Nazarene Israelite Two House Congregation of Port Elizabeth

Why is it so important to watch what you say?

Most of us who are called out of the world to have a relationship with Elohim, over time become very concerned about what we put into our mouths. Most of us or at least our wives who are responsible for procuring the groceries and foodstuffs for our families have become label readers, to ensure that what we eat is kosher. ‘Kosher’ is a word usually applied to food prepared in accordance todietary laws described in Torah. However, it should be applied to everything we do, including our speech.Yes there are Torah commands that even apply to the way we should control what we say.

The entire way we live our lives should be totally controlled by Torah, despite those who now believe that we live in the age of grace, Rav Kepha tells us about this grace saying in first Peter 1: 13 – 19, ‘Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Yahshua Messiah. (14) As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, (15) but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; (16) because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY.” (17) And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; (18) knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, (19) but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Messiah.’  Elohim’s teachings should regulate our moral precepts; dietary regulations; agricultural science; financial success; sexual behavior and religious practices.

The reason why slander have a direct effect on its perpetrator, goes right back to the origins of speech. We read accordingly from Genesis 2: 7, ‘Then YHVH Elohim formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (or soul).’  By breathing into man the spirit of speech and understanding man received the spirit in man, as is also witnessed in Zechariah 12: 1, in this way: ‘The burden of the word of YHVH concerning Israel. Thus declares YHVH who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.’ Job who lived during the time of Abraham was a very wise man who said in Job 32: 7 & 8, “I thought age should speak, and increased years should teach wisdom. (8) But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.” Yes, the merger of soul and spirit gives us the ability to speak, understand, make decisions and remember things, thus allowing us to build character over the period of our human lives on earth.Because we were created in the image of Elohim, man alone among creation is endowed with this ability, a result of having a spirit in man.

Speech itself makes an earlier appearance in Genesis, where Elohim speaks the universe into existence by His word. The first time man spoke, was when Adam gives names to the animals as witnessed in Genesis 2: 19, as follows: ‘And out of the ground YHVH Elohim formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.’Man’s ‘creativeness’ differs from Elohim, in that man needs material things to make something else, as opposed to Elohim, who creates something from nothing. However we obtain an appreciation for speech based on the comparison, since man’s speech is a G-dly activity. The first time that speech was misused in the Scriptures was when the serpent seduced Eve to eat from the fruit of the tree of good and evil. Elohim’s response to man’s sin may be better understood based on the set-apartness of speech. After man ate of the forbidden fruit they felt alienated and hid themselves from the presence of YHVH. Then Elohim called to Adam saying: “Where are you?”  It was only when Adam failed to find proper words that he blames the woman that YHVH gave him for his sin, and as a result they are expelled from the Garden of Eden. True repentance of our sins or as it is transliterated in Hebrew‘Teshuvah’ requires that we verbalize our sins before YHVH. This is necessary and when properly understood, will enable us to reacquire our exalted status of the image of Elohim.

We need to be especially careful what we say about the Almighty Elohim we believe in. We read from the Ten Commandments, specifically about the name of Elohim in the third commandment as recorded in Exodus 20: 7, “You shall not take the name of YHVH your Elohim in vain, for YHVH will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”The Hebrew word for vain is ‘shavah’, meaning to use lightly, destroy or bring the name of YHVH your Elohim to naught, by hiding, refusing to use, or purposely misspelling His name. Now there are a number of ways in which one can take the name of YHVH our Elohim in vain; one of which is mentioned in Leviticus 24: 10 - 16, in this way: ‘Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel struggled with each other in the camp. (11) And the son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name (of Elohim) and cursed. So they brought him to Moses. (Now his mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) (12) And they put him in custody so that the command of YHVH might be clear to them. (13) Then YHVH spoke to Moses saying, (14) “Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then let the congregation stone him. (15)And you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone curses his Elohim, then he shall bear his sin. (16) Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of YHVH shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.’”’

 

A second way in which we bring YHVH our Elohim’s name to naught, is when we use titles like ‘LORD’ and ‘God’ in prayer and worship services instead of His true name and title, thereby getting people to forgetting it as witnessed in Jeremiah 23: 26 & 27, as follows: "How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, even these prophets of the deception of their own heart, (27) who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they relate to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal (LORD)?” In the foreword of a number of modern translations of the Bible, as is the case with the New American Standard Bible, the Editorial Board THE LOCKMAN FOUNDATION, openly tells the reader that the word G-d is translated from the Hebrew word Elohim and the word LORD is translated from the word YHVH. The word Lord (lower case letters) is translated from the word Adonai and should be translated as Master in English. Their reason for making these seemingly unimportant changes as given in the foreword of this Bible is ‘in order to avoid confusion.’ However, that is exactly what they have done – they have confused the user of this Bible, in that the reader finds it difficult to distinguish when the Scriptures talk about YHVH or Yahshua in the Renewed Covenant. A third way of misusing Elohim’s name, is by attaching pagan feast days like Xmas and Easter to His name, or by in prayer ask Him to bless foods which He declared to be unclean, such as pork and octopus, known as calamari by those who eat such creatures.

 

If we claim to be the Almighty's people, we should know His name as stated in the first part of Isaiah 52: 6 "Therefore My people shall know My name; therefore in that day I am the one who is speaking, Here I am." We see from Psalm 72: 17-19 that the name of YHVH is eternal: “May his nameendure forever:  May his name increase as long as the sun shines; and let men bless themselves by him: let all nations call him blessed. Blessed be YHVH Elohim, the Elohim of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever;and may the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amein, and Amein.” Knowing the correct name of the Almighty gives us every reason to start using it in prayer and worship services. In fact it will be our only way of survival during the forthcoming time of tribulation, prophesied in many scriptures in the Bible, one of which being in Joel 2: 31 &32, as follows: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of YHVH comes. (32) And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of YHVH will be delivered;for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as YHVH has said, even among the survivors whom YHVH calls”. However, we must still be careful not to use the name of YHVH in everyday language like some people in TV programs do. Perhaps it is a good thing that most do not know the true name of YHVH, as the generic name G-d, as used by people is simply not His real name.

 

If we overcome Satan, the world and our own human natures, we may also be given the Elohim Family name, as witnessed in Revelation 3: 12, as follows: "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My Elohim, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My Elohim, and the name of the city of My Elohim, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My Elohim, and My new name." If we are truly (YHVH)’s people, it is very important that we know, and use, the correct names for both our Heavenly Father and that of His Son. By so doing, we can be sure that we obey the third Commandment.  Those who do not understand the significance of names might believe that it does not matter what you call the Heavenly Father, since they trust that ‘He knows what they mean anyway’. They are the people who prefer to use the titles ‘L-RD’ and ‘G-d’ as well as the incorrect name for our Savior, namely: J*e*s*u*s*.  These people have never considered the meaning of Isaiah 65: 11, where the Almighty warns of the falling away of His people at the end-time, as follows: “But you who forsake YHVH, who forget My Set-apart mountain, who set the table for Fortune[1], and who fill cups with mixed wine for Destiny[2].” This verse tells us that the people of YHVH have forsaken Him and are today worshipping Fortune, the Sun-god, as the god of ‘Good Luck’, and Destiny, the Moon-god as the goddess of ‘Fate’. Is this the reason why Sunday worship is more popular than the worship of YHVH on the Sabbath; why many people are regularly wishing others ‘Good Luck’; and why they rely on ‘Fate’ instead of on YHVH our Elohim for guidance in their lives?The worship of false deities commences with disobeying the warning in Exodus 23: 13, in this way: ”Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.” I am positive that we all believe that we will become part of the 144,000 faithful with the correct names on our foreheads as per Revelation 14: 1 “And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion and with Him one hundred forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father’s name written on their foreheads.”Let us therefore heed this warning and start using the correct names of YHVH and His Son Yahshua, but let us do so with reverence and awe and only do so in prayer, self-study and worship services.

 

Speech has a much greater impact than what we can imagine. The people who built the Tower of Babel said in Genesis 11: 4, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the earth.” Their tower was destroyed and they were dispersed throughout the earth.  Apparently the builders of the Titanic believed that they built this ocean fairing ship so well that when one of the deckhands was asked at the beginning of its maiden voyage  from Southampton, England to New York, whether she was really unsinkable, he replied: ‘G-d Himself could not sink this ship’.  Even though the person did not use Elohim’s true name the ill-fated ship was sank by an ice-berg long before it reached its destination during the night of April 14, 1912. Similarly a famous rock star in the early 1990’s brought out a new record in which he sang the words: ‘G-d knows I want to be free.’ He was set free after his record reached top sales, when he died some time later.

 

The most serious speech problem is when we talk evil about another person. Evil talk or as it is transliterated in Hebrew ‘lashon hara’  refers to a derogatory statement about another person, including tale bearing and slander. Yahshua our Messiah warned specifically against this practice which at times might even involve Elohim’s people in Matthew 5: 21 & 22, saying” “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. (22) But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca (Aramaic for empty head, or good for nothing),’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” Yes, it is possible for us who have been called at this time to die the second death, because of the way we talk to, and about our neighbors. King Solomon the wisest man that walked the earth wrote on this subject in Proverbs 6: 12 – 19, saying: ‘A worthless person, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a false mouth. (13) Who winks with the eyes, who signals with his feet, who points with his fingers; (14) Who with perversity in his heart devises evil continually, who spreads strife. (15) Therefore his calamity will come suddenly; instantly he will be broken, and there will be no healing.(16) There are six things which YHVH hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him; (17) haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (18) a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, (19)a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.’Both the Torah portions Tazria and Metzoraare concerned with the intricate laws of tzara’at.  Tzara’at is a skin disease spoken about in the Scriptures as leprosy.  Tzara’at affected people as a consequence of having spoken evil against someone else. We are all aware that Miriam was punished with this skin disease in the wilderness for speaking evil about Moses her brother. These Torah portions warn us to be careful about evil speech. Even so there are situations where one is required to speak up, such as warning about a prospective marriage or business partner; and as Nazarenes we are all appointed as watchmen over the house of Israel. We are therefore told in Isaiah 58: 1 to: “Cry loudly, do not hold back; raise your voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins.”

We need to be especially careful of deceptive talk – it is very important that we do not mislead others by telling half-truths, or use flattery or boasting to get them to do things which they would otherwise not have done for us. Another kind of un-kosher speech is when we use disgusting foul language, which include curse words and or ‘dirty jokes’. We should use positive language to point out the good in others, and to uplift and encourage them.But one of the biggest problems about deceptive language has to do with those of us who teach others the way of Elohim. The point is that before we start teaching others, we need to be certain that we know enough so as not to mislead others.Yahshua spoke about this in a parable to His disciples in Luke 6: 39 - 45, saying: ‘And He also spoke a parable to them: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? (40) A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. (41) And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  (42) Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. (43) For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit; nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. (44) For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. (45) The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. ‘”

Our discipleship program should take about three and a half years during which we are required to attend about 200 Sabbath services and all the Feast Days of Elohim during the three years, plus a Scripture study of about two hours weekly. However, since it is not possible for everyone to attend Scripture study lessons during the week, the normal discipleship program last about seven years. After the first three and a half years, disciples may assist their Torah Teacher by doing a regular sermonette on such subjects, as: Why do we keep the Sabbath?, Why do we need to keep Elohim’s annual Feast Days?, How to debunk the many reasons some site for not eating kosher, etc.Rav Yaa’cov also warns prospective teachers to make very sure that they know their facts, before they start teaching others, saying in James 3: 1, ‘Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.’  In continuing to talk about teachers, He also warns all of us to bridle our tongues in verses 2 – 10 of James 3, saying: ‘For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. (3) Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well. (4) Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. (5) So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  (6) And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. (7) For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. (8) But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. (9) With it we bless our Master and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of Elohim; (10)from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.’

As teachers in the congregation we should make sure that those whom we teach will not easily be deceived by the false teachers we are warned about by Rav Kepha in 2 Peter 2: 1, in this way: ‘But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying (or contradicting) the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.’  One area in which many have been deceived by false prophets is in respect of the mystery of our Nazarene faith as explained in first Timothy 3: 16 (KJV), as follows: ‘And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: Elohim was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.’ This is obviously talking about the Oneness of Elohim, as is also confirmed by Elohim’s words through Isaiah in Isaiah 43: 10 & 11, in this way: “You are My witnesses (talking about us from Nazarene Israel together with our Jewish Brothers),” declares YHVH, “And My servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no Elohim formed, and there will be none after Me. (11) I, even I, am YHVH; and there is no savior besides Me.”  However, Rav Shaul continues in first Timothy 4: 1 saying: ‘But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.’

The reason why our world is waxing from bad to worse, where more and more people become increasingly evil by the day, is because of people who deny the Oneness of Elohim as Rav Shaul explains in Romans 1: 19 – 31, as follows: ‘(Because) that which is known about Elohim is evident within them(mankind – consisting of body, soul and spirit as is confirmed in first Thessalonians 5: 23[3]); for Elohim made it evident to them. (20) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes (Ein Sof) , His eternal power (Yahshua) and divine nature (the Set-apart Spirit), have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (21) For even though they knew Elohim, they did not honor Him as Elohim, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations (about who or what is Elohim), and their foolish heart was darkened.  (22) Professing to be wise, they became fools, (23) and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible Elohim for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures (meaning created beings, rather than the Creator). (24) Therefore Elohim gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, but their bodies might be dishonored among them. (25) For they exchanged the truth of Elohim for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amein. (26) For this reason Elohim gave them over to degrading passions; for their woman exchanges the natural function for that which is unnatural, (27) and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. (28) And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge Elohim any longer, Elohim gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, (29) being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, (30) slanderers, haters of Elohim, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, (31) without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; (32) and, although they know the ordinance of Elohim, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.’

Knowing this, we should hold to the confession of our faith as expressed in first Timothy 3: 16. In addition we should learn to zip our lips as far as talking about our neighbors are concerned, and we should refrain from idle talk, swearing and ever using the name of YHVH our Elohim in vain! Our lives depend on it!

 

[1] Fortune is the Canaanite deity of ‘Good Luck’ known as Gad or Gawd. In Joshua 11: 17 ‘Baal –gad’;  Baal-gad was considered the Sun-god.

[2] Destiny is the Canaanite deity of ‘Fate’ known as Meni;Meni was considered the Moon-god.

[3]First Thessalonians 5: 23, ‘Now may the Elohim of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Master Yahshua Messiah.’