I am the Truth

 In my last letter, I stated the following: “So why would we, in any given moment, engage ourselves and our emotions in unknown future events disrupting our present relationship with He Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life?"  This was, of course, part of a quote from John 14:6 where Yeshua declared to Thomas: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (v. 6). As I continued to ponder these words, what stood out were the first two words: “I am”.  These words form a statement of personal identity as if to say, this is who I am as a being (or an entity). Yeshua further stated: "'If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.' Philip said to Him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.' Yeshua said to him, 'Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how do you say, 'Show us the Father '? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works” (John 14:7-10 emphases added).  This statement is so profound that, like Philip (or even the rest of the disciples), our natural minds cannot grasp the true essence as to the oneness of the Father-Son relationship.

In this article, I want to highlight Yeshua as the “I am the Truth”. This ‘concept’ was amplified in our local Monday night meeting while we were studying the “church of Pergamum” (Revelation 2:12-17).  What remains of the ancient city of Pergamum is in modern-day Turkey. In its heyday, Pergamum was noted for being the place of the “throne [or authority] of Satan” (v. 13). Verse 16 describes Yeshua as having a double-edged sword in His mouth.  Why does Yeshua’s mouth constitute a weapon? Let’s look at the following description of Satan:  “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies"(John 8:44 emphasis added).  This means that Satan steals, kills and destroys" (ref. John 10:10) with the sword of his mouth.  Yeshua, on the other hand, is the epitome of Truth.

Thus, ‘Yeshua the Truth’ will unavoidably be in conflict with Satan, whose sword is the embodiment of the “Lie”.  The mention of Satan’s throne indicates that the believers in Pergamum were engaged in a battle between two kingdoms, one of truth and the other of lies.  We all know about the power of spoken words: “Life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).   The comparison of the tongue to a sword is found in Psalm 57:4: “My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword”.  The mouth seems to be like an arsenal of weapons. (Perhaps the end-time battle will take the form of the mouth of the Dragon fighting the mouth of Yeshua.)

As to the Pergamum community, mention is made of those in their midst who are likened to Balaam, a greedy diviner who was hired by Balak to curse Israel but ended up blessing them (ref. Rev. 2:14; Num. 22-24). Ultimately, though, he did teach Balak to cause Israel to eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual sin, and thus, they brought the curse upon themselves (Num. 25:1ff). Another subtle inference to what can be construed as a form of a throne is in connection to the Nicolaitans, who are also addressed here. These were proud, self-righteous religious leaders who set themselves up, striving to lord it over others.  In his 3rd epistle, John refers to such a person and his mode of action: “Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say.  For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and he forbids those who desire to do so, and puts them out of the church.  Beloved, do not imitate what is evil” (vs. 9-11 emphasis added).

 “We know that we are of Elohim, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  And we know that the Son of Elohim has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Yeshua the Messiah. This is the true Elohim and eternal life” (1^st John 5:19-20).

Let us pray: “O Father send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill, and to Your dwelling places” (Psalm 43:3).

As an example of this battle as it wages today, go to the following letter by Dennis Prager to Candace Owens:

https://www.prageru.com/dennis-pragers-letter-to-candace-owens