Righteous Invasion of Truth

Dr. Abel Damina: Father, we give you praise in the name of Jesus. Father, we rejoice that tonight we have this another opportunity to come before your holy, precious, written word. Thank you that the mighty Holy Spirit lives on our inside, so revelation knowledge is gifted us. Revelation knowledge is our right in Christ. So we take off and we take from the Spirit today understanding in the name of Jesus.

Veils fall off, clarity comes. There is no error in this environment, there's no limitation in this atmosphere. Your word has free course amongst us and is glorified tonight. And we declare that by the end of this service, your people are built up, equipped, edified, and Jesus is glorified. We give you praise. In Jesus’ name we pray, and every believer says a powerful amen.

Lift your right hands to heaven. Let’s release our faith together as we say these words: I am born of God. I am born of the word. The word of God is my nature. I do not struggle to do the word. I do the word naturally. Therefore today, I will understand the word of his grace. I will be built up. By the end of this service, I will never be the same. Never ever be the same again. In Jesus’ name, and every believer says a powerful amen.

Grab your pen, your notebook, your Bible. You can be seated with your sweet, smart self tonight as we get into the word of his grace. We're so excited. It's 30 days of glory 2025, examining Soteria Season 12 as we look through the pages of the holy writ to come to an understanding of the character of God in salvation. Glory to God. 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse number 15 and 16.

PJ: And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Dr. Abel Damina: All scripture is given by the inspiration of God. The word *pas graphe*, or writings. All writings are given by inspiration of God and is profitable, the word *ophelimos*, useful or advantageous for doctrine, *didaskalia*, teaching or explanation that will produce evidence, that will result in correction, unlearning to relearn, and that will result in instruction in righteousness, which is spiritual growth.

So he says to Timothy, you've known the holy scriptures from a child, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Which means the mission of the scriptures is very clear: to make you wise unto salvation. Why do we study the scriptures? To be wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. So salvation is faith in Christ. I repeat, salvation is faith in Christ.

So we began to say that the Bible Jesus used was Genesis to Malachi. And the Bible the apostles used was Genesis to Malachi. Therefore, it's critical that you sit where they sat, hear what they heard, to understand what the authors of scripture communicated as God's intent for man when they communicated the thoughts that they communicated to that audience in their day. To be able to understand that, we've been looking at principles that enhance your ability to learn the scriptures because the Bible is an ancient material that was given to a world that is not your world, a people with a worldview that was not your worldview, a people with a culture that is not your culture, a people with a grammar that's not your grammar and a history that is not your history.

And that is where the uphill task of a Bible student or of a Bible teacher is: to be able to go into that world, sit in that audience, understand the entire context, and then travel to our world and look for verbiage in our day that better gives expression to what the author communicated. Like we've always said, God's word or God's thoughts are communicated through words. God decided to use human language to communicate his plan, his purpose, his will, and his intent. And that is why it's critical to have all of this understanding.

Tonight we're going to be looking at permissive and causative verbs. Permissive and causative verbs. The permissive we started that few days ago, we're going to go a bit deep into it tonight. And we're beginning with the book of Genesis, Genesis chapter 3, verse number 14, as we look at causative and permissive terms in the Old Testament books of the Bible.

PJ: And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.

Dr. Abel Damina: There's a word there, the word cursed. "Thou art cursed above all cattle." That word cursed in the scripture was translated from the Hebrew word *arar*. *Arar*, which implies to extricate, to prevent, to strike a blow against someone, to destroy or to seclude. Again, that Genesis 3:14, notice that the word cursed is used in the past tense. Cursed. Not curse, not "I will curse you," "thou art cursed," used in the past tense.

In the Hebrew language, the expression "thou art cursed" is descriptive. That is, it was a description of a serpent to the serpent, a description of a serpent to the serpent, which invariably meant that when God uttered this, it had happened. When God spoke to the serpent, "thou art cursed," it had already happened. For instance, notice what Moses documented in Genesis chapter 1, verse 3, and Genesis chapter 3, verse 14.

PJ: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Dr. Abel Damina: And God said, let there be light and there was. Look at again Genesis 3:14.

PJ: And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.

Dr. Abel Damina: So in Genesis chapter 1, verse 3, God's active involvement can be seen when he said, "Let there be light." Let there be light, or light be. Let there be light, or light be. But that case is different. In Genesis chapter 3, verse 14, God was not the originator of the curse. But God was describing and defining what had happened on that scene. These are two different instances. Genesis 1:3, God said, "Light be," light was, or "Let there be light," and there was light. But if you look at Genesis 3:14, God only announced or described to the serpent what had already happened on the scene.

So in Genesis 3:14, Moses relates the action of the speaker because the action of the speaker was informative. The action of the speaker was informative and not causative, meaning that when God said this, it was to inform and not to execute. It was to inform and not to execute or to perform. So if God had said, "thou hast sinned," this does not invariably mean "I will make you sin." "Thou hast sinned" does not mean "I will make you sin."

Similarly, that same tense is used in Genesis 3:14 for the serpent and was also used for Adam in Genesis 3:17.

PJ: And unto Adam he said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.

Dr. Abel Damina: Did you observe "cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life"? He uses an imperative verb in verse 17, "for thy sake," which means them eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brought about the curse. There had been a prior instruction, don't forget, in Genesis chapter 2, verse 16 and 17.

PJ: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Dr. Abel Damina: "Thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." And then notice the pronouns used in the following verses. Genesis 3:15 and 3:16. Just observe the pronouns.

PJ: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Dr. Abel Damina: So if your Bible was mine, I would underline "I will," that's a pronoun there, "I will." Go ahead, PJ. "I will greatly multiply," "I will" is another pronoun there. So the words "I will" is permissive in nature. It is permissive in nature. That is, the one who made the statement, which was God, unveils the effect of what had happened to the recipient. He unveils the effect of what had happened to the recipient as against making a causative statement.

So that phrase "I will put" was translated from the Hebrew word *shith*. *Shith*, spelled as s-h-i-y-t-h. Which implies, that word "I will" from the Hebrew word *shith*, it implies to apply, to apply, appoint, array. It implies to bring, to bring, to consider, to lay up, to let alone, and to look. "I will put" was translated from the Hebrew word *shith*, which implies to apply, to appoint, to array, to bring, or to consider, to lay up, to let alone, or to look.

Now bear in mind that what God said in Genesis 3 after man sinned was to state what had happened as a consequence of sin. So the phrase "I will put" in this text can be considered to imply to look. "I will look," or "I will show," or to regard. To look, to show, or to regard. This points to a permissive tense rather than a causative tense.

Look at some references where that word *shith* is used. 1 Samuel 4:20.

PJ: And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it.

Dr. Abel Damina: The word "regard it," that's the word *shith*. "Neither did she regard it." Look again the use of that word, you can write down for your study at home, 2 Samuel 13:20. It's also again used as regard, regard, the word *shith*. Then Exodus chapter 10, verse 1.

PJ: And the Lord said unto Moses, go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him.

Dr. Abel Damina: So here the word *shith* was translated as to show, to show, "that I might show these my signs." To show. So the statement of Genesis 3:15 was to highlight a continuous enmity that already existed between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. There was already a continuous enmity that existed between the serpent and the seed of the woman, which was predictive of the promised Savior.

Now this was a permissive tense in communication rather than what God did or what God caused to happen. So what did God do? God only was showing the consequence of man's action of disobedience. All God was doing in Genesis chapter 3 was to show the consequence of man's action of disobedience, the outcome of man's disobedience. And it is critical also to note how that this is also typical of several other phrases, of several other phrases which highlight a permissive tense rather than a causative tense.

So the communication of Genesis 3:15 shows a permissive tense to depict God showing what had happened or resulted from man's actions, rather than what he caused or what he did. The words of Ezekiel the prophet, or a prophet of the Old Testament, are also instructive in explaining what we have just looked at in Genesis. Ezekiel 32, verse 4.

PJ: Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.

Dr. Abel Damina: Take note of this: "I will cast thee," and "will cause," and "I will fill." "I will cast thee," and "will cause," and "I will fill." These words are permissive verbs in Hebraism. They are permissive. They are not causative. "I will cast thee," "I will cause," "I will fill."

However, some Bible translations have altered these words to convey permissive expressions rather than causative. A few of such translations are: look at the way Bible in Basic English puts it. The Bible in Basic English says, "I will let you be stretched on the land. I will let all the birds of the heaven come. I will let you," permissive rather than causative.

Another translation that puts it right is Easy to Read Version. It says, "I will let all the birds come and eat you. I will let wild animals, I will let." Another translation is International Children's Bible. There it is put like this: "I will let the birds of the sky rest on you. I will let the animals of the earth eat you." Another translation that puts it right is the New English Translation. It puts it like this: "I will allow all the birds of the sky to settle on you. I will permit all the wild animals to gorge themselves on you."

So what we read is also compliant with cognitive tenses. That is, what the speaker meant was, "I will have to watch it happen." I'm not going to make it happen, I'm not going to stop it from happening, I will have to watch it happen. Now at the back of all these statements is the disobedience of the children of Israel. Since you have disobeyed, you have locked me out of being a part of what is happening. The only part I will have to play now is to watch these things come on you. As a result of disobedience, you have locked me out legally by your disobedience.

So in the background of the statements is the question, does God give consent to man's choice? That's the question at the background. Does God give consent to man's choice? Well, let's reexamine Genesis, the second chapter, the 16th to the 17th verse.

PJ: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Dr. Abel Damina: Observe verse 17, "for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." It didn't say, "in the day that thou eatest thereof, I will kill you." In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now recall that those words were permissive in nature majorly because the one who made the statement unveiled the effect of acting contrary to instructions. He already told them this will be the effect if you go against these instructions, which will amount to sin and as a result of sin, it will arrive at death. It will get into sin, disobedience, and out of sin will come death.

Also take note, it was stated earlier that God's actions and words are to be interpreted. God's actions and words are to be interpreted. You don't just take them line, hook, and sinker. They are to be interpreted or they are to be translated in human language. This means that if the Hebrew language has permissive tense instead of causative ones, the reader of the Old Testament therefore has a responsibility to have a clear understanding of the language employed in describing the actions.

Hence, at this point, Genesis 3 can be safely stated that God watched Adam sin. I like this statement on Facebook. One Echoedem said eternal life makes a man love education. I love Bible study. Welcome to Power City International Bible Study. Eternal life, that's EW Kenyon, eternal life makes a man love education because Jesus is light and light is illumination and illumination is a product of information. Are we teaching good? Are you feeling good tonight? Glory! Some of you are too serious for understanding. Glory! Sometimes a little smile and a little relaxation will help you understand. Sometimes you can overdrive and misunderstand.

Glory to God! Oh, glory to God! So at this point, it can be safely stated that God watched Adam sin, but never caused him to sin. God caused man to sin, but never caused him to sin. Another angle to the hermeneutic is to state that it was caused by someone and God watched it. That's another angle to this hermeneutic. It was caused by someone and God watched it. Now the preceding scenario was recorded in Genesis chapter 3, verse 9.

PJ: And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou?

Dr. Abel Damina: Adam, where are thou? This is a rhetorical question. It was not a literal statement. Hence, it does not imply that God was literally looking for Adam. It's just a rhetorical question because the Genesis chapter 2, verse 16 to 17 there has already unveiled the fact that God gives consent to man's choice. Genesis chapter 2, verse 16 to 17 already establishes that God gives consent to man's choice. Life, knowledge of good and evil, take life, don't eat the other one, the day you eat it, you shall surely die. So God leaves man with the permission to make the choice. So God gives consent to man's choice. Please don't miss that. God gives consent to man's choice.

In Genesis 2:16 to 17, we will hit at to show the beginning of evil there. That is to say, where evil emerged from or where evil things came from. The origin and the foundation of evil, the origin and the foundation of evil things, was from that Genesis chapter 2, verse 16 to 17. Pay attention. Now let's look at a few things. Genesis chapter 2, verse 9. Pay attention, church.

PJ: And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Dr. Abel Damina: If your Bible was mine, I would circle evil. "The tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Look at Genesis chapter 2, verse 17.

PJ: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Dr. Abel Damina: Take note of the word die, circle die. Genesis 2:9, circle evil. Genesis 2:17, circle die. Then Genesis chapter 3, verse 5.

PJ: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Dr. Abel Damina: Take note of the word evil. "Knowing good and evil." Then Genesis the third chapter, the 22nd verse. Pay attention.

PJ: And the Lord God said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.

Dr. Abel Damina: "Man is become as one of us, to know good and evil." Circle evil there again in 3:22. Likewise, let's examine another text in the prophets. Ezekiel the 14th and the 15th verse. Ezekiel chapter 14, verse number 15.

PJ: If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts.

Dr. Abel Damina: "If I cause noisome beasts to pass," circle that word "to pass." The phrase "to pass" was translated from the Hebrew word *abar*, a-b-a-r, *abar*, which is a primitive root word that means to cause to, to cause to, *abar*. It is oftentimes referenced without a pronoun. So translators tend to add the pronoun as done by some later translations. Meanwhile, notice the pronoun I. I. This takes us to another critical part of Hebraism. It states that pronouns are often a function of interpretation. Pronouns are always a function of interpretation.

This goes to show that the direct Hebrew does not have a pronoun. It just has *abar*, *abar*. That's all the direct Hebrew has. Then another method of the hermeneutic here is to say it was caused by someone. That's another aspect of the hermeneutic. In verse 15, it was caused by someone and God was aware of it. It was caused by someone and God was aware of it. This is cognitive or permissive in the sense of God's own words. It is permissive or cognitive in the sense of God's own words or actions, but causative on a third party. Permissive on God's actions or words, but causative on a third party.

So let's look at that word *abar*, a-b-a-r. Examples of later translations which inserted the pronoun I. Ezekiel 14:15 in Emphasized version. Emphasized version says, "I will suffer to pass through the land." The King James, where we read, I like you to read again, PJ, so that I'm able to give you other translations with the King James at the background of your mind. Ezekiel chapter 14, verse 15 again.

PJ: If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts.

Dr. Abel Damina: "If I cause." The emphasized version says, "I will suffer to pass through the land." Another version is the Complete English Bible. It says, "I will allow wild animals." I will allow wild animals. Now the King James says, "I will cause noisome beasts to pass through the land." See that? So it is important to note that what the author sought to communicate is how God's protection was not available to the men of Jerusalem due to idol worship. That's all the author was communicating. That because of their idolatry, since they had paid their allegiance to another god, then God could not protect them. God watched what their god would do for them.

And the effect of what their god did for them was noisome beasts passed through the land and spoiled it, and the land became desolate. That was the benefit they got from their idol. Just like some people say why don't we go to African traditional religion? Hey, how do you think? Why did we leave it before? Why did our forefathers abandon African traditional— why? Why did they leave it? They left it because it was full of demons and it was full of evil and strange happenings that they could not control or explain.

And then Christianity, the gospel began to come, and the gospel came with good things. The gospel came with education, the gospel came with medication, the gospel came with the love of God, the gospel came with the goodness of God. Development also came along with the gospel. And our fathers, our grandfathers, great-grandfathers saw a better God than those useless things.

I like Wike. *Yen n’ebari, yen n’ebari*. I like Wike. The other day I was watching— I know some of you are like what? Yes, I like Wike. Let me tell you why I like him. Wike went somewhere, you know Wike right? The FCT minister. He went somewhere to address some people in their place. You know what he said? That— I used to like him but that day I liked him more. He said to them, "All of you here have idols. Go and tell your idols to cooperate, if not I will enter the shrine and flog them." The man is not— he said I will flog all your idols, I will give them the beating of their lives. That's a man who knows something.

He knows that the gods are dead. I like that guy, man. He said I will enter your shrines and give your idols beating if they don't live up. You think a man that doesn't know something will talk like that to shrines? I will come inside there and give them the beating of their lives. When I saw it I said, I like this man. Go and beat— he's telling them in their village, in their locality, in the presence of their idols. And he said it and nothing happened, and he left and nothing happened. Oh my goodness, the gods are dead. Those that know their God, they shall be strong and they shall do exploits.

Am I teaching good? I said am I teaching good tonight? God said since you have paid allegiance to a strange god, I will allow. Because you must benefit from your god. I will allow your god to compensate you. And what was the compensation of their god? Evil came upon their land and destroyed everything and rendered the land desolate. Why couldn't God intervene? They locked God out and did not give God legal access, and God is not a criminal, and God is not a witch that forces you to do what you don't want to do.

So it was permissive tense, not causative. Another narrative close to that will be 2 Kings 17:25. 2 Kings chapter 17, verse 25 to 26.

PJ: And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them.

Dr. Abel Damina: The Lord sent lions. Are you following? Read on, 26, PJ.

PJ: Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, the nations which thou hast removed and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

Dr. Abel Damina: So in this instance, what we read is God's rejection, but the writer and author presents the facts as God sending it. It's actually God's rejection, but the writer presents the facts as God sending it. Hence, a reader can be susceptible to reading the above text in the light of when somebody obeys or disobeys God, thereafter he is dealt with by God.

Meanwhile, the question should actually be extracted from the book of Genesis. Because when explaining evil, it must be understood categorically that God is not the progenitor but the protector. When it comes to evil, God is not the progenitor but the protector. That is, what God does is to protect. What God does is to protect. So when he says, "know not the manner of the God of the land," it can be invariably read as "you don't know my protection."

It cannot be my protection at the same time my lions. See, it cannot be my protection at the same time my lions or it will imply that God was protecting man from himself, and this is not the case. God's protection is rather emphatic. The protection of God is emphatic in Old Testament writings. Look, for example, God's protection. Psalm 91, verse 13 and 14. Psalm 91:13 and 14.

PJ: Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

Dr. Abel Damina: "I will set him on high." Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him. Moses says in Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 15. Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 15.

PJ: Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint.

Dr. Abel Damina: "Who brought thee water forth out of the rock of flint." Notice the following: "who led you through the great and terrible wilderness wherein there were fiery serpents and scorpions." Now the Old Testament speaks of God's protection and that is what he does. The way and manner with which this can be known is by reading the whole story across the books. Reading the whole story across the books that were written. Let us examine another example in the book of Ezekiel, pay attention. Ezekiel 34:25. Ezekiel 34:25.

PJ: And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

Dr. Abel Damina: Now the writer states further in very clear terms, that same Ezekiel chapter 34, verse 28, PJ. Ezekiel 34:28.

PJ: And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.

Dr. Abel Damina: And none shall make them afraid. Observe the distinction in that scripture. Could God be approbating and reprobating at the same time and within the same scenario? It's not possible for God to be approbating and reprobating at the same time in the same scenario. The verb "I will cause the evil beasts" could not have been causative. It could not have been done by God. Rather, it was permissive, and this can only be known by reading the entire story.

For example, verse 28: "And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them, but they shall dwell safely and none shall make them afraid." Let's examine also Jeremiah chapter 7, verse 8 to 10. Jeremiah 7:8 to 10, PJ.

PJ: Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not?

And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations?

Dr. Abel Damina: So invariably there was a warning against idol worship. There was a warning against idol worship. Observe the following. Jeremiah 7:10 says, and then you come into my temple and worship me. Do you think I will protect you so that you can go on sinning? That's the contemporary English version. That's the way the contemporary English version states that Jeremiah 7:10. "And then you come into my temple and worship me. Do you think I will protect you so that you can go on sinning?" In other words, he meant having done all these, how do you expect me to protect you?

Having done all these, how do you expect me to protect you? This indicates a state in which God cannot protect them on the account of their disobedience. God can't protect them on the account of their disobedience. Now it is clearly seen that there are causative tenses in the King James Version of the books of the Bible, as well as other translations, which ought to have been presented in the permissive tense. Another relevant text is Lamentations chapter 2, verse 3. Lamentations chapter 2, verse 3, PJ.

PJ: He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.

Dr. Abel Damina: The writer simply means in that verse, his hands were not available. That's all the writer is saying. The hands of God were not available. That's why he puts it like he had cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel, he had drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire which devoureth round about. So the hands of God were not available. Now by referencing the word anger, anger, this portends silence and inactivity. When you hear God's anger, it means God's silence and inactivity. Or God's silence and inability to act because of unbelief. God's inability to act because of unbelief.

In Hebraism, silence depicts annoyance, and inactivity depicts someone who has been disobeyed or not complied with in Hebraism. Even in our culture, how many of you know sometimes when a husband or a wife is angry, they withdraw and just keep quiet. You'll be talking, they're just looking at you. If you say I want to go and get water, they say okay. You know that that "okay" has a background. So in Hebraism, they also have something similar to what we have in our day. That whenever they say anger in Hebraism, it portends silence or inactivity or inability to act because of unbelief.

So in Hebraism, silence depicts annoyance, and inactivity depicts someone who has been disobeyed or someone not complied with. Therefore, when reference is made to God's anger from the above explanation, such phrase is used to describe his absence where he does nothing. We had a situation with somebody who's doing something for us, Mama and I, last week. And then we were expecting him to give us a report of what he has asked him to do for us, and he never brought the report. And then he now said he's waiting for us to act. So we sent for him and we said, "There's a report you are supposed to update us on certain things we asked you to do. You are yet to bring the report." He said, "Okay, I'll bring the report immediately." And he never brought the report one week after. Then he sent me a list of things he wants to buy. So we kept quiet.

When he waited and waited, he started complaining that there's a list he gave us, we have not supplied the list. Nobody answered him. Wisdom say if the day I'm talking to you, you say my mouth is smelling, in the day of your calamity, I, Wisdom, I'll just be laughing as if nothing happened. That is how Hebraism functions. So when he started getting frustrated that the thing he's asking us to buy, we're not giving him money, he now reported to somebody who told me. I said, "Send for him." He came. I said, "You, I asked you to give me a report. This is one week after. You haven't supplied the report." He said, "Oh, I'm sorry." I said, "And then now you're asking me to give you money to do a project that I don't know what you're doing?" He said, "Oh, I'm really sorry." I said, "Sorry for yourself. You bring the report first. Otherwise, this silence you're seeing, it will be like this till Jesus comes."

Amen. If even me, I cannot sponsor what I don't know, then God is telling you one, two, three and you are ignoring God, then you are in trouble. You say, "Oh God, oh God, oh God." And God is like, the legal permission I needed to protect you was one, two, three, and you did not give me one, two, three. Any interference now will be witchcraft, and I'm not a witch, and you cannot make me a witch.

Are we teaching here? So that is how it was in Bible days. Now therefore, when reference is made to God's anger from this explanation, such phrase is used to describe his absence. Anger of God is an Old Testament phrase in Hebraism that is used to explain the absence of God where he does nothing. So you hear the wrath of God, the anger of God. It is manmade. It is man's way of explaining that God was inactive in the situation. So man's way of explaining the inactivity of God, man uses the word anger or the wrath of God. Let's examine another example of what we are teaching. Deuteronomy chapter 28, verse 25. Deuteronomy 28:25.

PJ: The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

Dr. Abel Damina: This shows an exact opposite of the promise of obedience and that of disobedience, which again points to protection and not destruction. Did God actually cause these people to be smitten? The word simply meant, "I will not protect you if you disobey," or "I cannot protect you if you disobey. I cannot." Nonetheless, the Hebrew language is presented in such a way that the person that cannot carry out an act is used in the active tense, even though his words are permissive in nature.

Did you get that? Let me repeat. The Hebrew language, Hebraism, is presented in such a way that the person that cannot carry out an act is used in the active tense, even though his words are permissive in nature. That's the way Hebraism communicates in their language. In such a way that the person that cannot carry out an act is used in the active tense, even though his words are permissive in nature.

So in essence, God is active in that he is not doing anything. God is active in that he is not doing anything because what is before him is a question of disobedience. Now still on that word *abar*. Recall the word *abar*, a-b-a-r, is used for cause and also it needs to be given a pronoun. It was also explained that the pronoun is found by translation, and this pronoun can be known when the reader reads in context. However, let's examine another text. Deuteronomy 31:17, PJ. Deuteronomy 31, verse number 17.

PJ: Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?

Dr. Abel Damina: "I will forsake them, I will hide my face, then my anger shall be kindled against them in the day." What is this anger? What is this anger? Let's read further. "And I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not amongst us." Hitherto, we have been looking at the word cause, *abar*, a-b-a-r. The pronoun is supplied by proper interpretation. The pronoun is supplied by proper interpretation. Please stay with me.

Now another example is Psalm 66, 11 and 12. Psalms 66:11— when I used to preach the prosperity gospel, this was one of our key scriptures. Psalm 66:11 and 12, PJ.

PJ: Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

Dr. Abel Damina: "Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." In fact, one man of God, Dr. Leroy Thompson, wrote a book from this scripture, "Money Cometh to Me Now. Money Cometh to the Body of Christ." That book is a whole book on "money, money, money, money, money, money, and you know more."

Now verse 11 is a permissive tense, a permissive tense. It says, "You let us be trapped and you put a heavy load on us. You let our enemies walk on our heads. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us out to a place with good things." I'm sure you're wondering what am I reading. I'm reading from the New Century Version. New Century Version. "You let us be trapped," that's verse 11, "you put a heavy load on us," verse 12, "you let our enemies walk on our heads, we went through fire and flood, but you brought us out to a place with good things." Verse 11, "you let us be trapped and put a heavy burden on them." How possible will it be for the same person who let them be trapped to put a heavy burden on them?

Selah. Verse 12, pay attention to verse 12. "You let our enemies walk on our heads." So the enemies were the ones who did this. But you brought us to a place with good things. So our enemies walked on our head, our enemies trapped us, but your own role in this whole thing is that you brought us out to a place with good things. Is it getting clear here? Now this clearly is a contradiction. So there should have been a pronoun which separates what he did and what he did not do. There should have been a pronoun which separates what he did and what he did not do. It therefore will mean he did nothing. So the allowance is not an activity. The allowance is an inactivity. The allowance is not an activity but the allowance is an inactivity.

Now Jeremiah chapter 19, verse 7. Jeremiah chapter 19, verse 7, PJ.

PJ: And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

Dr. Abel Damina: The scripture we just read presents to us an enemy action. However, this action is not inspired by God. So it is better to say he let it happen. Yet, not because it is his will but exactly what they wanted. He allowed it because that's exactly what they wanted. We can simply say he let them have their way. God let them, in Jeremiah 19:7, he let them have their way.

Now I'm taking time to show you this foundation because it's critical you understand how to handle the book given to you that contains the entire revelation of God to you. How to navigate through the book. Because we can't talk about the character of God outside the confines of the written word. Because the entire revelation of God is communicated to us via his word. Not visions, not dreams, not encounters, not experiences. As you know, the entire revelation of God is communicated to us. That's why John will summarize it like this: "In the beginning was the word, the word was with God, the word was God."

So all of God is revealed via his word. And the word of God is not a book, the word of God is a person. But the book contains the explanation of this person. The book carries with it the revelation of the Christ. So you can't know the Christ outside the book. Of course, you can know Christ without the Bible in very elementary ways, very, very pre-elementary ways. Know him enough to create in you a hunger to seek for details.

But once that hunger is triggered and you start seeking, he now connects you with where the truth is taught. That's why you're in Power City right now. The hunger he provoked in you made you to start seeking, some of you while flipping social media, some of you on television, some of you a friend sent you the thing through WhatsApp, and the moment you had it, a bell rang. And it felt like this is the kind of thing I've been looking for. How do you know you've been looking for it? God put in you a hunger that is seeking for satisfaction, and you heard something that sounded like the satisfaction you're looking for. Even though you didn't get all the details, but it agreed with what is inside.

So you looked for more, you searched for more. I say things that your head did not agree with, but your heart accepted. So even though your head was fighting and you were abusing me, "Damina idiot, you will take people to hell, idiot, you will take people to hell." Then when you enter your bedroom, you say, "Let me check what he has said today." Then when you check, another one will hit a bell. You go like, "This Damina is very stubborn. He has refused to keep quiet." Then you check again after a while, you say, "Eh, I was the idiot." Religion made an idiot out of me. "Damina is my man now." You start coming after me, you start coming after me because God put in you a hunger, a snippet, a little desire because the Bible says God has created in every man a desire to seek him. And they that seek him shall find him.

Some of you are watching on TV right now, some of you online, some of you are watching on YouTube, some of you are watching on Facebook, some of you are watching in different platforms. But inside you, you planned to just watch one day, now you have followed all through. And now on your own you're looking for other Soterias that you were not in. The hunger is increasing as the revelation is increasing. And suddenly you're getting grounded, you're getting established. Suddenly, you're unlearning to relearn. That is the way God operates because it starts with that hunger, but there is no satisfaction in visions, dreams, revelations, experiences. So they will trigger it, then he will lead you somehow, somehow to where that hunger will now be properly satisfied. If I'm teaching, say I hear you.

So God's word therefore must be well interpreted. So salvation is through faith which is in Christ Jesus. We've established that salvation is eternal. It cannot be lost. You are not the savior, he is the savior. When he saves, he keeps. When he saves, he secures, and he is able to save to the uttermost. Again, Hebrews 7:25, PJ, give me the AMPC. Hebrews chapter 7, verse number 25, the AMPC.

PJ: Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.

Dr. Abel Damina: He is able. Somebody shout "God is able!" Able to save to the uttermost, completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity. Those who come to God through him, since he is always living to make petition to God and intercede with him and intervene for them. So yesterday we looked at a number of scriptures that could confuse your confidence and assurance of salvation. And we keep picking them gradually in the course of this series. Let's look at another one. 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 21 to 22. 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 21 to 22, PJ.

PJ: For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Dr. Abel Damina: Now have you ever heard somebody in the Bible that was spoken that it is better not to be saved? Have you ever? Because the context of this verse was talking about false prophets. That's the context, false prophets. If you read 2 Peter chapter 2 from verse 1 to 12, he was focusing on false prophets. Now the same Peter told us that we're partakers of the divine nature, that we have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. The same Peter told us that we're born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God.

So that same Peter who taught us that cannot say we are dogs who have gone back to our vomit. He cannot be the one teaching you that you're a partaker of the divine nature, that you have escaped the corruption that is in the world, that you're born again of incorruptible seed by the word of God, the *sperma* of God, meaning the DNA of God is in you. Honey, you know that if somebody has a child and the child decide to be an armed robber and the child has been caught and put in prison, even if he says, "That is not my son, I deny him," he has not denied him. Because even in that prison, the DNA of the father is still in that child, biologically connecting them together. You can never unborn your child. You can never.

So when you got born again, the DNA of God is in you irrespective of your misbehavior. Now that's not a license to misbehave. But people born of God misbehave sometimes. Why? Identity crisis. Why? Immaturity. Why? Inability to submit yourself to the word to transform you to come into the realities of who you are. But that doesn't mean you're not a child of God. So when Peter was speaking about the dog here, he was talking about a false prophet. Who is a false prophet? A false prophet is one who is deliberately twisting the truth. A false prophet is one who is deliberately twisting the truth. He has heard the message, but he has never believed.

He has never believed. He's just twisting the truth, he has heard the message, he is even preaching it, but he himself has never believed it. That's a false prophet. Notice the word believed was not used for them. Believed was not used. Put up that 2 Peter 2:21 again. 2 Peter 2:21. Observe, "For it had been better for them not to have known." He didn't use "not to have believed." You can know something but you don't believe it. Hello? So he never used believed, but he used "to have known the way of righteousness." Then after they have known it, they have heard the message, they turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. Watch the way he now delivers the destination of this thought.

Next verse: "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again." That means when it left its vomit, it was still a dog. Before the vomit, it was a dog. When it vomited, it was a dog. When it turned away from the vomit, it was still a dog. And now the dog has come back to its vomit. The dog was never other anything other than a dog. Once a dog, exactly! And there's nowhere the Bible calls a believer a dog.

Proverbs 26:11— in fact, start from verse 10, PJ. Proverbs 26:10 and 11.

PJ: The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

Dr. Abel Damina: So a fool returneth to his folly. Before the folly he was a fool, during the folly he was a fool. Now after the folly, he is still a fool and returning to the folly as a fool. Once a fool, always a fool.

We're teaching good? Both in the Old and New Testament, dog has never been used for believers. Never. Dog has never been used for believers. What is used for believers is sheep. "My sheep hear my voice." Then there's another one, *sow*, the pig. Pig is always used for false prophets. False prophets are pigs. That's why I find it difficult to eat pig meat because I'm not a false prophet. Don't mind me, I'm just joking. That doesn't mean if you eat pig meat or pork meat you're a false prophet. Ask your neighbor, are you a false prophet? Never mind. Pig. Pig is used for false prophets or false teachers. Those words, pig and dog— 404 *pyot*— is never used for believers. Never! Both in the Old and the New Testament.

Now can a believer be unfruitful? Can a believer be barren? Look at 2 Peter 1:8 and 9. 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 8 and 9, PJ.

PJ: For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

Dr. Abel Damina: So a believer can forget that he was purged from his sins. A believer can forget it. And when you forget, you can be unfruitful. But that you're unfruitful doesn't mean you're not a believer. That you're unfruitful doesn't mean you're not a believer. It just means you've forgotten that you're purged from your sins. So again, 2 Peter chapter 2 was referring to false prophets. Bible says "without are dogs." Without! That means dogs are those who are not born again, they are without. Without are dogs. He didn't say, "My dogs hear my voice." The only one that would have been "Who let the dogs out?" I didn't know that there are still people in this church who remember such songs.

Look at it, Revelation 22:15: "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." They are without. They're not members of God's family. So that 2 Peter that says a dog has gone back to its vomit is not a scripture for backsliding. It's a scripture for those that were never slided. They never slided, talk more of backslide. They never front slided, talk more of backslide. There's no such thing. These people were always at the same place, always there all this period. I thought somebody would shout Hallelujah! Say with me, I am saved for time and eternity. I'm not a dog, I'm not a pig. I'm a sheep of his pasture. I hear his voice. Glory to God! Tell your neighbor, "Without are dogs." Dogs are always without. So let the dogs out! Because the dogs are always where? Out! So let them out. Don't bring dogs in. Keep them out because that's where they belong: to protect and observe the house. Let the dogs out! Whoa! Glory to God!

Somebody say you too like play, sir. Why not? You too serious, ma. Stand on your feet, let's go home tonight. Glory to God! Yeah, in his presence, I'm saved, my name is written in the book of life. Why should I be carrying a serious face? Do you want to know where serious people are? Hospital. It's called emergency ward. That's where serious people are. All the serious things that would have disturbed us, Jesus finished it. The one he left for us is bread for us. Glory to God!

And if there are challenges, they're dumbbells. So when they come, you grab them and use them to build your bicep and tricep. You go through, you come out better than when you went through. Glory to God! That's why Joseph told the brothers, you meant it for evil, but I use it as dumbbells. Today it has turned around for good. God sent me ahead of you as a posterity to preserve life. No temptation has taken you but such as is common to man. And God is faithful. He will never allow you to be tempted above what you can handle and he will, with the temptation, make a way of escape that you may bear it. Glory to God! Glory to God! Glory to God!

Many are the afflictions of the righteous but— but— but the Lord bringeth him out. Then he says, "He that fainteth in the day of adversity is of a poor specimen, his strength is small." But they that wait on the Lord, they shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. 30 days of glory is a time of renewing your strength. is a time of running, is a time of running through a troop, leaping over the wall! Glory to God!

Somebody turn to your neighbor, say, "New strength, new strength!" New strength! I prophesy over you new strength! Strength for the journey. Strength for the journey. Strength for the journey. I prophesy over somebody, 50 years from now you will still be on fire! 70 years from now you will still be on fire! 25 years from now you will still be on fire! Tell your neighbor, "New strength!"

Hold on, hold on. Elijah killed 450 prophets of Baal, and a small woman said to Elijah, "I will kill you." Elijah stood up and started running. Elijah was running, Elijah was running. He got tired of running, he fell down and said, "Oh God, take away my life. Kill me. I'm not better than my fathers. Oh God, kill me." After complaining and shouting, God allowed him to calm down. Then he slept. Then the angel of God came and slapped him. Power! Stand up. Stand up and eat. You're hungry, that's why you're talking like that. You're hungry, that's why you're running away. You're hungry, that's why you're behaving like that. Rise up and eat! And the Bible says the prophet stood up and ate. And after eating, he went in the strength of that meat for 40 days even unto Horeb, the mount of the Lord.

Let me tell you the truth, something is happening in your heart, something is happening in your life, something is happening in your mind through these 30 days that will keep you going for many years. If you receive it, shout that amen like thunder! You're kept, you're preserved. You're strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man. You walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. You're fruitful unto every good work in the name of Jesus. All your bones are refired, your mind is renewed, your body is reshaped. Your organs are renewed, your body is strengthened, your heart is strengthened, your mind is strengthened. In the name of Jesus! And I declare concerning your situations unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think according to the power that worketh in you. Where you need a miracle, I command that power to find expression! Receive it in the name of Jesus! It is done! Done, done, done! In Jesus' name we pray, and every believer says that amen on a note of celebration!

Well, go ahead and celebrate the word of God! Glory! Glory! Glory! Amen! Your youth is renewed like an eagle! Glory to God! Amen. Grab your honor offerings, let's give and support this ministry tonight. We give to support the vision, we give to support this house, we give to support this mandate so together we can do much, much, much, much, much, much, much more so that we can do more for the kingdom of God. We are giving to push the vision to cover the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the water covers the sea. Lift your offerings up.

Father, we give in faith, we give with joy. Thank you for the privilege of giving tonight. And as we give, we rejoice that our offerings are a sweet smell before you. In Jesus’ name we pray, and every believer says a powerful amen. Glory to God!