Our adversary, the merchandiser, is the one whose will is fully set against God and ourselves, now and forever. It’s important to know something of who it is that constantly grieves the nations as a whole and us as individuals. Right off the cuff, i want you to know normally i give the devil no press and neither should anyone else other than to throw his rotten hide out – i don’t capitalize the first letter of his name. i don’t consider the father of lies hardly worth even a dishonorable mention, and the only thing he is worthy of is judgment and being driven backwards into his own gates in hell. The devil gets no press, man, he gets no press. But, i believe the Lord has asked me to talk some about who he is.
The truth will never come from a lie, the devil will never give life, and similarly nothing good and righteous ever came from anyone or anything except Jesus Christ.
So, at that, let’s get started.
What first caught my eye on this issue were the words God used to describe the devils actions. The words, “Go up and down, back and forth” speak of searching out and considering.
Psalms 59:14, “And at evening they return, They growl like a dog, And go back and forth in the city. They wander up and down for food, and howl if they are not satisfied.”
The phrase, “go up and down, back and forth” is used of those who prowl around in Leviticus 19:16, “‘Do not go up and down spreading slander among your people.”, meaning don’t go around casting shadows on your neighbors. Job gives us a glimpse into a conversation with the Lord in Job1:7, “The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From going back and forth through the earth and going up and down in it.””
And finally in Ezekiel 28, God tells us directly about the adversary of Heaven saying, “… you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread merchandising you were filled with violence, and you sinned.”
There is an insight into darkness we cannot miss and is important in our warfare as it pertains to being informed and not ignorant.
Hold the line of righteousness, breath easy and keep your peace. i shall return shortly.
Our enemy is called, among other things in scripture – The Trader, or Merchandiser Who Travels, going Up And Down trading, buying and selling.
The Hebrew, “sāḥar” is a verb meaning to travel for trading purposes, as a merchant. Sahar is used to refer to a traveling trader in Genesis, 1 Kings, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel, so it’s not an uncommon word, but the way God uses it about our enemy is important.
We live in a merchandising and trading society, and in this merchandising society, where people trade and they themselves are traded, we trade ourselves, our families, our homes, our ethics, our principles, and our morals, often, for mere trinkets. In a society where everything is for sale, life is harder for those of modest means. The more money can buy, the more affluence, or the lack of it matters. God intends for us to hold Him and His standards, and that includes us as believers, as sacred. Martin Longman wrote, “…and sacred does not mean that something “is beyond question.” It means that something is beyond price.” In other words, if nothing is beyond price, and there everything and everyone has a price, the price becomes God, and that would make us worshippers of mammon. Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Of recent, i’ve heard of some folks who needed God’s path of repentance, but were advised they didn’t really need to repent, step down, or be responsible for the mess they had created. Why would leadership not give that sound counsel? When a situation in our church had a similar issue, i asked “why are those who are wounded from sin allowed to continue in their position?”, i was told, because, if they were required to step down, giving their conscience time to recuperate from the contusions of sin, church leadership said they feared they would be “denying them hope”. In game theory, the discovery of “the payoff” is always a bottom line to consider. What did the leadership have to gain by not standing their scriptural moral ground, what was their payoff, and why did they consider their “pay off” more important than their standing with God? What was “the payoff” for all those participants in the situation, because there truly is a “payoff”?
Hmmm, “Denying them hope”. Exactly how does asking leadership in sin to step back to allow themselves time to recuperate, how does that “deny them hope”? That’s absurd. i believe what really denies hope is accomplished by discouraging their repentance, transparency, responsibility, and accountability. Wow, now that’s something to think about. Those leaders with a bruised conscience are traded out of their integrity for tomorrow in order to not have to suffer the embarrassment of repentance today.
It is very twisted thinking which trades only in the “now” with no thought for the “future”. Let it be known that our enemy hopes our conscience doesn’t mind a small offense, afterall, it is small … for now.
Mankind is seduced into trading a relationship with Jesus for the immediate joy of achieving a personal agenda and having a shiny thing in the “now”, like when the entire state of Kentucky was gotten in a trade for a new Henry rifle and some beads, and the Cherokee chief was deceived into thinking he got the better part of the trade. Our enemy wants to sell us today at the expense of tomorrow, and how often do we agree to trade the integrity of our conscience for a shiny thing and beads today? Without repentance, without being responsible for our actions, without the practice of transparency and accountability there is no real leadership other than dictators and darkness, and the problem with dictators is when they make a bad decision, everyone is too terrified to say the decision was a bad idea.
Could it be that r-e -a-l leadership is not so much telling others what to do and when to do it, but is more when someone has such exemplary conversation and conduct, and are of such character which is so meritorious and righteous, we want to be like them? Who, in our governing body, local or federal, is of such exemplary conversation, and character, we want to be like them? Jesus is a real leader. i want to be like Jesus, He is our real example of conduct, conversation, and character.
For mankind, it starts with repentance, for without repentance is without hope. Repentance before God IS the beginning of hope. Christ Jesus is our hope according to 1Tim1:1, and in order to take His love to ourselves, again, it starts with repentance. Jesus must be gained, for He is the personification of power to change, and without Him any real transformation is questionable. Salvation is not gotten by just living near a church or simply owning a Bible. The Kingdom of God doesn’t come by observation, by intellectual ascension, or by the collection of empirical data, but through the Blood of Jesus Christ alone. Jesus isn’t apprehended by osmosis, which is an unconscious assimilation of ideas, being “near to” instead of consciously being “part of”. To leap past the blood and expect anointing is backwards, it is confusion. Interestingly, the Greek word for confusion paints a picture of a backward and contrary wind, similarly, anointing without the blood of Christ is like a backward and contrary wind.
In the book, “The Anointing”, the writer states that the blood of Christ on Calvary is first, THEN comes anointing, and you never get anointing without the blood of Christ first applied. The blood of Jesus covers us when we repent (as noted in 1John1:7); if we aren’t covered in the blood of Jesus then what are we covered in?
Jer3:25 “We lie down in our shame, And our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against the Lord our God”.
To counsel by short sighted and misleading counsel that repentance and ownership of our actions isn’t necessary because we fear we will deny someone hope, is a trade made in hell.
Who is the following passage talking about? Is it the King of Tyre, literally, or is it about Lucifer who became satan? Ezek28:14, “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you. You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your merchandising …””
The five Hebrew words for “trading” or “merchandising” have similar meanings being they were used to designate the goods or wares which were bartered. Lucifer, who is the now fallen angel, satan, is the father of lies, king of the dung hill, and as the lord of the flies he is the original cruel merchandiser and trader. One of God’s aught with him was his trafficking, his going “up and down”, his trading. But let’s understand better…it wasn’t JUST merchandising and trading, it was the heart behind it all. satan loved to cause shame, delightful shame, because when we are ashamed of anything in ourselves, he knows confusion has found a firm footing. In that confusion, the trap is laid, and there comes a contrary and backward wind, muddling the mind and heart of his victims. he is the ultimate manipulator, leveraging the outcome in his favor at the expense of another. It is evil. Let me say that again, manipulator, someone who leverages the outcome in their favor at the expense of others.
But what could be wrong with satan’s trading and merchandising? In my opinion, for scripture isn’t clear, the problem with his going back and fourth, and up and down doing business, merchandising and trading, was that his balances were evil, he cheated, he robbed, especially when who he traded with was in deep need, he loved, l-o-v-e-d to “skin” the person he traded with especially when they were on their last dime or last breath.
Trading someone out of what they so desperately need and cleverly convincing them they’ve really gotten the better trade, to the evil merchandiser, it is delicious sin, iniquitous and beautiful.
1Peter5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith…”.
i knew a man who traded another man out of a very nice drum set, and all he could talk about was how he “skint that guy good!” with a laugh, he licked his lips like he was tasting how delicious the cruel trade was (it really happened!). The drum set, even used, was worth several hundred dollars easily, he knew the man and his family were really down on their finances and desperately needed money, so he got the set for a mere $75. His glory was in how he skinned the guy, not how he got a great drum set. It was more delicious that the “down on his luck” guy would lose, rather than the trader would win.
Does your integrity have a price tag? Would you be immoral with someone for a million dollars? Yes? You’d be surprised at the number of people who, inwardly, say yes. How about $500,000? $50,000? How about $5000? “Yes” for the million but “no” for the $5000, and now you’re offended it’s suggested anyone would think of you as being so cheaply had for a mere $5000? C’mon, don’t be offended. i’ve already established you can be bought when you said “yes” to the million, i’m just finding your bottom line. Friend, do you think satan, the merchandiser comes at you any different?
For the author and finisher of the darkside of the merchandising and trading business, satan, it wasn’t nor isn’t so important that he wins, but more that you lose, and we’re left thinking “we won” just because we didn’t get caught…. yet.
The devil trades us out of justice with a plea bargain and a partial truth. he trades us out of our prayer time with God by swapping us a phone call or a TV show that seems interesting or, somehow, more important in the moment. he trades us a thin hamburger today for us to give up the marriage supper of the Lamb tomorrow. he trades us a position up front so we will be seen for the sacrifice of our humility. he trades us honor for our dishonor, but it’s only a little dishonor, after all, we got what we wanted, right? We often don’t realize a little dishonor today, makes a little more dishonor tomorrow. he trades us prestige for self-esteem if we don’t mind defiling ourselves just a little bit. he trades us being in leadership as long as we’re willing to wear our belt of truth a little loose. he trades us a title for our integrity, not realizing that titles breed titles and only the world and religion loves titles. he thrives on our own poor self-esteem and trades us shame for us giving away destiny. he trades us fun fun fun tonight, for some guilt and a bruised conscience tomorrow, but it’s only a little bit, right? he trades us punishment and the right to suffer for forgiveness and mercy and … we’re so convinced we deserve all that badness, having learned to be such good martyrs. He trades us intoxication with the world, anesthetized from the pain, rather than repenting and going “through” the pain of dealing with our own bad choices. What other things does darkness offer to trade us for?
1Tim4:7, “ Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Everyday we do not practice and train in godliness, from which holiness, righteousness, honor and honoring flow, we are being conformed to the world of ungodliness around us.
We live in a merchandising society, where everything we can imagine, and even things we can’t imagine are up for trade. Every scruple, every moral, every principle, every word of every moment is for sale to much of our society. We seem always on the ready to merchandise our souls for trinkets and flashy things.
If we need money, we even allow anyone who wants to serve as a human guinea pig to sell themselves in a drug-safety trial for a pharmaceutical company. Price tag: $7,500. Of course, you may die or be impaired for life, but hey, you’re for sale right? The pay can be higher or lower, depending on the invasiveness of the procedure used to test the drug’s effect and the discomfort involved.
In a large metropolis in North Carolina, the city, at one time, paid teenagers $2/day to NOT get pregnant. Their morality was for sale to the highest bidder, and helped create a “what’s in it for me” attitude. How about selling your time to stand in line overnight on Capitol Hill to hold a place for a lobbyist who wants to attend a congressional hearing? You can make $15–$20 an hour if you’re up for sale. Check it out: Lobbyists pay “line-standing companies”, who hire homeless people and others to wait in the queue, and then call when the lobbyist needs to come take their seat.
The Son of Glory was even traded for 30 pieces of silver.
Eph6:10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Think about it.
A man’s daughter had a party and all the girls wanted to watch a gory horror movie. When he protested their choice of movies, the girls said, “It’s only a little bit! There’s not much bad stuff in it. C’mon dad, what’s the big deal!” He went in the back yard and found a small bit of dog poo, came back in the house and made brownies. When the brownies came out of the oven, the girls all ran to get some. Right before they grabbed a square, he warned them that there was a little dog poop in the brownies, but afterall, c’mon girls, it was only a little bit, so it should be just fine. What’s the big deal?
True, we all seem to know there are something’s money can’t buy, but these days, not many. Almost everything and everyone seems to be up for sale, and it seems we need to pay a price just to enter the spiritual life, oh and don’t forget the ongoing fees to maintain our membership. i am, daily, overwhelmed by people trying to sell me books, trinkets, ministry money schemes, programs for grow our spiritual life, or other products to “help” us. Always for the purpose of improving our lives or helping us be better.
In 2012, Dallas, Texas schools were paying 2nd graders $2 for every book they read. Did you know you can get a prison-cell upgrade for $90 a night? In Santa Ana, California, and some other cities, nonviolent offenders can pay for a clean, quiet jail cell, without any non-paying prisoners to disturb them. Did you realize you can buy the right to immigrate to the United States for $500,000? You say “surely not. No way.” You may think that’s not true, but check it out for yourself: Up until January of 2017, foreigners who invested $500,000 and created at least 10 full-time jobs in an area of high unemployment were eligible for a green card that entitled them to permanent residency.
Did you know being on a committee in our federal gov’t, those seats are for sale? That’s right, you have to buy the right to sit on that committee, and then you have to do the whim of the committee chair or else you and your money are out. Would you sell your honesty and value to gain a position in your church if it was for sale? No? i bet you’d be surprised at the churches who sort of sell leadership positions to those who want to “get ahead”. The price: your integrity, time, character, and value. i’m reminded that other than the Bible, there is no required reading, no manuals or supplemental study guides that are essential to my life in Christ. We have celebrations on certain days of the year, but what the meaning behind those days is, is not for sale, and we can buy doo-dads and trinkets and lights to decorate our houses, and a cruel government may someday tell us we cannot celebrate, but the meaning behind those days is not for sale, ever. What is and is not for sale has somehow become a grey area and has lost it’s boundaries in the minds of many believers.
God doesn’t act like us and i find it amazing that we often align God with ourselves, drawing similarities, saying, God is like us. Where did we get such absurdity? Jesus bought our redemption. God never sells seats, integrity, or a place at His table.
i’m Social Porter and this has been Outposts, cool jazz and think worthy conversation. Tonight’s program has been brought to you by Living In His Name Ministries, Ten Shekels and a Shirt Dry Cleaners, the BeBop Sweet Shop in the thriving metropolis of Ten Mile Mississippi on Ten Mile Road, Eddie at Area 22 Guitars in Brevard, man that guy knows his stuff, and of course, Jeff and Karen over at the sweet spot on main street, Trinity Bakers, that’s right, Trinity Bakers where there’s always something good in the oven.
Is your belt of truth on tightly, is your armor cinched up? Does your helmet of truth fit well? If not, are you really ok with your belt of truth being a little loose? Is it really ok to be willing to endure a small bruise on your conscience today at the expense of your integrity tomorrow? Don’t let the merchandiser swap you out of your quality tomorrow for some of his quantity today. That’s worth thinking about. Our enemy is fully set against us, and God is fully set in our favor. Yahweh is for us, hell is not. The world is never on our side. Jesus died that we would have life and have it more abundantly. Let’s choose life, not be ignorant, nor practice the things which easily sacrifice our tomorrows.
Consider carefully how we treat one another and until we meet again, be strong and courageous! Amen.