Tom Barrett via Unsplash
Mark Huey delivers the May 2021 Outreach Israel News update.
In last month’s update, the bifurcation or splitting of humanity into a binary choice between those who have faith in the accomplished atoning work of the Messiah of Israel, versus those who do not believe His claims, was mentioned. The contrast between those who live in the light of truth, contrasted to those living in darkness, under the illusion propagated by the god of this world or age—is becoming more apparent as the return of Yeshua rapidly approaches. The power struggle for the future of the world is discernibly visible to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. However, most Believers fail to understand that the Evil One or father of lies has been given the authority to grant certain powers to people who follow or worship him. Even now, the Deceiver (Lucifer) is conspiring with the leaders of many nations and global corporations to implement a Great Reset of the world economies, to formalize the prophesized New World Order referenced in Revelation (13:1-18; 14:9-12; 19:20). But this collaborative effort to control humanity and compete with the Almighty is not new. Instead, it has been around from the beginning, as referenced in the following Psalm written millennia ago:
“Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples mutter vanity? The kings of earth set themselves up and rulers conspire together against ADONAI and against His Anointed One: ‘Let’s rip their chains apart, and throw their ropes off us!’ He who sits in heaven laughs! ADONAI mocks them. So He will speak to them in His anger, and terrify them in His fury: ‘I have set up My king upon Zion, My holy mountain.’ I will declare the decree of ADONAI. He said to me: ‘You are My Son—today I have become Your Father. Ask Me, and I will give the nations as Your inheritance, and the far reaches of the earth as Your possession. You shall break the nations with an iron scepter. You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s jar.’ So now, O kings, be wise, take warning, O judges of the earth! Serve ADONAI with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish along your way—since His wrath may flare up suddenly. Happy is everyone taking refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:1-12, TLV).
While this Psalm is a comforting reminder that the Holy One of Israel is ultimately in control of the created order, His followers should be knowledgeable about how He has allowed Lucifer and his minions certain abilities. Recall that when Yeshua was tempted in the desert after a forty day fast, Satan desperately tried to persuade Him to comply with his demands:
“Yeshua, now filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, returned from the Jordan. He was led by the Ruach in the wilderness for forty days, being tested by the devil. Now He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry. The devil said to Him, ‘If You are Ben-Elohim, tell this stone to become bread.’ Yeshua answered him, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ And leading Him up, the devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. And the devil said to Him, ‘I’ll give to You all this authority along with its glory, because it has been handed over to me and I can give it to anyone I wish. Therefore, if you will worship before me, all this shall be Yours.’ But answering, Yeshua told him, ‘It is written, “You shall worship ADONAI your God, and Him only shall you serve.’’ Then he brought Yeshua to Jerusalem and placed Him on the highest point of the Temple. He said to Him, ‘If You are Ben-Elohim, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written, “He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you,” and “upon their hands they will lift you up, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.”’ But answering, Yeshua said to him, ‘It is said, “You shall not put ADONAI your God to the test.”’ And when the devil had completed every test, he departed from Him until another occasion” (Luke 4:1-13, TLV; also Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13).
Here is recorded an audacious attempt of Satan to coerce the Messiah to fall under his wicked influence. But to combat this attack, Yeshua employed the spoken Word of God by quoting verses from the Book of Deuteronomy. First, Yeshua quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 when tempted to turn a stone into bread. Next, Yeshua quoted Deuteronomy 6:13 when offered all the kingdoms of the world. And finally, after the Devil slyly quoted words from Psalm 91:11-12 to induce Him, Yeshua’s third response came from Deuteronomy 6:16, where it is written, “you shall not put ADONAI your God to the test.” Obviously, this rendition of spiritual warfare at the highest level, and the example established by the Messiah on how to overcome the assaults of the Tempter, utilizing the Word of God, is something that all the children of God should employ when temptations arise.
Still, recorded in the account from Luke is a significant indication of some power or authority that has been given to Satan to wield, which is often forgotten or ignored by many followers of the Messiah:
“And the Devil said to Him, ‘I’ll give to You all this authority [exousia] along with its glory, because it has been handed over to me and I can give it to anyone I wish’” (Luke 4:6, TLV).
Here, the word exousia, the most common Greek word used throughout Apostolic Scriptures for “authority,” is also seen with derivative English meanings such as power or delegated influence. Such authority, possessed by the Evil One, was offered to Yeshua. The Adversary stated that he had authority over “all the kingdoms of the world,” because it was handed over to him, and consequently he could “give it to anyone” he wished. Think about that statement for a moment. Satan claimed that the authority over the kingdoms of the world was given to him, and that he could give that very same authority over to anyone he wished. Also notice how Yeshua did not dispute the Devil’s statement. Instead, the Messiah simply pivots from the comment, and answers with the command that “you shall worship Adonai your God, and Him only shall you serve.” In other words, by not challenging the Satan’s authority to give power over earthly kingdoms, is it possibly true that Lucifer, the “god of this age,” extends power to certain people, such as leaders of nations and global corporations, who willingly serve his diabolical purposes?
Apparently, the Apostle Paul understood this sad reality, and the ensuing power struggle that has resulted through the millennia. In his writing to the Corinthians, he describes the contrast between those walking in the light, and those blinded by veils of darkness and deception by the god of this world or age:
“For this reason, since we have this ministry, just as we received mercy, we do not lose heart. Instead, we renounced the hidden shameful ways—not walking in deception or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by the open proclamation of the truth. And even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so they might not see the light of the Good News of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Messiah Yeshua as Lord—and ourselves as your slaves for Yeshua’s sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Messiah” (2 Corinthians 4:2-6, TLV).
The Apostle Paul understood the authority (exousia) that was given to Satan from his salvation experience, when Yeshua commissioned Paul to be the apostle to the nations. In Acts 26:12-18, his testimony to King Agrippa, one of the human rulers given political authority over Judea, reveals another place where Yeshua confirms Satan’s additional authority/power (exousia) to blind or veil people from the light of truth and the grace of God through faith in the Messiah:
“While journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the ruling kohanim [priests], at midday, O King, I saw on the road a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against goads!’ Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Yeshua—whom you are persecuting. But get up, and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose—to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things you have seen as well as to the things I will yet reveal to you. I will rescue you from your own people, and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes—so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power [exousia] of satan to God, that they may receive release from sins as well as a place among those who are made holy through trusting in Me’” (Acts 26:12-18, TLV).
Of course, the Scriptures are replete with references to the blinding or veiling of truth by the Evil One. This has always been a mystery, until the realization that the enemy of our souls is perhaps one of God’s most formidable tools utilized to accomplish God’s will and purposes for the created order. If you can, think back to when you were in utter darkness and spiritually dead in your trespasses and sinful nature. Can you remember what was used by the omniscient Spirit of God to bring you into the light, and grant you salvation by faith in the sacrificial work of the Messiah? Was it perhaps some sinful behavior, actions, or thoughts by which the Holy Spirit convicted you of your sins and transgressions and need for salvation? The Apostle Paul summarizes this process in his writing to Believers in Asia Minor:
“You were dead in your trespasses and sins. At that time, you walked in the way of this world, in conformity to the ruler of the domain [exousia] of the air—the ruler of the spirit who is now operating in the sons of disobedience. We too all lived among them in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind. By nature we were children of wrath, just like the others. But God was rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us. Even when we were dead in our trespasses, He made us alive together with Messiah. (By grace you have been saved!) And He raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua— to show in the olam ha-ba [age to come] the measureless richness of His grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves—it is the gift of God. It is not based on deeds, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship—created in Messiah Yeshua for good deeds, which God prepared beforehand so we might walk in them” (Ephesians 2:1-10, TLV).
Understand that prior to being saved, every person alive is initially under the power or authority (exousia) of the prince of the power of air (Ephesians 2:2), and by nature is an unsaved child of wrath—obviously in desperate need of salvation. The Evil One has been given the power and authority over the world, the air, and its airwaves, which he uses to keep people in darkness. However, those called from eternity past to receive the light of truth by faith in the atoning work of the Messiah, have providentially been created for good deeds that they might walk in them! This is the good news, but Believers should not be ignorant of Satan’s schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). Instead, we must adhere to the advice of the Apostle Peter, who also recognized this power struggle about the nefarious actions of the Adversary:
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may lift you up at the appropriate time. Cast all your worries on Him, for He cares for you. Stay alert! Watch out! Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, searching for someone to devour. Stand up against him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being laid upon your brothers and sisters throughout the world. After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace—who has called you into His eternal glory in Messiah—will Himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. All power to Him forever! Amen” (1 Peter 5:6-11, TLV).
People need to more fully comprehend that the Almighty One, in His infinite wisdom, gave limited authority (exousia) to Lucifer (the god of this age), to assign authority or power over kingdoms or nations, or even religious entities to different people, who sometimes unwittingly serve him as the Father of Lies. Hence, other leaders and prominent influencers in societies, who are without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, are manipulated by the world, their flesh, the Devil (Ephesians 2:1-3), and their lustful carnal nature (1 John 2:16). They are willing participants with, if not worshippers of the deceiving “angel of light.” Paul issued a specific warning about this:
“For such men are false emissaries, deceitful workers masquerading as Messiah’s emissaries. And no wonder, for even satan masquerades as an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, TLV).
In a more comprehensive way, aware of the power struggle, the Apostle John as a later third witness, reiterates many of the warnings of Paul and Peter. John writes about the existence of the spirit of antimessiah (antichrist), and how to discern the Devil’s deception. Remember that the unseen “world” (Ephesians 6:12) is constantly battling for people’s allegiance, by manipulating humanity’s fallen carnal nature and tendency to willfully follow the inclinations of the flesh:
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the boasting of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desire, but the one who does the will of God abides forever. Children, it is the last hour. Just as you heard that the anti-messiah is coming, even now many anti-messiahs have come—by this we know that it is the last hour. They left us, but they didn’t really belong to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they left us so it became clear that none of them belongs to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Yeshua is the Messiah? This one is the anti-messiah—the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; the one who acknowledges the Son also has the Father. As for you, let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will continue to live in the Son and in the Father. Now this is the promise that He Himself has promised us—eternal life. I have written you these things about those who are trying to mislead you. As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things—and it is true and not a lie—and just as it has taught you, abide in Him” (1 John 2:15-27, TLV).
The key to best handle the power struggle between the recipients of truth and those under the influence of the Father of Lies, is to abide in the Messiah and be empowered by the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh). John later concludes by summarizing the challenge of how the “whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” This reality is something that we, as the children of God, should recognize. We should know to avoid the pitfalls that arise from this warning to be on guard:
“All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not leading to death. We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; rather, the One born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that Ben-Elohim has come and given us insight, so that we may know Him who is true—and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Yeshua the Messiah. This One is the true God and eternal life. Children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:17-21, TLV).
Notice how John concludes that Believers should know many truths and be able to discern what is from the Father versus what is from the Adversary. Clearly, to avoid the deception, Yeshua warned His disciples to be “wise as serpents, but innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16) when He sent them out among the wolves. In fact, during His ministry, Yeshua stated that His disciples were already endowed with the authority (exousia) to overcome the power (dunamis) of the Enemy, when He sent them out among the wolves to proclaim that the Kingdom had come near:
“Now after these things, the Lord assigned seventy others and sent them out by twos before Him into every town and place where He Himself was about to go. And He was telling them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, beg the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest. Go forth! Look, I am sending you as lambs in the midst of wolves’…Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Master, even the demons submit to us in Your name!’ And Yeshua said to them, ‘I was watching satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority [exousia] to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power [dunamis] of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in the heavens’” (Luke 10:1-3, 18-20, TLV).
Because the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil are incessantly bombarding the souls of every human being, insight has been given to God’s children to recognize and overcome the persistent attacks. Interestingly, the final warning to “guard yourselves from idols,” is reminiscent of what the Prophet Jonah communicated when he understood the folly of devotion to any of the idols or vanities offered by the world system: “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love or mercy [chesed]” (Jonah 2:8, ESV).
Certainly, no true Believer wants to jeopardize losing the incredible gift of mercy and unconditional love shed abroad (Romans 5:5) by the Holy One of Israel, to all who have faith in the atoning work of the Messiah. But what are the “blood bought” followers of Yeshua to do to when these realities are known and understood? First, it is essential to receive and employ by faith, the delegated authority that Yeshua told His disciples they had been given, after His resurrection, without wavering or doubting. Nevertheless, some did waver prior to His ascension into Heaven:
“Now the eleven disciples went to the Galilee, to the mountain Yeshua had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped; but some wavered. And Yeshua came up to them and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority [exousia] in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you. And remember! I am with you always, even to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:16-20, TLV).
Here in what is often referred to as the Great Commission, Yeshua declared that all authority (exousia) in Heaven and Earth had been given to Him—but He did not state that some limited authority had been taken away from the Evil One. Instead, based on the different witnesses of the Apostles, they each speak about the constant power struggle, and understood that the world system was still under the influence of Lucifer and his minions. Sadly, even today, despite Yeshua’s appointed empowerment to proclaim the gospel, many nominal Believers continue to doubt the authority they have received from the Holy One of Israel. These “doubters” forget the very reasons why the Apostles were sent out to proclaim the good news to the world, so that the Word of God would work in the hearts of those who eventually come to faith. That was and continues to be God’s plan for the ages, as was stated by Paul to the Romans, who were enduring wicked attacks from those influenced by the Devil:
“For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on Torah, ‘The man who does these things shall live by them.’ But the righteousness based on faith speaks in this way: ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up into heaven?” (that is, to bring Messiah down), or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead).’ But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’—that is, the word of faith that we are proclaiming: For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all—richly generous to all who call on Him. For ‘Everyone who calls upon the name of ADONAI shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on the One in whom they have not trusted? And how shall they trust in the One they have not heard of? And how shall they hear without someone proclaiming? And how shall they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!’ But not all heeded the Good News. For Isaiah says, ‘ADONAI, who has believed our report?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Messiah. But I say, have they never heard? Indeed they have, for ‘Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world’” (Romans 10:5-18, TLV).
Now that you recognize the Devil’s authority (exousia) and are watching for the schemes of the Adversary, what do you think Satan utilizes to accomplish his nefarious goals to supplant and/or thwart the eternal plans of the Creator God? Think about a few instances from the ancient Biblical record. Did the Destroyer, through “the sin crouching at the door,” influence Cain to murder his brother Abel? (Genesis 4:7). Did the Deceiver influence Nimrod with a plan to unite the world against God in Babel (Genesis 10-11)? Certainly, the examples of the Devil’s work are recorded throughout the Bible. For example, when reviewing the history of Israel found in Kings and Chronicles, it is obvious that the various rulers of Israel and Judah made different decisions based on either their adherence to God’s Word, or lack thereof. The testimonies of their actions, and reactions to the unseen power struggle when they disregarded or disobeyed the Almighty’s revealed instructions, were devastating. Similar consequences occur today.
This is the reason why our Heavenly Father sent His Son Yeshua to this Earth (Philippians 2:7-8) to disrupt and overcome the power of death, as noted in many Scriptures (Psalm 68:20; Hebrews 2:14; 5:7; 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-55; Revelation 21:4). Recall that from God’s eternal perspective and before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), the Creator of time, space, and matter, already knew that at some preordained point in time of human history, the sacrifice of His Son was required to atone for the sin of humanity. At the crucial appointed time, the resurrected Messiah overcame death, becoming the first fruits of the dead, and by faith in Him and His blood sacrifice, His followers receive eternal life:
“But now Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also has come through a Man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah will all be made alive. But each in its own order: Messiah the firstfruits; then, at His coming, those who belong to Messiah; then the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all rule and all authority [exousia] and power [dunamis]. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:20-26, TLV).
The marvels of the good news found in the Scriptures, could go on for volumes with a lengthy discussion about the distinctions between authority (exousia) and power (dunamis) in the power struggle. Instead to conclude this teaching, here are some elementary instructions from Yeshua found in His Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5-7, Yeshua gives a precise prescription on how to receive the blessings of the authority imputed to His followers, to prevail in the age-old power struggle between good and evil. After all, when the battle lines are drawn, the evidence reveals that people tend to serve one of two masters, which are at contrary odds with one another. Here, Yeshua introduces the contrast between where people store up their resources, and the difference of walking in the light or in darkness:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick by one and look down on the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:19-24, TLV).
Obviously, the challenge for all people is to determine who or what they will serve. This can become a problem if one choses money, fame, wealth, power, or any other idol (Jonah 2:8). Money or wealth has an allure, because people begin to trust in it for security and control. But, when the pursuit of wealth turns to avarice, it can become the root of all kinds of evil:
“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, so we cannot take anything out of it. But having food and clothing, with these things we shall be content. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil—some, longing for it, have gone astray from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:6-10, TLV).
