Articles
Oh, Absalom! - Apostasy Warning for Today
Barbara L. Klika, MSW, Undershepherd, Life Coach
November 2014
This piece falls into the category of a watchman’s warning. There is a burgeoning tragedy today of the apostate church which means those that are falling away from the faith...but the most frightening aspect of it to me is that many of these people are regular church goers. I fear for those who fall for deception that our Messiah warned us could even affect the elect, if it is possible. (Matthew 24:24)
I often refer to Isaiah’s words that told us that our Creator has told us of what is to come right out of the beginning (Isaiah 46:10) and now add the words of Solomon who told us that:
That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Eccles. 1:9 KJV
I have written the past two months on what it means to be righteous and more righteous still (Rev. 22:11) To those words may I add this warning of one of the ways we may fall to unrighteouness without even realizing it. It has to do with duplicity, which is appearing one way but actually being something else underneath. In this case, it has to do with the most beautiful and powerful angel our Father created, who fell to the sin of pride.
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’
Isaiah 12:14-16 NKJV
The prophet warned us of the evil one’s intentions but so often we miss it, because so many have relegated the “Old Testament” and the “Law of God” to the past, as old, dead and no longer relevant. Yet many still hold the Psalms in high regard, and many psalmists, especially in Psalm 119, affirm repeatedly the beauty of the Law, that it is a Light and a Lamp to our feet, Truth, Liberty and Joy. In truth, we wouldn’t even know who Messiah is if it weren’t for the “Old Testament” word of the prophets. I look to the Old Testament as akin to the basement foundation of a sound house. Sound exegesis of the Word begins with allowing the Scriptures to interpret the Scriptures, rather than imposing our modern meanings to words or concepts. Paul affirmed the value of the Scriptures, and all that existed at the time of his letter to Timothy were what we call the “Old Testament:”
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV
With Paul, I say:
But what I do, I will also continue to do,
that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded
just as we are in the things of which they boast.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.
And no wonder!
For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
(2 Cor. 11: 12-14 NKJV)
Many think that only a passing knowledge of the Bible is “good enough” to get them through the chaos to come because they are already saved by grace. However, if they are not “good Bereans” like those Paul addressed, who searched the Scriptures themselves to know if what he was saying was right (Acts 17:11) they can still be fooled and wake up one day to find themselves on the wrong side of the Door.
A crucial question that is often avoided:
Who do you think Messiah was describing when He said:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. “Many will say to
Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out
demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' “And then I
will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
So we do not want to be guilty of being “lawless” lest Messiah tell us to depart from Him! The Greek word under this is “anomia” and is translated many ways in the KJV, among them: iniquity, unrighteousness, transgression of the law, and transgress the law. All respected scholars understand the law referred to here to be the Torah, though I would understand a more representative translation as “the instructions of God” or “hitting the mark” as the Hebrew meaning of the root word of Torah, like an archer hitting the bull’s eye. It is not simply ‘a law” but “The Law” which is referred to here. As we saw in the articles on righteousness, the Word defines righteousness as obedience to The Law. And sin is lawlessness.
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:4 NKJV
The Greek word hamartia translated as sin here, corresponds to the Hebrew word hattah, both meaning “to miss the mark” figuratively or literally to transgress the Law, in this case, the Law of our God.
What does an “angel of light” who will try to deceive us look like? I recently saw a type of this that nearly took my breath away as I saw the thematic connection.
Recall satan’s proud “I will” statements, among them, “I will exalt my throne” and “I will be like God.” Those who honor the God of Israel would never knowingly honor this usurper...but unknowingly?
King David was known as a man after God’s own heart and he was the rightful anointed ruler of his time. Among his sons was one named Absalom, which means “the father of peace.” Absalom was beautiful with luxurious hair and no blemish upon him. The full story is told in 2 Samuel 13 and 14. One of his half-brothers defiled Absalom’s sister, Tamar, and Absalom plotted to kill him, which resulted in his flight to another land for safety. Finally he was allowed to return when David’s grief was spent, but not allowed to see David face to face. He developed a plan by which he put himself between David and the people, implying that the king wouldn’t care for them but he, Absalom would.
Do you see the thematic picture? One who is beautiful and without blemish, named “Father of Peace” falsely presents himself between the people and the king, blessing them and promising them whatever they needed if only they will follow him. They turned away from the true anointed King as their hearts were stolen by the deceiver.
I have said that I do not believe that it is a salvation issue for people to follow the Whole Word of God, since we are saved by grace, and could never do anything to merit salvation. However, I do believe that we can fall away or be deceived.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter
end is worse with them than the beginning.
2 Peter 2:20 NKJV
Part of that deception is allowing our affection to be stolen from the true Father of Peace, the God of Israel. If we come to faith in Him, but do not know what it means to follow Him and walk in His ways, in His instructions in righteousness, we put ourselves in a dangerous position! If we are in a church that doesn’t teach the Whole Word of God as relevant for today, we do not have a solid foundation and can be easily swayed. We can be “bought.”
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again
which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of
milk, and not of strong meat.
Hebrews 5:12 KJV
One argument I often hear for no longer needing the Whole Word of God is that it isn’t part of a “New Testament” church. People have no perception of any need to be good Bereans because they perceive that their prayers are being answered. My questions may seem harsh, but I would rather shake someone up now, even to the point of anger, if it means that they will check the Word more thoroughly for themselves while there is yet time.
1. Which “Father of Peace” is providing the answers to your prayers? The Real Elohim of Israel, or the Usurper, the Angel of Light masquerading as Him?
2. Is the God you serve leading you into righteousness as defined by the Whole Word of the Father or away from it into lawlessness?
Even if you have prophesied in His Name, cast out demons in His Name and done wonders in His Name, our Messiah Himself warned us that He would still tell us to depart because He doesn’t know us if we haven’t done the will of His Father in heaven. The two are intertwined. “Both/and” not “either/or.”
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory:
but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true,
and no unrighteousness is in him.
John 7:16-18 KJV
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love,
just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
John 15:10 NKJV
Clearly, Messiah gave all honor to His Father and did not claim it for Himself, contrary to the Usurpers, both the type, Absalom, and the “real thing,” Lucifer himself, who desire it for themselves.
His will is to do the Father’s will which is defined as doing what He directs, keeping His commandments. We say it all the time when we speak the Lord’s Prayer:
Your kingdom come. Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10
How do we get to know what His will is? We need to be trained up in it, through the study and walking out of His Word.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you
may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV
And whatever we ask we receive from Him,
because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
1 John 3:2 NKJV
This statement about keeping His commandments was made by John, after the crucifixion and resurrection. It still holds today. Keeping the Law in a legalistic way, without faith, is well recognized as dangerous, but the anti-nomian, or anti-Law way which is the equal and opposite danger has been overlooked.
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 2:22, 26
When we walk in lawlessness, even partial lawlessness, we are sinners.
“Now we know that God does not hear sinners;
but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
John 9:31 NKJV
So who is answering the prayers of sinners?
If we follow the lead of those who say that only one third of the Bible is still applicable today, that we do not need to honor the Whole Word but only the new covenant, aren’t we avoiding knowing that the Messiah we follow DID and DOES and ALWAYS WILL follow the commands of His Father? If we pick and choose which of His Laws we think are still in force, knowing that our God is One who is the same from age to age, Who by His own Word, doesn’t lie, are we not then guilty of being at least partly lawless? And sin is lawlessness. And if we are in lawlessness, we are in danger of being “bought” and eventually being told to depart from the true Messiah, the real Prince of Peace.
Oh Absalom! The son of beauty on the outside but treachery within!
The duplicitous “father of peace”
Like the Morning Star, Lucifer, the Angel of Light disguising himself as God,
only too ready to meet our needs and buy our hearts.
If we are still babes in knowledge of the Word, in need of milk rather than meat, we are only too
ripe to fall into duplicity and lawlessness, however unknowingly.
There is still time to study and show oneself approved but the window of time is narrowing down quickly. If you recognize a dissonance here with what you have been taught, please dig in and check it out for yourself, while praying diligently for HIS Truth, not man’s traditions.
Our Father has said that He would not strive with man forever (Genesis 6:3) and Paul encouraged Timothy with the message of the need for endurance during the struggle.
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect,
that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
2 Timothy 2:10 NKJV
Just as Paul also taught that a little leaven will leaven the whole lump and therefore those who remain in
sin after being addressed need to be put out for a season in order that they may experience the loss and
perhaps return to their right mind (1 Cor. 5) so is there a time coming in which there will be nothing more
to say or do but...
“He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is
righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
Rev. 22:11 NKJV
Resources
Blue Letter Bible.org
Spiro Zhodiates Old and New Testament Study Bibles
Vines’ Expository Dictionary of the Old and New Testaments
Gesenius’ Hebrew Chaldee Lexicon
Shabbat Study and Teleconference Discussions with Set Apart Ministries