Following on the heels of yesterday’s post, let’s talk a little bit more about the Scriptural concept of just who is your enemy.
In a nutshell, an enemy is anyone who would seek to do you harm.
In the ancient Middle East one’s enemies were often neighboring tribes who warred against each other to achieve dominance.
Bandits and other violent scoundrels roamed the land and it was up to each clan to protect themselves.
Even today in tribal societies, revenge killings, kidnapping and other forms of bloodshed are commonplace.
Remember there wasn’t any armed police force in those days to keep law & order…
The way a tribe acquired power was by STEALING IT, whether people or goods, from other tribes.
So as sad as that situation is…
It was just part of everyday life that everyone had enemies that they had to be on the lookout for.
Now invariably when the subject of “enemies” comes up, people will bring up the following words Yeshua said:
“You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Love your neighbor— and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. “ -Matthew 3:43-45
First of all, did you notice Yeshua said “Love your enemies” and NOT God’s enemies?
That’s an important point a lot of people overlook.
There’s a HUGE difference between “your” enemies and God’s enemies.
Yeshua urged us to love our enemies.
But he NEVER EVER told us to love God’s enemies.
If you make the fatal decision to side with those whom God has marked for destruction, you can say goodbye to your life and soul forever.
Like the Amalekites for example.
A true believer is NEVER to accept that which God has made it clear He has rejected.
Another point a lot of people overlook is that your enemies could come from your very own flesh-and-blood family.
A lot of folks have a hard time accepting this truth.
Starting with Abraham, the Scriptures are filled with examples of God commanding those He has chosen to SEPARATE from everything they had known in their lives up until that time.
I would say this principle doubly applies to those who feel hopelessly trapped in abusive family relationships.
Unfortunately, the Bible has been used as a weapon of guilt to brainwash those who are stuck in abusive relationships to stay in them.
They’re told they have to be endlessly patient and that it is sinful to leave a family relationship no matter what.
They are told they must always forgive, even though the Scriptures never tell us to forgive unrepentant people.
Quite the contrary, God tells us not to associate with the wicked at all…
There is no Scriptural obligation to continue in relationships with people who have damaged you whether through emotional, sexual or physical abuse.
If your mother or father has abused you, she or he has forsaken you…
And if they have forsaken you that means they have become YOUR ENEMIES.
Here’s what the Scriptures have to say about that.
“When my father and my
mother forsake me, then
the Lord will take me up…”
-Psalms 27:10
Or check out this whammy of a Scripture straight from the Torah.
“If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and worship other gods’ (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”-Deuteronomy 13:6-10
The Torah is pretty darn clear, isn’t it homies?
When it comes down to choosing between loyalty to your family or loyalty to God, you must choose to be loyal to God no matter what the consequences.
Any parent who seeks to undermine your faith in God has become your enemy…
And God has outlined the course of action for you in that case: SEPARATION.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Do not suppose that I have
come to bring peace to the earth.
I did not come to bring peace,
but a sword. For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
a man’s enemies will be the members
of his own household.’
Anyone who loves their father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me;
anyone who loves their son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me.
Whoever does not take up their cross
and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds their life will lose it,
and whoever loses their life for
my sake will find it.”
-Matthew 10:36-39
“If anyone comes to me and
does not hate father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters
—yes, even their own life—
such a person cannot be my disciple.”
-Luke 14:26
“Another disciple said to him,
‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’
But Yeshua told him, “Follow me, and
let the dead bury their own dead.‘”
-Matthew 8:21-22
It’s a fine line I think. Reading yesterday about Joseph and how his brothers treated him and then his master’s wife trying to seduce him. Joseph stood for Torah as it was his being and was punished like an evil doers but El set things right. I believe Joseph even ended up marrying his former masters daughter? I think yes we need to seperate ourselves from our spiritual enemies no matter who they are but God willing we are perfected in Torah and then the light shines in the darkness, going wherever the Spirit leads and it’s the enemies that must go or repent.