Japanese propaganda caricature map from around 1941, depicting a U.S blockade of Japan from the Philippines (then a U.S. possession)
Money Evil's Root
Introduction I Tim 6:10 & II Kings 5:1-27
There is an old saying follow the money, if you want to get down to the truth of a matter. This is true in our government when decisions are made that make no sense. What I am speaking of is corruption and conflicts of interest. History records that there are many incidents where the underlining of the circumstances were because of monetary advantages. This holds true in our society, churches, governments and entertainments.
1. Curse of Money (I Tim 6:10 & II Kings 5:1-27)
· What makes a women sell herself or a man commit murder, evil in the world follow the money
· Whether for good or evil nations will seek fortune regardless of the cost
· Most wars were for money or possessions that make riches, US Boycott of Japan, Kuwait, Germany
· In II Kings we see the downfall of Gehazi, Elisha's servant
· Why does money have this power and knowing of this pitfall why are we overcome by it?
a. Money itself is not evil, it's the love of money
b. Loving wealth causes people to do things they would not normally do movie stars and playboy
c. Sexual immorality, old guy hot teen you get the picture
d. People love the fact that having possessions is the key to joy and fulfillment
· It creates a plaque that will affect your life forever, Gehazi (Vs. 27)
· When is it to have enough money or at what point are you happy with possession?
· Not everyone is caught up with this but many covet and are not open to do right
· What goals are there in your live and do these goals benefit you or God?
· Someone said Money is you in spend able form, if this is the case how do you spend yourself
Are you liberal?
Is your life geared to God or money (Luke 16:13-15)
Money does battle with God over your devotions, career
Many will choose rather to seek self than Godly ambitions
Gehazi was sucked into riches and was cursed in the process
It's real to the sinner and the saint alike, a danger that is why Elisha refused the gift
Christian work for God freely like Jesus on the cross freely sacrificed himself
2. No Joy in Money (Vs. 27)
· The Syrian King servant was wealthy but under a curse of leprosy
· He sought after the Israeli God to be healed
· This man was under the impression of great cost and was offended when instructed to wash in Jordon
· Money played no part in the healing, he was instructed to offer a sacrifice unto God afterwards
a. You can not buy God, (Acts 7:49-50 & 17:24-25)
b. God mercy will heal the sin from this world
- There is a need for humanity to understand that the love of money is not the answer
- Can money buy salvation? not in the kings case he was sealed to death
- There is a false belief that money is the solution to life's problems
- money makes us what we are whether good or evil
- Can money save you? Chris Farley, John Buloshi etc.
- Slave market, drug addiction, gambling and sin in general
- Hollywood elite go bankrupt Redd Fox and many others
- Money does buy a temporary satisfaction but it will let you down
- Money is not going to get you fulfillment
3. God's Mercy and Man's Ignorance (Matt 19:24-26)
· Thank God for Mercy
The disciples have this mentality about the Rich, the question is if the rich can not get in them who?
False mentality - (Romans 2:10-12) God does not view like the disciples
Humanity views success by the designers clothes and who you know the elite
If these successful can't make it how are we the disciples going to be accepted (I Pet 1:16-19)
(Acts 10:34-35) - All nations, it is God's mercy not man's riches.
Money in this world buys honor and notoriety but not God
(Acts 8:9-24) - Man feels money can buy everything but not God Gehazi now knows this
God does not respect money lovers so come with repentance not gifts
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Arrows to ground
Nathan lust after the monies - Leaper
Ananis and Sapphira
Saul and Agag
Elijah and the widow women
Widow women gift to Jesus
Alabaster Box broken for Jesus
Rich young ruler
1 Tim 6:10-11
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2 Kings 5:1-27
5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with
his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto
Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of
the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that
is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that
is of the land of Israel.
5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king
of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six
thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter
is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that
thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent
his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth
send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you,
and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel
had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent
thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet
in Israel.
9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of
the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven
times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will
surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and
strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a
rage.
13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the
prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how
much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the
saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a
little child, and he was clean.
15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and
stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all
earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy
servant.
16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.
And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant
two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt
offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the
house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in
the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD
pardon thy servant in this thing.
19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master
hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he
brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of
him.
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him,
he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now
there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the
prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of
garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound
two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them
upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed
them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence
comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned
again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to
receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and
menservants, and maidservants?
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for
ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Luke 16:13-15
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love
the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they
derided him.
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but
God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is
abomination in the sight of God.
Acts 7:49-50
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me?
saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
Acts 17:24-25
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of
heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing
he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Matt 19:24-26
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then
can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but
with God all things are possible.
Rom 2:10-12
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew
first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as
many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
1 Peter 1:16-19
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth
according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as
silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your
fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot:
Acts 10:34-35
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no
respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him.
Acts 8:9-24
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city
used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was
some great one:
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man
is the great power of God.
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them
with sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of
God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with
Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the
Holy Ghost:
16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy
Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may
receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast
thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in
the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought
of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of
iniquity.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these
things which ye have spoken come upon me.
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1 Tim 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
[The love of money is the root of all evil] Perhaps it would be better to
translate pantoon (NT:3956) toon (NT:3588) kakoon (NT:2556), of all these evils;
i.e. the evils enumerated above; for it cannot be true that the love of money is
the root of all evil, it certainly was not the root whence the transgression of
Adam sprang, but it is the root whence all the evils mentioned in the preceding
verse spring. This text has been often very incautiously quoted; for how often
do we hear, "The Scripture says, Money is the root of all evil!" No, the
Scripture says no such thing. Money is the root of no evil, nor is it an evil of
any kind; but the love of it is the root of all the evils mentioned here.
[While some coveted after] Oregomenoi (NT:3713). Insatiably desiring.
[Have erred from the faith] Apeplaneetheesan (NT:635). Have totally erred-have
made a most fatal and ruinous departure from the religion of Christ.
[And pierced themselves through with many sorrows.] The word periepeiran
(NT:4044) signifies to be transfixed in every part; and is an allusion to one of
those snares, pagida (NT:3803), mentioned 1 Tim 6:9, where a hole is dug in the
earth, and filled full of sharp stakes, and, being slightly covered over with
turf, is not perceived; and whatever steps on it falls in, and is pierced
through and through with these sharp stakes, the odunais (NT:3601) pollais
(NT:4183), the many torments, mentioned by the apostle. See the note at 1 Tim
6:9.
(from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by
Biblesoft)
LEPROSY
LEPROSY AND THE MOSAIC LAW (Heb. sara`at, "a smiting," "a scourge"). Here will
be considered the Mosaic regulations respecting the existence of leprosy and the
purification from it. The law for leprosy treats leprosy in man, in a house, and
in fabrics:
Leprosy in Man. The priest was to decide whether the leprosy was in its
dangerous forms when appearing on the skin (Lev 13:2-28), on the head and beard
(vv. 29-37); in harmless forms (vv. 38-39); and when appearing on a bald head
(vv. 40-44); and he was to give instructions concerning the removal of the leper
from social contact (vv. 45-46). When he was thus excluded the leper was to wear
mourning costume, rend his clothes, leave the hair of his head disordered, keep
the beard covered, and cry, "Unclean! Unclean!" that everyone might avoid him
for fear of being defiled (cf. Lam 4:15). As long as the disease lasted he was
to dwell outside the camp (Lev 13:45-46; Num 5:2-4; 12:15; etc.) Respecting the
symptoms the priest was to decide as to whether they indicated leprosy or some
other disease.
The ceremony prescribed for the purification of persons cured of leprosy is
based on the idea that this malady is the bodily symbol not so much of sin
merely as of death. Accordingly the rite of purification resolved itself into
two parts. The first part of the rite had to do with the readmission of the
sufferer (Lev 14:1-9), who had been looked upon as dead, into the society of the
living, and the preparation for his return to fellowship with the covenant
people. This ceremony, therefore, took place outside the camp. The officiating
priest caused two clean and living birds, along with some cedar wood, scarlet
wool, and hyssop, to be brought. One of the birds was killed over running water,
that is, water from a spring or stream, in such a way that the blood would flow
into the water. He then dipped into this the living bird, the cedar, the scarlet
wool, and the hyssop-the symbol of duration of life, vigor of life, and purity.
He then sprinkled it seven times upon the leper, after which the living bird was
set free, thus symbolizing that the leper was at liberty to return to society.
The slain bird, though not having a sacrificial character, seems intended to
show that the leper was saved from death by the intervention of divine mercy.
The sprinkling was repeated seven times. The symbolical cleansing was followed
by the shaving off of the hair, which was peculiarly liable to be affected by
the leprosy, bathing the body in water, and washing the clothes.
The second part of the rite had to do with readmission of the former leper to
the camp (Lev 14:10-32), that he might resume living in his tent. This privilege
was obtained after a second cleansing, on the eighth day. On this day the priest
presented the candidate, with the necessary offerings, before the Lord. These
offerings were two male lambs, one ewe lamb, three-tenths of an ephah of flour
mingled with oil, and one log of oil. The priests waved one of the male lambs
and the log of oil for a trespass offering. The lamb was then slain, and some of
the blood was put upon the tip of the ear, the hand, and the foot of the person.
These same organs were afterward anointed with oil, and after the priest had
sprinkled some of the oil seven times before the Lord the remainder was poured
upon the head of the person to be dedicated. The ewe lamb was then offered for a
sin offering, for the purpose of making atonement (v. 19), after which the burnt
and meat offerings were presented. In case the person was poor he offered one
lamb, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons (vv. 21-22). Thus the restored leper
was admitted again to communion with the altar and with Israel.
Leprosy in a House. The law concerning leprosy in a house was made known to
Moses, as intended for the time when Israel should possess Canaan and dwell in
houses. This leprosy manifested its presence by depressions of a greenish or
reddish color on the walls, and was of vegetable formation. When these
indications were observed the owner of the house reported to the priest, who
directed that the whole contents of the house should be taken out, in order to
prevent everything within it from becoming unclean. The priest then examined the
walls of the house, and if he saw symptoms of the plague he ordered the house
closed for seven days. If on the seventh day the leprosy gave evidence of
spreading he ordered the affected stones to be removed, the inside of the house
to be scraped, the removed parts replaced by others, and the walls plastered
with fresh mortar. If, after these precautions, the evil should reappear, the
leprosy was pronounced to be of a malignant type, and the house was pulled down,
its stones, timber, and rubbish being removed to an unclean place outside the
city. Any person entering the house, who ate or slept in it, was accounted
unclean and was required to wash his clothes. If it was found that the plague
had not spread after the house was plastered, the priest declared it free from
disease, and after sprinkling it seven times with the same kind of sprinkling
water as was used in the case of human leprosy, he purified it and made
atonement for it that it might be clean (Lev 14:33-53)
(From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of
Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.)
Imperial Japanese military leaders appear to have had mixed feelings about the attack. Yamamoto was unhappy about the botched timing of the breaking off of negotiations. He is commonly thought to have said, "I fear all we have done is awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with terrible resolve" . Even though the words may not have been uttered by Yamamoto, it did seem to capture his feelings about the attack. He is on record as saying, in the previous year, that "I can run wild for six months … after that, I have no expectation of success."[8]
Japanese propaganda caricature map from around 1941, depicting a U.S blockade of Japan from the Philippines (then a U.S. possession)
Although the Imperial Japanese government had made some effort to prepare the general Japanese civilian population for war with the U.S. through anti-U.S. propaganda, it appears that most Japanese were surprised, apprehensive, and dismayed by the news that they were now at war with the U.S., a country that many Japanese admired, and its allies. Nevertheless, the Japanese people living in Japan and its territories thereafter generally accepted their government's reasons for the attack and supported the war effort until their nation's surrender in 1945.[9]
Japan's national leadership at that time appeared to believe that the war between the U.S. and Japan was inevitable. In 1942, Saburo Kurusu, former Japanese ambassador to the United States, gave an address in which he traced the "historical inevitability of the war of Greater East Asia."[10] He said that the war was a response to Washington's longstanding aggression toward Japan. According to Kurusu, the provocations began with the San Francisco School incident and the United States' racist policies on Japanese immigrants, and culminated in the "belligerent" scrap metal and oil boycott by the United States and allied countries. Of Pearl Harbor itself, he said that it came in direct response to a virtual ultimatum, the Hull note, from the U.S. government, and that the surprise attack was not treacherous because it should have been expected.
Many Japanese today still feel that they were "pushed" into the war by the U.S. due to threats to their national security from the U.S. and other European powers or that the war "happened" to them through no fault of their own.[11] For example, the Japan Times, an English-language newspaper owned by one of the major news organizations in Japan (Asahi Shimbun), ran a number of columns in the early 2000s that echo Kurusu's comments in reference to Pearl Harbor.[12] Putting Pearl Harbor into context, writers repeatedly contrast the thousands of U.S. servicemen killed in that attack with the hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians later killed by U.S. air attacks.[13]
However, in spite of the perceived inevitability of the war, many Japanese believe that the Pearl Harbor attack, although a tactical victory, was in reality part of a seriously flawed strategy for engaging in war with the U.S. As one columnist eulogizes the attack:
The Pearl Harbor attack was a brilliant tactic, but part of a strategy based on the belief that a spirit as firm as iron and as beautiful as cherry blossoms could overcome the materially wealthy United States. That strategy was flawed, and Japan's total defeat would follow.[14]
In 1991, the Japanese Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that in 1941 Japan had intended to make a formal declaration of war to the United States at 1 PM Washington time, 25 minutes before the attacks at Pearl Harbor were scheduled to begin. It appears that the Japanese government was referring to the "14-part message", which did not even formally break off negotiations, let alone declare war. However, due to various delays, the Japanese ambassador was unable to make the declaration until well after the attacks had begun. The Japanese government apologized for this delay.
The first Prime Minister of Japan during World War II Hideki Tojo later wrote that
When reflecting upon it today, that the Pearl Harbor attack should have succeeded in achieving surprise seems a blessing from Heaven.
