Introduction

What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words. [GNT Prov 18:21]

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. [KJV Prov 18:21]

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. [NIV Prov 18:21]

God’s prophet teaches that our tongues have the power of life and death. An examination of the holy scriptures reveals that these are not mere poetic words spoken to teach us to speak good words, but they are an actual reality in God’s creation. Just as God – through His word – shaped the world, we too as His image on earth have a similar ability to alter our world using words. What follows are examples showing how our words [and even our actions] can alter or shape reality. Our words (or perhaps a lack thereof) and our actions (or inactions) can determine the reality for us and those who will come after us

The Example of the Pharisees

In Matthew 23 Jesus said that the Pharisees sit in ‘Moses’ seat’ and so the followers of Moses (the law) must obey them and do ‘everything’ they (the Pharisees) command. This instruction came just before Jesus rebuked them (the Pharisees) for their false deeds. He went on to say that they imposed heavy burdens on the people. What does the statement "They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, …" mean?

When the passage is read in context, it becomes apparent that they lay burdens on the people through their teachings. If Jesus says that the people should obey their teachings then goes on to condemn some of their acts [Mat 23:5-7, 13-15, 23-29] and teachings [Mat 23:16-22], then it is implied that the burdens they lay on the people are the false teachings that make it hard for their followers to enter God’s Kingdom.

Here are some facts that can be drawn from the passage and their implications.

Facts

• The Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
• The people must obey everything the Pharisees command.
• The Pharisees lay heavy loads on men’s shoulders.

Implications

• This implies that the Pharisees and teachers of the law have the authority to make laws that bind the people just like Moses.
• They should obey ‘everything’ (good or bad, easy or difficult) the Pharisees instruct them.
• If their followers were not obligated to follow their every command as Jesus said, it would be redundant to say they sit in Moses’ seat and they burden men with them. If their commands were optional, then there would be no need for them to be burdened by the commands because they can easily opt out of keeping them.

This shows that the teachings of the Pharisees influenced lives of the people and determined how they would live. For example, if the Pharisees made a ruling, even though it was contrary to the will of God, that ruling was binding and would become their new reality.

The Example of the Daughters of Zelophehad

Facts in the Passage

• Zelophehad was not the first man in history to die without sons; this is not stated in scripture, but it would be ridiculous to assume that Zelophehad was the first man in history to have this problem.
• Zelophehad’s daughters’ plea was in line with the will of God. If it wasn’t, God would have said it was wrong [Job 42:7-8].
• Despite the fact that Moses had received the laws at Sinai, because of the case of Zelophehad’s daughters, a new ruling that did not exist prior to this time was established that was to be the new way of life for the Hebrews. It is safe to say that had this issue not arisen that this law (reality) would not exist.
• If Zelophehad’s daughters had complained during the time of the Pharisees of Jesus’ time and they had decreed that since Zelophehad had no male heirs then his inheritance should go to his brother then according to Jesus [in Matthew 23], even though their ruling would not have been in agreement with God’s will, it would have been binding on the people and they would be wrong to disobey it.

The Example of Zelophehad’s Kinsmen

Implications

• Had the sons of Gilead not brought up their concern about Moses’ ruling in favour of Zelophehad’s daughters, they would have caused inheritance to be transferred from one tribe to another.
• The concern of the kinsmen was also in agreement with the will of God.

The Circumcision Debate of Acts 15

Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? [Acts 15:10]

It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. [Acts 15:19-20]

In this account, some men came from Judea to Antioch (where Paul and Barnabas were) and taught that the gentile believers were to be circumcised as prescribed by the Law of Moses. Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, so the Church sent them and some other believers to Jerusalem to consult with the Apostles and elders and on getting there, some of the believers who were of the sect of the Pharisees insisted that the gentiles be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. Peter then got up to speak and charged them not to put a yoke on the [Gentile] disciples’ necks. This implies that had Peter not spoken up against the gentiles keeping the Law of Moses, gentiles would be required to keep it till this day. The Apostles and the elders had the authority to determine the reality of the Church. If there was no possibility for their ruling to stand, then Peter would not have asked that they refrain from burdening the Gentile disciples. Peter was well aware that even though the elders ruling was wrong, it would still have been binding on the Gentile Church just as the heavy and wrong burdens of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees (who were representing Moses) bound their followers [Matthew 23:1-3].

James had the authority to pronounce judgement. He also had the right to make it easy or difficult for the Gentiles who were turning to God. Unlike the Pharisees [Matthew 23:4] he and the rest of the leaders chose not to lay burdens on the Gentile Church.

Their decision was in agreement with the will of God’s Holy Spirit.

Water from the Rock

In the 20th chapter of Numbers the people of Israel cried out to Moses for water in the desert and God asked Moses to ‘speak’ to the rock and water would stream from it for the people, but Moses ‘struck’ the rock instead. The passage shows that Moses himself had the power to bring water out from the rock. If the miracle only worked because of God’s instruction and not because Moses had any power, then Moses’ disobedience to God’s instruction should not have yielded any result; but that was not the case.

Moses and the Divorce Laws

God hates divorce. He makes it clear through the prophet Malachi:

I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel. [Mal 2:16]

Jesus appears to have corroborated this claim when He said that Divorce was not ordained by God from the beginning, but Moses permitted it:

Jesus replied, MOSES PERMITTED YOU to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. [Mat 19:8]

This makes it abundantly clear that according to the eternal Law of God, divorce is unacceptable, yet the Law of Moses permitted it. Jesus made it known that it was Moses who ‘permitted’ divorce even though it was ‘against’ the Law of God. Even though God is against divorce and hates it, Moses made a ruling for the people under the law that divorce was permissible under certain conditions. The reality that the nation of Israel observes till this day concerning divorce is as a result of a ruling made by Moses. If Moses had ruled against divorce, then under no circumstance would it be allowed in Israel. The reality they live as a people was shaped by one man’s ruling and they are bound to obey it.

It is important however to note that even though God hates divorce, there was no express command from Him against it and as such, Moses was not unfaithful by disobeying God and God Himself commended Moses for being faithful [Numbers 12:7 & Hebrews 3:5]. Moses was not in the category of the unfaithful Pharisees who lay heavy and false burdens on God’s people.

Balaam And The Curse

In the 22nd Chapter of the book of Numbers, Balak the King of Moab summoned Balaam the prophet to curse the people of Israel. Balaam must have been known for his success in pronouncing curses for the king of another nation to summon him to curse Israel. Balaam was also known to resort to sorcery [Numbers 24:1]. His words clearly had power to bless or curse. God however, commanded him to not curse Israel:

But God said to Balaam, Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed. [Num 22:12]

There is a common assumption that curses are of no effect if God doesn’t approve (and this is sometimes true) but if that was the case in this instance, why would God command Balaam not to curse? Balaam could have cursed, and God would have ensured that his curse would come to nothing, but God did not want him to curse at all. If his words had no power to alter the course of Israel’s destiny, why did God keep him from speaking? Clearly, like in the other cases in this article, Balaam had the God-given power and authority to alter reality with his words and actions.

Implications of the Study

The point of all this is that men (of true spiritual authority and power) in the old covenant and even today have the ability to alter the reality we live in. We have the ability to make rules that can bind or set the people free. We also have the power to determine the certain aspects of the fate of the God’s people and the world through our words (teaching) and actions. Our teachings as those who sit it in the seat of Christ and the Apostles can prevent our disciples from entering into God’s Kingdom. Our teachings can determine the fate of the people even in the age to come.

God is trying to bring us into agreement with His will. We are working things out, establishing justification. In the case of Zelophehad’s daughters and the elders who brought up their concerns about God’s resolution of their problem, God most certainly had it in mind that daughters should have inheritance if their father left no male heir as HE consented to the fact that their claim was right [Num 27:7] and that inheritance should not pass from one tribe to another but He waited for them to come to the decision by themselves. Similar to how even though it was HIS plan to give Israel a King, He let them come to the decision themselves.

The teachers of God’s word today sit in the seat of the Christ and His Apostles as they teach and as such, their instructions – right or wrong – are binding on the Church.

False teachings and consequently false rulings trouble the heavens. Paul taught rightly that God is displaying His wisdom to the principalities and powers [Eph 3:9] and this is through the Church and her teachings. Peter also said that angels desire to examine the things that God’s servants teach [1 Pet 1:12].

Moses the man of God called Heaven and Earth to listen to his proclamation when he prophesied the fate of Israel in the days to come [Deu 32:1]. So far, most of Moses’ claims came to pass. Imagine if he would have proclaimed anything other than the will of God.

We also have the power to alter and determine events and happenings in creation as is seen in the case of Elijah holding back the rain.

It is important to note that there are things that God has established by His authority that we don’t work out, but they are solely determined by Him. A good example is the time of the end. God has set that one and there is nothing we can do to change that.

So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: " It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority." [Acts 1:6-7]

There are aspects however of the end time events that the Church clearly has the prerogative to determine:

Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. [Mat 24:20]

This verse clearly shows that the Church has the power – through prayer – to ensure that the day they will flee distress would not be during winter or on the Sabbath. We have some authority and power to alter the times during those days of the great tribulation.

Lessons to Learn from this Study.

Study Hard to Know God’s Will

Given that – as God’s people – we are working out justification and striving to establish His will, it is important that we learn His will (the Scriptures) so as not to make wrong judgements and impose evil burdens on God’s people. We must ensure that like Moses and his teachings, all our rulings would be in agreement with God’s will.

Teach God’s will.

Seeing as the angels are looking to our doctrine and that God intends to use them to show His wisdom to the principalities and the powers, we must ensure that our teachings – as God’s servants – must not bring shame to our God.

Watch Your Words and Actions.

Seeing as the things we do and say, including our teachings, blessings and curses can alter the reality, we must be very careful with the way we speak and act.

Be careful of the authority to which you submit.

As is seen from the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 23, even though what your leaders teach may be false, you are obligated to obey them as long as you are under their authority. Even though the doctrine of the Pharisees was wrong (as pointed out by Jesus), the Jews were commanded to follow them. The Pharisees were placing unbearable burdens on the people and making it impossible to enter into God’s kingdom, yet they were still to obey them. To live in disobedience to the doctrines of spiritual authority under which one is submitted is wrong – regardless of what is being taught.

Many today are submitted to authority that they disagree with and question. This is not as Jesus commanded that it should be. The only option that remains in order not to sin against God by disobeying spiritual authority or by obeying the teachings that are known to be false and violating conscience in the process is to submit to true authority. Those who followed Jesus were under the authority of truth and could do no wrong if they obeyed His teachings. In simple terms, avoid staying under authority that is known to spew out heresy as obedience to the heresy is required of us by Jesus.