Who do you listen to? Who are your chief advisers?

The metaphorical woman in Proverbs 8 says that “counsel is mine”. This week we continue our studies into the seven pillars of wisdom and will explore the wisdom pillar called “counsel” and what the Scriptures have to say about this aspect of wisdom. This article will also give some examples of how wise counsel was applied by some of Yahuah’s servants in the Bible.

Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 8:13 The fear of Yahuah  is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

As we saw in our previous studies, Solomon uses beautiful poetic imagery in describing the concept of wisdom and the multi-faceted sides of what Yahuah’s wisdom is and what it looks like. Solomon uses the metaphor of a woman who speaks of the seven traits of wisdom whom he personifies as Wisdom. She is a very wise person indeed.

Solomon describes the eternal existence and presence of Wisdom as being with Yahuah from eternity. In Proverbs 8:1 through Proverbs 9:6, Solomon exalts the excellent qualities/attributes of Wisdom and personifies this entity as a woman who was at Yahuah’s side when He created the world. He declares that Wisdom was Yahuah’s constant delight, full of rejoicing alongside Him.

This is of course all poetic analogy, but Solomon uses this analogy to impress on our minds the importance of this thing we call WISDOM and all of its enduring qualities. Wisdom is an attribute that is always with Yahuah for it encompasses His whole being. He is the epitome of divine wisdom, for everything that He does is in perfect wisdom. In Solomon’s metaphor, Wisdom was right beside Yahuah, helping Him to plan and create the heavens and the earth which caused such delight and  joy! Wisdom was pleased with the world that Yahuah had created and she was pleased with His creation of mankind.

Proverbs 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him [as a master craftsman]: and I was daily his delight, [delight: shaashuim Strong’s #8191 delight, pleasure, enjoyment] rejoicing always before him; 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

If we go back to Genesis 1, the Creation Chapter, we read of Yahuah’s great delight in creating the world and then in creating man: “And Elohim saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day”(Genesis 1:31).  (See whole chapter – Genesis 1)

Yahuah placed the man and woman that He had created in a Garden that He called Eden. Did you know that the Hebrew word “eden” means “delight” (Strong’s  5730 # delicate, delight, pleasure)? Yahuah named the Garden of Eden in celebration of the delight that He felt over His new creation (including the man and woman) and the fact that He saw it as very good.

Not only is this Woman portrayed as Wisdom very wise, but she has built a house and has carved out seven pillars that uphold her house.

Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.

One of those pillars is the pillar of wise COUNSEL.

Proverbs 8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

Proverbs 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. 8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

Here, Solomon, as though speaking through Wisdom, turns his attention to address mankind; first he says that her delights “were with the sons of men” and then begins to adjure all who will listen to hearken unto her (Wisdom), to hear her instruction and be wise.

“Hearken unto me” means “listen to me”, to heed what I am saying; to hear my instruction. The Hebrew word for “hear” is shama` (Strong’s # 8085) and means: listen attentively; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.) (Strong’s Concordance)

The Hebrew word for “instruction” is musar (Strong’s 4148) and means discipline, chastening, correction.

And the Hebrew word for “counsel” is etsah (Strong’s #6098) and means: advice, advisement, counselor, purpose. From ya’ats (Strong’s # 3289); advice; by implication, plan; also prudence — advice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose. See HEBREW ya’ats (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

To counsel someone, is to advise, correct, warn, or instruct that person. The English dictionaries define “counsel” as follows: (from dictionary.com)

1. Advice; opinion or instruction given in directing the judgment or conduct of another.

2. Interchange of opinions as to future procedure; consultation; deliberation.

3. Law (used with a singular or plural verb) the advocate or advocates engaged in the  direction  of a cause in court; a legal adviser or counselor: Is counsel for the defense present?

4. Deliberate purpose; plan; design.

The passage in Proverbs 8 continues with a blessing for those who seek after and heed instruction, and a curse against those who refuse to hear [heed] Wisdom’s sound counsel.

Proverbs 8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of Yahuah. 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Yahuah, through Moses, says something similar when He admonishes the children of Israel to choose wisdom, which is the keeping of all of Yahuah’s commandments, ordinances, and statutes; that they might live, and not die.  Yahuah says to “Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding…….”.

Deuteronomy 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as Yahuah my Elohim commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

Deuteronomy 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love Yahuah thy Elohim, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and Yahuah thy Elohim shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 30:20 That thou mayest love Yahuah thy Elohim and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which Yahuah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

The two paths in life are clear: For those who listen to Yahuah, who hear His wisdom and delight to apply it in doing what He says is good and right, will find LIFE, but those who refuse to listen and who neglect to pursue wisdom, will come to destruction i.e.  “they that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul”. Those who hate Yahuah’s wisdom demonstrate that they love DEATH, rather than life.

When we talk about Wisdom, it is in reality Yahuah’s wisdom for He is the very essence of all wisdom, knowledge, understanding, prudence, discretion, power, strength, etc. He is the very personification of all of these things. Consider the vastness of Yahuah’s wisdom; Yahuah the Father and Yahusha are omniscient, which means they have infinite knowledge and wisdom about everything and about everything past, present, and future.

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am Yahuah, and there is none else; I am Yahuah, and there is none like me, 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Many Scriptures throughout the pages of the Bible tell us that Yahuah is the embodiment of all the wisdom of Elohim.

1 Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Yahusha the power of Yahuah, and the wisdom of Yahuah.

1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Messiah, who of Yahuah is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

Job 12:13 With him (Yahuah) is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

Ephesians 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Yahuah, through Isaiah prophecies about the coming Messiah, and says that He will have the spirit of wisdom. He then lists the same attributes of wisdom that Solomon lists in Proverbs. Along with all the other wonderful aspects of wisdom that Yahusha would have, this passage says that He would have the “spirit of counsel”.

Isaiah 11:11 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 11:2 And the spirit of Yahuah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahuah; 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of Yahuah: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Indeed “Counselor” is one of the Messiah’s titles: He is our Wonderful Counselor:

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty Elohim, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Counsel belongs to Yahusha and He is the expressed image of Yahuah the Father, so this passage shows that Yahuah is our Mighty Counselor for it is He on whom rests the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, along with the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahuah. Yahusha and the Father are full of all wisdom, knowledge, understanding; therefore they are worthy to be the best counselors that we could ever hope for.

Yahuah gives us His counsel and advice; it is written throughout the pages of the Bible; it is every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahuah the Father and  His Son Yahusha the Messiah. Yahusha came to earth as a man in the flesh to instruct, to counsel, to advise, all those whom the Father would call to be His disciples. He inspired the writers of Scripture to record His words of wisdom for all generations that those, so willing, could partake of His Words of Life.

Those called to be Yahuah’s children are the blessed recipients of all of His word of advise and counseling if, we too, are willing to hear what He has to say and then put into practice the things that He shows us. In John 10:2-5, Yahusha says that His true sheep hear His voice and will not listen to the voice of a stranger.

John 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3:10 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.   10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

To exercise wisdom is to look to Yahuah and His Word which gives us our instruction for living righteously and for eventually becoming perfect (complete) men and women of Yahuah. The Word of Yahuah counsels us as to what is righteous and what is evil, and then if we are wise, we will let the Word correct us where we are wrong. We must then commit to choose to do what is right in Yahuah’s sight. It is a life-long learning process, and if we are wise, we will look to Yahuah’s Word to show us the way to live all of our days.

2 Timothy 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Yahusha. 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of Yahuah, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 3:17 That the man of Yahuah may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Yahusha tells us that His Words are life-giving if we seek out and listen to His Father’s advice and counsel and apply it to our lives; if we do, we will reap the reward of eternal life.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Master, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

It was Elohim who created us, and they created each of us to be a unique individual; only they know what is best for each one of us. We are also created to be conformed to their image, and in order to do so, we must come to understand who they are  and what they are about.

All of us come into this world knowing nothing, and then very quickly we absorb the false knowledge that is in the world; it first comes from our parents and other family members, and then from our peers, our teachers, the media, and from all the others who are in the world.

It takes a divine intervention from Yahuah Father , who calls certain people to come and partake of His wisdom if they will only turn from their foolishness and earnestly seek out the truth of His Plan of Salvation and how to walk in all of His ways.

What kind of people does Yahuah call? It may be a surprise to many that He calls the lowly in this world.  In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul says that Yahuah calls the foolish and base people of the world.

1 Corinthians 1:27 But Yahuah hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and Yahuah hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath Yahuah chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

Those called by the Father can still make foolish mistakes, be naive and gullible, foolishly trust people who are clearly evil, and make many foolish decisions. But by giving us lots of time, Yahuah is giving us a chance to turn all our mistakes and foolishness into wisdom, for we learn most by doing it the wrong way first, and then if we learn the lessons, we are all the wiser for it. Don’t become discouraged if you have made mistakes, just make a conscious decision that you will not make those mistakes again and move on in your life.

I believe that is what this life is mostly about. Yahuah is turning fools into wise children who are conforming their natures into His image. For those who will heed His voice, turn from their foolishness and then live all of His ways rather than the ways of this world, there is much hope!

Since we start out so lacking in the knowledge of Yahuah and His wisdom, we must constantly be seeking His counsel as we go through life. Life presents many challenges and trials and as we encounter them, it is imperative that we seek out wise counselors to help guide us in the right way.

Of course, the best Counselor is Yahuah Himself and we find His advice and instruction in His Word. We must be willing to become as little children who humbly accept and trust that Yahuah’s Word is true and be willing to do as He says is right and good. That also means looking to Him for guidance as to how to fix our problems instead of trying to humanly fix them ourselves apart from His ways.

Luke 18:16 But Yahusha called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of Yahuah. 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of Yahuah as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Throughout the Bible, Yahuah has given us His laws and His principles that will make us wise if we will live by them. Wisdom is the ability to view things from Yahuah’s perspective and make our choices on the basis of His Word and His laws.

True biblical wisdom involves Yahuah’s wisdom for right living and relationships; it requires the same understanding that Yahuah has concerning how we are to live and conduct ourselves; it refers to the knowledge of Yahuah or of the things that belong to Yahuah as related in His whole Word. We are to obey and live by every word that comes from the mouth of Yahuah; that is wisdom.

I know I keep repeating this definition of wisdom but it is so important, that we understand what true wisdom is. The apostle James teaches that there are two kinds of wisdom; one kind is a false wisdom which is worldly, sensual, demonic. As human beings, we have all partaken of this kind of wisdom and we must eradicate it from our way of doing and thinking.

The wisdom that is from Yahuah is pure, peaceable (courteous, considerate, selfless), gentle, and easy to be entreated (willing to listen), full of mercy (compassion), and is evidenced by the good fruits it produces.

There are people who appear very wise but their wisdom is worldly; they may be very successful in this world and even rise to the very top to become the leaders in our society by using their worldly wisdom, but in reality, they are fools when it comes to the wisdom of Yahuah.

Satan as ruler of this world seems to be winning in his age old opposition to Yahwah; he has deceived the whole world into following him but he is the biggest fool of all and his end is near. Two thirds of the angels were wise enough not to listen to his counsel. But sadly, one third of the angels refused to listen to Yahuah’s counsel and listened to the Adversary of Yahuah instead and turned their backs on Yahuah. They have a horrible fate ahead of them.

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of Yahuah: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

We all know the story of Adam and Eve; they did not heed Yahuah’s counsel and listened to Satan’s counsel to take of the forbidden fruit. As a consequence, all of mankind has taken of the forbidden fruit ever since, which is to determine for themselves what is right and what is evil apart from what Yahuah says is right and evil.

Satan’s fate is sealed, but we humans still have a chance to go the way of Yahuah’s wisdom and listen to His counsel; or we can listen to the counsel of evil men. It is up to us.  Again, Yahusha says: “My sheep hear my voice”.

In the following passages Solomon uses Wisdom to address this very thing about the choices we have and the consequences of either listening to Satan, or to listen to and heed Yahuah.

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: 1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yahuah: 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Most of the Ekklesia has fallen into apostasy; it is because they are asleep and they will not listen to sound counsel. Instead of heeding the counsel of Yahuah, most listen to the counsel of men who think that they know better than Yahuah’s Word. “Yea, hath Yahuah said….(fill in the blank)”?

Yahuah lays out His sound doctrines and His commandments very clearly; and yet we want to follow our own ideas of what constitutes righteousness going after the traditions that we have been taught for many years and yet some of these traditions have nothing to do with what Yahuah says.

Just an example: there is nowhere in the Bible that authorizes any man to change Yahuah’s laws and ordinances and yet most of the Ekklesia embrace a man-made calendar that does just that. There is NOTHING in Yahuah’s Word that authorizes men to “postpone” a Festival date, a day or two for the purpose of complying with the rules of their calendar, rules that were made up by men and not by Yahuah.

For decades the “Church of God” and the split off COG groups have been following the dictates of the Rabbi’s who keep the Holy Days on the wrong dates. Yahuah clearly spells out the details and counting for His Appointed Times; they are called appointed times for a reason (See Genesis 1:14, Leviticus 23). The instructions for how to determine the festival days is in the Torah, but for some reason, the members of these groups will not listen to what Yahuah says, but  rather they prefer to listen to church leaders, ministers and Jewish rabbi’s; all say they have the authority to determine the calendar to use thereby changing the true Feasts dates of Yahuah. And there are many other errors that are being taught in these groups. You may say but it does not really matter, that Yahuah sees what is in the heart and He will overlook the errors; but everything does matter; Yahuah says through His prophet Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 7 :1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahuah, saying, 7:2 Stand in the gate of Yahuah’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of Yahauh, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship Yahuah. 7:3 Thus saith Yahuah of hosts, the Elohim of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 7:4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Yahuah, The temple of Yahauh, The temple of Yahuah, are these. 7:5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 7:6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7:7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 17:10  I Yahuah search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Earlier in his Book, Jeremiah speaking for Yahuah wrote:

Jeremiah 6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of Yahuah is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. 6:11 Therefore I am full of the fury of Yahuah; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. 6:12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith Yahuah. 6:13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 6:14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Yahuah.

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith Yahuah, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 6:18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 6:19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

But Yahuah wants us to repent and turn back to Him! He is our Teacher and our Instructor and is calling us to repent of our own ways and then keep all of His commandments.

Yahusha taught in His Sermon on the Mount: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18)

This is what Yahuah is saying to His beloved Ekklesia even now: “Thus saith Yahuah, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls……” (Jeremiah 6:16)

How do we know this? Because this is similar to what Yahusha is saying to the church at Laodicea; He is knocking at our doors, wanting to come in and be the center of our lives; but most of the end time church is Laodicean, showing all the signs that Yahusha describes as to what their problems are:

Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of Yahuah; 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Yahuah through Moses told the people of Israel to choose life and live (the modern day Ekklesia are the people of Spiritual Israel) and He admonished them and He admonishes us today to wake up and hear His voice….and LIVE.

Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is Yahuah thy Elohim, the earth also, with all that therein is. 10:15 Only Yahuah had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath Yahuah as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahuah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

If we listen to Yahuah’s voice now, then He will listen to our voice when we are in trouble or tribulation:

Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon Yahuah, and cried unto my Elohim: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

But most people reject what Yahuah says and will not listen to His counsel because they do not want anyone dictating to them how they should live. But to those who desire to live according to His purpose for them and are willing to seek Him, who diligently ask for His wisdom to live righteously, He freely gives the gift of wisdom.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Yahuah, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Since Yahuah is generous to His children and promises to give wisdom to those who ask Him for it, we should diligently request it each day. We need His wisdom to know how to navigate through our day, and we also need to be filled with wisdom to know how to handle any crisis (or temptation) that may come up which require His wisdom.

Yahuah wants us to become wise, but we have a responsibility in the process; He will not give His wisdom by fiat, it just does not work that way. To acquire wisdom we must seek it as we would seek hidden treasure or the finest gold or silver. We must ask Him to counsel us and to lead us to the hidden treasure of His wisdom.

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of Yahuah, and find the knowledge of Yahuah. 2:6 For Yahuah giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

Since Yahuah is the source of all wisdom, we must diligently seek Him because that is where we will find true wisdom. In order to hear what He is saying, we must listen attentively and then do what He shows us.

If we are called of Yahuah and have received the gift of His Set Apart Spirit, His spirit will lead and guide us into His truth. It enables us to hear the voice of Yahuah, to perceive His mind, and to understand His principles. The more we obey Him, the more we come to understand what He has purposed for us and what His plan is for all of mankind, including our unsaved loved ones who are not being called at this time.

Proverbs 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

We acquire wisdom by studying Yahuah’s Word, meditating on it all day long and implementing what we learn into all aspects of our lives. Yahuah’s Word will guide us in the way we should go, and although life may seem rocky and treacherous at times, He promises that He will be with us and get us through.

Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

The best way to begin each day is to direct our thoughts to Yahuah’s Word upon wakening, and then meditate on His ways . When we start out our day with our minds fixed upon the Word of Yahuah, we will be more prepared to make wise decisions as things come up throughout the day.

Psalm 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. 143:9 Deliver me, O Yahuah, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my Elohim: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

We need to have a sound understanding of the Scriptures in order to know how to handle the problems that come up each day and to keep us from straying or from listening to those who do not live according to Yahuah’s truth.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [Holy One] is understanding.

Pslam 1:1  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 1:2 But his delight is in the law of Yahuah; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Our Creator Elohim planned that we would do certain works and He has specific things in mind of each of us and we need His help and guidance to show us how to perform them, whether they be His laws, or something more specific that He want us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Yahusha the Messiah unto good works, which Yahuah hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That is why it is important to pray every morning and ask Him, “How do you want me to live my life today? You know all things so much better than I, what would you have me to do?”

Isaiah 25:1 O Yahuah, thou art my Elohim; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Choose Your Counselors Wisely

The Bible says that there is safety in the multitude of counselors. Sometimes we need the advice of others to help us in our problems and to be shown things that we need to correct.

Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. (Without consultation and wise advice, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they are established and succeed.) Amplified Version

Yes, it is sometimes wise to go to others for counseling, but we must be sure that the person we go to has a proven track record of living wisely by their own personal example. We are to seek counsel only from those who teach Yahuah’s Word faithfully and who are living Yahuah’s Word faithfully. We need to be very careful as to whom we choose to allow to advise us and give us counsel.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psalm 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh Yahuah his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

There are many people who claim to be Christian ministers, teachers, and/or counselors but we need to look at that person’s fruit and how they conduct their own lives before we go to them to help us with our problems. Those who are not grounded in Yahuah’s truth and who do not observe sound doctrine and who are not keeping Yahuah’s commandments themselves, will only lead us astray. Good counselors will be those who are living their lives as fine examples for those they instruct and counsel, and they will be teaching sound doctrine from Yahuah’s Word.

Colossians 2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Watch out for the elders and teachers who act as overlords (control freaks) and demand, and coerce, you to follow their advice even when it is contrary to what Yahuah says in His Word.

The best way a leader can counsel others is to first be a godly example for those who have been placed in their care; we are to only look to leaders and elders who are living their lives in obedience to Yahuah just as they teach others to do.

1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Yahusha, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 5:2 Feed the flock of Yahuah which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 5:3 Neither as being lords over Yahuah’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.

Romans 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou Yahuah?

Godly counselors will be good examples of what they teach, and also will be well educated in the Word of Yahuah so that they may turn people to Yahuah and not to themselves. They must be courageous in speaking against heresy and must be willing to correct those who are straying from Yahuah’s Word.

Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of Yahuah; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

We acquire wisdom by associating with those who are wise and prudent in their own lives; not just our friends but also by the leaders and religious groups we associate with.

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Our choice of leaders and friends is critical because they have the power to influence what we believe and how we live. Godly friends and teachers will help us become wise, but those who have no interest in living according to Yahuah’s laws and His sound doctrines will lead us to live and believe as they do.

It is never wise to go to the unrighteous to seek advice in the important things of life; they may have all kinds of university degree, or  have many best-seller books on self-improvement, but if they are not steering their clients or readers to Yahuah and His ways, they too are foolish and will only lead us down the wrong paths.

Proverbs 25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

Yahuah does not want us to be taken completely out of the world, therefore we cannot avoid everyone in this world who has no interest in obeying Yahuah.

John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

We still have to work, go to school, conduct business in the world, and we must be willing to help those who may be still naive but who are interested into coming to know the truth. But we do have the power to choose who will be our close companions and who we choose to be our spiritual guides and teachers.

If we allow evil people to become our close companions, not only does our choice of friends reflect on our character, but we also run the risk of going to them for their advice as we are fellowshipping and hanging out with them. It is so easy to begin to adopt the ways of those we walk with; this includes those who say that they are followers of Yahusha  but who in fact do not live according to all of His commandments.

Proverbs 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation [conduct] his works with meekness of wisdom.

There are many false teachers and religious leaders who want to be considered “counselors and advisers” but if they are not teaching the wisdom of Yahuah, but rather their own human solutions to problems, then we need to run from them.

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Yahusha.

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Nevertheless, there will be times when we do need to seek out the advice of someone who is wiser than we are, someone whom we can trust who has been in the faith for a long time and who has had similar experiences that we are dealing with. Many older people have learned much from their experiences in life and are well equipped to pass on the lessons that they have learned to the younger generation or to those who are new in the faith.

Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

This is good training for both the one that receives counseling and also for the one who gives counseling; both are benefited. For it is humbling for the one who knows he needs advice and counsel and then considers what those who are wiser have to say. But to counsel others is also good training and helps to prepare us for our future roles in Yahuah’s Kingdom. And it can be of two-way benefit, for good friends are those who give and receive from each other the things that they need, including advice and godly insight into things. We all need counseling at times, for others may know more than we do in any given area, or we may need to be told things that we cannot see about ourselves.

Sometimes we may know the right thing to do but we just need encouragement and/or affirmation to do what is right; to hear the advice verbalized coming from someone else’s mouth, from someone we trust and look to. Sometimes it is good to get another person’s opinion or perspective on important matters when we are faced with challenges and decisions, as long as what they counsel corresponds to Yahuah’s principles.

2 Corinthians 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Because we are all so easily influenced by the world around us, we may need someone to point some things out to us from time to time and it is because of love, not because that person is trying to be critical.

Seeking and heeding counseling can be very humbling and helps us to develop even more humility if we are willing to receive sound counsel and allow ourselves to be corrected when we need to be corrected.

Most of the people in the world, and people even in the Ekklesia, do not like to be told that they are wrong. Solomon has much to say about this, that it is a wise person that will become wiser still if he is willing to listen to sound advice. This too is to be like a little child who wants to learn and is eager to be shown what is right when he is doing something wrong so he can change.

Proverbs 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. [A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, But the fool is arrogant and careless. (Amplified Version)]

A true follower of Yahusha delights to do Yahuah’s commandments and welcomes the opportunity to be counseled so that he can more fully walk in all of Yahuah’s ways.

Psalm 119:24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

In Psalm 1, the psalmist shows the blessedness of not walking in the counsel of the wicked.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by Yahuah] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (mockers and those who ridicule). 1:2 But his delight is in the law of Yahuah, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 1:3 And he will be like a tree  firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. (AMP)

We can acquire much wisdom by heeding godly counsel.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. The way of the [arrogant] fool [who rejects Yahuah’s wisdom] is right in his own eyes, But a wise and prudent man is he who listens to counsel. (AMP)

None of us is born with all the answers to the dilemmas of life; only Yahuah has all the answers, but sometimes He may use someone else to give us a bit of His wisdom.

If we are open to counsel, we are wise, even though the decision to follow another’s advice is ultimately our own decision (and it must be for we are ultimately responsible for everything we believe and do no matter what kind of advice we receive).

We must weigh what a person advises carefully and then go to Yahuah to help us to weigh all the facts and then make sound decisions based on any new revelation that we may have received from being counseled.

If we habitually reject messages we do not want to hear just because of our own arrogance, thinking that we always know best and refuse to hear others out, we could very well be turning a deaf ear to what Yahuah wants to show us. Whenever someone offers us counsel, we should immediately ask Yahuah for discernment and then do some research into His Word to see if the advice we have received really does coincide what He has to say on any given matter. If we are seeking Yahuah and constantly asking Him for wisdom, He will lead us into truth so we can recognize what is right and wrong. Think about what He says in Proverbs 3.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in Yahuah with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

If we lean wholeheartedly on what is right according to the righteousness of Yahuah, it will put us on the right path even though it may seem to be the hard thing to do in any given situation. Later we will look back and see that we made the right decision and that eventually it all worked out because we did not compromise and take an easier route.

Biblical Examples of Counselors

One example of someone who was in need of sound sensible advice was Moses. When his father-in-law Jethro came to visit him, Jethro instantly saw a problem. He told Moses that he was going to wear himself out if he continued to do all the counseling and judging of the people all day long. Jethro made a suggestion and Moses hearkened to what he had to offer and he did as Jethro advised. Not only did this reduce the pressure off of Moses to do all the ruling, counseling, and judging, but it gave others a chance to learn leadership skills under Moses’ guidance.

Exodus 18:13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 18:14 And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 18:15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of Yahuah: 18:16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of Yahuah, and his laws. 18:17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18:18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and Yahuah shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to Yahuah-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto Yahuah: 18:20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

Exodus 18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear Yahuah, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 18:22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 18:23 If thou shalt do this thing, and Yahuah command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. 18:24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

In the incident of Abigail and David (besides using prudence and discretion in dealing with her predicament), Abigail offered wise counsel to David; she appealed to the promise that Yahuah had anointed him to be the future king of Israel and that he must behave as a king and not give in to rash emotions. She counseled him that if he were to wipe out her household, he would surely have regrets later, for it would be a blot on his record of being a king of justice and mercy.

Samuel 25:25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. 25:26 Now therefore, my lord, as Yahuah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing Yahuah hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 25:27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. 25:28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for Yahuah will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of Yahuah, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. 25:29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Yahuah thy Elohim; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. 25:30 And it shall come to pass, when Yahuah shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 25:31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when Yahuah shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid. 25:32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Yahuah the Elohim of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 25:33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. 25:34 For in very deed, as Yahuah Elohim of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.25:35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

David knew instantly that what Abigail was saying was true and that her counsel was wise. He listened to her rather than allow his emotions to cloud his better judgment. He was humble enough (and wise enough) to acknowledge that what she was saying was really coming from Yahuah and he said to her “I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.”

That is what made David a great leader for he was willing to accept correction and counsel from others when he was wrong, and then instantly repent and do what was right. We think of the counsel that Nathan gave to David about his sin with Bathsheba, and there again, David immediately hearkened and repented.

2 Samuel 12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of Yahuah, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 12:11 Thus saith Yahuah Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Yahwseh. And Nathan said unto David, Yahuah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

In the New Testament there is another example of someone who counseled wisely: this was Gamaliel. This was recorded for us as well, for we can apply this same principle when faced with wondering if someone or some work is of Yahuah or not. The counsel he gave the ruling religious authorities, was very good advice.  As a result of his wise counsel and because the elders listened to Gamiel, the apostles were set free that day and were spared from being destroyed.

Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 5:35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 5:36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 5:37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 5:38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 5:39 But if it be of Yahuah, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against Yahuah. 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Yahusha, and let them go.

And Then There is A Wrong Kind of Counsel

There is good counseling and there is bad counseling; how can we tell the difference between counsel that is sound and wise, and the kind of counsel that only tells us what we want to hear?

As Yahuah’s called out children, we must have the wisdom to discern between the two. How do we discern when someone is not offering godly counsel and/or is using flattery to try to manipulate us to serve their own purposes? And how do we make sure that we do not do the same when we are advising or counseling others?

The definition of flattery from Dictionary.com is:

1. To try to please by complimentary remarks or attention.

2. To praise or compliment insincerely, effusively, or excessively.

3. To represent favorably; gratify by falsification: The portrait flatters her.

4. To show to advantage: a hairstyle that flatters the face.

5. To play upon the vanity or susceptibilities of; cajole, wheedle, or beguile: They flattered him into contributing heavily to the foundation.

6. To please or gratify by compliments or attentions: I was flattered  by their invitation.

7. To feel satisfaction with (oneself), especially with reference to an accomplishment, act, or occasion: He flattered himself that the  dinner had gone well.

Flattery is a form of deceitful manipulating by telling a person things that the flatterer thinks the person wants to hear in order to manipulate him into doing what the flatterer wants him to do.

When people fall for this kind of manipulation it is because humans naturally want to be held in high esteem by others and/or they want to be told that they are good.

People just like to be praised and lauded and they want to be told only things that agree with their own self-image, self- importance, or current approach to life.  Flatterers use this human weakness to get from others what they want.

Most people have their own opinions on how they should live their lives and do not want to be told that they are wrong; but as the children of Yahuah, we should be asking: “how does Yahuah want us to live our lives?”

There are many people who claim to be followers of Yahusha but who are not that concerned about wanting to know what Yahuah teaches and what He requires of His followers. Why? Because people want to feel good about the messages they hear and they do not want to hear how they need to change things in their lives to be right with Yahuah. They would rather listen to flattery than to be told that they need to change.

Deep in their hearts most people really do not want to change anything about themselves so they will only listen to things that make them feel good about themselves. This has been the case throughout the ages beginning with Adam and Eve. So this is not a new problem because this problem has always been around for ages.  Notice what Yahuah says through Isaiah:

Isaiah 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of Yahuah: 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

Biblical Examples of Bad Counsel

Psalm 1:1 says: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

When we think of someone who flattered to get his own way for political reasons, Absalom, David’s son comes to mind. He used evil counsel to win the people’s hearts in preparing them to rise in rebellion with him against his father David. Absalom used political strategy and flattery for many years to secretly win the people over to his side.

2 Samuel 15:2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 15:3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 15:4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!  15:5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. 15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

In 1 Kings 12 we read that when Solomon died his son Rehoboam succeeded him to become king of Israel. The people of Israel led by Jeroboam came to Rehoboam and complained that Solomon had laid burdensome taxes upon the nation and they vowed that if he would lighten that burden he (Jeroboam) and the people would gladly serve him as their king.

1 Kings 12:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 12:2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) 12:3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 12:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. 12:5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

Rehoboam first sought the counsel of the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was king; the older men advised him to listen to the people and to show compassion by removing the heavy yoke imposed by King Solomon. The elders advised King Rehoboam that if he were to listen to their requests to lighten their tax burden, then they, and the people, would be loyal to his rule over them.

1 Kings 12:6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? 12:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

But instead of listening to his father’s advisers, Rehoboam sought a second opinion from the younger men who had grown up with him to see what their counsel would be. They advised him to do the opposite of what the older men had advised. They told the king that he should answer the people with harshness and to show them who was boss; that he was going to be even tougher on them than his father had been!  Rather than lighten their tax load, they advised him to add to the heavy burden that the people were already forced to bear.

1 Kings 12:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: 12:9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

Rehoboam did not listen to the counsel of the wise men, but rather, followed the advice of the foolish men who counseled him to be even harder on the people and tax them even more.

The younger men did not counsel wisely at all, but flattered the king with a sense of self-importance. He became arrogant and felt he needed to rule with a superior attitude and with a firm hand. Because Rehoboam listened to their bad counsel, the nation of Israel has been divided into two nations ever since.

1 Kings 12:10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.

Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the wiser old men and followed exactly the counsel of the younger men and he told the people:

1 Kings 12:11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 12:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. 12:13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; 12:14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Rehoboam’s answer infuriated the people of Israel and the ten northern tribes rebelled. They said that they would no longer have Rehoboam as their king and they made Jeroboam their king instead.

Because Rehoboam listened and followed the evil counsel of his peers, the nation of Israel split in two nations: the tribe of Judah (along with the tribe of Benjamin) in the south  and the other ten tribes in the north; they have not united back together since that day.

1 Kings 12:15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from Yahuah, that he might perform his saying, which Yahuah spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 12:16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. 12:17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

After Jeroboam became the king of the newly formed nation of the Ten Tribes of Israel, he then reasoned in his heart that if the people were to be allowed to go up to Jerusalem to do sacrifice in the house of Yahuah, (to keep the feasts) it may be that they would be tempted to go back to Rehoboam’s rulership.

1 Kings 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of Yahuah at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

Because of this fear, Rehoboam listened to evil counsel that devised a plot that would keep the people under his rule, but would also make the people of the northern ten tribes turn their backs completely on the Elohim of Israel their Creator Yahuah who had delivered their forefathers from the bondage of slavery in Egypt and with whom they had made a Covenant to worship and to obey only Him. In the following verse it says the king (Jeroboam) took counsel. Here again a king heeded bad counsel. This verse does not say from whom he took counsel, but the advice he received was an abomination for it turned the people from the true Elohim of Israel and they went after idols instead.

1 Kings 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

The king set up two calves of gold; one in Dan and the other in Bethel and then commanded the people who had come out from Judah to worship these false gods in lieu of Yahuah the Elohim of Israel.

Jeroboam was counseled to use crafty political strategy to insure that he remained king and that the people would not turn back to Judah by giving them new gods to worship. In addition, he set up a different priesthood who were not of the tribe of Levi and changed Yahuah’s festivals: both the location and the days that Yahuah had appointed for the Feast days. All of these changes were to suit his own wicked purposes.

There are many other accounts in the Old Testament of bad counsel and the consequences of following such counsel. But there are also many warnings in the New Testament that teach us that there would be very dangerous wolves in sheep’s clothing amongst Yahuah’s people right up until the return of Yahusha. Certain evil men, too, would use flattery and bad counsel to turn people from Yahwseh and from serving only Him. The early writers of the New Testament hade to contend constantly with many deceivers who would bring in wrong counsel and false teachings.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our Elohim into lasciviousness, and denying the only Master Yahuah our Master Yahusha the Messiah.

The writers of Scripture teach us that we must use wisdom in choosing who we will listen to and who we will allow to teach, counsel, and advise us.

Elymas the Sorcerer

When a leading deputy wanted to hear Barnabas and Paul’s Gospel message, another man (a sorcerer) tried to turn the deputy against believing in the words of Paul with bad counsel. How many of us have friends or even close family members who try to turn us against Yahuah and try to discourage us from living wholeheartedly in obedience to all of His commandments and ordinances? Paul spoke out very sharply against this man; he held nothing back and even cursed him with blindness. This may seem very unloving, and even harsh, but Yahuah backed Paul up by performing the miracle that helped convince the deputy to believe.

Acts 13:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of Yahuah. 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 13:9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. 13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of Yahuah? 13:11 And now, behold, the hand of Yahuah is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of Yahuah.

Simon the Sorcerer

Another example is when Peter severely rebuked Simon for his covetousness and the sin of wanting to buy with money the gift of the Holy Spirit; this was after Simon supposedly became baptized into the faith. Peter exposed him for what he was and counseled him that he needed to repent of having a wicked heart for wanting to be able to impress others with the same kind of miracles that the apostles were doing by purchasing Yahuah’s power. This was a type of bribery/flatery to get Peter to do what Simon coveted after.

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of Yahuah may be purchased with money.  8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of Yahuah. 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness 8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

David warns us in regard to listening to bad counsel, in other words, those who speak with flattering lips. He prays to Yahaweh  for help in dealing with them and for deliverance from them. Sometimes, we too, have to pray for deliverance from such ones.

Psalm 12:1 Help, Yahuah; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. 12:2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. 12:3 Yahuah shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 12:4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

It Is The Truth That Sets Men Free

The apostle Paul explains in many places in his epistles that the brethren are to teach and to exhort others to live according to Yahuah’s truth and righteousness, including when it may be painful to speak that truth.

When we are willing to hear what Yahuah’s Word (or hear others when they speak the truth to us) has to say and are willing to change from going our own way to going the way of Yahuah, it is very liberating indeed. It is the truth that sets people free (John 8:32) meaning that it is believing in, and keeping the truth, that liberates us from the lies and the ways of Satan.

The whole world lies under the sway of the evil one (1 John 5:19). Yahuah sent His Son to reveal the truth to mankind and in doing so Yahusha sets the captives free (those who have been held in bondage to Satan’s lies all of their lives) if they listen, believe in Him, repent, and then follow in all of His ways.

This was the basis of Yahusha’s ministry on earth when He was here as a man: to speak and to demonstrate the whole TRUTH of Yahuah to mankind. When Yahusha was twelve He told His earthly parents that He must be about His Father’s business. It is the whole Word of Yahuah that sets men free, and that has been Yahuah the Father’s and His Son’s mission from the time of Adam and Eve’s rebellion when our first parents chose to believe Satan’s lie rather than to believe what their Creator had told them.

At the beginning of His ministry Yahusha stated what His mission was to be on earth as a man. During His ministry He trained others to teach and to preach the way of salvation so that after His resurrection and ascension to His Father their work would continue right up to the end of this age.

The following is Yahusha’s mission statement and should be the mission of all those whom Yahuah calls; they, too, are to help in His work of teaching and proclaiming the Gospel to the whole world. Yahuah the Father and His Son are still working through their disciples on earth to help the poor and the brokenhearted (those who are sincerely repentant) to be set free from their captives by teaching them the Gospel of how they can be saved.

Luke 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,  4:18 The Spirit of Yahuah is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

The whole world lies under Satan’s deception and all men and women are in need of being set free; it is only through Yahuah’s Gospel message and Yahusha’s sacrifice for mankind that humanity will be delivered from Satan’s bondage if they repent and embrace all of Yahuah’s ways.

1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of Yahuah, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 5:20 And we know that the Son of Yahuah is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Yahusha the Messiah. This is the true Elohim, and eternal life.

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

We need to always prove whether the things that we are being taught are true or not. Even today we need to check up on all the things that we are being taught and prove the things that we are being told from the Holy Scriptures for ourselves and not just depend on men to TELL us what the Scriptures teach when we see that they are not teaching sound doctrine.

1 Thessalonians 5:20 Despise not prophesyings. 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

We are to ONLY listen to those who “speak the truth” in love and follow them ONLY as they follow Yahusha and the whole counsel of His Word (1 Corinthians 11:1).

When we are diligent in seeking Yahuah’s truth from His Word about any given subject; studying, meditating on it, and applying it to our lives, this is what matures us in the faith. Yahuah’s Word (which is truth) is somewhat like our keel (of a sail boat) that keeps us going in the right direction and keeps us from tipping over and then drowning in false doctrines and traditions of men.

By speaking the truth in all things and speaking according to Yahuah’s Word when we counsel each other, even when it might be painful to tell the truth, is what helps prepare the Ekklesia to become developed into the full measure of the stature of Yahusha; and in this way she (the collective body of Yahusha) will eventually become a mature spiritually fit Bride for Yahusha. (Ephesians 5:25)

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Yahusha:

What does this mean to “Speak the Truth in Love”? The Greek word that is translated “speak the truth” is alétheuó (Strong’s # 226) and means more than speak, it means embody, speak truth, do truth, live truth.

The Greek definition of “speak the truth: from Word Helps and Strong’s Concordance:  alétheuó comes from 225 alḗtheia (from 227 /alēthḗs, “true to fact”) – properly, truth  (true to fact), reality. Definition: truth, but not merely truth as spoken; truth of idea, reality, sincerity, truth in the moral sphere, divine truth revealed to man, straightforwardness. (Word Helps, Strong’s Concordance)

Paul is admonishing us to live, speak, and embody Yahuah’s reality, and by doing so we exemplify his divine, unselfish, sacrificial (agape) love. When we seek counsel from men, it must be by those who are willing to speak the truth in love; and when we counsel others we must speak the truth in love as well.

“In ancient Greek culture, alḗtheia was synonymous for “reality” (as the opposite of illusion, i.e. fact) speaking reality (truth) into a person’s life, making a record of what Yahuah deems is truth (reality, fact).”  (Word Helps)

It is vitally important that we receive and also give counsel that is truthful (as Yahuah defines truth) so that we live in Yahuah’s reality rather than the illusion of truth that is in the world.

Paul wrote to the brethren who were of the Thessalonian congregation, which is written for all of us, that we are to follow certain instructions from those who exhort and admonish us according to what Yahuah says to do:  “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in Yahuah, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15)

As fellow laborers and as believers, we are to be our brother’s keeper and show agape love toward them in building them up and edifying them, and sometimes correcting them to help them remain faithful to Yahuah’s Word and to stay on track just as Paul wrote to the Romans.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of Yahuah, looking for the mercy of our Master Yahusha the Messiah  unto eternal life. 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

This is AGAPE LOVE: that Yahuah’s people, those who are the followers of Yahshua the Messiah, desire that all men will be saved (just as Yahuah the Father and His son Yahusha do) and are willing to tell them their sins and that they are following the traditions of men rather than adhering to the Sound Doctrines of the Holy Scriptures.

2 Peter 2:9 Yahuah is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count  slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

And when we speak the truth in love we are doing Yahuah’s work here on earth exposing error and stating what is true. For all those who listen, we are giving them the chance to come to the true knowledge of Yahuah, as well to the saving of their souls (their eternal lives). We too are, in effect, setting captives free when we do so!

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Messiah:

Do we love the truth? Do we love to hear the truth and love learning about what Yahuah has to say is TRUTH. Much depends upon how much we really do love the truth; our eternal destiny will be determined by whether we listen to Yahuah’s truth, or listen to lies. Let us love the truth, obey the truth and speak the truth so that we and others can be saved by Yahuah our Father through His Son, who is the way, the truth and the life.

John 14:6 Yahusha saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one Yahuah, and one mediator between Yahuah and men, the man Yahusha the Messiah;

We are at a pivotal time in the history of mankind just before the tribulation is about to begin (perhaps within the next few years or so, only Yahuah knows) but we see the signs of the time and know we are close. Yahuah is calling to those He has called out from the world, from spiritual Egypt: “will you now come out from the false traditions and the errors that have become so embedded in the Ekklesia since the time of the original apostles?”

Do we have the courage to change when we do see errors; things that we have been taught for many years things that are not biblical? Will we then have the courage to take a stand for the truth of the Bible, not just because of what any teacher or leader may say or because of what title he may have, but because we have earnestly studied and proven what we believe and practice… from the Holy Scriptures?

There is a growing number who have done just that and are now keeping the Zadok calendar, (which is the true biblical calendar) refusing to eat out on the Sabbath, looking to Yahusha as their Mediator (and not church leaders) etc.; who desire with their whole hearts to obey Yahuah, rather than the men who say we must obey them rather than to believe what the Bible clearly says.

Will we follow false teachers that compromise with the laws and ordinances of Yahuah, who are deceiving the people to stay locked into the errors we have carried over from COG leaders of the past? or will we have the courage to step out and be like the sons of Levi (as it says of them in Exodus 32:26) and say “YES” to Yahuah when He asks  “Who is on Yahuah’s side? let him come unto me” and then take a stand for what we have come to understand as His truth from the Bible regardless of what others say or do to us?

If we want to be like Yahusha then our spiritual food should be to do the will of our heavenly Father who has called us “out of darkness into His marvelous light”.

John 4:34 Yeshau saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

We are definitely living in the latter days and we only have so much time left to return with all of our hearts, minds, and souls to learning and obeying the whole Word of Yahuah. We are admonished to help all who will listen to do so as well….by speaking the truth in [agape] love and refusing to listen to evil counsel. It is now time to listen to Wisdom as she cries in the marketplaces and the gates of the city, to listen to the wisdom she has to offer that we may live (eternally).

In Proverbs, Yahuah says through Solomon, that wisdom stands in the top of the high places, and at the gates of the city, and she appeals to men and women to listen to Yahuah, to hear His voice, and to turn in the way of wisdom, which are all the ways taught in Yahuah’s Word; it is the whole counsel of Yahuah. She speaks with the spirit of counsel.

Proverbs 1:8 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 1:2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 1:3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 1:4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 1:5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 1:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 1:7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

In Conclusion

Yahuah’s Word should always be our primary source of guidance, therefore it is vitally important that we write its precepts and laws into our heart by diligent study and meditating upon them. If we fill our minds with Yahuah’s thoughts, then they will become our thoughts, and the more we study and think on the things we study, the more we will come to think as Yahuah thinks.

To seek Yahuah, and His Word every day, and to make Him our priority, is the only way to become wise; and it will protect us from being led astray when we are presented with false counsel or false doctrines.

To be made into the image of Yahuah takes a life-long commitment and involves much time and effort, but there is no other way to know the will of Yahuah and to become at one with Him. As we engrave upon our hearts the whole counsel of Yahuah’s revealed Word, we must approach it with a resolve to do whatever it says even if it goes against our own desires and against the desires of those around us.

If we feel we need advice about something, we need to be very careful. What should we look for in a good counselor? A good counselor will respect the authority of Yahuah the Father and His Son Yahusha the Messiah in every aspect of living.

A minister or counselor who rejects any part of the Word of Yahuah cannot be trusted; beware of any man who interprets the Bible to suit his own ideas and agenda, and not according to what Yahuah says.

If any counselor says we should obey this person or that person just because that particular person has a title or is highly esteemed, and yet does not bear the fruits of obeying Yahuah in all things, RUN FROM HIM.

Ministers or elders (or anyone for that matter) who interpret the Bible to suit themselves and promote their own traditions above the Word of Yahuah are not safe advisers. Beware of religious leaders, no matter who they may be, whose ideology or counsel disagrees with the Word of Yahuah!

In seeking someone that we can go to for counseling, choose someone who is spiritually mature, lives a righteous life, and exemplifies the fruit of the Spirit in everything that he or she does and says. But even then weigh all advice carefully by the Word of Yahuah. Yahuah’s Word should always be the final word, and we must always obey Yahuah rather than any man, no matter what that man’s title may be.

Any counseling we receive that advises us to cut corners or to compromise just a little bit should be rejected. Yahuah’s Spirit will never guide anyone contrary to what Yahuah teaches in His Word; any kind of advice to do so is evil counsel.

Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of Elohim: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of Elohim: Every spirit that confesseth that Yesuah Messiah is come in the flesh is of Yahuah: 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Yesuah Messiah is come in the flesh is not of Elohim: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

If someone tells us that Yahuah is love and knows that we are weak, therefore, He will overlook small things, or that the law has been done away because Yahusha kept it perfectly (or kept it for us), therefore, we are no longer obligated to keep the whole law, that counsel is evil.

If someone tells us that all we have to do is believe, that it does not matter how we live and that mankind will be saved from sin by faith without obedience to Yahuah’s commandments, that counsel is evil.

If someone tells us that it is impossible to know the truth, and therefore all truth is relative and none absolute; that right and wrong depend solely on each person’s situation rather than the standard that Yahuah sets for us, that counsel is evil.

Do not allow yourself to be misled by wicked counsel. That, too, is the wisdom of Yahuah, for we must exercise discernment when going to others for counsel.

As the called-out children of Yahuah, we are to obey Yahuah in all things even in the (seemingly) small matters, therefore we must ask Him for discernment in order to fulfill His will for our lives. If we are negligent in studying the will of Yahuah and just listen to anyone who seems to know things about His Word, we will reap the consequences.  We are all ultimately responsible for our own decisions that we make and the course that we pursue, no matter what.

If we seek the counsel of Yahuah and counsel from those who are like-minded in wanting to please only Yahuah, we will avoid much heartache and the devastating consequences of pursuing our own will and our own way of doing things.

Yahuah wants us to wisely counsel each other in the way of righteousness, to encourage, to console, to comfort; all of these things are what it means to be made in Yahuah’s image (to be like Him), for these are the things that He does for His people.

We are being fashioned and molded to conform to the image of our Creator; we accomplish this by first being called, and then through the teaching, guiding, studying, meditating, and allowing ourselves to be corrected when we are wrong. Like a sharp two-edged sword, the Word divides the inner man asunder to reveal the true condition and needs of our hearts, and sometimes Yahuah does need to send us righteous counselors to help us, and to get us back on track and possibly avert us from disaster.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of Yahuah is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Bible says that if we want to be wise, we must walk with wise men and the wisest Person of all is Yahuah, and if we are His children, we are ever in His presence, if we are abiding in Him. As the other pillars of wisdom all work together, so, too, does the spirit of counsel begin with the “fear of Yahuah”, and then it is integrated with prudence and discretion as well, for it is prudent to seek out and accept wise counsel. All of the seven pillars work together to make what constitutes WISDOM.

Psalm 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Those who are chosen to be resurrected to be the future kings and priests will need the Wisdom of Yahuah, to know how to,not only teach and rule, but they will need to know how to counsel those who are placed in their care. All who have lived in this evil world, including those who have come through the tribulation, will have many issues that they will have to deal with. They will need compassionate, experienced, wise counselors to direct them in the right way to go…which is Yahuah’s way!

1 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be Yahuah, even the Father of our Messiah Yahusha, the Father of mercies, and the Elohim of all comfort; 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of Yahuah. 1:5 For as the sufferings of Yahusha abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Yahusha. 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

It is Yahuah’s desire that we learn how to give wise counsel, to encourage, to console, to comfort; all of these things are what it means to be made in Yahuah’s image for these are the things that Yahuah does. As we mentioned earlier, one of His titles is Wonderful Counselor.

The focus of counseling should always be to help others in directing them to Yahuah, and to seeking out what He would have them to do based on His Word. The goal of biblical counseling should be to teach others to become spiritually mature. All counseling should be based upon all of Yahuah’s laws, statutes and judgments helping others to see, not only how to apply the letter of the law, but how to apply the deep spiritual intent of Yahuah’s commandments from the very heart in every situation. The teachings of Yahuah’s Word, and His doctrines, must be the foundation for the work of counseling others.

Someday, we will witness the whole world seeking out the counsel of Yahuah and delighting to know His ways. We are being trained now to be a teacher and a counselor of Yahuah’s ways in the future Kingdom if we are called of the Father and are seeking the wisdom of Yahuah with all of our hearts during this time. Someday, all people will want to be counseled of Yahuah and will be eager to know all of His ways.

Isaiah 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahuah, to the house of  Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Yahuah from Jerusalem.

Romans 11:32 For Yahuah hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of Yahuah! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 11:34 For who hath known the mind of Yahuah? or who hath been his counsellor?

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 30:20 That thou mayest love Yahuah, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which Yahuah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Yahuah gives each person a choice, as to whether he will listen to Him and His counsel, or if he listens to the counsel of the enemy. We, ourselves, determine whether we will live or die. For those who are being called to be kings and priests in the Father’s kingdom, our time is now.  Choose wisely!

BelleAnge

All Scripture quotes are from the King James Version of the Bible (with the real names of Yahuah and Yahusha used in place of titles) unless otherwise stated.