(V.14) The cursed one acting cunningly is the priest who offers (promotes) in sacrificial service to God a "ruined one". Ruined ones are female harlotrous "daughters" of "Jezebel" who "teach" without authority to do so and mislead slaves of God to commit spiritual fornication. The first Jezebel was one literally "torn away". The priestly cunning is to gain a "house" of intense lovers for themselves. (Zech 13:6.  Rev 2:20.  2 Kings 9:35,36).

(CH 2:1, 2) Those who officiate between God and the people are His priests, and it is to them He gives warning to glorify His Name instead of stumbling many by showing partialities in the law to glorify themselves. Otherwise, He will turn their blessings into a curse. He also regrets the blessing over Israel.

(V.3) On account of the pollution of God's laws by these priests, Jehovah conveys that He would act correctively against those in whom they had sown the "seed" of their pollution to cunningly give glory to themselves. Dung is here an expression of offence. Jehovah promises to scatter the "dung" of offence over what they represent; upon their double "face" before the people, and upon their self-glorifying festivals.

(V.4, 5) This commandment is an ultimatum from Jehovah respecting the original covenant agreement with the house of Levi. Jehovah appointed the Levites to serve in His tabernacle and to perform other services such as its installation and dismantling. Having compared the early dedicated priesthood with its present state of decline, in verse 5 Jehovah indicates that because they have ruined the covenant, it is no longer life-giving or establishing peace, and is therefore making His covenant obsolete. (See V.9).

(V.6, 7) Those who are truly underpriests today are the most precious persons on earth. For with God's laws inscribed on their hearts they declare the way back from mankind's death-dealing errors. (2 Cor 3:3). So today people should seek these laws of Jehovah from the lips of His anointed priestly messengers. Jehovah is reminding them of their priestly obligations, which is to keep their God-given knowledge of His law. Out of respect for His laws they must be inspired only with Godly fear, and not fear of men. They must speak it out fearlessly.

(V.8, 9) As the law of God stumbles no one, how have men stumbled others in the law of God? It has been done by priests "turning aside" from the "way" of the law. In all circumstances His righteous teachings need to be correctly understood as to their application. So they have stumbled others with their misrepresentation of God's law, polluting and despising His instructions through their inferior "sacrifices" of "offering" unfit servants to God and misrepresentation of His laws to His people on earth. Instead of gathering persons to life everlasting, they are stumbling them; though not completely, as Jehovah is able to raise them up. (James 5:15).

(V.10, 11) Dealing treacherously with others is to betray them. In this case, it was done with those under the "new covenant"; the 144,000 Spirit anointed ones collectively referred to as the "bride of Christ". But in verse 11 it speaks of those out of Judah that have "taken possession of the daughter of a foreign god as a bride". So instead of becoming members of the "bride of Christ", they have now become the 'husband' of a foreign god as their 'bride' class. The secret cunning behind baal worship (and there are many "faces" to the baals) is that people are really worshipping the authority behind the rules established by the baalists. Jezebel and Ahab her husband promoted baal worship with their authority and rules. Moreover, Jesus said that while "that woman Jezebel" would be tolerated in the Lord's day, her "children" he would kill with deadly plague. So those committing spirit "adultery" with "Jezebel"-type "daughters" by consenting to "her" false teachings are in this way defiling themselves with women and are no longer "virgins" as to the Lord. (Rev 14:4. 2:20-23. 1:10).

PREVIOUS
◄     PAGE

SUBJECT
INDEX

HOME
PAGE

SCRIPTURE
INDEX

NEXT
    PAGE►