When the Enemy of Righteousness Seeks to Recruit God's People
- Demetrics Roscoe
- Oct 12
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 13
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
(AMP)
6 And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then]
7 You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
THERE RIGHTEOUSE MEN, SERVED THE LORD WITH ALL THEIR HEARTS
Genesis 33:10
(CWSB)
10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
Genesis 6:7-9
(CWSB)
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy -- man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Exodus 33:12-17
(CWSB)
12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up -- this people: and thou hast not let me know -- whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now -- thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do -- this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
For those whose hearts are devoted to YAHWEH, the GOD of Israel and Believers, or those who fear GOD and seek to be prepared for the Day of Redemption, the GOD of Salvation is there (with you). The Bible delivers a clear and powerful message: get ready, stay ready, and be ready for the 2 Corinthians 5:10 visitation.
2 Corinthians 5:10
(AMP)
10 For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [consideringwhat his purpose and motive have been, and what he has achieved, been busy with, and given himself and his attention to accomplishing].
What have we ticked off on the cosmic to-do list in the epic saga of God's world-saving master plan?
To develop a sense of obedience and self-discipline
Obeying the detailed legal code regarding clean and unclean animals instilled habits of obedience and self-control among the Israelites. Though they may not have understood all the reasons behind the regulations, submission to God’s commands cultivated virtues of faith and self-discipline.
Adhering to the demanding food laws meant exercising care and conscious thought about even mundane daily decisions like meals. In this way, God taught his people to live intentionally within prescribed boundaries.How do clean animals symbolize purity?
To establish categories of purity and holiness
Sin contaminates and leaves a door open for increasing infections. This is the very disobedience that resulted in Adam's expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The breach between Yahweh and Adam enabled every demon spirit, with their specific spiritual pandemic, to establish influence worldwide in positions of power, as Adam took no action, in the Garden of Eden to keep it pure.
Adonai reigns as the King of Glory, while the Adversary governs falsehood and spreading the infectious diseases of iniquity.
As, obediance establish purity and holiness in ones life prominence and power with our Heavenly Father inside His Kingdom of righteousness. One definition of the word "prominence" is bursting out from the seams. What will the Believer do knowing GOD's kingdom is bursting forth with divine power and holy might?
We are at the time of year where ADONAI gave Moses the 10 commandment. when Moses returned to GOD's people, The Adversary had stolen GOD's glory, by having them to worship the Golden Calf, which was for the god Ba'al. The same god Israel sacrificed there children to be burned in the fire.
The Halloween functions as the feast of Baal worship, which began at the end of Yom Yippur the High Holy feast of The GOD of Israel.
In the dark world of sorcery, practitioners believed that committing more wicked acts would boost their power in the witchcraft scene.
In the Kingdom of Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) just by resisting the devil he will flee.
Less than a month after the Holy Feast, during which they had distanced themselves from worldly influences, the people of Israel were once again affected by the spirits of the under world.
Deuteronomy 7:25-26
(AMP)
25 The graven images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.
26 Neither shall you bring an abomination (an idol) into your house, lest you become an accursed thing like it; but you shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.
James 4:7-8
(CWSB)
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Sorcery
The designation of clean and unclean animals ingrained a mentality oriented around ritual purity, cleanliness and holiness. The laws created a binary worldview centered on categories of pure/impure and clean/unclean.
Things pronounced “clean” were acceptable for ritual purposes and closeness with God. That which was unclean or impure must be kept at a distance from holy spaces and sacred rituals. By structuring much of life around these polarities, the food laws reminded ancient Israelites to vigilantly maintain both physical cleanliness and spiritual purity before God.
Interpretations and Controversies About Unclean Animals
Jewish perspectives on the purpose of the laws
The Jewish laws regarding clean and unclean animals have been discussed and debated for centuries. Here are some of the common interpretations within Judaism:
The laws serve as a test of obedience to God. By following these sometimes puzzling laws, Jews demonstrate their commitment to God’s commandments.
The laws are intended to teach reverence for life. Since the laws restrict people’s freedom to eat whatever animals they choose, they encourage respect for animal life.
The laws remind Jews of their unique status as God’s chosen people. By eating different foods than neighboring peoples, Jews maintain their cultural identity.
Modern Applications and Relevance
– Do the categories still apply today?
The classifications of clean and unclean animals given in the Old Testament still provide wisdom and benefits for us today, though they do not legally apply. Here are some ways the principles behind these laws can guide healthy living:
Avoiding pork and shellfish can prevent foodborne illnesses – These meats are high-risk foods for parasites and bacterial contamination if not properly cooked or handled.
At the American Institute of Advanced Biblical Studies, we confidently learn that Israel's dress code narrates their profound history with Yahweh, the God of the Patriarchs, and their Covenants with God. When other nations inquired about their attire, it was straightforward to explain, as each piece of clothing represented a distinct aspect of their identity. The deceiver was fully aware of this
Matthew 12:43-45
(CWSB)
The Unclean Spirit Returns (Luke 11:24-26)
43 -- When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Matthew 13:18-23
(CWSB)
The Parable of the Sower Explained (Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15)
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold some sixty, some thirty.
2215. ζιζάνιον zizánion; gen. zizaníou, pl. zizánia, neut. noun. Darnel, tares. A plant, in appearance not unlike corn or wheat, having at first the same sort of stalk and the same greenness, but not bringing forth any worthwhile fruit (Matt. 13:25-27, 29, 30, 36, 38, 40).
2885. κοσμέω kosméō; contracted kosmṓ, fut. kosmḗsō, from kósmos (G2889), world, adorning, order. To order, set in order (Matt. 12:44; Luke 11:25; Sept.: Ezek. 23:41). To adorn, garnish, decorate the sepulchers with garlands and flowers or by adding columns or other ornaments (Matt. 23:29). It was a custom among the Greeks as well as the Jews not only to erect, but also to repair and adorn the monuments of those who had merited them or who had suffered an undeserved death. To trim, as a lamp (Matt. 25:7). Metaphorically to honor, dignify (1 Tim. 2...
Witchcraft
At its core, witchcraft is about harming others, although the nature of this harm varies, from making a person ill or even killing them to inducing crop failure, poor weather, infertility and impotence, or the death of livestock. Witches are thus malevolent figures. While it is important to acknowledge the significant cultural and historical variation in perceptions of harmful witchcraft, the recurring nature of these beliefs suggests an origin in human psychology, perhaps a shared desire to find a reason for misfortune.
A common belief about witches is that they bring about their intended harm through the performance of ritual acts, in English typically termed spell-casting. Often this relies upon a belief in what the anthropologist James Frazer termed “sympathetic magic”—the notion that invisible connections exist between separate things sharing some particular commonality, and that performing an act with one of these objects will exert an impact on the other. A recurring idea throughout many parts of the world, including Polynesia, Melanesia, South Asia, Africa, and North America, is that witches can harm a person by gaining access to their nail clippings, hair, or bodily waste. Another idea, found in parts of Europe, is that a curse can be enacted by making a doll or effigy of a person, into which pins can then be inserted.
Not all witches need to perform ritual acts in order to curse somebody, however. Especially common in West and Central Africa and Melanesia are various beliefs about witches who bring about harm simply through their thoughts or desires. A similar notion, particularly recurrent in North Africa and the Middle East, is that of the evil eye, the idea that an individual can curse another through the power of sight alone.