Lets make a deal?

[Shmanu YAH]

shalom alychem - peace be upon all. ALL praises and glory to the most high YHWH and "baruka ha'bo b'shem YHWH"- blessed your coming in the name of YHWH ->>> Yahushua!. I pray all is well with you and yours.

In this brief message I like to not just look at warnings or examples of that corruption called bribery, but also look at blessed refusal of that corrupt act.

In hebrew the word for bribe is most often "shchd" / shachad - pronounced: shakh'-ad meaning: bribe(-ry), gift, present, reward (Strong's 7809 & 7810).

We have all read in the book of b'reshith how when the slick serpent beguiled Chawah aka Eve, he had to have something to offer her - lets revisit b'reshith 3:1-5, Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which YHWH Elohym had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath Elohym said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, Elohym hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die". 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For Elohym doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as mighty ones, knowing good and evil, ....... - we can see from the very jump that the adversary was willing to offer Chawah a "upgrade", - she would no longer be a "help meet" in servitude but instead a more intellectual mighty being with much knowledge, - and she fell for it, ( you know the rest! ).  Unfortunately this preceded the time frame of today's wisdom: "be careful what you wish for... you just might get it !".

 If we want to see another example of a lucrative (as in filthy lucre) offer all we need do is remember the account revisited in Ibrym / hebrews 11:23-26, ....By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of Elohym, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 >>> Esteeming the reproach of mashiach greater riches than the treasures in Egypt < : for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible, ....... - Moshe had a opportunity to make his life plush for a long time, BUT his character just wouldn't let him seal that deal, .... way to go MOSHE!

Normally when we see the act of bribery, it stands to reason it's something negative, a few examples are recorded in: Iyob /Job 15:34 - "For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery" ...... - this is what I call "just deserves", - then and now!.

1st. Samuel 8:1-3 - And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiyah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations". 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us". And Samuel prayed unto YHWH. ...... - in case we wern't paying attention, corrupt judges dealing for lucre and bribes is why Yisrael rejected YHWH and demanded a king in the first place! .... WOW!

Psalms 26:9-10 - "gather NOT my soul with sinners, NOR my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes" ...... - self explanatory petition for separation by melek Dawid

Even Yahudah / Judas (one of Yahushua's 12 talmadym) was a prime example of what bribery can do if you already have a seed of wickedness growing in your heart, note the name "Yahudah" ... his own lineage namesake would sell him out. We read about the act of this financial transaction in several accounts of the brit h'chashah, but lets look at the first rendering out of the book of Matthew 26:14-16,

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?" And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. ...... - now is it just me, or do others also think this a a low budget cheap crack-head deal for a "special being" of such great value to the redemption of the house of Israel as well as the whole world?.... talk about a sell-out!

We also have to ask how did he know in the first place they were willing to pay, ..... who put that word out?

Speaking of bribers, lets look at the "King of bribery" himself as he tried to bribe the Prince of Peace -> Yahushua.

We should have read in both Matthew and Luke chapters 4 of the attempt. In Matthew 4:1-11, Then was Yahushua led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of Elohym, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Elohym". 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of Elohm, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Yahushua said unto him, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Master thy Elohym". 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Yahushua unto him, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Master thy Elohym, and him only shalt thou serve". 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

...... ~ This account has been read for centuries and expounded upon by scholar after scholar but there is some points I want to highlight here they they have failed to point out: it's not just how Yahushua put the tempter in his place by utilizing the word of YHWH to send him packing, - but the character it takes to do what he did overall.

1) Yahushua was offered by bribery the corrupt kingdoms of this world by the wannabe  "GOD of this world" AND the glory of them if he would bow down and worship him, BUT he was willing to wait for the awarding or presentation of a ever-lasting righteous Kingdom from the light-side - NOT the darkside!, our mashiach put away any desire for the opportunity to "get rich quick", his response indicated NO DEAL! ...... how many people you know could do this if the stakes were that high?

2) Yahushua was offered a bribery of receiving those kingdoms of this world WITHOUT having to die for them, .... WOW!, true he already had these kingdoms apportioned to him by YHWH, ...but he had to lay down his life first, - h'shatan was trying to offer him what was supposed to be a sweeter deal with less pain and bloodshed, BUT "our" mashiach didn't fall for it ( he is NOT one of the fallen ones ), his response indicated NO DEAL! .....haleluYAH!

3) Yahushua was offered a "upgrade" ( like Eve was offered in the garden ) or opportunity to better himself, he would no longer be a lowly carpenter's son turned unwealthy rabbi - he would have much more possessions than the pharisees or religious rulers and even the rulers of Rome!, BUT because of his unselfish character he knew the sins of the world would remain - therefore his response indicated NO DEAL! ..... todah Yahushua.

Yahushua also knew this bribe was PATHETIC, because he was waiting to see a real Kingdom come as John was shown in Revelation 21:9-12,

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

21:10 >>> And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the set-apart Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from YHWH, /p>

21:11 Having the glory of YHWH: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. ......why would Yahushua pass this up for the current worldly gains that were perishing?

learn: after Yahushua was immersed and received the set-apart spirit, he was endued with powers from the Most High to perform miracles such as providing food to feed believers. The wicked one knowing Yahushua had just fasted and was hungry - wanted h'mashiach to use that power to feed himself, Yahushua refused that carnal temptation and instead used that power to feed his followers - as we remember reading in the accounts of multiplying fishes and loaves, .........selah

fact: some still believe and teach that devil really had the power and authority to offer Yahushua rulership, but they need to stop talking and go read Daniel 4:24-25 and John 8:44,

Daniel 4:25-25, This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my master the king: 4:25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

John 8:44, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it!"

We need to take these examples in account as we go through our daily lives as well as or prayer lives and remember the sacrifices and pureness that is Yahushua, ... but then again: like father - like son.

Now ask yourself daily when it comes to interaction: "am I for sell?" ... and if not "to who?"

selah and shalommmmmmm

[AtalYah Baht Yehudah]

Shalom weh todah rabah for another thought provoking teaching. I appreciate you share Hebrew words & Strong’s Concordance, to help us better understand the context. ‘Cause we sho’nuff know definitions in the dictionary @ times are waaaaay off.  We have to learn to step back from the English language & Hellenistic thoughts, that even some of ourforefathers fell for.  It’s bad enough we know some of the Pharisees & Sadducees took bribes (quietly as it was kept). I think it’s really kind of sad that Chawaah (Eve) traded in her purpose (being a help meet) for wanting a little more of something. Why did she want to be more thanshe was already???  True that the adversary lied to her (we know the story) but she couldn’t be content with who she was and what she already had???  If I had been Adam, knowing they were not to eat the fruit (of a particular tree) she would have gotten her backside slapped, not me getting in trouble too – eating that fruit cause she told me too.  Why didn’t Adam ask her where she got it from, instead of eating it too?  So because she wasn’t careful in what she asked for, they blew it for e’body til the time of Yahoshua Ha 

I wanted to cry here after realizing that Judas / Yahudah was of the same tribe as Yahoshua, yet he gave him up to 30 pieces of silver! Like U asked, was not Yahoshua worth more than that?  No price could have made it right for Judas anyway.  He needed to hang himself after such a bribe. How do you wrongfully accuse your brother, especially Yahoshua? 

Why did the Children of Ysra’el ask the king for another king like the one amongst the nations? Didn’t Abba tell our forefathers (as us today) do not go after the ways of the nations around you???  Does Ysra’el ever learn?  Sometimes, The Father does give us what we ask for, then after getting it, we realize ‘maybe this ain’t good for us!  Does Ysra’el ever learn?

Shalom weh selah