Articles
Believers are Vexed today!
Barbara L. Klika, MSW, Undershepherd, Life Coach
April 2021
Written for Wisconsin Christian Newspaper
And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
2 Peter 2: 6-8 KJV
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
Acts 12:1-3 KJV
That’s it! That’s the word for Believers today…vexed with hearing the filthy conversations of the wicked, and vexed with seeing and hearing their unlawful deeds. Every day there seems to be yet another report of something that is beyond the pale….a child taken from her parent by the state because the mother was not wearing a mask when she dropped her off at school(FL); 4,576 Dead 199,213 injuries: European Database of Adverse Drug Reactions for COVID-19 “Vaccines”; people fearing they will lose their job if they don’t get the vaccine; Biden vowing to pass the “equality” act to support LBGT etc. within his first 100 days and a renewed push for gun control; and the refusal of courts to hear the cases about election fraud.
I thought the word “vexed” had to do with being irritated so was a little surprised when I did a word study to verify. Vine’s Expository Dictionary has it as “to wear down with toil’ and “to torment” in the 2 Peter verses above. In Acts verse, vexed refers to “afflict.” Strong’s confirms these meanings.
Right away, my thoughts went to Daniel:
And he shall speak great words against the most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws:
and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 7:25 KJV
Peter was referring back to Genesis when Lot had chosen his portion to be among the cities of the plains, and had a difficult time of it, in the midst of the debauchery and wickedness. But our God was gracious and literally pulled him out before judgment fell.
The writer of Acts was referring to an incident which took place during the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which we are in as I am writing. This was soon after Peter had experienced the vision regarding clean and unclean, and was given to understand that it referred to human beings/gentiles who had also been given God’s grace of belief, not to food as the original reference had been. What an appropriate time for clarification on what is clean and unclean! This happened at the very Feast that deals with Messiah having been our Passover Lamb, and represented in the matzah/unleavened bread that had been pierced! He was clean, free from the leaven of sin, holy as He calls us to be as well. The functional definition of our word “holy” means to “be set apart for a special purpose.” (Lev. 19:2; 1 Peter 1:16)
That is rather a long-traveled road to deal with being vexed! But here it is!
In the first context, with Lot, he was living among immoral people, and suffered—was vexed and worn down—because of it. And that thematic connection took me back to Daniel’s prophecy that there would come a time when one of the kings of the earth would wear down the saints, and seem to win for a season. And this, in turn, drew my attention to the actions of another king of the earth, Herod, as he saw controversy within the assembly of Believers, and took the occasion to remove their leaders, James and Peter, which vexed and burdened those speaking the message of Messiah Yeshua. It also pleased those who refused to receive Him. (Note: They were all of Jewish or Israelite heritage: some received Messiah and some refused. They weren’t called “Christians” until Antioch.)
We are living now in the times that Daniel has spoken of. The wickedness of the earth is great, and there are kings of the earth arising to establish their power and wear down the saints who would honor YHWH. They vex us at every turn, in every way they can imagine! They appear to be strong, and use every device possible to feed that impression, perhaps most notably the media. They are trying to dismantle Constitutional rights. They want us to be vexed, worn down, and to throw up our hands in despair and give in. They want us to accept that which they push upon us, whether it is what seems to many of us an unnecessary vaccine as well as hybrid foods that no longer function as they were originally designed for our bodies…pharmaceuticals for illness, and pharmaceuticals for the illnesses that the FIRST pharmaceuticals caused to develop….and so forth. (These “kings of the earth” are not our enemy, so much as the dark forces of wickedness in high places that are behind them.)
Whether we want to be or not, whether we can SEE that it is happening or not, we ARE vexed by all that is going on. It is taking a toll. Some of those who have called themselves the church of God have already made it clear that they view it more important to “go along to get along” and they help to spread these messages, and encourage people to simply obey, without using their God given critical thinking capabilities. Laodicea, the last of the seven assemblies addressed in Revelation, can be interpretated as representative of the last days church. They feel powerful and in need of nothing as they function in this world, neglecting the importance of preparation for the Marriage Feast of the Lamb and eternity.
But our Elohim has forewarned us of these things. Note in the first reference to Lot above:
...making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly
The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were examples for us today that the wages of sin are death. But it is also true that for those who are being vexed today, we can see the example of God’s mercy and compassion …as well as His ability….to pull us out. In the Daniel reference above, we also see that there is an end to the time in which His children are vexed and worn out by the forces of wickedness.
2 Peter 2 seems as though it could have been pulled from news of today. Chapter 3 begins to address what those who are being vexed need to do. I still do not know whether this current cycle of overwhelming wickedness will conclude with the final Days and Messiah’s return, or if our God will yet again bring restoration and allow it to be another cycle, as in the Days of Judges. I remain concerned about this, especially with the enthusiasm that several are prophesying that there will be a New Dawn, or a Great Awakening, seeing it as of God. (Even that Project Looking Glass, a CIA super computer program that analyses events and predicts outcomes, had concluded some years ago that no matter what action anyone took, the end would be the same….and that it would be an end to this age of evil. Today I read a report that the point of convergence of all things has been passed, and despite how terrible the throes of violence will be by those who seek to retain power, it will all result in good news for mankind in the end.) I remain concerned as to whether this “prediction” refers to the “good” side of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or of genuine YHWH honoring good. YHWH knows.
So I continue to encourage people to study and know His Word so that counterfeits become readily apparent!
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
2 Peter 3:11, 14b, 18
Yeshua warned us through John, too:
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 13:7-8; 14:12
Abba, please grant us Your strength of will to be patient, to endure the vexation, to keep Your commandments and our faith in Messiah Yeshua!
For more information on how we view these things, please contact us at Set Apart Ministries, P. O. Box 5584, De Pere, WI 54115 or info@set-apart-ministries.org