WAKE-UP CALL: Part 3 – Come out of Babylon! Get GROUNDED (rooted, firmly established) in the TRUTH, the WORD of YHVH and avoid deception

22 October 2025

We are today proceeding with studying the WORD on WHAT WE SHOULD DO to COME OUT OF BABYLON as Abba Father calls us to do in Revelation 18:4-5 “Then I (John) heard another voice out of heaven say: ‘My people, COME OUT OF HER (Babylon)! So that you will not share in her sins. So that you will not be infected by her plagues, for her sins are a sticky mass piled up to heaven, and God has REMEMBERED her crimes.”

Yeshua our Messiah provides us with the reasons why we can find ourselves being  STUCK (trapped) in Babylon, the implications thereof and how to get out in His PARABLE on the SOWER and the SEED in Matthew 13:1-23 (also read Mark 4:1-20 and Luke 8:4-15). Last week we studied the FIRST REASON, namely: HEARING the MESSAGE of the KINGDOM of YHVH but not UNDERSTANDING it due to a HARDENED HEART and this week we are focusing on the SECOND REASON, namely:  

HEARING the WORD and ACCEPTING it with JOY, but not being GROUNDED (rooted, firmly established) in it.

In the PARABLE of the SOWER told by Yeshua in Matthew 13:5-6 some SEEDS fell on the rocky patches where there was not much soil. It sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow; but when the sun has risen, the young plants were scorched; and sins their ROOTS WERE NOT DEEP, they dried up.  He then explained in verses 20-21 this means: “The SEED SOWN on ROCKY GROUND is like a person who HEARS the MESSAGE and ACCEPTS it with JOY AT ONCE, but HAS NO ROOT in himself. So he stays on for a while; but as soon as some TROUBLE (worry, distress, suffering) or PERSECUTION (harassment, oppression, mistreatment, discrimination, torture, suffering) arises on ACCOUNT of the MESSAGE, he IMMEDIATELY FALLS AWAY (be becomes faithless, unfaithful to YHVH, rejecting His rule/ His laws, instructions, regulations in their life, deliberately turning away from the TRUTH/ the WORD and willfully rejecting Yeshua the Messiah).

Yeshua said in His explanation to His disciples on the end of days in Matthew 24:10-13: “…MANY FASLE PROPHETS will appear and FOOL MANY PEOPLE; and MANY PEOPLE’S LOVE WILL GROW COLD BECAUSE OF INCREASED DISTANCE FROM TORAH (Genesis to Deuteronomy, summed up in the Ten Commandments). We therefore see the danger of focusing only or mostly on the preaching and teachings of men and women, in our days referring to church services, YouTube. TikTok and other social media messages and presentations and not DAILY studying (reading, reviewing) the WORD of Abba Father oneself, therefore NOT BEING GROUNDED IN THE TRUTH OF THE WORD, taught to us by the HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF and needing no one else to teach us as we read in 1st John 2:27. And if we are not GROUNDED in the TRUTH of the WORD, false messiah’s and false prophets performing great and amazing things will be able to fool even the chosen, if possible, like Yeshua our Messiah warns in Matthew 24:24.

Paul explains it as follows in 2nd Corinthians 11:3 “… I fear that somehow your minds (thoughts, views, beliefs) may be seduced (enticed, lured) away from simple (humble, unpretentious) and pure (unpolluted) devotion (dedication, commitment, zeal/ enthusiasm/ passion) to the Messiah, just as Eve was deceived (betrayed, misled) by the serpent and his craftiness (deceit, dishonesty, pretense, deception).”

And Paul further said in Galatians 1:6-7 “I am astounded (astonished, surprised, shocked) that you are so quick to remove yourselves from me, the one who called you by Messiah’s grace, and turn to some other supposedly “Good News”, while it is not good news at all! What is really happening is that certain people are pestering (harassing) you and trying to pervert (distort, twist, misrepresent) the genuine GOOD NEWS of the Messiah.”

The Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians, explains: Any other gospel is not Good News at all but is misleading and capable of sending to Sheol (hell, the place of the dead) those who follow such falsehood. The Galatians specifically were exposed to a legalistic twisting and perversion (distortion) of Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) principles.

LEGALISM has to do with the WRONG belief that one can achieve SALVATION through strict adherence to the LAWS of God the Father, leading to a self-righteous attitude  that prioritizes human effort based on obeying an external set of written laws instead of accepting YESHUA the MESSIAH as our SAVIOUR through FAITH as a FREE GIFT from the Father and then FOLLOWING HIM in obedience to the Father’s LAWS with the help and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT writing the LAWS on our HEARTS (therefore living according to God’s LAWS, now wholly accepted and internalized). Read Ephesians 2:4-9.

Paul explains this specifically in regard to physical circumcision in Galatians 5:4-6 “You who are trying to be declared righteous by God through legalism have severed (separated) yourselves from the Messiah! You have FALLEN AWAY (turned away) from God’s GRACE! For it is by the POWER of the Spirit, who WORKS IN US because we TRUST (have faith, believe, hope) and are FAITHFUL (loyal, committed), that we confidently expect our hope of attaining righteousness (blamelessness, being morally right and justifiable in our conscience and conduct in obedience to God’s laws) to be fulfilled. When we are UNITED with the Messiah Yeshua, neither being (physically) circumcised nor being (physically) uncircumcised matters; what matters is TRUSTING FAITHFULNESS (loyalty, commitment, steadfastness) expressing itself through LOVE.”

So what is still applicable and required for EVERY BELIEVER by Abba Father from the start as we read in Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6 is a spiritual circumcision of the HEART to no longer be stubborn and to LOVE God with ALL your heart (emotions) and with ALL your soul (thoughts and free will) that you and your descendants may live. And we know that Yeshua our Messiah later explained in Matthew 22:36-40 that the MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMEND in the TORAH (Genesis to Deuteronomy) is that: ”You are to LOVE YHVH your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your strength…And a SECOND is SIMILAR to it, you are to LOVE your neighbor as yourself. ALL of the TORAH (Genesis to Deuteronomy) and the PROPHETS are dependent on these TWO COMMANDMENTS.” So here Yeshua our Messiah confirmed that these two commandments are the most important COMMANDMENTS to adhere to and they are related to each other. And we know it is a summary of the TEN COMMANDMENTS with the first four telling us HOW to LOVE YHVH our God and the last six telling us HOW to LOVE other people and ourselves Also read Romans 13:8-10 where Paul explains it.

Paul also made the connection between CIRCUMSISION of the HEART and GOD’s LAW of LOVE in Galatians 5:13-23 saying: “For brothers, you were called to be FREE. Only do not let that FREEDOM become an excuse for allowing your old nature to have its way. Instead SERVE one another IN LOVE. For the WHOLE of the TORAH (Genesis to Deuteronomy) is SUMMED UP in this one sentence; ‘LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.’ But if you go on snapping (suddenly reacting sharply verbally, speaking harsh words) at each other and tearing each other to pieces, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other! What I am saying is this: run your lives (the NIV says: walk) by the Spirit (the Holy Spirit). Then you will not do what your old nature wants. For the old nature wants what is contrary (conflicting, opposing) to the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is contrary to the old nature. These oppose (clash, are in conflict with) each other, so that you find yourselves unable to carry out your good intentions. But if you are LED by the Spirit, then you are not in subjection to the system that results from perverting (distorting, twisting) the Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy) into legalism.”

Paul then explains that the old nature expresses itself in sexual immorality, impurity and indecency, involvement with the occult and with drugs, in feuding (arguing, quarreling, disagreeing), fighting, becoming jealous (covetous, desirous) and getting angry, in selfish ambition (self-centered drive), factionalism (group forming/ divisions), intrigue (plotting, trickery, secrecy), and envy (greed, desire, resentment, dislike, offence, bitterness); in drunkenness, orgies (wild parties) and things like these.  But when we are led by the Spirit the FRUIT of the SPIRIT is visible namely: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, HUMILITY and SELF CONTROL. And Paul then concludes in verses 24-26 saying: “Moreover, those who belong to the Messiah Yeshua have put their old nature to death on the stake (the cross), along with its passions (lusts and urges) and desires (longings, cravings and yearnings). Since it is through the Spirit that we have LIFE, let it also be through the Spirit that we order our lives day by day. Let us not become conceited (self-important, proud, arrogant), provoking (aggravating, troublesome, difficult, annoying) and envying (coveting, resenting, disliking, hating) each other.”  Also read Colossians 2:11-16.

The Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians explains: Good deeds are done in LOVE. Humankind is not declared righteous by legalistic observance of Torah commandments (Genesis to Deuteronomy summed up in the Ten Commandments), but instead through TRUSTING FAITHFULNESS (loyalty, commitment, steadfastness) in Yeshua the Messiah. The whole of the Torah is summed up in the LOVE for God and our neighbor as ourselves which is the ESSENCE (the heart) of the TORAH. Also read Deuteronomy 6:3-9, Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:36-40 and Romans 13:8-10. Furthermore, the FRUIT of the SPIRIT does not come from legalistic observance but grows naturally out of TRUST (faith, hope, believe). Yeshua said in Matthew 12:33-37 a TREE is JUDGED by its FRUIT. Arguments for the objective truth of the GOOD NEWS are necessary, but what is REQUIRED, is the visible FRUIT of the HOLY SPIRIT in EVERY BELIEVER’s LIFE.

Paul again warns in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 “Don’t let anyone deceive (betray, mislead, misinform) you in any way.” For the DAY OF THE MASTER (YESHUA THE MESSIAH, referring to the SECOND COMING), will not come until after the APOSTACY (rejecting of Abba Father’s rule, His laws, instructions, regulations, deliberately turning away from the TRUTH of the WORD and willfully rejecting Yeshua the Messiah) has come and the man who separates himself from TORAH (Genesis to Deuteronomy, summed up in the Ten Commandments), has been revealed, the one destined for doom.” Other Bible versions refer to him as the man of LAWLESSNESS – so basically someone who REJECTS ALL of YHVH’s COMMANDMENTS, STATUTES and APPOINTED TIMES (His moedim in Hebrew), including His weekly and annual FEASTS and other INSTRUCTIONS.

Peter warns in 2nd Peter 2:1-3 of the danger of holding on to false prophets and teachers saying: But among the people there were also FALSE PROPHETS, just as there will be FLASE TEACHERS  (educators, instructors, coaches, trainers, lectors, professors), among you. Under FALSE (untrue, incorrect, wrong, dishonest, fabricated, deceitful) PRETENCES (self-deception) they will introduce (present, announce) heresies (deviations), even denying (rejecting) the Master (Yeshua the Messiah) who bought them, and thus bring themselves swift destruction. Many will follow the debaucheries (sins, immoralities, depravities, evils, corruptions); and because of them, the TRUE WAY will be maligned (slandered, criticized). In their greed they will exploit (abuse, manipulate) you with fabricated (invented, false) stories.

Peter also warns against misunderstanding Paul’s teachings in 2nd Peter chapter 3 first talking in verses 8-10 about Abba Father postponing the Second Coming of Yeshua the Messiah because He does not want anyone to perish but rather to turn from their sins before the heavens will disappear with a roar and the elements will melt and disintegrate, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up and then Peter says from verses 11-18: “Since everything is going to be destroyed like this, what kind of people should we be? YOU SHOULD LEAD HOLY (consecrated, sanctified and set-apart) AND GODLY (good, righteous) LIVES, as you wait for the DAY of GOD and work to hasten its coming. THAT DAY will bring destruction of the heavens with fire, and the elements will melt from the heat, but we, following along with HIS PROMISE, wait for NEW HEAVENS and a NEW EARTH, in which RIGHTEOUSNESS will be at home. Therefore, dear friends, as you look for these things, DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO BE FOUND BY HIM WITHOUT SPOT OR DEFECT AND AT PEACE. And think of our Master (Yeshua’s) patience as deliverance, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you, following the wisdom (understanding, knowledge, insight) God gave him. Indeed, he speaks about these things in ALL his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed (untaught, uneducated, uninformed, ignorant) and unstable DISTORT (twist, misrepresent), TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION, as they do to the other Scriptures. But you, dear friends, since you know this in advance, guard (protect, watch out for) yourselves; so that you will not be lead away by the errors (mistakes, inaccuracies, miscalculations) of the wicked (the evil, those disregarding YHVH’s justice, righteousness and truth) and fall from your own secure (save, protected) position. And keep GROWING in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE of our MASTER and DELIVERER, YESHUA the MESSIAH. To Him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.”

One such teaching of Paul which may be difficult to understand is found in 1 Timothy 4:1-7 where Paul says: “The Spirit expressly states that in the acharit hayamim (the end of days, end times) some people will apostatize (fall away, willingly, deliberately turn away) from the faith by paying attention to deceiving (misleading, lying) spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings comes from the hypocrisy (insincerity, two-facedness, falseness) of liars whose own consciences (inner sense of what is right and wrong guiding a person’s thoughts and actions) have been burned, as with a red-hot branding iron. They forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods which God created to be eaten with thanksgiving by those who have come to trust (faith, believe, hope). For everything created by God is good, and nothing received with thanksgiving (blessing, prayer, thanks) needs to be rejected, because the WORD of GOD and PRAYER make it holy. If you present all this to the brothers, you will be serving the Messiah Yeshua well: it will show that you have digested the WORDS of the FAITH and of the GOOD TEACHING which you have followed. But refuse godless old wives’ tales (foolish, unwise and absurd, strange teachings); and exercise (train) yourself in godliness (holiness, sacredness, purity, living set apart for God).”

The Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians, explains we read about Paul’s attitude to marriage in 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 and Paul’s writings about EATING is eminently sensible. He evaluates it in terms of how it affect others and how they express commitment to Yeshua the Messiah. We read in Romans 14:5-6, 14-17 and in verses 19-20 Paul says: “So then, let us pursue the things that make for shalom (peace) and mutual upbuilding. Don’t tear down God’s work for the sake of FOOD.” And in 1st Corinthians 8:8 Paul said: “Now FOOD will not improve our RELATIONSHIP with God…” We must understand that Abba Father’s LAW OF LOVE – HIS TEN COMMANDMENTS, telling us how to LOVE HIM above ALL ELSE and our NEIGHBOR as OURSELVES, SUPERSEDES the dietary laws (please read Yeshua’s words about this  in Matthew 5:17-48, Matthew 22:36-40 and Matthew 15:18-20). Although what we eat is important to stay healthy, God’s primary concern is our RELATIONSHIP with Him, other people and ourselves and living a life FREE of the bondage of sin.

Paul understood this well and points it out in Colossians 2:2-15 to the believers in Laodicea saying: “My purpose is that they may be encouraged, that they may be joined together in LOVE, and that they may have all the riches derived from being assured of UNDERSTANDING and FULLY KNOWING God (the Father’s) SECRET TRUTH, which is – the MESSIAH! It is IN HIM that ALL the TREASURES of WISDOM (understanding, knowledge, insight) are hidden. I say this so that no one will fool (deceive) you with plausible (believable, credible) but specious (false, hollow, unfounded) arguments (influences, opinions)…just as you received the MESSIAH YESHUA as MASTER, keep living your life UNITED with Him. REMAIN DEEPLY ROOTED (entrenched, engrained, embedded) IN HIM; continue being built up in Him and confirmed (deep-rooted) in your TRUST (faith, believe, hope) in the MESSIAH, the way you were taught, so that you overflow in thanksgiving. Watch out so that no one will take you captive by means of philosophy and empty deceit, following HUMAN TRADITION which accords with the elemental spirits (shallow and misleading principles) of the world but does not accord (agree) with the MESSIAH. For in Him, bodily, lives the fullness of all that God is. And it is in union with Him that you have been made full – He is the HEAD of every rule (law, instruction, regulation) and authority (power, influence, supremacy).

Also it is in union with Him that you were circumcised with a circumcision not done by human hands, but accomplished by stripping away (shedding, peeling off, removing) the old nature’s control over the body. In this circumcision done by the MESSIAH, you were BURRIED along with Him by being IMMERSED (baptized); and in UNION with HIM, you were also RAISED up along with HIM by GOD (the Father’s) FAITHFULNESS that worked when He raised YESHUA from the dead. You were dead because of your sins, that is, because of your “foreskin”, your old nature. But GOD (the Father) made you ALIVE along with the MESSIAH by FORGIVING you ALL your sins. He wiped away the bill of charges against us. Because of the regulations, it stood as a testimony against us; but HE removed it by nailing it to the execution stake (the cross). Stripping the rulers and authorities (fallen angels and demons under Satan’s control) of their power, he made a public spectacle (display) of them, triumphing over them by means of the cross.” These are pictures of Abba Father’s Feast Season One, namely Passover (the crucifixion of Yeshua our Messiah and our old sinful self with Him), Unleavened Bread (the burial of Yeshua our Messiah and our old sinful self with Him in the water of baptism) and First Fruit (the resurrection of Yeshua our Messiah and we with him as a new person).

Paul then also proceeds in verses 16-17 saying: “So don’t let anyone pass judgement on you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a Jewish festival (referring to the SEVEN FEASTS of YHVH still celebrated by the Southern Kingdom of Judah and Benjamin, called the Jews) or Rosh-Hodesh (celebrating the beginning of each lunar month) or Shabbat (the Sabbath). These are a shadow of things that are coming, but the BODY is of MESSIAH.” So what does Paul mean by this? Does it mean that he is cancelling God the Father’s instructions in the TORAH (Genesis to Deuteronomy) on God’s dietary laws and His weekly and annual feasts? Not at all! Paul is putting it into perspective that keeping the dietary laws and feasts are unable to SAVE people. It is a SHADOW of things to come – with other words, it helps us UNDERSTAND and PREPARE for the SALVATION PLAN of ABBA FATHER in terms of the FIRST and SECOND COMING of YESHUA our MESSIAH and the THOUSAND YEAR REIGN of PEACE and thereafter ETERNAL REST in GOD HIMSELF and YESHUA the MESSIAH. But without SALVATION in YESHUA the MESSIAH, none of the aforementioned will be of any benefit to a person! REMEMBER, YESHUA the MESSIAH is the ONLY WAY to the FATHER, without FAITH in HIM, we are lost, no matter how obedient we are to the DIETRY LAWS or HOW FAITHFULLY WE KEEP THE FEASTS! ALL of it is in vain without FAITH in YESHUA our SAVIOUR! But when we take that FIRST IMPORTANT STEP of SALVATION, we want to live in full obedience to ABBA FATHER’s LAWS and KEEP HIS FEASTS!

Sin as defined in God’s LAW has to be dealt with. Paul often spoke about this warning believers that living in accordance with the flesh will lead to them not being able to enter the KINGDOM of GOD (read Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:11, Revelation 22:14-15).

Paul himself encourages and warns believers in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 saying: “I solemnly (earnestly) charge you (give you a formal instruction) before God (the Father) and Messiah Yeshua, who will judge the living and the dead when He appears and established His Kingdom: PROCLAIM (announce, declare, pronounce/ speak) THE WORD!  Be on hand with it whether the time seems right or not. Convict (bring awareness of sin, righteousness and judgement), censure (express disapproval or criticism regarding moral and doctrinal errors) and exhort (encourage, press, push) with unfailing patience (endurance, tolerance, persistence) and with teaching (education, instruction, coaching). For the time is coming when people will not have patience (endurance/ strength, tolerance) for sound (faithful) teaching (of God’s TRUTH) but will cater to their passions and gather around themselves teachers who say whatever their ears itch (desire, yearns) to hear. Yes, they will STOP LISTENING to THE TRUTH but will turn aside to myths (legends/ mythologies, traditions/ customs, fables). But you, remain steady in every situation, endure (bear, tolerate) suffering (sorrow, grief, anguish, pain, distress) do the work that a PROCLAIMER of the GOOD NEWS should, and do everything your service to God requires.”

James 5:19-20 tells us: “…if one of you wanders from the TRUTH, and someone causes him to RETURN, you should know that whoever TURNS a sinner from his WANDERING PATH will SAVE him from DEATH and cover many sins (Also read Proverbs 10:12b).

So, IF we do not KNOW THE TRUTH of THE WORD of YHVH well enough by STUDYING HIS WORD OURSELVES, we are in DANGER of being DECEIVED by PEOPLE because we will not be able to DESCERN FALSENESS (the 5% or even 1% poison in the message of 95-99% truth) and consequently fall for the DECEPTION (lies, falsehood, fabrications).

Therefore, now more than ever we NEED to DO what the noble (honorable, moral, upright) people in BEREA did, eagerly welcoming the message, but checking the WORD of GOD EVERY DAY to see (test) if that which is preached, taught or told to us is TRUE (read Acts 17:11).