In the past we have written much about the national identity of the
second stick Joseph/Ephraim, which has stirred up an ancient spirit that
despises and loathes the national identity of the (whole) House of Jacob. Even though YHVH divided the Israelite nation
into two nations (ref. Ezekiel 37:22), His prophetic intent had always been to
restore and bring those two nations back together again. We hear a lot about anti-Semitism, which is
directed at our brother Judah and the present State of Israel, but now that the
second stick, or nation, of Ephraim is being restored and exposed we should
expect that that same hate-filled spirit would also try to assault the
Ephraimite camp. We have several good
examples of this spirit of hatred manifesting in the family of Isaac: Jacob’s
brother, Esau, wanted to kill him over the birthright. Joseph’s brothers wanted to annihilate him
over the same issue. The Israelite nation, making its way out from the house of
bondage, was accosted by the Amalekites (descendants of the firstborn of Esau’s
family), who tried to exterminate them.
In the Psalms, King David points out that there are ten nations (all
descendants of firstborn) who are trying to prevent Israel from becoming a nation:
“For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; and those who hate You have lifted up
their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted
together against Your sheltered ones. They have said, "Come, and let us
cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel
Why would these nations want to keep Israel from
becoming a single nation, or at least (to begin with), two nations? The answer is evident from the
above-mentioned examples; they are jealous over a position that YHVH has
conferred upon His chosen firstborn. This status has to do with His
kingdom-order in the family of Noah, called the “Melchizedec office” of King
and Priest. It is a position that was
held by twenty three Elders from Adam to Jacob, while in the generation of
Abraham YHVH made an adjustment in the position, granting it to a nation rather
than to an individual (as it had been hitherto). YHVH made a covenant with His servant
Abraham, that out of his sperm, through his wife Sarah, the Patriarch would
father a chosen nation. This chosen
nation would be the firstborn nation amongst all the nations of humanity.
Even before Abram (as he was called then), we see this plan already
intact, as in the days of Paleg (another firstborn whose name means “to
divide”) YHVH divided the nations according to the twelve tribes of Israel:
“When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated
the sons of Adam [which would have been during the days of Peleg], He
set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of
Israel. For YHVH's portion is His
people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance” (Deut. 32:8-9). Today we
cannot afford to ignore YHVH’s plan for the redemption of creation, and the
fact that we have a very active spiritual enemy who does not want this to come
to pass. Remember, our battle is not
against flesh and blood: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians
6:12).
Each time YHVH set off a restoration work in the People of Israel, the
enemy immediately stepped in and tried to hinder the work. Daniel for example,
knew the times of the restoration and proceeded to intercede and repent, but
was opposed by the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece (two of Satan’s
most powerful princes, who help him govern the dual religious and political
system of his kingdom).
In the days of Ezra the enemies’ tactics were to try and join forces with
the Jews, hoping in this manner to confuse and keep the workers from succeeding
in carrying out their task. When Ezra declined their proposal, they made an
attempt to get the authorities to bring the work to a halt. In the days of Nehemiah, for instance, the
king gave permission and sent letters to the governors of the province authorizing
Nehemiah to come and seek the wellbeing of the Children of Israel, and to
restore Jerusalem . However, “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah
the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had
come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel” (Nehemiah 2:10). Why were they “deeply disturbed”? Why, when the king gives permission to
restore YHVH’s dwelling place, does this attitude flare up in the hearts of
these two men?
Let’s watch the progression of the attitude and activity of Sanballat,
and of others who were spurred by the enemy through pride and jealousy, to stop
the work. “But when Sanballat the
Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they
laughed at us and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that you are
doing? Will you rebel against the king?" (Nehemiah 2:19). Notice how the word is spreading to others,
and in spite of being aware of the king’s injunctions they lie in order to
discourage the workers. Their attitude has now progressed from jealousy to lying,
and then to laugher and malice. Incidentally, these attitudes are not only
directed toward Nehemiah and the workers, but indirectly also toward the king.
The attacks, however, only helped Nehemiah and the laborers to organize
themselves and work more cooperatively, and so did the enemies’ tactics and
attitudes change also. “But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we
were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked
the Jews. And he spoke before his
brethren and the army of Samaria
Since Sanballat wasn’t getting his way, he had become furious and
indignant and continued mocking the Jews.
He also began to gather up an army of people around him in order to
carry out his sinister plan. The workmen, however, through prayer and keeping a
watchful eye on the enemy, managed to press on with the work.
“Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites,
and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and
the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of
them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion”
(Nehemiah. 4:7-8).
Things are getting progressively worse, as more are added to the ranks of
the enemy, and are being filled with fierce anger toward what YHVH is doing in
the restoration of the City of the King, His dwelling place. The development from jealousy to hatred is
short only of murder. Up to this point
the enemies have not succeeded to stop the work, but now they must come and
create fear and confusion amongst the workers: “And our adversaries said,
‘They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and
kill them and cause the work to cease’" (Nehemiah 4:11). In order to move right into the camp the
wolves are now going to cover themselves in sheep’s’ clothing, this being the
most dangerous of all of the enemy’s tactics.
They will call you brother and say that they are standing with you in
the work, but this is just a cover up for the jealousy, hatred and eventual
murder, which they are harboring in their hearts.
Do study how Nehemiah and the others responded to each progressive attack
of the enemy, as there is much to be learnt from this on how to proceed in the
work of the restoration of the two nations/sticks and the whole House of
Israel. Warn those who are cooperating
with the enemy of a faithful covenant-keeping Elohim, that it might be wise to
take the advice of the great sage Gamaliel, whose attitude was summed up in the
following words: "And now I say to you, keep
away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of
men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it --
lest you even be found to fight against God" (Acts 5:38-39).
Ephraim
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