"For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying

Transcription

1 "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24:37-39 ) 1

2 God s Patterns of Judgment God s Judgment falls Anti-Christ Final earthly kingdom The Rise Of Wickedness { Noah Sodom 7 Canaanite Nations GOD s Written Word Explains God s Judgments Innocence The Rise of Wickedness in the Nations And when God s Judgment Falls 2

3 Genesis 6:1-2 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3

4 Genesis 6:1-2 God is pointing to two categories of MEN Sons and Daughters of MEN Sons and Daughters of God (those who follow God are called His Children - His Offspring) Angels are not mentioned in this passage 4

5 Three different views have been entertained from the very earliest times: the "sons of God" being regarded as 1. angels, 2. the sons of princes, 3. the Sethites or godly men; 5

6 If we find that this term sons of God is always used is for Angels then this passage must be referring to angels BUT If there are other places in Scripture where this phrase can be applied to others, we must then look to the context and clear passages that will guide us to the correct interpretation! 6

7 Psalm 73:15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. Deuteronomy 32:5 "They have acted corruptly toward Him, They are not His children, because of their defect; But are a perverse and crooked generation. 7

8 Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And in the place Where it is said to them, "You are not My people," It will be said to them, "You are the sons of the living God." 8

9 Then Jesus has made clear statements that forces us to realize that the sons of God in this passage in Genesis CAN NOT be apply to Angels.

10 But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Matthew 22:

11 Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? "For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. Mark 12:

12 Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. Luke 20:

13 So we clearly see that this passage in Genesis is dealing with men. Those men who follow GOD and the men who don t Seth s children - who Pray & seek GOD Cain s children - who have rebelled and have completely forsaken GOD 13

14 Genesis 6:1-2 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 14

15 The failure of GOD s Children to Seek GOD in choosing a wife will lead to the corruption of their children! Why is this such a BIG DEAL to GOD? 15

16 2Cor.6:14 Do not be bound together (Present Imperative + Neg) with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, (this term is clearly used in HEB. for children of the enemy. HERE it speaks of THE devil!) or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16

17 There is NO Partnership and NO Fellowship between Believer Righteousness Light Christ Temple of God Unbeliever Lawlessness Darkness Belial Idols 17

18 We also see clear passages and examples in GOD s Word that will reveal what will happen if we disobey in this area! 18

19 "Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. "For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you. (Deuteronomy 7:3-4 ) 19

20 Solomon is a clear example! Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, (1 Kings 11:1 ) 20

21 from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, "You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods." Solomon held fast to these in love. (1 Kings 11:2 ) 21

22 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. 4 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. (1 Kings 11:3-4 ) 22

23 Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, (1 Kings 11:9 ) 23

24 There is NO Partnership between Believer Righteousness Light Christ Temple of God Unbeliever Lawlessness Darkness Belial? Idols What can we learn about Belial and his children? 24

25 Sons of Belial BELIAL worthlessness, frequently used in the Old Testament as a proper name. It is first used in Deut. 13:13. In the New Testament it is found only in 2 Cor. 6:15, where it is used as a name of Satan, the personification of all that is evil. 25

26 Genesis 6:3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." 26

27 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. * This does not say that they married the women! 27

28 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 28

29 7 The LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. * The judgment is upon man not angels! 29

30 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. 10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 30

31 12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. 13 Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled (Perfect) with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. 31

32 But who are the Nephilim? Nephilim- The term in Hebrew implies not so much the idea of great stature as of reckless ferocity, impious and daring characters, who spread devastation and carnage far and wide. They went beyond Lamech See Genesis 4:

33 A Violence and Lust That had NO restraints 23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me; 24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold." 33

34 Hedone, Today s Hedonism - the belief that pleasure or happiness is the most important goal in life. Giving in to every lust! Titus 3:3 For we (Emphatic) also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures (Hedone), spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 34

35 Luke 8:14 "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures (hedone) of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 35

36 2 Timothy 3:1 But realize (Present Imperative) this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 36

37 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure (philedones) rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied (Perfect) its power; Avoid (Present Imperative) such men as these. 37

38 A Study of Belial in the O.T. Deut. 13:13 2 Sam. 22:5 Deut. 15:9 2 Sam. 23:6 Jdg. 19:22 1 Ki. 21:10, 13 Jdg. 20:13 2 Chr. 13:7 1 Sam. 1:16 Job 34:18 1 Sam. 2:12 Ps. 18:4 1 Sam. 10:27 Ps. 41:8 1 Sam. 25:17, 25 Ps. 101:3 1 Sam. 30:22 Prov. 6:12 2 Sam. 16:7 Prov. 16:27 2 Sam. 20:1 Prov. 19:28 Nah. 1:11, 15 38

39 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) 39

40 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed (Present Imperative) that he does not fall. (1Corinthians 10:11-12) 40

41 A Study of the sons of Belial Deuteronomy 13:13 some worthless (Belial) men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods ' (whom you have not known), 41

42 Deuteronomy 15:9 "Beware that there is no base (Belial) thought in your heart, saying, 'The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,' and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to the LORD against you, and it will be a sin in you. 42

43 Judges 19:22 While they were celebrating, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless (Belial) fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him." 43

44 Judges 20:13 "Now then, deliver up the men, the worthless (Belial) fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove this wickedness from Israel." But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 44

45 1 Samuel 1:16 "Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless (Belial) woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation." 45

46 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless (Belial) men; they did not know the LORD They took the things that belonged to God s for themselves They lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting 46

47 1 Samuel 10:27 But certain worthless (Belial) men said, "How can this one deliver us?" And they despised him (Saul) and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent. 47

48 1 Samuel 25:25 "Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless (Belial) man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. (see also 1Samuel 25:17) 48

49 1 Samuel 30:22 Then all the wicked and worthless (Belial) men among those who went with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart." 49

50 2 Samuel 16:7 Thus Shimei said when he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless (Belial) fellow! (David is being cursed) 50

51 2 Samuel 20:1 Now a worthless (Belial) fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said, "We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!" 51

52 2 Samuel 22:5 "For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction (Belial) overwhelmed me; 2 Samuel 23:6 "But the worthless, (Belial) every one of them will be thrust away like thorns, Because they cannot be taken in hand; 52

53 1 Kings 21:10 and seat two worthless (Belial) men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." 53

54 1 Kings 21:13 Then the two worthless (Belial) men came in and sat before him; and the worthless (Belial) men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 54

55 2 Chronicles 13:7 and worthless (Belial) men gathered about him (Jereboam), scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them. 55

56 Job 34:18 Who says to a king, 'Worthless one (Belial),' To nobles, 'Wicked ones'; Psalm 18:4 The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness (Belial) terrified me. 56

57 Psalm 41:8 "A wicked (Belial) thing is poured out upon him, That when he lies down, he will not rise up again." Psalm 101:3 I will set no worthless (Belial) thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me. 57

58 Proverbs 6:12 A worthless (Belial) person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, Proverbs 16:27 A worthless (Belial) man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. Proverbs 19:28 A rascally (Belial) witness makes a mockery of justice, And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity. 58

59 Nahum 1:11 From you has gone forth One who plotted evil against the LORD, A wicked (Belial) counselor. Nahum 1:15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate (Imp) your feasts, O Judah; Pay (Imp) your vows. For never again will the wicked (Belial) one pass through you; He is cut off completely. 59

60 Do not be bound together (Present Imperative + Neg) with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, (THE devil!) or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 60

61 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we (Emphatic) are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 61

62 "Therefore, COME OUT (Active Imp) FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE (present Imperative)," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH (present Imp & Neg) WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) 62

63 This study seeks to expose the character of the enemy in our midst. The study will cover only one aspect of our enemy that is reveal in a key term that has been hidden by our current translations. The KJV and the Vulgate for the most part translates this word directly. Yet there are still passages where even these translations fail. My approach to God s word is simple. If God choses to use a term we should search out that term is all its locations. The term that we will be searching is found in a text in 2 Corinthians 6:15 Belial. NAU 2 Corinthians 6:15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? The manor in which Paul introduces this term to the believers was to present a clear contrast between a believer and an unbeliever. The illustration was to provide clarity for the readers in Corinth. This term has a Hebrew form that is used 27 times in 10 books. 1 Our study will cover each of these locations. But before we examine the Hebrew let us return to the text in 2 Corinthians. The context provides further weight as to the importance of this comparison. verse14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? The weight of the term as to its importance will be determined by how it is referred to in the New Testament. In this case we are seeing an individual exposed. The church in Corinth had many problems. The first letter of Paul addressed their division and this letter is intended to bring clarity for the Church to recognize those who TRULY belong to the LORD. This paragraph begins with a command. It is a present imperative with a negative. Mh gi,nomai verb imperative present middle 2nd person plural. This tense indicates an action that is presently taking place and MUST be stopped. The Corinthians lived in a corrupt and openly sinful society. They had permitted someone in the church to live in open sin without confronting their sinful behavior to bring about a correction. Paul makes it clear they were to separate from any so called believer who lived this way. (1 Corinthians 5) Yet Paul was not telling the Church to separate from those in the world. Paul was here speaking of being bound together with them. This was to be stopped. Paul paints a clear picture with a series of comparisons. Believer Righteousness light Christ Temple of God Unbeliever lawlessness darkness Belial idols 1 Deut. 13:14; Deut. 15:9; Jdg. 19:22; Jdg. 20:13; 1 Sam. 1:16; 1 Sam. 2:12; 1 Sam. 10:27; 1 Sam. 25:17; 1 Sam. 25:25; 1 Sam. 30:22; 2 Sam. 16:7; 2 Sam. 20:1; 2 Sam. 22:5; 2 Sam. 23:6; 1 Ki. 21:10; 1 Ki. 21:13 *2; 2 Chr. 13:7; Job 34:18; Ps. 18:5; Ps. 41:9; Ps. 101:3; Prov. 6:12; Prov. 16:27; Prov. 19:28; Nah. 1:11; Nah. 2:1 Sons of Belial Page 1 of 8

64 These opposing terms were to provide a clear understanding of our walk with Jesus. The clearest image was Christ and Belial. The believers have an intimate relationship with Christ. He will never leaves us or forsakes us. Yet by placing these opposing terms together this young church would see the need to correct their joining together with those who were not following the LORD. The term, Belial is only stated once in the New Testament. But in the Old Testament the believer would see this term (the Hebrew equivalent) 26 times! Each of this locations provides a practical view of our enemy activities. BELIAL worthlessness, frequently used in the Old Testament as a proper name. It is first used in Deut. 13:13. In the New Testament it is found only in 2 Cor. 6:15, where it is used as a name of Satan, the personification of all that is evil. It is translated wicked in Deut. 15:9; Ps. 41:8 (R.V. marg.); 101:3; Prov. 6:12, etc. The expression son or man of Belial means simply a worthless, lawless person (Judg. 19:22; 20:13; 1 Sam. 1:16; 2:12). 2 WICKEDNESS 3 Vines beliya'al (1100), "wickedness; wicked; destruction." The 27 occurrences of this noun are scattered throughout the periods of biblical Hebrew. The basic meaning of this word appears in a passage such as Judg. 20:13, where the sons of beliya'al are perpetrators of wickedness (they raped and murdered a man's concubine):"now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial [nasb, "worthless fellows"] which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel." In its first appearance the word represents men who lead others into idolatry:"certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have [seduced] the inhabitants of their city..." (Deut. 13:13). In Deut. 15:9 the word modifies Hebrew dabar, "word" or "matter." Israel is warned to avoid "wicked" words (thoughts) in their hearts. Beliya'al is a synonym for rasha' ("wicked rebellious one") in Job 34:18. In Nah. 1:11 the wicked counselor plots evil against God. The psalmist uses beliya'al as a synonym of death:"the cords of death encompassed me, and the torrents of ungodliness [kjv, "floods of ungodly men"] terrified me" (Ps. 18:4, nasb). BELIAL. The literal meaning of the OT Heb. word is useless, without worth. It is usually employed as a term descriptive of a person; e.g., a son of Belial or a man of Belial. An approximate meaning is our colloquial expression a good-for-nothing. But the contexts of most passages suggest definite forms of evil, not just the absence of good. The evil men of Gibeah who abused the Levite s concubine in Jdg 19:22 f. are called sons of Belial. When Hannah prayed for a son in the temple, moving her lips but making no sound, Eli the priest, 2 Easton, M. G., M. A. D. D., Easton s Bible Dictionary, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers by W. E. Vine, M. A. OT Old Testament Heb. Hebrew e.g. exempli gratia (for example) Sons of Belial Page 2 of 8

65 concluding she was drunk, thought her to be a daughter of Belial (I Sam 1:16). In Prov 6:12 the term is equated with the Heb. word which often means iniquity. In Ps 41:8, a thing of Belial (Heb.) is an evil disease, while in II Sam 22:5 and Ps 18:4 the floods of Belial are equated with the waves of death. E. B. S.E. 4 TWOT 5 Worthlessness. Belial... The term appears twenty-seven times. The KJV and Vulgate treated it as a proper name in sixteen and eight instances respectively. The LXX renders it according to the context by the terms paranomos, anomia, and aphron, i.e. "lawless, lawlessness, witless." This concept of Belial became a proper name for the prince of evil, Satan, in the pseudepigraphal literature, the Zadokite Document, and the War Scroll of the Dead Sea Scrolls. See also 2Cor 6:15 and 2Thess 2:3. He has two other titles in 2Thessalonians; man of lawlessness, son of destruction 2Thessalonians 2:3-4 NAU 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. A Study of the Term Belial 1. The first time we encounter the term is in relation to the false prophets that come to take you away from God. This is not the person who desires to bring a person closer to God and they do not have the call from God as a prophet. They are evil! NAU Deuteronomy 13:13 some worthless (Belial) men have gone out from among you and have seduced the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods ' (whom you have not known), 2nd time used we see the term, it reveals the person who seeks to keep the riches that GOD instructs us to give to our brothers and sisters in need! NAU Deuteronomy 15:9 "Beware that there is no base (Belial) thought in your heart, saying, 'The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,' and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to the LORD against you, and it will be a sin in you. Heb. Hebrew Heb. Hebrew E. B. S. SMICK, Elmer B., Ph.D., Professor of Old Testament, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Wenham, Mass. 4 Pfeiffer, Charles F., Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press) Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press) 1980; p.111 Sons of Belial Page 3 of 8

66 3rd we see that they are the same as the men we encountered in Sodom! This verse in Judges is not wicked men who live apart from the people of GOD. THIS WAS THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN!!! Genesis 13:13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD. Genesis 18:20 And the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21 "I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know." Genesis 19:5 and they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them." 6 But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, 7 and said, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. 8 "Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof." 9 But they said, "Stand aside." Furthermore, they said, "This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them." So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway. NAU Judges 19:22 While they were celebrating, behold, the men of the city, certain worthless (Belial) fellows, surrounded the house, pounding the door; and they spoke to the owner of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house that we may have relations with him." 4th This verse shows the extent of the wickedness that had entered the people of GOD. THEY would not deliver these wicked men up for punishment. This decision almost caused the entire tribe of Benjamin to be lost. NAU Judges 20:13 "Now then, deliver up the men, the worthless (Belial) fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove this wickedness from Israel." But the sons of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel. 5th Sadly this next verse speaks of the time when GOD s people needed to hear from GOD, because the Priesthood was wicked. The priest accused the very woman that GOD had chosen to be the mother of the Prophet Samuel, as a BELIAL woman. He called her a child of the devil while she was praying! This shows how corrupt the people of GOD can become. To call the righteous, wicked when they are PRAYING, because they have lost their relationship to GOD and yet still considered themselves righteous to judge others! NAU 1 Samuel 1:16 "Do not consider your maidservant as a worthless (Belial) woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation." 6th GOD in this passage GOD reveals that the sons of the High Priest were in fact Sons of the devil and GOD removes them all in one day! The Father and his sons! The verse clearly Sons of Belial Page 4 of 8

67 states the Belial DO NOT KNOW THE LORD! The context here reveal the wickedness that was occurring IN GOD s house. GOD s judgment here upon this family and His judgment upon the place where His Name was to be known, becomes a watch word for all the future generations that would follow the LORD! Jeremiah. 7:12 "But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. NAU 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless (Belial) men; they did not know the LORD The context of this verse and verse reveal what was going on IN GOD'S HOUSE! 1 Samuel 2:13-17 and the custom of the priests with the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand. 14 Then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. Thus they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before they burned the fat, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give the priest meat for roasting, as he will not take boiled meat from you, only raw." 16 If the man said to him, "They must surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as you desire," then he would say, "No, but you shall give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force." 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for the men despised the offering of the LORD. 1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 7th Here we see that belial men will not join themselves to the person that the LORD raises up. They cause dissension among GOD s people! NAU 1 Samuel 10:27 But certain worthless (Belial) men said, "How can this one deliver us?" And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent. 8th & 9th Nabal is said to be a Belial man, given to drinking and has no regard for those in need who have even shown him kindness. NAU 1 Samuel 25:17 "Now therefore, know and consider what you should do, for evil is plotted against our master and against all his household; and he is such a worthless (Belial) man that no one can speak to him." NAU 1 Samuel 25:25 "Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless (Belial) man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent. Sons of Belial Page 5 of 8

68 10th The Belial don t want to share with others who labor differently. NAU 1 Samuel 30:22 Then all the wicked and worthless (Belial) men among those who went with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away and depart." 11th The wicked will throw stones and continually curse GOD s chosen (David) NAU 2 Samuel 16:7 Thus Shimei said when he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless (Belial) fellow! 12th The Beliah are vocal and seek to draw others away from GOD appointed leaders. They are the spokesman of the crowd. NAU 2 Samuel 20:1 Now a worthless (Belial) fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said, "We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!" 13th This verse reveals the extent of Belial, as it is here spoken of as torrents. We get the image of being overcome by it! The Psalm does not leave us here! The LORD is our strong tower and deliverer! NAU 2 Samuel 22:5 "For the waves of death encompassed me; The torrents of destruction (Belial) overwhelmed me; 14th The destruction is seen and thier nature as being imposible to control! NAU 2 Samuel 23:6 "But the worthless, (Belial) every one of them will be thrust away like thorns, Because they cannot be taken in hand; 15th & 16th Here Jezebel instructs the King how to take the land of another. The Beliah men will lie even when it leads to someones death. Truly GOD has revealed them as the children of the devil. NAU 1 Kings 21:10 and seat two worthless (Belial) men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." NAU 1 Kings 21:13 Then the two worthless (Belial) men came in and sat before him; and the worthless (Belial) men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, Sons of Belial Page 6 of 8

69 "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 17th At the time of the division of GOD s people, Israel, the Belial men when with the Northern Kingdom, the marjority, built two golden calves, in Dan and Bethel, removed the priest and established their own priest where anyone could serve without being called by GOD. NAU 2 Chronicles 13:7 and worthless (Belial) men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them. 18th These are words from Elihu stating that it is wrong to call a king Belial NAU Job 34:18 Who says to a king, 'Worthless one (Belial),' To nobles, 'Wicked ones'; 19th God has chosen to almost directly qoute the verse in 2 Samuel 22:5. These two passages are worthy of more detailed study. The abundance of evil in the lives of the Belial will terrifies us! NAU Psalm 18:4 The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness (Belial) terrified me. 20th This Psalm may point to the devil (Belial) seeking to destroy the LORD our Savior on the cross. And it is his belief that this would be the death and end of Jesus! But the Psalm closes with the triump that the LORD would rise him up! NAU Psalm 41:8 "A wicked (Belial) thing is poured out upon him, That when he lies down, he will not rise up again." 21th GOD uses David in this Psalm to instruct us that we must make a decision each moment to never set before us the ways of the devil. WE MUST SHUT THE EYE GATE to all that offends our LORD! NAU Psalm 101:3 I will set no worthless (Belial) thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me. 22nd This is one of the three places in Proverbs where character of the belial person is recognized. Their words are always crooked where ever they walk this trait is with them. These verses should be studied in context! NAU Proverbs 6:12 A worthless (Belial) person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, Sons of Belial Page 7 of 8

70 23rd The belial digs and hunts up evil to speak words that will inflame those he speaks to NAU Proverbs 16:27 A worthless (Belial) man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. 24th The belial is seeking to make a mockery of justice! NAU Proverbs 19:28 A rascally (Belial) witness makes a mockery of justice, And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity. 25th The last two locations for this word is found in Nahum. One of the final prophets to speak to the Southern Kingdom before they are taken into Babylon. Nahum speaks of the belial coming and his complete and final removal from the people of GOD! He will emerge from within GOD s people. NAU Nahum 1:11 From you has gone forth One who plotted evil against the LORD, A wicked (Belial) counselor. 26th Here we are commanded to CELEBRATE GOD s feasts and PAY our vows, The day approaches when the belial one (Hebrew is Singular) will NEVER (LXX uses the double negation) pass through us for ALL of him has been cut off! NAU Nahum 1:15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Pay your vows. For never again will the wicked (Belial) one pass through you; He is cut off completely. Sons of Belial Page 8 of 8