Chapter 6

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Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in יהוה (Kurios): for this is right.
Ephesians 6:2  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Ephesians 6:3  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

The term ‘children’; ‘teknon’ in Gk addresses relationship rather than age; meaning biblically children are always called to obey their parents; regardless of how old they are.

Proverbs 30:17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

V.2 is very problematic for those who advocate the abolishment of the Torah.

Traditionalists try to wiggle out of this glaring problem is to say it’s part of some ‘independent law of Christ’, or a mythical ‘moral law’, never seeing the biblical distinction of law by Paul quoting directly from the Book of the Covenant.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 6:4  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of יהוה .

Fathers & children:

Dionysius in Roman Antiquities 2:26: “But the lawgiver of the Romans gave virtually full power to the father over his son, even during his whole life, whether he thought proper to imprison him, to scourge him, to put him in chains and keep at work in the fields, or to put him to death, and this even though the son were already engaged in public affairs, though he were numbered among the magistrates, and though he were celebrated for his zeal for the commonwealth.
Indeed, in virtue of this law men of distinction, while delivering speeches from the rostra hostile to the senate and pleasing to the people, have been dragged down from thence and carried away by their fathers to undergo such punishment as these thought fit; and while they were being led away through the Forum, none present, neither consul, tribune, nor the very populace, which was flattered by them and thought all power inferior to its own, could rescue them.”

Paul doesn’t want this kind of absolute authority within the assembly.

Proverbs 22: 6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 23:13 Do not withhold correction from a child. If you strike him with a rod, he will not die.14 Punish him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.

Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Moshiach;
Ephesians 6:6  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Moshiach, doing the will of Elohim from the heart;
Ephesians 6:7  With good will doing service, as to יהוה, and not to men.

Slavery abounded within the Greco Roman world; as many as one-third to half of the total population in the Roman Empire were slaves-about 60 million; and Paul wasn’t actively trying to overthrow it:

1 Corinthians 7:21 Were you called being a slave? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

The tension of their new found spiritual freedom juxtaposed with their position they still found themselves within a societal setting.

Freedom in Yahusha changed the dynamic of the relationship between master and slave (what if both were believers?) both’s attitudes and behavior were put into new light!

Ephesians 6:8  Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of יהוה, whether he be bond or free.
Ephesians 6:9  And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

James 5:4 comes into view: Behold, the wages of the workers who mowed your fields—which you kept back by fraud—are crying out against you. And the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Master of Sabaoth/Master of Hosts.

Equality will be demonstrated and determined by יהוה is Paul’s point!

Ephesians 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in יהוה, and in the power of his might.
Ephesians 6:11  Put on the whole armour of Elohim, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Question; is the armor of Ephesians 6, the armor of a Roman soldier or the High Priest?

Neither!

Traditional Christianity – Roman Soldier.

Messianic Movement – High Priest.

Both come to those conclusions by using Eisegesis – introducing their own presuppositions, agenda’s and biases into the text, trying to prove their pre-held views.

This is called ‘confirmation bias’ or ‘inductive reasoning’ rather than using the bible as a whole for ‘deductive reasoning’.

Ephesians 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Ephesians 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Elohim, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Ephesians 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Ephesians 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Ephesians 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Elohim:

Spiritual warfare: יהוה vs the gods:

Psalms 82:1 ‘Elohim’ has taken his place in the divine ‘el’council; in the midst of  the ‘elohim’ he  holds judgment:

“The Watchers,” as Daniel calls them: Daniel 4:17 “This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers And the decision is a command of the holy ones, In order that the living may know That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men.”

Daniel 4:13 ‘I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.

The Jews of Yahusha’s time were silenced because they were aware of this reality:

John 10:34 Yahusha answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said you are elohiim’? “If he called them elohim, to whom the word of Elohim came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of Elohim’?

Yahusha is rebuking the Jews for allowing the existence of elohim other than the Father, but they wouldn’t accept His claim to be Elohim – hypocrisy!

Deuteronomy 10:17 “For the יהוה your Elohim is the Elohim of elohim and the adon/Master of adon/masters the great, the mighty, and the awesome Elohim who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.

There are many gods, but only one יהוה , who is Elohim of elohim.

DEUTERONOMY 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of men, He fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the SONS OF GOD.

Islam teaches singular monotheism, Christianity adopted trinitarianism from the Greek pantheon of polytheism and by employing classic syncretism declares it as monotheism; whereas the bible actually teaches plural monotheism – יהוה Echad – a compound; plural, divine unity.

We know there was a fall from within the divine counsel in the heavens (Ezekiel 28 / Revelation 12:4 ). One third fell with the Moshiach Cheruv the chief elohim of YHWH’s council who led an adversarial army of elohim to rebel against יהוה. The Adversary elohim or Satans to influence the nations – they became the gods of the nations – adversaries against man.

There is actually one Heylel Ben Shachar – Cresent Moon-Son of the Morning; who we commonly call S.a.tan. But in reality there are a whole fallen council of Satan’s-fallen elohim, from YHWH’s divine council.

A heavenly council & a hellish council – one led by יהוה; one led by Lucifer.

The nations have their own ‘gods,’ who are mortal, but they don’t have יהוה , who alone is immortal and is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

The title “יהוה Tzeva.” ‘יהוה of hosts” reflects יהוהs rulership over the created elohim – these “armies” refer to celestial battalions belonging to the Creator.

Jeremiah and Micah both had access to the divine council in session; they overheard what the King and His counsellors decided to do regarding specific human situations.

Jeremiah 23:18 “But who has stood in the council of יהוה , That he should see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and listened?

2 Chronicles 18:18: Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the יהוה . I saw יהוה sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. “YHWH said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. “Then a spirit came forward and stood before יהוה and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And יהוה said to him, ‘How?’ “He said, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.’ “Now therefore, behold, יהוה has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for יהוה has proclaimed disaster against you.”

Deuteronomy 4:19: And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which יהוה your Elohim has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Here we are told that יהוה has assigned “the host of heaven” to the peoples of the earth; meaning; “all non Israelites.”

These “host of heaven” are the same “rulers, powers, world forces, and spiritual forces in the heavenly places” that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 6:12.

יהוה allotted watchers to influence the nations.

Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy?

These “morning stars” and “sons of elohim” are names of divine council members.

Timothy said of Yahusha that He “who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:16.

These lesser deities, these Watchers were judged by יהוה.

Psalms 82:6 I said, “You are elohim, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.”

Eight articles of armor:

1. Stand: nâtsab נצב means you’re appointed as an officer of יהוה able to petition יהוה and his council for assistance; they’ll in turn set you as a pillar that’ll rear up a sharp boundary to the enemy.
2. Belt of truth –girded with the Word: Exodus 12:11 ” ‘Here is how you are to eat it [the Passover lamb]: with your belt fastened.
3. Shoes of Peace/Shalom – preparation of the Gospel: Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news.
4. Breastplate of righteousness: Isaiah 59:17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, salvation as a helmet on his head; he clothed himself with garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal.
5. Shield of faith – a large shield that covered the entire person this is the belt er functioning wholly in spirit, soul & body – covering the entire person!
6. Helmet of salvation: Isaiah 59:17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, salvation as a helmet on his head; he clothed himself with garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal.
7. Sword of the spirit – Spoken Word of יהוה, that when uttered, pierces the darkness, and defeats the adversarial council of fallen elohim; it’s an offensive weapon!
8. Intercessory prayer – more offensive weaponry coupled with the Word, can’t be halted.

Ephesians 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Ephesians 6:20  For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Ephesians 6:21  But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in יהוה shall make known to you all things:
Ephesians 6:22  Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.
Ephesians 6:23  Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from Elohim the Father and our Master Yahusha Ha Moshiach, Grace be with all them that love our יהוה Yahusha Ha Moshiach in sincerity. Amen.