Spiritual Maccabee
by PJ
During the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, a majority of the children of Israel became immersed in the Syrian-Greek culture. Their treasure in the G-d of Israel began to be traded for the ways of the world as the ways of the pagans were introduced into the Hebrew culture. As a result, a great apostasy, a great falling away took place.
The High Priest when Antiochus Epiphanes became ruler was Onias III. Then his brother, Jason, bribed Antiochus to make him the High Priest. Then Antiochus was bribed by Menelaus to take Jason's place as High Priest. Menalaus had Onias assassinated and his brother stole holy vessels from the Temple. Jason then drove out Menalaus and became High Priest again. The behavior going on in the Temple of G-d lead Antiochus to pursue an even greater hellenizing policy of which came forbidden sacrifices, forbidden shabbat, forbidden circumcision, altars to Greek gods with offerings of unclean animals. And finally the abomination of the idol of Zeus placed on G-d's Holy Altar with a swine sacrifice.
Apostasy occurs when the people of G-d don't do what they're supposed to do. When G-d's people fail to be the light, when they compromise with the world, the darkness rules.
As believers, we must not co-exist with sin. When we say that sin is ok, it starts to rule. If we don't stay in the Word and separate ourselves from sin, we become hard and when we become hard, it's easy to compromise. Just for the record, sin is not okay.
When we do not hold onto truth, our way gets twisted. We must keep the ability to know wrong is wrong and right is right. But to do this, we cannot care what the world says. And we can't be intimidated by evil even when people say we're bad for speaking the truth.
If we are sinning, we will be corrupt in our thinking. You see, you have to be free to set others free. Our relationship with G-d must be more important than what the world says. We cannot overcome evil if we are practicing evil. We cannot shine if we are not light.
Which brings me to a few things we need to face as followers of Yeshua.
The Word says there would be and was a virgin birth. It is the truth. Yeshua was born of a virgin. Matityahu / Matthew 1:18-23 says, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place under these circumstances; When His mother Mary had been promised in marriage to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be pregnant (through the power) of the Holy Spirit. And her (promised) husband Joseph, being a just and upright man and not willing to expose her publicly and to shame and disgrace her, decided to repudiate and dismiss (divorce) her quietly and secretly.
But as he was thinking this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary (as) your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of (from, out of) the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus (the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior), for He will save His people from their sins (that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God).
All this took place that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet,
Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel -- which, when translated, means, God with us. (Isa.7:14)"
Rav. Saul / Apostle Paul was not a repressed homosexual. I, personally, think Rav. Saul wrote this verse just for the ignorants who would say such things: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 "Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled); neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers; nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God."
Homosexual marriage is wrong and is a lie. There is no marriage outside that of a man and a woman. You can fake one and pretend one but you cannot change the truth of G-d's Word. Leviticus 18:22 says, "You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination." So why would G-d marry you? It's totally ludicrous to think in such terms. Don't you realize that G-d is the 3rd Party to the Blood Covenant of marriage?
The Bible absolutely means what it says for the Word Himself is not unsure or unclear what He means. Try Messianic Jews / Hebrews 10:23 "...for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His Word."
G-d is not a goddess nor is He mother earth. G-d is G-d. "I, even I, am the the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior." Yesha'yahu / Isaiah 43:11 Yeshua is the Salvation of the World! (Yochanan/John 3:16)
If you are going to have gay and lesbian ministers in your church, you need to quit going there. The sin itself separates all it infects from G-d Himself. You can plan and print a new Bible that says homosexuality is created by G-d but you are only lying to yourselves.
If you are going around saying that it's okay with you if gays get married, you are compromising. If you are saying it's okay for the President to lie, you are compromising. Quit burying your head in the sand and saying these things are not your business. It's up to you to speak truth! If you say you belong to G-d and are compromising with darkness, don't complain about what is happening around you.
Jewish dominated Supreme Court of the USA, you have stricken down every anti-homosexuality law since 9/11. You, of all people, know what the Torah says about homosexuality. Your responsibility for the rise of the sin level is great and you will be held responsible by ADONAI. And to the Church who refuses to speak out against sin or is compromising, you too will be held responsible. And the international movement headed by Europe at the United Nations to make an international law that homosexuality is not wrong in all nations, you are lying to the entire world and their blood will be upon your hands. Parents who are refusing to teach children the truth of the Word of G-d, you cannot escape your part either.
We live in a time that a large segment of the world's population is rejecting the Word of G-d and falling away from the faith. And the only hope we have is the same answer that was applied by the Maccabees during the days of Antiochus Epiphanes. Mourning, sackcloth, repentance, and not going with those apostasizing.
The cost to become a Maccabee was everything. They had to leave everything behind and place their very lives on the line to become the soldiers of ADONAI. And G-d used them to bring redemption to all the Jews.
It's time we grow up and leave the world behind and become the spiritual soldiers of G-d today. It's time to become spiritual Maccabees. Won't you join me?
“Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified Bible."
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