Readings: Hosea 3, Judges chapters 17, 18 & 19

Introduction

Events in the land of Israel are constantly in the news: and most students of Bible prophecy are interested in what is happening there. The Scriptures are packed with historical events that took place in ancient Israel. In the Bible Israel is referred to as the 'chosen race.'

Today we are going to look at a little-known prophecy which tells us that Israel would, for many years, be:

• Without a king.
• Without a Priesthood.
• And then in the latter days (the last days) Israel would return to the Promised Land.
• Then there would be a great revival in that land: and the people of Israel would once again worship YaHuWaH the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and accept the Messiah, who would sit on the throne of king David and rule the nations.

Let us now look at this amazing prophecy.

1. No King in Israel

Ancient kings had total power over their subjects. At a word they could raise one person to high rank or put another to death. No one dared oppose his will or dispute his judgement. Unfortunately many of the kings of ancient Israel were evil men. They misused their power and greatly oppressed their people, often leading them away from the paths of righteousness. National sin attracted the wrath of YaHuWaH the Elohim of Abraham who eventually dispersed His chosen people Israel to the four corners of the earth.

Nevertheless, the Almighty predicted through the prophet Hosea that Israel would have a change of heart in the last days and worship their King who would be a descendant of king David of old. Bear in mind that this prophecy is to be fulfilled in the latter days! Here is the prophecy:

2. No Priesthood

Being 'without an ephod' meant no Temple and no divinely appointed priesthood. This sentence upon Israel was to continue till 'the latter days.' in other words - till the last days. Ancient Israel, as most Bible students know, was initially a deeply religious nation. All life centered on the Temple in Jerusalem where the ephod-robed priesthood officiated. Keep in mind that the prophecy says Israel was to be "without an ephod for many days."

The phrase 'without a king' is easy to understand; but what is an ephod? The answer is: an ephod is a garment worn by those officiating as priests.

Lesser Priests also wore the Ephod.

No one will doubt the prophecy that Israel would continue 'many days without a king and without a priesthood' has been fulfilled to the letter. Some 2000 years have come and gone and the nation has been without a king, without a temple and without a priesthood. Shortly after the prophecy was given, the people of Israel were deported from the Promised Land and scattered to the far corners of the earth. Even to this day, Israel has no king and no priesthood.

The prophecy, however, didn't end on that sad note. The Almighty determined to restore His chosen people to the Promised Land. There He would initiate a great revival. The nation would 'seek YaHuWaH their Elohim and David their king.' This reference to king David is a clear pointer to Israel's Messiah YAHUSHUA, the Son of David, the KING of kings. Here is the prophecy again.

3. Every Man Did That Which Was Right In His Own Eyes

When people have no divinely authorized king or priesthood to guide them in the path of law and order, they inevitably choose their own leaders and priests and, more or less, do as they please: often engaging in acts too despicable to mention. That is what happened in ancient Israel when 'every man did that which was right in his own eyes.' Chaos followed. Here are two examples of what happened when Israel pleased itself.

Example 1

If you were to read Judges chapters 17 & 18 through you will see how that blatant sin, rape, violence and bloodshed followed. Why? The answer is simply because every man was doing that which was right in his own eyes. YaHuWaH 's Torah was set aside. Each man thought he knew better than his neighbor and even better than YaHuWaH as to how the human race should live. As we would say today: People did their own thing.

Example 2 (Judges chapters 19 to 21)

These three chapters tell of one of the worst crimes ever committed in the annals of human history: of homosexuality, rape and bloodshed as bad, and probably worse, than that which was practiced in Sodom and Gomorrah. Bear in mind that all this happened 'when there was no king in Israel.'

If you study Judges chapters 17 to 21 you will see just where a total disregard for divine authority led.

• Homosexuality
• Gang Rape
• War: Some 40,000 Israelites and over 25,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin died; not to mention those who were slaughtered in the destruction of the cities of Benjamin.

4. The Children of Belial

Who were the main instigators of the violence, riot, rape and carnage? The answer is: the 'children of Belial' were responsible. The term Belial is synonymous with worthlessness, wickedness and ungodliness. The phrase 'children of Belial' is an expression describing extremely vile and vicious scoundrels and ungodly people. In other words, the 'children of Belial' are deep-dyed sinners. They are people who have absolutely no regard for the Torah of YaHuWaH and they are to be found in every community and in every country.

The accounts recorded in Judges chapters 17 to 21 begin and end with the telling words:

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Chapters 19:1 & 21:25)

In the account of Judges 19 we see that it was the sons of Belial who instigated the gang rape of an innocent girl; an act which resulted in the death of some 65,000 people! The sons of Belial, and we can see their numbers increasing in modern society, are a powerful and influential force; but they will meet their end. We cannot imagine what punishment YaHuWaH, the Almighty Elohim of Israel, has in store for them on the soon-coming Great Day of Judgment, but it will be severe.

Try, dear reader, to grasp the lesson of that sickening story. Some 65,000 people died - all as a result of the wicked deeds of the sons of Belial who came to the fore when there was no king in Israel. Do we have any children of Belial in this country? The answer is yes we do. Every nation on earth has its contingent of the children of Belial: lawless men and women who oppose everything holy and good.

In the Churches

Strange as it may sound, the sons of Belial are also entrenched in the Christian churches. They are the ones who teach falsehood and direct people away from the Torah of YaHuWaH. They are a law unto themselves. They too do 'what is right in their own eyes,' instead of learning, obeying and teaching the Almighty's commandments. Here is a Bible passage which identifies false religious teachers as the 'children of Belial.'

Can you begin to imagine what chaos faces our world in which there are tens of thousands of religious leaders: priests, prophets, preachers and pastors who blatantly sin - and teach others to sin - as did those ancient sons of Belial?

When the Almighty's Torah is ignored by a church or society, when His commandments are set aside as being irrelevant and out-dated, when His only begotten Son YAHUSHUA, His divinely appointed King of Kings and the High Priest of the Melchisedec Priesthood is not worshiped, then there is no depth of sin to which people cannot sink. Violence, greed, witchcraft, whoredom, rape, homosexuality, child-abuse and bloodshed are sure to follow. Make no mistake, this is the inevitable dead-end every nation will arrive at if its religious leaders and citizens ignore the Torah of the Almighty YaHuWaH and do what is right in their own eyes.

Yes , the sickening fact is: there are sons of Belial in the Christian church. They are the unconverted church leaders who commit spiritual adultery by mixing truth with error. As were the sons of Eli a high priest in ancient Israel, these church leaders are spiritual adulterers who know not YaHuWaH. Their end will be dreadful.

Persecutors

Sons of Belial can be recognized by their hatred of true believers. They oppose the Son of YaHuWaH, the Word of YaHuWaH, the Torah of YaHuWaH and the People of YaHuWaH. Though sometimes professing to be Christians, they are like the ancient Benjamite Sheba (2 Samuel 20) a son of Belial who thought nothing of slaughtering the true servants and priests of the Most High. You may be sure that religious persecution is an unmistakable sign that the sons of Belial are at work. When in power the sons of Belial do not hesitate to torture and kill - all in the Name of Messiah! Is it any wonder that millions of ordinary people are disgusted with the Christian church? Its record of persecution - against genuine believers in its own ranks - is without parallel in human history. Alas! more blood has been shed in the Name of Messiah than people remotely imagine. I am happy to report, however, that the sons of Belial will one day be set alight: burned to ashes in hell.

1Sam:2:12 Samuel 23: 6: But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away…

In their tens of thousands, the sons of Belial have, infiltrated the Christian churches, where they practice vice under the cloak of religion. Never a month passes without the media exposing the scandals of priests, parsons and other church leaders being involved in child abuse, sodomy, adultery, theft or murder. Oh how terrible will be the fate of the sons of Belial on the Day of Judgment! Because, make no mistake, the sons of Belial cannot deceive the Almighty YaHuWaH. Every motive, thought and act of theirs is well known to Him.

5. The True King of Israel

Modern Israel, as we all know, is a parliamentary democracy; governed in the same way as most western nations. But, surprising as it may sound, the nation of Israel does have a King. To be sure He hasn't taken up His earthly throne yet: but He is about to do so in the near future. When YAHUSHUA the Messiah came to Earth the first time, it was to sacrifice His life as the Lamb of YaHuWaH and pay the price for man's redemption. The majority of ancient Israelites rejected him: though there were some, mostly the common people, who recognized Him as the King of Israel.

But the Savior, the King of Israel, is scheduled to return to earth and take up the throne of David. Then will come to pass the prayer recorded in Matthew 6.10:

Currently mankind may be divided into two classes of people.

• Believers: These are people who believe in Elohim and endeavor to obey His commandments. In the book of Revelation they are described as follows:
  

  Rev. 14:

  12: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of YaHuWaH, and the faith of YAHUSHUA.



• Unbelievers: These are people who quite openly reject the Bible as the Word of YaHuWaH, or even that YaHuWaH created the universe in the first place. Their number includes many millions of sincere folk. But, sad to say, they do not believe in YaHuWaH, His Holy Word or His law: and that is a grievous sin. Amongst them are also found the sons of Belial, who not only reject the Scriptures, but blatantly break the Almighty's commandments.

6. New Government

One day soon, YAHUSHUA the Messiah, the King of Israel is due to arrive. He will then appoint rulers over every city on earth. He will also appoint priests after the Order of Melchisedec. They will shoulder the responsibilities and duties symbolized by the ephod. They will instruct people in the Torah of YaHuWaH and never again will it be said that there was no king in Israel and no ephod.

Under the King of kings these lesser kings and priests will rule the entire world. The children of Belial will soon realize how powerless they really are: because blatant sin will be broken with a force described in the Scriptures as 'a rod of iron.'

7. And What of Today?

Today we are awaiting the return of the King of Israel, YAHUSHUA the Messiah. How are you living? Are you amongst those who do as you please because the King in Israel is not here yet? Are you behaving like a son of Belial, blatantly breaking the holy commandments of the Almighty YaHuWaH ? Or are you diligently using your talents and resources as you should?

While we wait for the King of Israel to return, let us bear in mind these telling words in the Scriptures.

Summary

• HISTORICAL PARABLES: The Bible records much of Israel's history. The stories and accounts found therein contain invaluable lessons for believers living in these last days.
• PROPHECY ABOUT ISRAEL: In this prophecy we learn that Israel was to remain without a king and priesthood for many years - till the latter days.
• NO KING IN ISRAEL: When no divinely appointed king reigned in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes. In other words, everyone became a law unto themselves.
• NO EPHOD/PRIESTHOOD: When no divinely appointed Priesthood is present, people have no spiritual standards to go by. The Torah is ignored and every man does that which is right in his own eyes.
• CHILDREN OF BELIAL: These individuals come to the fore when law and order break down. They are citizens who practice evil on a massive scale: murder, rape, homosexuality and violence. The sons of Belial can be found in every nation on earth. Sad to say, they have even infiltrated the Christian church and, like the sons of Eli, they occupy positions of high rank.
• ISRAEL BACK IN THE PROMISED LAND: 'Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek YaHuWaH their Elohim, and David their king and shall fear YaHuWaH and His goodness in the latter days.' News from Jerusalem indicates that a mighty revival has begun in Israel.
• ISRAEL'S TRUE KING: The divinely appointed King and High Priest of Israel is YAHUSHUA the Messiah. He is about to return and take up the throne of David in Jerusalem.
• WORLD GOVERNMENT OF YAHUSHUA the Messiah: Then - and only then - will there be peace on earth!