Die onwedergebore mens het 'n vleeslike verstand en word deur sy sintuie gelei, gevoelens, en emosies. Die ou man is trots en weet dit baie keer beter as ander. Die ou man is opstandig en hou nie van regstelling nie(s), maar vertrou op sy eie begrip in plaas van God se begrip en volg sy eie wil in plaas van die wil van God. Die ou man se hart is verhard en luister nie na die waarskuwing en/of raad van ander nie. Maar wat is die gevaar om nie te luister nie? Die gevaar om nie te luister nie is dat mense vriendskappe en verbonde sluit wat rampspoedige gevolge in hul lewens en omgewing kan hê. Hierdie rampspoedige gevolge kon voorkom gewees het deur te luister. Daar is baie voorbeelde in die Bibe van mense wat geweier het om na ander te luister. Neem byvoorbeeld Gedalja, wat nie na die waarskuwings van ander geluister het nie en daarom, Gedalja het onheil oor homself en die volk gebring.
Gedalja, die goewerneur van Juda
Gedalja was die seun van Ahikam en is deur die koning van Babel aangestel as goewerneur oor die stede van Juda. Hy het manne aan hom toevertrou, vroue, en kinders en van die armes van die land, wat nie in ballingskap na Babilon weggevoer is nie.
Wanneer al die kapteins van die magte (leërs), wat in die veld was, en hulle manne het gehoor dat die koning van Babel Gedalja oor die land aangestel het, hulle het na hom gegaan in Mispa.
Wanneer die kapteins van die magte Ismael, die seun van Netanja, Johanan en Jonathan, die seuns van Kareag, en Seraja, die seun van Tanhumet, en die seuns van Efal, die Netofatiet, en Jesanja, die seun van 'n Maägatiet en hulle manne het aangekom, Gedalja het voor hulle 'n eed afgelê en gesê:
“Wees nie bevrees om die Chaldeërs te dien nie: in die land woon, en dien die koning van Babel, en dit sal met jou goed gaan. Wat my betref, kyk, Ek sal in Mispa woon, om die Chaldeërs te dien, wat na ons toe sal kom: maar jy, versamel wyn en somervrugte, en olie en gooi dit in jou kanne, en woon in julle stede wat julle ingeneem het”
Wanneer al die Jode, wat in Moab en onder die Ammoniete was, en in Edom, en dit was in al die lande, gehoor dat die koning van Babel 'n oorblyfsel van Juda agtergelaat het en dat hy Gedalja oor hulle aangestel het, al die Jode het teruggekeer uit alle plekke waarheen hulle verdryf is, en in die land Juda gekom, aan Gedalja, tot by Mispa en wyn en somervrugte in oorvloed ingesamel.
Johanan en die kapteins van die magte het Gedalja gewaarsku
Toe Johanan en al die kapteins van die magte, wat in die veld was, het by Gedalja in Mispa gekom, sê hulle vir hom, “weet jy seker dat Baalis, die koning van die Ammoniete het Ismael, die seun van Netánja, gestuur om jou dood te maak?
Maar Gedalja het nie hulle woorde geglo nie.
Johanan het in die geheim met Gedalja gepraat en gesê, “laat my gaan, Ek bid jou, en Ek sal Ismael doodmaak, en niemand sal dit weet nie: waarom sou hy jou doodmaak, dat al die Jode wat by jou versamel is, verstrooi sou word, en die oorblyfsel in Juda vergaan?”
Maar Gedalja het vir Johanan gesê, “jy mag hierdie ding nie doen nie: want jy spreek vals van Ismael.
En so het dit gebeur, daardie Ismael, die seun Netanja, die seun van Elisama, van die koninklike nageslag en die vorste van die koning met tien man het na Gedalja in Mispa gekom.
Gedalja het nie geluister nie en onheil oor hom en die volk gebring
Terwyl hulle saam brood geëet het, Ismael het opgestaan en die tien mans, wat saam met hom was, het Gedalja met die swaard gedood. En so het Ismael Gedalja doodgemaak volgens die woorde van Johanan en die owerstes van die leërs.
Toe het Ismael al die Jode doodgemaak, Galdeërs, en die krygsmanne, wat by hom was.
Dit het gebeur die tweede dag nadat hy Gedalja doodgemaak het, en niemand het dit geweet nie, dat daar sekeres uit Sigem gekom het, van Shiloh, en van Samaria, selfs tagtig manne met hulle baarde geskeer en hulle klere geskeur en hulleself gesny met offers en reukwerk in hulle hand om dit na die huis van die Here te bring.
Ismael het uit Mispa uitgegaan om hulle te ontmoet, geween terwyl hy voortgaan en dit het gebeur, soos hy hulle ontmoet het, Hy het vir hulle gesê, “kom na Gedalja toe.”
En dit was so, toe hulle in die middel van die stad gekom het, dat Ismael, die seun van Netánja, hulle gedood het, en gooi hulle in die middel van die put, wat koning Asa gemaak het uit vrees vir Baesa, die koning van Israel, hy, en die manne wat by hom was.
Maar tien manne is onder hulle gevind wat vir Ismael gesê het, “maak ons nie dood nie, want ons het skatte in die veld, van koring, gars, olie, en van heuning.” Hy het dus geweier, en hulle nie onder hulle broers gedood nie.
Toe het Ismael al die oorblyfsels van die volk wat in Mispa was, as gevangenes weggevoer, selfs die koning se dogters, en al die manskappe wat in Mispa oorgebly het, wat Nebusaradan, die owerste van die lyfwag, aan Gedalja, die seun van Ahikam, toevertrou het: en Ismael, die seun van Netánja, het hulle as gevangenes weggevoer, en hy het vertrek om na die Ammoniete oor te gaan.
Maar toe Johanan, die seun van Kareag, en al die owerstes van die leërs wat by hom was, al die onheil gehoor wat Ismael, die seun van Netánja, gedoen het, Toe vat hulle al die mans, en hy het gegaan om teen Ismael, die seun van Netanja, te veg, en hom gevind by die groot waters wat in Gíbeon is.
Nou het dit gebeur, toe al die mense wat by Ismael was, vir Johanan, die seun van Kareag, gesien het, en al die owerstes van die leërs wat by hom was, toe was hulle bly.
En al die mense wat Ismael uit Mispa as gevangenes weggevoer het, het omgewaai en teruggekeer, en hy het na Jóhanan, die seun van Kareag, gegaan. Maar Ismael, die seun van Netanja, het met agt man van Johanan ontvlug en na die Ammoniete gegaan. (Jeremia 40 en 41).
Sluit 'n verbond met die vyand
Gedalja het 'n verbond gesluit met die owerstes van die leërs en wou die beste vir hulle hê. Hy het hulle vanuit sy eie oogpunt gesien en behandel. Daarom het hy in hulle goedheid geglo en dat hulle geen bose bedoelings gehad het nie, net soos hy nie bose bedoelings gehad het nie. Gedalja het hulle belowe dat hy hulle nie sou seermaak nie en het selfs vir hulle geskenke gegee.
Maar Gedalja het nie geweet dat hulle nie almal soos hy dink en soos hy is en dieselfde bedoelings gehad het as hy nie. Hy het nie geweet dat sy vyand is nie, wat na sy lewe was, was onder die owerstes van die leërs.
Gedalja het nie gesien wat Johanan en die ander owerstes van die leërs nie, behalwe Ismael, gesien het.
Toe Johanan en die owerstes van die leërs uitvind dat Baäls, die koning van die Ammoniete het Ismael gestuur om Gedalja dood te maak, hulle het na Gedalja gegaan om hom te waarsku.
Hulle het vir Gedalja toestemming gevra om hierdie euwel te hanteer, voordat hierdie euwel met Gedalja sou handel.
Wat is die gevaar om nie te luister en die waarskuwings te ignoreer nie?
Maar Gedalja het die woorde van Johanan nie geglo nie en die woorde van Johanan en die owerstes van die leërs verwerp en volgens voorkoms beoordeel; volgens wat hy van Ismael gesien het. Gedalja het geen onheil in die man gesien nie, wat na sy lewe was. Geen, anders sou hy toestemming gegee het aan Johanan en die owerstes van die leërs.
Selfs toe Johanan vir 'n tweede keer in die geheim na Gedalja gekom het om hom te waarsku en hom toestemming te gee, Gedalja het nie sy woorde geglo nie en nie geluister nie.
In plaas daarvan om sy woorde te glo en na sy woorde te luister, Gedalja het Johanan daarvan beskuldig dat hy 'n leuenaar is, want Ismael was nie soos Johanan hom beskryf het nie.
Deur nie na die woorde van Johanan te luister nie en sy woorde te verwerp en op sy eie begrip te vertrou, Gedaliah went to his doom
The betrayal
Just like Jude, who pretended to be a friend of Jesus, maar in werklikheid, was his enemy, and as he sat at the table of Jesus and partook of His meal the devil (kwaad) entered into him and he fulfilled his evil plan, Ishmael also pretended to be a friend of Gedaliah and won his trust through lies, maar in werklikheid, was his enemy and as he sat at the table of Gedaliah and partook of his meal, the evil in him fulfilled his plan and he killed Gedaliah by the sword.
Gedaliah was not listening and relied on his own understanding. He believed the wrong person and entered into a covenant and friendship with someone, who seemed to be his friend from the outside but from the inside, he was his enemy.
Because of the naivety of Gedaliah and because he was led by his senses and feelings he saw no evil in Ishmael and ignored the warnings. He didn’t deal with evil and so the evil dealt with Gedaliah.
By not listening to the warnings, Gedaliah was not the only one, who experienced disastrous consequences in his life but also his environment; die Jode, the Chaldeans, wat teenwoordig was, and the seventy men, who were on their way from Sichem to Mizpah and the rest of the inhabitants of Judah, who were taken captive experienced the disastrous consequences.
Responding to the emotions and feelings of people
Ishmael not only knew what he had to do to win the trust of Gedaliah, but also to win the trust of the eighty men of Sichem. When he went to them he wept all the way. He took on a victim role and manipulated them by using his and their emotions and by speaking lies. And so he manipulated and mislead the eighty men by his emotions and through his words, which led them into his trap and he killed seventy of them.
Ishmael took the rest of the people of Judah captive and took them with him and the other ten men.
Turning the enemy into a friend
The enemy knew exactly what he had to do to destroy his enemy. Naamlik, by gaining his trust and by becoming his friend. The enemy knew, that as soon as he would gain the trust of his enemy and become his friend, he could fulfill his evil plan.
Johanan warned Gedaliah twice, but Gedaliah was not listening to him. Because he wouldn’t listen a lot of misery came over him and all the inhabitants of Judah.
And this phenomenon still happens in the world, in die kerk, and in the lives of people.
Most people are just like Gedaliah. They are full of pride and walk after the flesh. They don’t want to listen to others, who warn them of dangers. In plaas daarvan, they think they know it better and think they are right and therefore they are not listening and reject the warnings.
They rely on their own understanding and insight, which many times is formed by their senses; by what they see and hear, their emotions and feelings, and carnal wisdom and knowledge
Therefore many are misled and enter into covenants and friendships with those with whom they shouldn’t enter into covenants and friendships.
Because although they may seem friendly and sincere from the outside and seem to have good intentions and speak positive and pious words, they are not the same on the inside and don’t have good intentions but evil intentions.
But because of the naivety of the old carnal man, wat deur sy sintuie gelei word, gevoelens, en emosies, and because we live in a world, where the new-age love has conquered the earth and you may not be cautious and critical, but supposed to be positive and speak only positive things and accept all behavior, the devil can have his way and makes his big move in the spiritual and the natural realm.
Christene, who are not listening to warnings
We see this in the lives of Christians when fellow Christians try to warn their brothers or sisters of (geestelike) gevare, but they are not listening. Baie keer, these Christians are carnal and sense ruled and are not listening to the warnings of (geestelike) gevare, valse leerstellings and/or reveal the true nature of people, who seem spiritual but in reality are not, and reject the warnings and go their own way, just like Gedaliah.
Because they know it better and rely on their own understanding. Many times they think that they are the exception to the rule.
Therefore many Christians reject the counsel and the corrections of fellow Christians and for example, enter studies that teach them the opposite of faith and cause them to deviate from Jesus; the Word and don’t need God and eventually abandon their faith.
Or carnal believers enter into friendships with unbelievers, who seduce them and make them indifferent towards sin and draw them back into the world.
And let’s not forget carnal believers, who enter into marriage covenants with unbelievers, who are atheists or have another religion or (oostelike) philosophy and belief system, despite the warnings of fellow believers. Many times they think that God has arranged it, terwyl God baie duidelik in Sy Woord is. Because of pride and rebellion against the Word, many people bring mischief upon themselves. Although their fiancé may be charming and may seem friendly, Liefdevolle, Omgee, ens. from the outside, inside they are evil and during the marriage, this evil will manifest.
There are many more examples of situations in life, where believers are not willing to listen to the warnings of others and don’t want to be corrected, en daarom, they bring mischief upon themselves.
This is a fruit of the old carnal man, just like we see in the life of Gedaliah, who was the old man and was led by his flesh and relied on his own understanding.
The church is not listening to warnings
The same thing happens in the church. There are leaders, who are appointed in the church and are on the right track, but through circumstances and the influence of the world or the influence of carnal believers, they enter ways, wat nie volgens die wil van God is nie.
Some causes may be, that they fill their mind with the carnal knowledge, Wysheid, and things of this world and get involved with (oostelike) philosophies and elements of eastern doctrines and be influenced by evil spirits and become world-like and leave Jesus; the Word and enter (okkulte) maniere, which lead to chaos and destruction.
They come up with false doctrines that don’t focus on Jesus Christ and to represent and establish His Kingdom on earth and to save as many souls as possible from death, but are focused upon themselves and to fulfill the carnal lusts and desires and needs of man.
They speak the same message as the world and are motivational speakers and lewensafrigters, instead of spiritual fathers and leaders, wat grootmaak, koester, and correct souls and lead them to eternal life (Lees ook: Lewensafrigters in plaas van geestelike vaders).
Baie keer, leiers, who may seem spiritual but in reality are carnal and rely on their own understanding, vleeslike wysheid, kennis, and insights and are led by their senses, gevoelens, en emosies, get involved with people, who have wrong intentions and are out for a position, Titel, geld, or want to promote their own doctrines and (bonatuurlike) experiences or…
They are manipulative and act sincere, vriendelik, and spiritual in order to win the trust of leaders and become friends with them to accomplish their hidden agenda.
They influence the leaders and ensure that they preach what they want to hear and strengthen their flesh. And so they lower and adjust the standards and commandments of the Word to the will, begeertes, begeertes, and needs of the flesh (Lees ook: Sal God Sy wil verander vir die begeerlikhede en begeertes van die vlees?)
Leaders should be inspired by the Holy Spirit and the Word and preach after the Spirit the message of God, maar in plaas daarvan, they listen and be influenced by carnal believers and preach carnal messages to fulfill the desires and needs of the carnal man.
It often happens that a leader is not aware of the situation and the wrong and evil intentions of a person, because they are in the middle of it or blinded by the flesh or circumstances, but that a fellow believer(s) notices the danger and warns the leader, but many times the leader will not listen.
Because many leaders are not listening to the warnings and reject the warnings, many leaders bring not only mischief upon themselves but upon the whole congregation. As gevolg hiervan, the light in many villages and cities is extinguished and many churches are seated in darkness (Lees ook: Die kerk sit in duisternis).
En dit is presies wat die duiwel wil hê. Because when the light is extinguished, die mense, who live in darkness are no longer drawn to the light and shall stay in his kingdom.
Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing!
Pasop vir valse profete, wat in skaapsklere na jou toe kom, maar innerlik is hulle roofsugtige wolwe (Matteus 7:15)
Jesus het nie gesê nie, “be aware of wolves”. Because many times the devil, demone (gevalle engele), en die seuns van die duiwel (ongelowiges) are often seen by believers as wolves. Therefore wolves would be easily recognizable. Maar Jesus het gesê, “beware of false prophets, wat in skaapsklere na jou toe kom, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”.
From the outside, these false prophets look like sheep, therefore they are difficult to discern.
From the outside, you can hardly tell that they are not true sheep, who belong to the flock of Jesus.
But these sheep don’t belong to Jesus and therefore don’t listen to His voice and don’t live according to the will of God.
They only have one mission and that is to create chaos, steel, and destroy just like their father.
A wolf, who stands outside the fence can do no harm because the fence separates the wolf from the sheep. But as soon as the gate is unguarded or not closed properly or the wolf finds another way to enter the sheepfold, the wolf can cause great damage and wound and kill many sheep. Because that’s the nature of the wolf; to kill sheep.
Dit is dieselfde in die geestelike realm. When the gate of the life of a person or the church is not guarded a false Christian, 'n profeet, Onderwyser, or apostle can easily enter the church and use their (geestelike) kennis, pious and misleading words, emosies, and feelings to win the trust of believers and leaders and cause a lot of damage in the church (Lees ook: Who are the wolves in sheep’s clothing, who wreak havoc?).
We are not ignorant of the satan’s devices
We shouldn’t be ignorant of satan’s device. But today, many Christians are asleep and blinded by the darkness. Daar is net 'n paar Christene, who are spiritual and recognize satan’s evil devices and stop it.
Net dié, who are born again and are not led by the flesh, but walk after the Word and the Spirit and discern good and evil and discern the spirits, shall recognize and reveal the works of satan, who uses people to achieve his goal. They shall prevent that covenants are made with the enemy (Lees ook: Are we not ignorant of the satan’s devices?).
Daarom, don’t be prideful and rebellious and don’t reject the warning. But listen and take them seriously and test them to the Word, in order to prevent evil to enter and accomplish his destructive work in your life and in the church.
‘Die sout van die aarde’
