Knowledge & Wisdom

The fear of Yahuah (Heavenly Father) is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Set-apart One is understanding - Proverbs 9:10.

Why would you be getting wisdom when you have Fear of the Creator? Many people would say, how can you fear Elohim (Almighty) if He loves us and cares for us. Many people would reject this if you told them to fear Him but Abba Father says that if you fear Him, it is the beginning of Knowledge.

The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of Knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline - Proverbs 1:7.

Fools hate knowledge - Proverbs 1:22.

"Let them then call on me, but I answer not; Let them seek me, but not find me. "Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahuah....... - Proverbs 1:28-29.

My son, if you accept my words, and treasure up my commands with you, so that you make your ear attend to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as hidden treasures, then you would understand the fear of Yahuah, and find the knowledge of Elohim. For Yahuah gives wisdom; out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding - Proverbs 2:1-6.

Do you get this; To receive knowledge, wisdom, to understand Yahuah's desire (commands/Torah), to receive truth, to understand Father's Son,  Yahusha Messiah and His gospel, you have to fear Yahuah.

Those who do not fear Yahuah, are fools and will not receive any knowledge/wisdom.

The fear of Yahuah is to hate evil - Proverbs 8:13.

Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding - Proverbs 10:13.

Many Psalms tell us to fear Yahuah. Here are a few of the Psalms;

Psalm 2:11 Serve Yahuah with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psalm 19:9 The fear of Yahuah is clean, standing forever;

Psalm 22:23 You who fear Yahuah, praise Him! All you seed of Jacob, esteem Him, and fear Him, all you seed of Israel!

Psalm 25:14 The secret of Yahuah is with those who fear Him, and He makes His covenant known to them.

Wow! This is a healthy fear!

Psalm 33:8  Let all the earth fear Yahuah;

Psalm 34:9  Fear Yahuah, you His set-apart ones, for there is no lack to them who fear Him!

There are many reasons to fear Yahuah, and one reason is written in, Matthew 10:28, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul. But, rather FEAR HIM (Heavenly Father) who is able to destroy both body and soul in the lake of fire.

Fear Yahuah as He gives life and He takes life.

Psalms 99 - Call His Name

Yahuah reigns, people tremble! He is enthroned on the kerubim (cherubims); The earth shakes!

Everything and everyone will tremble and shake by just saying His Name out loud.

Yahuah is great in Tsiyon, and He is high above all the peoples.

He is above all, there is nothing above Him.

Praise His Name, great and awesome, it (His Name) is set-apart (Holy).

Respect His Name and give Him praise by both your words and your life.

And the strength of the King shall love justice, He shall establish straightness; You shall execute right-ruling and righteousness in Jacob (Israel).

His set-apartness is terribly frightening for sinners, but a wonderful comfort for believers, His set-apartness gives comfort. 

Exalt Yahuah our Elohim, and bow yourselves at His footstool, He is set-apart.

Moses, Aaron and Samuel called upon His Name, and He answered them.

In many scripture verses did they cry out for help and He answered their cries. Call His Name and He will answer.

It was not only Moses, Aaron and Samuel that called on the Name of Yahuah, but Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did so too.

He spoke to them in the column of cloud; They guarded His witnesses (testimonies) and the law He gave them, He answered them, O Yahuah our Elohim.

He will also answer us if we obey and do His desire.

You were a forgiving Elohim to them, though You took vengeance on their deeds.

Moses, Aaron and Samuel also made mistakes but Abba Father forgave them after He disciplined them.

Exalt Yahuah our Elohim, and bow down towards His set-apart mountain, for Yahuah our Elohim is set-apart.

Bless His Name, He has made us and we are His, give thanks to Him.

This Psalm talks about His Name, do you know His Name and do you call out to His Name, if you do, He will answer.

Profess to know Elohim (Almighty)

They profess to know Elohim, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unfit for any good work - Titus 1:16.

This verse is saying that people say they know the Creator but their action shows something different, they are disobedient.

They worship Him by their lips and not by their heart, as Yahuah only looks at the heart.

One day soon Messiah Yahusha (Jesus) is coming with His angels in the esteem of His Father, and then He shall reward each according to his works - Matthew 16:27.

Do not just do lip talk, do Yahuah's desire, because the intentions of your heart will be revealed. Yahuah says His Word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it - Deuteronomy 30:14.

Yahuah is commanding you today to love Him, to walk in His ways, and to guard His commands, and His laws, and His right-rulings.

And you shall live and increase, and Yahuah your Elohim shall bless you....... - Deuteronomy 30:16.

But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" that is, the word of belief which we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth the Master Yahusha and believe in your heart that Elohim has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved - Romans 10:8-9.

“And Yahuah your Elohim shall make you have excess in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground for good. For Yahuah turns back to rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you obey the voice of Yahuah your Elohim, to guard His commands and His laws which are written in this Book of the Torah, if you turn back to Yahuah your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being. “For this command which I am commanding you today, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far off. “It is not in the heavens, to say, ‘Who shall ascend into the heavens for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’ “Nor is it beyond the sea, to say, ‘Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, and cause us to hear it, so that we do it?’ “For the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart – to do it. “See, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil, in that I am commanding you today to love Yahuah your Elohim, to walk in His ways, and to guard His commands, and His laws, and His right-rulings. And you shall live and increase, and Yahuah your Elohim shall bless you in the land which you go to possess - Deuteronomy 30:9-16.

"And we know that Elohim does not hear sinners. But if anyone fears Elohim and does His desire (commands),  He hears him - John 9:31.

He who turns away his ear from hearing the Torah (commands), even his prayer is a abomination - Proverbs 28:9.

Yahuah is far from the wrong ones, but He hears the prayer of the righteous - Proverbs 15:29.

These are serious words from Yahuah, you cannot profess you know Him and still carry on living in sin.

Money for the Word

Many priests, prophets, teachers and believers teach the Word for pay/profits and even for bribes.

This is not new as the prophet Micah said in Micah 3:11, Her heads judge for a bribe (Israel's leaders), her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for a price. Yet they lean on Yahuah, and say, "Is not Yahuah in our midst? Evil does not come upon us."

We cannot preach the Word of Yahuah (the good news gospel that Messiah brought) for profit. He gave His Word for truth and for saving His people and for us to spread the gospel to those that have never heard it, not to make money.

He gave it to us for free and we in return must give free. His word is food for us, it gives light, it is life.

Yahusha (Jesus) Messiah said He is the good shepherd and a good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep - John 10:11.

But Messiah says the false priest/prophet is not a good shepherd because they are not concern about the sheep (people) but only the profits they will make - John 10:12.

The hired priest/prophet is just a hireling and is not concerned about the sheep(people) - verse 13.

The good and the great shepherd is concern about His sheep and He does not want to lose one little sheep, Yes, He wants everyone to be saved and therefore calls true believers to be a shepherd to guide His sheep home.

 

We must listen to the Shepherd - Yahusha Messiah that gave up His life so that we can live forever.

He bought us with a price.

When is judgment off limits

Before I start with judging that is off limits, let me mention a judgment that is to interfere in something that is not one's concern which Paul speaks in Romans 14:3-4 & 10-13. Paul is speaking about someone judging another person over food this person was eating.  He is talking about not judging one another but rather keeping quiet - not putting an obstacle or a stumbling block in another believers way especially if it is a new believer. Stay away from judging someone when it is of no concern to you specially when not seen as evil but may be seen as evil to the one judging.

Here are the verses against judging: who, though they know the righteousness of Elohim, that those who practice such deserve death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them - Romans 1:32.

Therefore, O man, you are without excuse, everyone who judges, for in which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you who judge practice the same wrongs. And we know that the judgment of Elohim is according to truth against those who practice such wrongs. And do you think, O man, you who judge those practicing such wrongs, and doing the same, that you shall escape the judgment of Elohim? Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, and tolerance, and patience, not knowing that the kindness of Elohim leads you to repentance? - Romans 2:1-4.

Paul is teaching that one brings condemnation on himself when he judges another to be in sin if he practices the same sin.

The principle is about sins of conscience, if you know that something is wrong then you are condemned if you do it. This is reflected in the scripture, “by the judgment you judge others, you shall be judged.” Very important verse to remember.

One good example is when the prophet confronted David with his sin with Bathsheba. Nathan told David a story of a rich man who by force took away the single lamb of a poor man and served it to his guest. David discerned that this man had acted wickedly and he condemned him and said he should be punished.

Yahuah, having thus proved that David did discern between right and wrong, then told David through Nathan, “You are the man.”

David’s sin was all the more disgraceful because he knew clearly that it was evil that he was doing.

"Do not judge lest you be judged - Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, lest you be judged. “For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. And with the same measure you use, it shall be measured to you. “And why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the plank in your own eye? “Or how is it that you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the splinter out of your eye,’ and see, a plank is in your own eye? “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to remove the splinter out of your brother’s eye.

What is being spoken against is hypocrisy, focusing on the sins of your brother/sister while ignoring your own sins.

A warning is also given that we will receive from Yahuah the same measure that we provide to others. If we are harsh and critical, condemning without mercy those in error, we will receive the same. If we are gentle and merciful, we will also receive mercy.

Brothers, if a man is overtaken in some trespass, you the spiritual ones, set such a one straight in a spirit of meekness, looking at yourself lest you be tried too - Galatians 6:1. Lead  with care.

We all are tempted as we are not perfect, we therefore need to display an attitude of compassion, but rather restoration - read 2 Corinthians 7:3 I do not say this to condemn, for I previously said that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

Brothers, do not speak against one another. He that speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against Torah (commands) and judges Torah. And if you judge Torah (commands), you are not a doer of Torah (commands) but a judge. There is one Lawgiver and Judge, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? - James 4:11-12.

What James is referring to is slandering (lies or false things) a brother or sister, or acting in a harmful manner toward him/her through bringing unjust judgments against him/her. James is not discussing discernment and judgment, but rather slander and detraction that arises out of  bitterness (hostility) and a lack of kindness towards a brother. Such a brother becomes a judge of the commands (Torah) because he attempts to add things to the commands, not being content with what Yahuah chose to include there.

The order against judging can only be understood in the light of all the scriptures taken together. Righteous judgment is never condemned, the judgment that originates with Yahuah and is made known as we observe Him.

It should be always held in mind that “ by the measure we measure to others, it will be measured to us.” If we desire mercy, we should be merciful to one another.

We are not to look passed sin, but neither are we to attack a brother unmercifully. As we move into greater intimacy with the Father and observe His heart and His ways, and as we allow Him to produce holiness in our own lives, we will be better able to instruct one another in the way of holiness.

I realize after this study that judging of others should not be taken lightly. If you need to judge, make sure it is in the boundary of Yahuah's word and ensure that your walk is righteous with Yahuah and not in sin.