John the Baptist was not soft. He was a fierce prophet bringing repentance to Israel before the Messiah came. Jesus is fierce as well. Jesus is boiling hot for the Day of the Lord. Jesus is gathering his church, the warriors, who will come back to earth with him. He is building an army to annihilate his enemies. This is the need for the harpazo, to gather the redeemed for the Day of the Lord. There are many ways that Satanas battles humans. One way is a full-on frontal attack, another way is by temptation, and yet another is by making life easy. All three of these things happen to all of us. When our spiritual battles are a full frontal attack it’s pretty easy to see and know what is happening. When we are attacked with temptation we also know what is happening. But when we are left alone and life is easy we sometimes forget about the raging battle around us. We become soft.
In verse 8 of Matthew 11, Jesus asks the people who were repenting and being baptized what they went out into the wilderness to see. Jesus asks “a man clothed in soft raiment?” We do not truly understand the word soft in this usage. Why? Because we have been under the kind of spiritual attack that leaves us alone, and in turn we leave others alone. We are soft. Then Satanas slips in the scheme that doesn’t attack us but is promoted among other people. Then the same scheme slips into our lives in different ways, such as schools, in the work place, or in the church. One type of attack is in regards to masculinity and femininity. Jesus’ word “soft” is far more broad than just a soft personality, meaning kind and gentle. Jesus means soft as in effeminate.
Matthew 11:8 G235 But G5100 what G1831 did you come forth G1492 to behold? G444 a man G1722 [2in G3120 3soft G2440 4garments G294 1being clothed]? G2400 Behold, G3588 the ones G3588 G3120 [2soft garments G5409 1wearing G1722 4in G3588 5the G3624 6houses G3588 7of the G933 8palaces G1510.2.6 3are].
3120 LSJ Gloss:μαλακός a fresh-ploughed
Dodson:μαλακός soft, effeminate
(a) soft, (b) of persons: soft, delicate, effeminate.
Strong’s: μαλακός
soft, i.e. fine (clothing); figuratively, a catamite
Derivation: of uncertain affinity;
KJV Usage: effeminate, soft.
TBESG:μαλακός soft/effeminate
G:A
μαλακός, -ή, -όν
[in LXX: Pro.25:15 (רַךְ) Pro.26:22 (לָהַם)* ;]
soft;
__1. prop., to the touch (opp. to σκληρός): of clothing, pl.,
Refs
Mat.11:8, Luk.7:25
.
__2. Of persons and their mode of living;
__(a) mild, gentle;
__(b) soft, effeminate: 1Co.6:9 (prob. in obscene sense, cf. Deiss., LAE, 150, 4; MM, xvi; Zorell, see word).†
(AS)
Thayer:
μαλακός, -ή, -όν; soft to the touch: ἱμάτια, Mt. xi. 8 R G L br.; Lk. vii. 25, (ἱμάτίων πολυπτελῶν κ. μαλακῶν, Artem. oneir. 1, 78; ἐσθής, Hom. Od. 23, 290; Artem. oneir. 2, 3; χιτών, Hom. Il. 2, 42); and simply τὰ μαλακά, soft raiment (see λευκός, 1): Mt. xi. 8 T TR WH. Like the Lat. mollis, metaph. and in a bad sense: effeminate, of a catamite, a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness, 1 Co. vi. 9 (Dion. Hal. antt. 7, 2 sub fin.; [Diog. Laërt. 7, 173 fin.]).*
1) soft, soft to the touch
2) metaph. in a bad sense
2a) effeminate
2a1) of a catamite
2a2) of a boy kept for homosexual relations with a man
2a3) of a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness
2a4) of a male prostitute
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
μαλακός
malakos mal-ak-os' Of uncertain affinity; soft, that is, fine (clothing); figuratively a catamite KJV Usage: effeminate, soft.
“Otherwise anyone go out to see manfaced effeminate outer garment clothed? Behold the the effeminate wear in the house the palace are.”
In other words, John was not a rich soft, effeminate, catamite. This tells us that soft, effeminate, catamites, were a part of society in Jesus’ time. We know that there were male and female prostitutes in the temple for over four hundred years before the Babylonian captivity and so by virtue of the woman “taken in adultery” there were still prostitutes in the temple. Which is why Jesus said that whoever had not sinned with her should cast the first stone.
The people did in fact go out to see thespians, poets, artists, and musicians. People did understand that men sometimes dressed as women in plays and theater. The rich rulers were effeminate, affording the soft clothing, long flowing robes and jewelry. The same style that women would wear and the opposite of how a Roman soldier would look. There is nothing new under the sun.
Think about Joseph. Years after selling Joseph his brothers went looking for him. They thought he might be a male prostitute. They went to Egypt to look for him near the wall of the city, which is where the prostitutes hung out. Maybe as a boy Joseph was soft and effeminate. Maybe Jacob babied him with his special coat. Maybe Joseph did not work as hard in manual labor as his older brothers. Prison seemed to harden Joseph up a bit.
It used to be that if we thought about a person who is in the military we could feel confident that if there was a knife wielding murderer coming after us that the person in the military would help to defend us. Maybe the person in military service would stand in the way of our attacker and disarm our attacker. It is not because the person in military service is looking for a fight, but instead it is because they are trained to fight and to defend people. We would not expect a soft person to defend us. We would not expect an effeminate person to help us. We would not expect a catamite to defend us. We have all seen videos of crimes committed by crazy people in public where one person films and others just walk by or look away. What type of people are we? Has there been a shift in our societies over several decades that has condemned strong courageous people and elevated soft effeminate people? Isn’t that the spiritual attack that we find ourselves under yet never saw coming? Isn’t that the attack against our nation that we also find ourselves under?
This should give us pause. Most pastors and preachers wear soft raiment. They are soft. We look at their soft clothes, large homes, and fancy cars and wish we had that nice soft lifestyle too. Once, a Pastor received notice that a gunman may be on his way to harm people in the Pastor’s church. The Pastor had a guest speaker that morning. The Pastor told his own family not to come to church that day but did not tell anyone else. That Pastor stayed locked in his own office while two services took place. After the second service the gunman showed up, murdered two young women and injured three others. Funny enough, the person who subdued the gunman was an off duty female security guard. The Pastor hid, the woman ran to the danger. What can you expect from your Pastor? Would your Pastor stand in the way of a gunman? Or would he hide and keep his own family safe while letting the congregation become sacrifices?
In Matthew 11 Jesus goes on to berate the cities where most of the miracles were done because they were not repentant. Have you ever seen a successful church with soft leaders, where at one time there were mighty miracles? The leaders fought fiercely with sweat, just to get people in the doors and saved. Miracles began to flow and the fighting eased up. Then the miracles faded but the church attendance had grown, and the fighting and the sweating that once took place had stopped. People are comfortable in that church now, even though there are no miracles any longer. Leaders are glad that the attendance hasn’t decreased, but they no longer repent, they no longer fight. They do however remember the glory days. It will be more tolerable for sin city on the day of judgment than for them, verses 22-24.
John was not effeminate. It is hard to paint a portrait of someone that we think would look like John the Baptist as being effeminate or soft, wearing camel skins and eating locust and honey. Jesus was not effeminate. Yet we portray him as a soft effeminate mild mannered man. He was not. He was fierce and zealous for the Kingdom of Heaven and worked day and night to bring the Kingdom of Heaven near to humans. His anger runs deep.
John 2:13 G2532 And G1451 near G1510.7.3 was G3588 the G3957 passover G3588 of the G* Jews, G2532 and G305 [2ascended G1519 3unto G* 4Jerusalem G3588 G* 1Jesus].
Notice here how John says that it was the passover of the Jews. The passover of the Essenes was celebrated on a different day, always the fourteenth of Nissan on a solar calendar. The Jews used a lunar calendar and their dates varied every year. As per Moses the calendar was to be a solar calendar, so the Essenes, Nazarenes, Therapeutaes, Damascus Community, the Assideans, the Zedeks, the Zadok Priests, and the Prophets, all followed the solar passover. The Jews followed a lunar passover.
John 2:14 G2532 And G2147 he found G1722 in G3588 the G2413 temple G3588 the ones G4453 selling G1016 oxen G2532 and G4263 sheep G2532 and G4058 doves, G2532 and G3588 the G2773 money-changers G2521 sitting down.
People sold oxen, sheep, and doves for sacrifice offerings. It became a money making convenience in the temple courts so that people did not have to travel with a sacrifice to Jerusalem. The money changers were exchanging foreign money for shekels for temple tax. They probably worked with several different currencies and took a percentage. Again this was a convenience for the people so that the temple priests did not have to go through the bother of exchanging defiled money with various kings on it. Was convenience the point of bringing the tax or a sacrifice to the temple? It was not supposed to be convenient, it was supposed to be heartfelt and solemn. People were simply going through the motions to keep the laws and assumed that they would be saved when they were truly not.
John 2:15 G2532 And G4160 having made G5416 a scourge G1537 out of G4979 rough cords, G3956 he cast out all G1544 G1537 from G3588 the G2413 temple -- G3588 both the G5037 G4263 sheep G2532 and G3588 the G1016 oxen. G2532 And G3588 of the G2855 money-changers, G1632 he poured out G3588 the G2772 brass coins, G2532 and G3588 the G5132 tables G390 he overturned.
Jesus made a whip out of ropes and threw out all the sellers of sacrifices and the moneychangers. Where was Jesus? In the Temple courts. Jesus never went into the inner courts of the temple. The outer courts were for the community; a section for women, a section for men, and a section for the nations. Jesus poured out the coins and overturned their tables. Do you think he was being nice about it? Was he being kind? Was he angry? Was he righting an injustice?
John 2:16 G2532 And G3588 to the ones G3588 [2the G4058 3doves G4453 1selling] G2036 he said, G142 Take G3778 these G1782 from here! G3361 Do not G4160 make G3588 the G3624 house G3588 G3962 of my father G1473 G3624 a house G1712 of a market-place!
This is our Lord and Savior. He did not want church to become an emporium or mercantile. He expected the temple to be a holy place, not a flea market. More so however, Jesus wanted people to come with the correct attitude, not just going through the motions. He wanted true repentance and true restoration to the Elohim.
John 2:17 G3403 [3remembered G1161 1And G3588 G3101 2his disciples] G1473 G3754 that G1125 [2being written G1510.2.3 1it is], G3588 The G2205 zeal G3588 G3624 of your house G1473 G2719 devoured G1473 me.
2205 LSJ Gloss:ζῆλος eager rivalry, zealous imitation, emulation
Dodson:ζῆλος eagerness, zeal, rivalry
(a) eagerness, zeal, enthusiasm, (b) jealousy, rivalry.
Strong’s: ζῆλος
properly, heat, i.e. (figuratively) "zeal" (in a favorable sense, ardor; in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband (figuratively, of God), or an enemy, malice)
Derivation: from G2204;
KJV Usage: emulation, envy(-ing), fervent mind, indignation, jealousy, zeal.
TBESG:ζῆλος zeal
G:N-M/N
ζῆλος, -ου, ὁ and in late Gk., also -εος, τό (
__1. zeal:
with genitive subj., θεοῦ, 2Co.11:2; πυρός, Heb.10:27 (cf.
__2. jealousy:
(WH, txt, RV),
πλησθῆναι ζήλου
(AS)
Thayer:
1) excitement of mind, ardour, fervour of spirit
1a) zeal, ardour in embracing, pursuing, defending anything
1a1) zeal in behalf of, for a person or thing
1a2) the fierceness of indignation, punitive zeal
1b) an envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy
Trench's New Testament Synonyms
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
ζῆλος
zēlos dzay'-los From G2204; properly heat, that is, (figuratively) “zeal” (in a favorable sense, ardor; in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband [figuratively of God], or an enemy, malice) KJV Usage: emulation, envy (-ing), fervent mind, indignation, jealousy, zeal.
2204 LSJ Gloss:ζέω to boil, seethe
Dodson:ζέω I burn in spirit
(lit: I boil, am boiling), I burn (in spirit), am fervent.
Strong's:ζέω
to be hot (boil, of liquids; or glow, of solids), i.e. (figuratively) be fervid (earnest)
Derivation: a primary verb;
KJV Usage: be fervent.
TBESG:ζέω be fervent
G:V
ζέω
[in LXX for רוּם, רָתַח, metaph., 4Ma.18:20 ;]
to boil, be hot; metaph., of anger, love, zeal: ptcp., fervent: τ. πνεύματι,
Refs
Act.18:25, Rom.12:11
.†
(AS)
Thayer:
1) to boil with heat, be hot
1a) used of water
1b) metaph.
1b1) used of boiling anger, love, zeal, for what is good or bad etc.
1b2) fervent in spirit, said of zeal for what is good
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
ζέω
zeō dzeh'-o A primary verb; to be hot (boil, of liquids; or glow, of solids), that is, (figuratively) be fervid (earnest) KJV Usage: be fervent.
Jesus is boiling hot for his Fathers house but also for us. There was a reason that he came to earth. It was not to wear effeminate clothes or stare dreamily into the heavens while pondering deep thoughts about the Almighty Heavenly Father. He came to extract us from the clutches of Satanas and his demonic kingdom. Not in a nice way either but by violence. The kingdom of heaven uses force, forcing its way onto the earth that has been held hostage by a rebellious band of created beings attempting a mutiny against their Creator. The one who uses force seizes the people. Jesus is not going to gently ask if he can have his redeemed when he calls from the clouds. He is not going to suggest that Satanas release people he captured via their birth on the earth. Jesus is not going to negotiate a deal as the time for talk is over. Jesus is going to forcibly seize his people on the day of redemption. He will meet his people in the air. Satanas will not be able to hold onto anyone unjustly. At the end of the seizing Jesus will have his people and Satanas will have his.
“But away from the day John the Baptizer until at this moment the Kingdom the Heaven uses force and one who uses force harpazo them. For all the Prophets and the Mosaic Law foretold until John. And whether desire receive them he is Elijah the about to come”.
Technically we could say that Jesus burns for us, his people. He burns so intensely for us that he allowed himself to be murdered so that he could take back the keys to death and hades and so that we would not have to suffer but enter paradise instead. Jesus burns hot for us. It is a violent burning. But because the spiritual attack that we are under is easy peasy, we live and let live, we forget that there is a war in the heavens. We forget that there are other sons of God warring on our behalf. Angels attempting to enter the earth to minister to the heirs of salvation, pushing their way past fallen principalities and powers who conjugate under the ruler of the darkness of the cosmos.
What characteristics should we pick up from these ideas? John is fierce and not effeminate. Jesus is fierce and not effeminate. How should we behave? Fierce and not effeminate. David is a great example of fierce and not effeminate. David was a giant slayer. Yet people magnify David as a worshipper. He was, but if you read his songs, they are not only happy clappy, but his songs detail bringing down curses on his enemies and the enemies of Yahweh. This is a different David. A fierce David. David was tasked with a mission to free Israel from the constant attacks from the mixed races of the Nephilim, the Philistines. David says this.
Psalm 69:9 G3754 For G3588 the G2205 zeal G3588 G3624 of your house G1473 G2719 devoured me, G1473 G2532 and G3588 the G3680 scornings G3588 of the G3679 ones berating G1473 you G1968 fell G1909 upon G1473 me
Who berates the Elohim, the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit? Satanas, his demons, his principalities, his powers, and people who align with the fallen beings. All the fallen sons of the Elohim scorn and berate the Elohim and us. This is our position even if the demons leave us alone for a while, they still hate us. How long does this berating and scorning last? Until the tribulation. Notice how Isaiah describes the anger of the Lord.
Isaiah 26:20 G897.2 Proceed, G2992 O my people! G1473 G1525 Enter G1519 into G3588 G5009 your inner chambers! G1473 G608 Lock G3588 G2374 your door! G1473 G613 Be concealed G3397 a little! G3745 as much as this, G3745 as much as that, G2193 until G302 whenever G3928 [4should go by G3588 1the G3709 2anger G2962 3 of the lord].
21 G2400 For behold G1063 G2962 the lord G575 [3from G3588 4the G39 5holy place G1863 1brings G3588 G3709 2anger] G1909 upon G3588 the G2730 ones dwelling G1909 upon G3588 the G1093 earth; G2532 and G343 [3shall uncover G3588 1the G1093 2earth] G3588 G129 her blood, G1473 G2532 and G3756 shall not G2619 cover up G3588 the G337 ones being done away with G2089 any more.
3709 LSJ Gloss:ὀργή natural impulse
Dodson:ὀργή anger, wrath, passion anger, wrath, passion; punishment, vengeance.
Strong’s: ὀργή properly, desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), i.e. (by analogy), violent passion (ire, or (justifiable) abhorrence); by implication punishment
Derivation: from G3713;
KJV Usage: anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.
TBESG:ὀργή wrath
G:N-F
ὀργή, -ῆς, ἡ
[in LXX chiefly for אַף, also for חָרוֹן, חֵמָה, קָצַף, etc. ;]
__1 1, impulse, propensity, disposition.
__2. anger, wrath;
__(a) of men:
__(b) of God;
__α that reaction of the divine nature against sin which in anthropomorphic language is called anger:
(ICC, in l),
Thayer:
1) anger, the natural disposition, temper, character
2) movement or agitation of the soul, impulse, desire, any violent emotion, but esp. anger
3) anger, wrath, indignation
4) anger exhibited in punishment, hence used for punishment itself
4a) of punishments inflicted by magistrates
Trench's New Testament Synonyms
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
ὀργή
orgē or-gay' From G3713; properly desire (as a reaching forth or excitement of the mind), that is, (by analogy) violent passion (ire, or [justifiable] abhorrence); by implication punishment KJV Usage: anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath.
Who are Yahweh’s people? The called out, the ekklesia, the ones who believe and confess Him. Where are they? Concealed in inner chambers. For how long? Until the anger of Yahweh passes by. When does the wrath of the Lamb begin? At the opening of the sixth seal. Who is Yahweh’s wrath against? The people of earth. Can the church be on the earth? No. Yahweh is not angry with His church. His church is concealed until the end of the tribulation. Notice the word used here for anger, orgē, is the same word used by John.
Revelation 6:14 G2532 And G3588 the G3772 heaven G673 had been separated G5613 as G975 a scroll G1507 being rolled, G2532 and G3956 every G3735 mountain G2532 and G3520 island G1537 from out of G3588 G5117 their places G1473 G2795 were shaken.
15 G2532 And G3588 the G935 kings G3588 of the G1093 earth, G2532 and G3588 the G3175 great men, G2532 and G3588 the G5506 commanders of thousands, G2532 and G3588 the G4145 rich, G2532 and G3588 the G2478 mighty ones, G2532 and G3956 every G1401 bondman, G2532 and G3956 every G1658 free man, G2928 hid G1438 themselves G1519 in G3588 the G4693 caves, G2532 and G1519 in G3588 the G4073 rocks G3588 of the G3735 mountains.
16 G2532 And G3004 they say G3588 to the G3735 mountains G2532 and G3588 to the G4073 rocks, G4098 Fall G1909 upon G1473 us, G2532 and G2928 hide G1473 us G575 from G4383 the face G3588 of the one G2521 sitting G1909 upon G3588 the G2362 throne, G2532 and G575 from G3588 the G3709 anger G3588 of the G721 lamb!
17 G3754 For G2064 is come G3588 the G2250 [2day G3588 G3173 1great] G3588 G3709 of his anger; G1473 G2532 and G5100 who G1410 is able G2476 to stand?
We know that the church is watching the seals being opened. We know that these numbers are ordinal numbers, 1, 2, 3, etc. There is an order to them otherwise they would not be numbered. These events all happen in order. At this time Jesus is opening the sixth seal. The sixth seal is the anger, orgē, of Yahweh. His anger is against the people of the earth. Isaiah and John have both described the same event, the same anger, and the same two groups. Yahweh calls the concealed “my people”, and John told us that the redeemed, who are Yahweh’s people, have just sung a new song about being redeemed by Jesus’ blood. No one else can sing that song. The concealed are watching these events on the earth. Who is on the earth? All those who rejected Jesus as Yahweh and Messiah. They will be kings, great men, military commanders, rich, mighty, servants, and free men and women. Yahweh does not punish or pour out His anger against his own people who believe in Him and love Him.
We can clearly see that Jesus is not soft. He has zeal and passion. He is waging a battle for the soul of men. We should be aware of our position on the earth and the battle that rages around us. We cannot afford to be soft. The church cannot afford to be soft. Pastors cannot afford to be soft. We cannot be soft in our nations, in our communities, in our households, or in our lives. We have to wake up in the morning swinging at the enemy. We have to be battle ready in our minds and in our hearts. As we look to Jesus, John, or David, as our examples as to living on the earth, we know that if we are going to war against the devices of Satanas we have to be aware and beware of the easy life. The lack of frontal attacks and lack of temptations do not mean that we have arrived, it means that we are under the spiritual attack of an easy life. Left to our own devices how do we live? How do we think? Do we lead every thought captive? It is time for the overcomers to take a deep breath, stand tall, and bring a spiritual tsunami to the enemy so that the angels can minister to the heirs of salvation. Working together with the heavenly sons of the Elohim we can make a difference before we are taken up and concealed before the Day of the Lord.
