Heading Image: Golden Jackals at the Sea of Galilee, Israel

Boqer Or (Good Morning Light)!

Shalom Friends and Fellow Warriors,

Early this morning in the Shahar blackness of the predawn, Abba has instructed me to share with you another key for successful living outside the camp of the modern religious system (Hebrews 13:12-13). This key can be found in the final words of the Apostle Paul before his brutal martyrdom.

“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Messiah Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” (Phil. 3:2-3 NASB).

Notice here in the Greek that the imperative is used three times in this first verse alone…Beware, beware, and beware! This warning is not against three different groups of people but the same group described in three ways. A thoughtful reading of the Book of Acts will immediately point out that this group was the Judases’ who wanted to lynch Paul throughout his powerful ministry. However, is there more to this verse that just this historical episode in the life of the early churches?

Let’s now get to the present tense warning that the Holy Spirit is issuing out to us today.

  1. The dog in the ancient Near East was a creature highly avoided and given the same undomesticated classification in Scriptures as jackals. A carnivorous dog was always grouped together with the vultures and other scavengers.
  2. The dog or jackal was used in the 8th century prophetic literature to speak of God’s judgment. The idea of the jackals howling in the midst of the places of judged cities of Israel and Judah was the evidence of God’s withdrawn provision and subsequent settling in of Ichabod (i.e. the glory has departed). See this principle in Jeremiah 9:11; Micah 1:8; Jeremiah.10:21-22.
  3. The Messiah also speaks of the wolves and dogs in very strong warnings in Matthew 7:6 and 10:16.
  4. And the first reference the Messiah is warning us about has to do with sharing what is holy in prayer with others who will also later turn on you! How many times have you and I shared things from the secret place only to have others treat it unholy and then try to rip you apart!
  5. Then one of the most eye opening Scriptures that pulls all this together is the reference in Isaiah 56:6-12. This is the text the Messiah quoted when He drove out the business merchants out of the Temple because they were no longer making His house of place of prayer, but instead a den of thieves! And after driving them out, the prophetic follow thru of this event is outlined in verses 9-12. The prophetic watchmen are blinded and related to as “dumb dogs” and as dreamers who love to slumber! They are the shepherds who really don’t know the intimacy of making Abba’s house a house of prayer but rather are in the “business” of church to make a living and increase their unjust gain!

Dear fellow warriors, this is exactly what the Apostle Paul is warning us in this hour to watch out for and be on our guard against; it is these religious people who are really dogs, jackals, and wolves! They are the ones who will attack you and surround you to crucify you when you go outside the camp following the Spirit into the new thing. See the reference of Psalm 22:16 in speaking of the people who were beating and insulting the Messiah during and after His crucifixion. Who were these people? They were the very religious leaders who were angered because He turned over their tables of profit in the temple!

Watch out for those who have a zeal for “ministry” but do not spend much time in secret prayer…

Watch out for those who are always motivated by money “messages”…

Watch out for those who love pleasure more than death and servant hood…

Watch out for those who are more carnal than wind driven in their zeal for God…

Be on your guard against these very dangerous dogs in this hour as you are challenging the “professional” religious system…

Be on your guard as the agape love of many believers grows cold in this hour…

…Do not give what is holy to the dogs…

I pray that this EMM will help you in your quest to live outside the camp bearing His reproach to see His true House of Glory built in this late hour. Watch out for friendly fire!!!!

In His service for your faith,

Scott and Dalit