Predators Matthew 7:15-23

Matthew 7:15-23 “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening (G727 ἅρπαξ harpax (har’-pax) adj. taking great pleasure in pursuing and successfully exploiting others) wolves.” (Predators)

Ezekiel 22:23-28 “The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that receives no rain or showers in the day of my anger.’ Her princes within her are like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they have devoured lives. They take away riches and valuable things; they have made many women widows within it. Her priests abuse my law and have desecrated my holy things. They do not distinguish between the holy and the profane, or recognize any distinction between the unclean and the clean. They ignore my Sabbaths and I am profaned in their midst. Her officials are like wolves in her midst rending their prey—shedding blood and destroying lives—so they can get dishonest profit. Her prophets coat their messages with whitewash. They see false visions and announce lying omens for them, saying, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says,’ when the Lord has not spoken.”

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Matthew 23:25-28 “Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too! “Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt (G4550 σαπρός sapros (sa-pros’) adj. 1. putrid {i.e. worthless}.2. rotten.) tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”

( G4190 πονηρός poneros (po-nee-ros’) adj. 1. evil, malicious, hurtful. {in effect or influence})

Mark 7:5-13 “The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed hands?” He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’ Having no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.” He also said to them, “You neatly reject the commandment of God in order to set up your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you would have received from me is corban’ (that is, a gift for God {a sacrificial offering}), then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this.”

Matthew 23:2-11 “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant.”

Mark 10:42-44 “Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. But it is not this way among you. Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all.”

1 Peter 5:2-4 “Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly. {to gain in a disgracefully, sordidly manner} And do not lord it over those entrusted to you, but be examples to the flock. Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.”

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Matthew 5:17-18 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.”

1 John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

1 John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” The terms ‘cannot sin’ is a determinative clause meaning the person cannot conceive willfully displeasing YHWH.

1 Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down (G1581 ἐκκόπτω ekkopto (ek-kop’-tō) v.1. to cut out or cut off.2. to frustrate.), and cast into the fire.”

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”

People must take note that the ONLY Scripture at the time of this letter was, what the modern era calls, the Old Testament. The Torah. The Law given to Moses and the Prophets!

Luke 16:31 “He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Proverbs 28:9 “The one who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.”

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

2 Peter 3:15-17 “And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men and fall from your firm grasp on the truth.”

Acts 20:29-32 “I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them {for themselves or ‘church growth’}.

Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (G458 ἀνομία anomia (a-no-miy’-a) n. 1. illegality, i.e. violation of law. Lawlessness)

Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Putting the “law in their minds” means to teach the Torah so it is firmly within your thoughts daily. The writing of it “on their hearts” means we cannot fathom the idea of breaking the Torah purposefully and thus breaking YHWH’s heart. When we desire to be securely in relationship, this is the worshipful submission to the Almighty Elohim Adonai.