By Brother Rabbi Dani'el Rendelman
ravemet@comcast.net
of Emet Ministries
www.emetministries.com
Cherry trees are in bloom, birds are singing, and the
sun is shinning. It’s 70 degrees in New York City but
it’s not Springtime. Oddly, these were the conditions
of the month of January, 2007. That month, record
high temperatures were broken in some of the United
State’s coldest cities. Snow shovels and winter
coats were traded for short sleeves and suntan
lotion. Then, one week later, a huge snow storm
blanketed the United States. Many died and millions
were without power.
Would-be President Al Gore claims global warming is
to blame for the weird weather and a looming climate
crisis. Gore has said that the glaciers in Antarctica
are melting and that sea levels will rise to cover
parts of Florida and New Orleans. He has even
asserted that the tide will rise so high that the future
World Trade Center memorial in New York will one day
be under water. "Is it only terrorists that we're
worried about? Is that the only threat that is worth
our attention?" Gore said. "We are witnessing a
collision between our civilization and the Earth.
Global Warming seems dangerous. Yet, Global
Cooling is a much larger threat to the world. Global
Cooling? What? You have never heard of Global
Cooling?
While Global Warming is predicted by scientists,
Global Cooling is prophesied in the Bible. “And
because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall
wax cold,” Matthew 24:12. While temperatures are
on the rise, the heart of man is beginning to freeze.
From road rage to impurity and strife, people are
acting on their impulses and placing another layer of
ice upon their cold heart. Sure, we sing about love
from a tune on the radio. But no one really loves
their neighbor anymore. This is Global Cooling and it
is triggered by the smog of what the King James
Version calls “iniquity.” The New King James Version
and the New American Standard use the
word “lawlessness” to describe the cause of the
cooling. Iniquity is law-less-ness.
“And because law-less-ness increases in the world,
the love of many will grow cold,” Matthew 24:12.
The Greek word translated “lawlessness” in this verse
is “anomia.” This word, according to Strong’s
Exhaustive Dictionary, means “illegality, i.e. violation
of law, wickedness, iniquity, unrighteousness.”
Likewise, Thayer's Greek lexicon defines anomia
as “the condition of one without law — either
because ignorant of it, or because violating it,
contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness.”
It’s a pretty tough word. Anomia is exactly the same
Greek term used in Matthew 7:23 where the Savior
said, "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew
you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness
(anomia)." Ouch!
From these definitions we see the danger of iniquity.
Iniquity separates man from the Almighty. The
wages of sin is death. Numbers 15:31, “Because he
hath despised the word of YHWH, and hath broken
his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off;
his iniquity [shall be] upon him.” Iniquity is law-less-
ness or having no regard towards the law of
YHWH. (YHWH is the ancient Hebrew name of the
Creator, revealed in Exodus 3. This term is used
almost 7,000 times throughout the Bible, hidden
behind the capitalized terms “LORD” and “GOD.”)
Iniquity is dangerous because it cools the heart and
separates man from YHWH. This is in agreement with
1 John 3:4, “Everyone who practices sin also
practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” To
sin is to violate or break the law of YHWH,
called “torah” in Hebrew. This law is the
commandments that were given to Moses and then
recorded in the first five books of the Bible. The
Torah reveals the instructions and expectations for
how believers are to live. A person sins when the
law is not kept. Sin is having lawlessness – having
less of the law. Don’t look at the word “law” and
think of a harsh judgment that is ruling to hinder your
life. Instead, consider the Torah of YHWH to be
loving guidelines for how mankind is function in this
world.
Lawlessness is a chill factor that cools the heart and
leads to eternal separation from the Almighty. Yet,
how many sermons have you heard about this
subject? How many articles have you read about the
love of many waxing cold like a snuffed out candle?
Sadly, this concept has been ignored. This is the
danger of iniquity. Like slow changes in the weather
that go unnoticed, iniquity is slowly growing in all
parts of the world. Even Bible believers are growing
cold in their love because of a disdain for the Torah.
Like super-market shoppers, we pick and choose
what in the Bible we should follow. We are all guilty.
Issues of gluttony, slander, rebellion against
leadership, tithing, and personal purity are ignored by
many.
The opposite of law-less-ness is law-plus-ness, or
having more of the Torah in your life. The opposite
of having a cold heart is having a heart ablaze.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart, for out of it
flows the issues of life.” If the heart’s love for
others is chilly towards ANYONE then iniquity is to
blame. Is there someone you despise? Do you love
your enemies? Have you shown love to family
members who have caused you pain in the past?
What about those people, who have spoken lies
about you, do you love them?
Global cooling abounds, yet hope is expressed in
Genesis 8:22, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime
and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night shall not cease.” The
promise of this verse is that cold AND heat shall not
cease. Though the world grows cold all around, heat
will always remain. Though iniquity increases in the
world, believers have been called to not be affected
by the chill factor. We are to be a source of heat
for the frozen people all around.
The key to being on fire for YHWH is to seek him
daily. Devote 30 minutes every morning to prayer
and Bible study and see your life change. Feel your
frozen heart melt by His love. Make a commitment to
seek His face. “They entered into a covenant to
seek YHWH, the YHWH of their ancestors, with all
their heart and soul,” 2 Chronicles 15:12. Use a
notebook to journal your 30 minutes of time with
YHWH.
Continue to search your heart for an ice chest of
areas that don’t conform to His word. When those
areas are exposed, confess your sin to YHWH. The
reason some of your prayers have not been
answered is because of a lack of obedience and
submission to Torah. “If I regard iniquity in my heart,
YHWH will not hear my prayers,” Psalm 66:18.
Repent and return to Him. Psalm 38:18 - "For I will
declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin." Your
prayers will begin to be answered as YHWH cleanses
your heart of cold iniquity.
Trust the Savior to cleanse your heart of all torah-
less-ness. Get torah-more-ness by looking to the
Messiah. The Savior’s life is an example for all. We
are to “follow his steps,” 1 Peter 2:21. He rose early
in the morning to pray, He went to synagogue and
read from the Torah, He laid hands on the sick, and
He loved his enemies. He walked out the Torah with
absolutely NO iniquity in his heart.
Some scientists say that it’s too late to stop the
effects of Global Warming. They claim an
environmental apocalypse is inevitable and soon.
Global Cooling too can not be reversed. Iniquity is
increasing in the world and the love of many is
getting colder and colder. BUT, Global Cooling should
have NO power over the believer. Through prayer,
repentance, devotion, and trusting in YHWH we can
stay ablaze amidst a snow storm of sin. Though
people become popsicles all around, we can stay
warm for YHWH. Frostbite of the heart is stopped by
totally trusting in YHWH and His Son. For He has
taken our iniquity upon Himself and paid the price for
our sins. “He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for
our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we
are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray.
Each of us has turned to his own way; YHWH has
caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him,” Isaiah
53:5-6
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