How To Overcome Evil With Good?
The Bible tells us not to be overcome by evil and to overcome the evil with good. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Exactly, how to overcome evil with good? The Bible also says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of Elohim” (Romans 12:2). In the world we live in we desperately need these great words of instructions from the Bible. To many people the world is getting harder and harder to live each day as this world is getting more and more wicked and lawless everyday. Why? Because the societies of the world today are already on the transformational stages toward a modern “Babylonian” system. How are genuine Christians to live in this fast-paced and technologically-advanced world and not be corrupted by it—to be in the world and not of it? The biblical example of Daniel in ancient Babylon shows us the way. Today, the Holy Spirit of Yahweh inspire us to share with you this heavenly message of instruction. May you have the eyes to see and the ears to hear for this true and faithful message of the Heavenly Kingdom.
To start with, we want you to take a good look at today’s world. What do you see? The Middle East is aflame. Iran still want to seek, develop, or acquire nuclear weapons. Its core leadership still incite its people to chant “death to Israel” and “death to America.” Its recent agreement with the U.N. did not lessen the tensions throughout the Middle East beginning in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Very clearly, the fundamentalist Shiite Muslim leadership of Iran will continue plans to develop any weapons of mass destruction—and when successful, it will use them to further its grotesque and hateful mission against Israel and the United States, even to the rest of the world. It is not a matter of if but when. Europe is also going through a very rough period. The European Union has faltered in its plan for an even-closer economic and social cooperation among the nations of Europe, a region that has seen so much war and strife in the last century. In Israel, a nation under a constant threat of terrorism from Iran and its fundamentalist allies in that part of the world. In North Korea, a very unpredictable nation that will supposedly to undergo a full and complete denuclearization of its arsenal to stabilize the Korean peninsula. In China, a nation currently expanding its military and territory in the Pacific. China’s “illegal” acquisition of the Spratly island in the South China sea is making a lot of tensions in that region. The United Kingdom facing uncertainty to its clout in Europe after its recent “Brexit.” Russia is getting anxious with the U.S. on matters of trade sanctions and other foreign-related issues. The U.S. on its current trade war with China.
Furthermore, the United States need a special mention from us for obvious reason that nations of the “free world” look up to the United States for help and guidance and whatever the U.S. say or do, most of these nations follow. Today, we see racial strife erupting in the major cities of America, reflecting deep-seated anger stemming from a social structure that is not balanced or in line with the values of holy biblical teaching. Decades ago America was an Elohim-fearing and Elohim-loving country. Very sadly, those days were long gone. Why is there an increasingly progressive moral meltdown in the United States? There has to be reasons for it, right? The American society have cut themselves off from the Elohim of heaven. They have not wanted to keep Yahweh and His laws in the center of public life. In the United States there has been a steady erosion of biblical values and teachings for more than 50 years. But why? It’s because the United States Supreme Court, yes, America’s highest judicial body has issued landmark rulings in three areas that reflect the country’s decline in the eyes of the Elohim in heaven. In the early 1960s the U.S. Supreme Court issued two rulings regarding prayer and Bible readings in public schools. In the first, the justices ruled that official prayer had no place in public education! A year later, the U.S. Supreme Court declared school-sponsored Bible reading and recitation of the holy Master’s Prayer a.k.a. the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), unconstitutional! These decisions became part of the cultural change that continues to this day. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against a matter of high spiritual importance for a nation blessed with a unique position in the world stage—a great position made possible by the Almighty Father in heaven, Yahweh! Then in 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court decided another very significant landmark case, Roe vs Wade. This case legalized abortion in all 50 states! It permitted the taking of an unborn life, labeling murder as if it is a “right” guaranteed by the 14th amendment of the Constitution! Since 1973 more than 50 million abortions have been legally performed in the U.S. alone! Keep in mind that when any government on earth does not protect its unborn human life, it deserves the judgement from the Giver of life. The third of these rulings by the Supreme Court came in June 2015 with the legalization of same-sex marriage! This court ruling made a sweeping right that same-sex marriage is guaranteed by the Constitution! The court has stepped beyond the authority of spiritual realm defying the Elohim who created man, woman and marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court superseded its authority and voted against biblical marriage using their flawed reasoning and incorrect judgement. Woe to those justices and to all others like them! The Bible tells us, “For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed” (Isaiah 9:16). It is very sad when people find many reasons to complain to Elohim about their pains and sufferings. Listen! Do not be deceived, Yahweh is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7-8).
The biblical book of Daniel is a story of kingdoms at war during one of the most crucial periods of world history. The prophet Daniel spent his adult life working in the kingdom of ancient Babylon. Yahweh gave Daniel the gift of understanding to interpret dreams and prophecies and even the strangest of sights—the handwriting of a floating hand that happened in Babylon. When king Belshazzar saw this, “his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear and his legs gave way beneath him” (Daniel 5:6). The king wanted to know the meaning of the mysterious handwriting but his trusted counselors were not able to interpret it. The king offered to give much prestige and power from his kingdom to whoever is able to interpret the handwriting. Yes, nobody was able to interpret, but the Babylon queen has a better idea and summoned Daniel to interpret the handwriting for the king. Why? This man Daniel…has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means (Daniel 5:11-12). What happens next was a moment of truth for king Belshazzar and it should be an eye-opener to all of us today! Daniel told Belshazzar: “You have proudly defiled the Elohim of heaven and have had these cups from His temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see, nor hear, nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the Elohim who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!” (Daniel 5:23). Daniel also gave the king the interpretation of the inscription: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. These four words means “Yahweh has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Daniel 5:26-28). Precisely, on that very night the armies of his enemies captured Belshazzar and his mighty Babylon empire!
Therefore, how to overcome evil with good? Or to live in a modern Babylon, while not conforming to it? The prophet Jeremiah says to be a good citizen! Have a family. Grow fruit trees and vegetables. Build homes. Don’t break the law. Contribute to its peace. Don’t follow false prophets who lead you away from Yahweh’s instructions. We must have a humble service and a heartfelt concern for the well-being of others. We have to have love for people, even to love our own enemies. Yet we don’t have to promote and join the wrong behaviors and beliefs of our enemies that are doing bad things. We have to be relevant witnesses and be a light to this dark world. We cannot afford to compromise and deconstruct biblical truth. We must be unwavering and uncompromising when it comes to Yahweh’s Commandments, including Sabbath-keeping. We have to be bold in our belief of Yahweh and His Son Yahshua the Messiah. We don’t have to keep our divine knowledge only to ourselves. We talk about Yahweh and Yahshua to others who are willing to listen and to learn from us about the Father and the Son. We should be more like the prophet “Daniel who purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of eunuchs that he might not defile himself (Daniel 1:8). We must do everything to the best of our ability. We should be faithful even in the little things (Luke 16:10-11). We have to have an uncompromising moral character. And like the prophet Daniel, we must spend time with Elohim and pray like him. Yahweh was real to Daniel. He did pray—every day—even three times a day, as was his custom (Daniel 6:10). Yes, prayer is an antidote to drifting astray. The apostle Paul tells us, “Pray without ceasing, for this is the will of Elohim” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
In closing, we are living in a period of great change in today’s world. Where is it leading, and what does it mean? Babel means confusion. This world is confused and many of its people have confused state of minds. We see here and there and everywhere we look where nations and power structures are realigning. Weaknesses are being exposed. Cultural shifts are taking place that are shocking to many. The modern Babylonian system of life has an obsession with spectacle and noise. We have given ourselves to the wrong gods of entertainment and media, of fantasy, of hollywood, of grandeur, of pleasure. Babylonians live a life that favors stadium-filled concerts, images, moving pictures and visuals rather than things of spiritual substance. The world today is on a trajectory for big time deception and utter destruction at the end of the age just prior to Yahshua the Messiah’s return to this earth to establish His Heavenly Kingdom here. Very sadly, just like king Belshazzar of ancient Babylon, we still are not listening and paying close attention to the mysterious handwriting on the wall. The handwriting that tells us to stop blaspheming the name of the Heavenly Father in heaven and to stop seeking worldly pleasures and to stop the practice of abominable idolatry in all of its size, shape and form! The time is now for you to be like the prophet Daniel! For Daniel the choice was clear. To be in Yahweh’s Kingdom in the future was the only right choice. The Yahweh he served was the one true Elohim who lives, unlike the false gods of stone and wood and metal he saw in the temples of Babylon. The time is right now to take action and rise to a higher calling and a higher way of life. The time is now to seek Yahweh, the Elohim of heaven and live! May the biblical example of Daniel the Prophet inspire and encourage all of us in our great trials in the time of the end. May love, peace and truth be with you all. May you be blessed and be enlightened by this true and faithful Kingdom message. We humbly ask and pray for all these things to the Almighty Yahweh in the name of our coming Savior, our Master, and our King Yahshua the Messiah, Amen. Halleluyah and Shalom!
