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Related Articles: Resolving Verbal Abuse of Children | Resolving Verbal Abuse in Marriage | Resolving Physical & Sexual Abuse | Healing from Abuse (Coming soon)
In our efforts to walk as Yahushua did, we do of course believe in observing the same commands Yahushua kept. We know He kept the Sabbath, so we do also. We know he ate clean and observed the feast days, so we do also.
However, I’ve noticed that there are some who go through the Torah (Yahweh’s law in Genesis through Deuteronomy), or even teach from the Torah, who don’t put enough emphasis on having Messiah-like character.
Hebrew words are emphasized, finding little hidden gems in scripture where different things connect with each other are emphasized, and bringing the cultural context into our understanding of scripture are often mentioned. That’s all well and good, but in all of our seeking, the main emphasis needs to be seeking righteousness.
The entire reason for reading the Torah is so that we might be instructed on how to love Yahweh more effectively and love one another more effectively. If we aren’t more loving today than we were before we came to understand torah observance, we are missing the point.
We can learn all the Hebrew we want, but if in the end all we have is bunch of head knowledge that doesn’t really have any effect on walking in love we are nothing more than Greeks who pursue empty knowledge rather than true Israelites who are seeking to apply it… and thereby gain true wisdom.
So as part of our ministry here, we desire to put proper emphasis on the pursuit of Messiah-like character.
This means we intentionally look for things in scripture to convict us and challenge us, rather than entertain us.
Ministers who place emphasis in this area may not win the popularity contest. For those who are only in pursuit of knowledge, it makes them feel uncomfortable. So they avoid this kind of teaching and return to pursuing empty knowledge. We need to avoid that mentality and seek to be both hearers and doers of the word.
May Yahweh help us to be doers as we pursue an understanding of scripture that is identical to the Messiah Himself.
We’re going to examine a lot of scripture, and let Yahweh’s word be our main teacher as we examine this topic. We’re going to look at the Torah, which actually has a lot to say about it, as well as the words of Yahushua and the apostles.
We’re going to examine the three main areas of abuse: verbal abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.
It would be great if there was no reason to even have to share a study like this, but the truth be told, anyone who has ever been a family counselor among us knows quite well that sometimes there is abuse going on behind the scenes, even among people who claim to be torah observant believers in the Messiah Yahushua.
I would even say that, depending on how one would choose to define the term “abuse,” it is likely most of us have been guilty of it at least once.
So, what is “Abuse?”
The term isn’t used much in scripture, but the English definition of abuse is:
Abuse: treat (a person or an animal) with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly. To speak in an insulting and offensive way to or about (someone). Oxford English Dictionary
So abuse can be done to a person, or to an animal. Actually, if a person is prone to abusing an animal, it is likely that they are prone to abuse people.
Proverbs 12:10 – A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
This is because animals are largely innocent beings. If one lacks compassion for an innocent animal, they are also likely to lack compassion for people as well.
Actually there is a precept and principle in the Torah which teaches us to care about the life of our animals:
Deuteronomy 25:4 – You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.
If we shouldn’t even muzzle an ox while it’s treading out the grain so that it does not have to endure the mental anguish of hunger while working to reap food, that’s a pretty high standard of animal care that Yahweh is expecting us to abide by.
But getting back to our definition:
Abuse: treat (a person or an animal) with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly. To speak in an insulting and offensive way to or about (someone). Oxford English Dictionary
Cruelty, violence, insulting people, offending people. These are all forms of abuse, and scripture has much to say about these matters.
Scripture speaks about parents abusing children, husbands abusing wives and wives abusing husbands, and it even speaks of children abusing their own parents.
Some of us have been scarred by it, and some of us might even be the walking wounded because of it.
It speaks of employers abusing their laborers and governments abusing believers.
In any circumstance where people are given power, there is also the propensity for abuse to take place.
If you want to know the true character of a person, it is not necessarily revealed by opposition, or by trials and tribulation. If you want to know the real character of a person, see what happens when he is given power.
The Importance of Accountability
Yahweh gave men the freedom to govern himself and the planet in Genesis chapter 1.
Genesis 1:28 – Then Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
However, He has certain guidelines that He expects us to follow as human beings in power over the Earth.
Power is not necessarily bad, if used correctly. If men are loving, gentle, upright and yet also firm when Justice is needed, this is where we manifest the image of Elohim.
If men are cruel, abusive, hateful, angry, and look to take advantage of those who are in their care, this is where man manifests the image of Satan the devil.
Which image will we manifest? Each of us, both men and women, have a choice as to what we will do with the power and freedom Yahweh has given us. How we conduct ourselves in this area will ultimately determine our eternal destiny. It is that important!
It has even been said, absolute power corrupts… absolutely.
This is not true when it comes to either Yahweh, or the King of Kings Yahushua the Messiah. But for men, it seems to be a problem. Even David, as righteous as he was, used his power to take advantage. He took a man’s wife and murdered her husband.
The avoidance of absolute power is why most modern governments are set up the way they are, with checks and balances, trying to keep individuals from gaining too much power.
It is also why corporations have a board to keep the CEO accountable, and why non-profit organizations give everyone on the board an equal vote.
Actually, it is also why there are sheriffs in every county, to keep citizens from gaining too much power over each other and using force to abuse one another. And it’s why sheriffs themselves are elected officials.
It’s all to avoid the possibility of abuse.
Of course, none of this works if the entire community of people are wicked.
Liberty is not effective if the general populace wills to do evil.
I believe that one of the reasons why Yahweh allowed democratic and republic forms of government in the latter days is so that fewer men would have an excuse for the disastrous outcome of rejecting His authority in their lives.
In time past, and even in the scriptures, you see that when a king is wicked, he becomes a stumbling block to the people, turning them toward wickedness. But if a king is righteous, the people are also more likely to be righteous.
But there will be little to no excuse in our generation. The masses themselves have more power.
Among believers, it seems to me that whenever men try to gain absolute power over their family, and refuse to be accountable to anyone other than themselves, this is where abuse is most likely to take place.
In fact, when someone who does this and acts this way, they will hide their families in such a way that there is no one ever around to know how things are really going, and they seemingly have no real interest in fellowship. This can be (though not always) a sign that they are abusive and are trying to hide it.
In scripture, the assembly is governed by elders.
1 Timothy 5:17 – Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine
But the elders themselves are appointed by the people:
Titus 1:5 – I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you–
And the elders must meet certain qualifications and have certain spiritual gifts to function in this position.
So in some ways, the checks and balances seen in modern forms of government are also seen in how the first century believers governed themselves. If an elder was out of line, he could be removed.
Any religious leader who functions in a way that he has no accountability to anyone else is prone to becoming a controlling individual.
This is how cults get started. One man wants to have the control and he supposes that his control will result in something good. He may have even had good intentions to start with, but the lure of the flesh coupled with no accountability results in him becoming abusive.
Man was not created to “take dominion” over righteous men and women. We were not created to “subdue” the people of Yahweh:
1 Peter 5:2-4 – Shepherd the flock of Elohim which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
The Greek word translated “lords” in the above verse is the same exact word translated “subdue” in the Greek Septuagint of Genesis 1:28!
Genesis 1:28 – Then Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it….
This same word is also found here, translated “lord it over”:
Matt. 20:25-28 – But Yahushua called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
26 “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
27 “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave–
28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Again, this is the context of the people of Yahweh. We do not subdue one another. We do not “lord it over” each other. Rather, like Messiah taught us, those who are in authority are servants.
This is one reason why Yahweh wasn’t too favorable to the idea of Israel having a King.
1 Samuel 8:7-20 – And Yahweh said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
8 “According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day– with which they have forsaken Me and served other mighty ones– so they are doing to you also.
9 “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
10 So Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who asked him for a king.
11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.
12 “He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
13 “He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
14 “And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.
15 “He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.
16 “And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.
18 “And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and Yahweh will not hear you in that day.”
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,
20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
Thus, the problem with giving one man absolute power. He warned them about the selfishness that would ensue. And they paid for it dearly.
It wasn’t until Yahushua the Messiah came that a 100% trustworthy King took the throne. And now, we are all called to willingly yield ourselves to His righteous rule.
When man was created to rule the earth in Genesis, Yahweh’s plan was for man to do it the right way and not a corrupted, selfish way. He actually said to take dominion over the earth, but within the boundaries and guidelines that He set, thus being in submission to His rulership.
Adam was created and had no knowledge of evil. Thus, he took dominion over the earth and subdued it in a righteous way… at least until the day when the tempter came to use his freedom of choice to try and make himself equal with Elohim.
So in our current state, I do think that the form of government that most of us are living under is probably best. It is actually closer to the way Yahweh Himself set things up when He first brought Israel into the land, which was a system of self-government. Judges were in place to create law enforcement, but there were no Kings with absolute power in Israel until Israel demanded it.
With the ministry of Eliyah.com, I have five elders that I lean on for counsel and for direction in ministry. I don’t do anything significant in my life or in this ministry unless I have elder approval. I would hope that others who venture out in ministry would choose to do the same. It has saved me from making a lot of mistakes over the years.
Now I have said all of these things for a very important reason.
When it comes to abuse, there is no environment where accountability is least likely to be exercised than within a family. And there is also no other environment where individuals have a higher level of control over one another than parents and children.
Yahweh has given men and women the ability to be able to control their children, who are innocent and unable to defend themselves. If you think about it, it’s kind of scary.
Many things can go on behind the four walls of a home that are not good, because home can provide an environment of secrecy. And thus, less accountability.
For this reason, home is often the proving ground and the testing ground of our character. Family is at the very core of our existence. It is the place where we can become a hypocrite, or a light to all nations.
And it is a place where men are given the position of headship, and whether or not they abuse that position of headship is revealed. And it is also a place where some women seek to take that headship from the men, and rule over them with various methods of control. Women who have been abused in the past are most prone to wanting to take this route.
Yes, home is where the true character of men and women are revealed.
This is also why it’s important that, as believers, we willingly choose to be accountable to elders and other men who set a good example. None of us know everything, and a multitude of counselors provides an environment of safety:
Proverbs 24:6 – For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
Safety. In Israel, Yahweh even set judges over 10’s.
Exodus 18:25 – And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
If there were rulers in place to rule even 10 families, it’s evident that accountability was a part of the plan.
In ancient times, it was a lot harder for men to abuse their families. During the second temple period, there were up to 200,000 people living on a piece of property that was less 1 square mile. If someone was abusing their families, other people were going to know about it.
This is not true today, especially in America. We are all spread out. Americans place value on individual freedoms, each man having his own castle.
With that freedom comes less accountability. Thus, as believers we need to willingly choose to be open and accountable.
And those we are accountable to also need to be open and accountable. We see it over and over again in scripture, in government, in corporations, and in life: accountability is a great deterrent to abuse.
For this to work, however, we need to come to some common ground in defining what abuse actually is. What may be abuse for one person may not seem to be abuse for another person.
It can be very subjective. For this reason, we need clarity. In short, we need truth.
John 17:17 – Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Yahweh’s truth is found in His word. His word will sanctify us, that is, set us apart from the world so that there is no abuse among us. Just love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.
So, let’s take a journey through the scriptures and see if we can clearly identify what abuse actually is, as the Hebrew language itself would define it, and learn from Yahweh how He wants each of us to conduct ourselves. After all, accountability starts with our own personal relationship with Yahweh. He is ultimately the one we will answer to in the end.
Hebraic Definition of Abuse
I have found that while the English word “abuse” isn’t seen very often in our modern translations, there are actually several words in the Hebrew that would align themselves pretty well with the English definition of “abuse.”
03905 לָחַץ lachats {law-khats’}
Meaning: 1) to squeeze, press, oppress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to squeeze, press 1a2) to oppress 1b) (Niphal) to squeeze oneself
Origin: a primitive root; TWOT – 1106; v
Usage: AV – oppress 13, afflict 1, crushed 1, fast 1, forced 1, oppressors 1, thrust 1; 19
Notice that this one is translated “oppress” most often. Abuse and Oppress might even be considered synonyms. To abuse someone is to oppress them and to oppress someone is to abuse them.
This word has to do with applying pressure, as in Balaam’s donkey crushing Balaam’s foot up against a wall.
Another word is:
03238 יָנָה yanah {yaw-naw’}
Meaning: 1) to oppress, suppress, treat violently, maltreat, vex, do wrong 1a) (Qal) to oppress, suppress 1b) (Hiphil) to treat violently, maltreat
Origin: a primitive root; TWOT – 873; v
Usage: AV – oppress 11, vex 4, destroy 1, oppressor 1, proud 1, do wrong 1, oppression 1, thrust out; 21
Again, it is translated “oppress” most often.
06031 עָנָה `anah {aw-naw’}
Meaning: 1) (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with 2) to afflict, oppress, humble, be afflicted, be bowed down 2a) (Qal) 2a1) to be put down, become low…..
Origin: a primitive root [possibly rather ident. with 06030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating]; TWOT – 1651,1652; v
Usage: AV – afflict 50, humble 11, force 5, exercised 2, sing 2, Leannoth 1, troubled 1, weakened 1, misc 11; 84
This one is translated “afflict.” To afflict someone is similar to oppressing them. It can be used in a positive or a negative form of being lowered.
In the intensive, or Piel form, it can speak of humiliating and demeaning someone either through words or through actions, bringing them down. It has been used to describe sexual abuse, verbal abuse and physical abuse.
Another word, which actually was translated “abuse” in the New King James is “Alal.”
05953 עָלַל `alal {aw-lal’}
Meaning: 1) to act severely, deal with severely, make a fool of someone 1a) (Poel) to act severely 1b) (Poal) to be severely dealt with 1c) (Hithpael) to busy oneself, divert oneself, deal wantonly, deal ruthlessly, abuse (by thrusting through) 1d) (Hithpoel) to practise practices, thrust forth (in wickedness) 2) (Poel) to glean 3) (Poel) to act or play the child 4) (Poel) to insert, thrust, thrust in, thrust upon
Origin: a primitive root; TWOT – 1627,1627b,1628; v
Usage: AV – glean 4, done 3, abuse 3, mock 2, affecteth 1, children 1, do 1, defiled 1, practise 1, throughly 1, wrought wonderfully 1, wrought 1; 20
It has to do with treating someone very badly, and is translated “abuse” 3 times in the KJV.
Our next word is:
06231 עָשַׁק `ashaq {aw-shak’}
Meaning: 1) to press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully, wrong, extort 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to oppress, wrong, extort 1a2) to oppress 1b) (Pual) to be exploited, be crushed
Origin: a primitive root (comp. 06229); TWOT – 1713; v
Usage: AV – oppress 23, oppressor 4, defraud 3, wrong 2, deceived 1, deceitfully gotten 1, oppression 1, drink up 1, violence 1; 37
This verb means to oppress, to wrong, to extort. The TWOT defines the base meaning of this word as follows:
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
The verbal root ±¹shaq is concerned with acts of abuse of power or authority, the burdening, trampling, and crushing of those lower in station.
So for someone to take advantage of their position of power in order to burden, trample or crush those who are lesser status, of course, a sin against Yahweh.
This word can be found here:
Psalm 103:6-7 – Yahweh executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
So we have a promise of justice being served. I’ve noticed that there seems to be an unusually high number of Torah observant people have experienced oppression or abuse at some time in their lives. Could this be one reason why?
He did this for the children of Abraham:
Exodus 3:7 – And Yahweh said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
The Hebrew word here is “Oniy” which is rooted in “Anah.” It has to do with forcing someone to be lowered. To demean.
As we look at these scriptures, there will be a common theme that typically is present which produces an environment for abuse.
That theme is men having power over others, and choosing to abuse that power.
In this case, the Egyptians had power over the children of Israel. They chose to oppress and abuse the children of Israel through the use of “taskmasters.” There was forced labor, along with physical abuse, verbal abuse.
Now, one thing I want you to notice about this verse is that Yahweh said, “I know their sorrows.”
How is it that He knew their sorrows?
Isaiah 53:3-4 – He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by Elohim, and afflicted.
Yahushua certainly was on the receiving end of abuse. And it says here that He carried our sorrows. Same Hebrew word, only used 16 times in scripture. Two of them are here in this verse.
Over and over again, we see in the scriptures there is one thing that Yahweh consistently hates: people taking the advantage of each other for personal or self-centered gain.
Yahweh hates it when we take advantage of another person’s disadvantage.
Lev. 19:14 – `You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your Mighty One: I am Yahweh.
The deaf man cannot hear. Don’t take advantage of that and speak evil of them. Fear Yahweh.
Yahweh will notice, and if we take advantage of people who are at disadvantage, He says He will even take it personally.
Prov. 14:31 – He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
The unrighteous will see someone at disadvantage and take advantage of them. The righteous will see someone at disadvantage, and take care of them. One reproaches His maker, the other honors Him.
To oppress is the word “ashak” in Hebrew, people oppressing those of lower station. And Yahweh takes it personally. If you oppress the poor, you reproach Yahweh Himself.
In fact, Yahushua said:
Matt. 25:44-45 – “Then they also will answer Him, saying,`Master, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
45 “Then He will answer them, saying,`Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
Yahweh is an Elohim of Love. He created us in His image, so He also wants us to walk in love.
He does allow there to be abuse in this world, but it is very important to understand that this does not mean He approves. Yahweh had to give man free will, otherwise man would never have a chance to demonstrate true love.
If you took your son or daughter by the arms and forced them to hug you, then forced them to say “I Love You,” this would mean nothing. But if they, of their own free will and volition, came up to you and hugged you, saying “I love you” that would be an indication of true love.
So it is with Yahweh. He doesn’t want to force us to love, He wants us to do it out of free will. He wants us to love, not because we are just programmed to be loving, but from free choice. And not because He will always jump in and stop us from doing something unloving… but true, free will that demonstrates true and genuine love.
We see how He feels about people who are at a disadvantage being oppressed and abused. He took an entire nation of Israel out of Egypt, partly because of it. Yahushua came to the earth and allowed Himself to be hated and abused, just so that He could carry our sorrows because of it.
None of us can say, “He can’t really relate to us.” Yahweh can. I know for myself, it would be more hurtful for me to watch people abuse my son than if I had been abused myself.
If you understand that, you understand why Yahweh hates abuse. We are His children, created in His image. It was when the earth was a lost cause that Yahweh chose to destroy the earth with a global flood:
Gen. 6:6 – And Yahweh was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
The word translated “grieved” is “atsab,” which means pain.
06087 עָצַב `atsab {aw-tsab’}
Meaning: 1) to hurt, pain, grieve, displease, vex, wrest 1a) (Qal) to hurt, pain 1b) (Niphal) to be in pain, be pained, be grieved
So I hope we understand that if we choose to cause pain to another person, we are causing pain to Yahweh Himself. Inasmuch as we have done it to others, we have done it unto Him.
That’s serious!
We, therefore, need to take it seriously.
So what was so hurtful to Yahweh that He was willing to destroy all living things in the flood, except for Noah and the animals in the ark? Abuse!
Genesis 6:11-13 – The earth also was corrupt before Elohim, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 So Elohim looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 And Elohim said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
The Hebrew word translated “violence” is:
02555 חָמָס chamac {khaw-mawce’}
Meaning: 1) violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice Origin: from 02554; TWOT- 678a; n m
Usage: AV – violence 39, violent 7, cruelty 4, wrong 3, false 2, cruel 1, damage 1, injustice 1, oppressor + 0376 1, unrighteous 1; 60
This is actually the same word as the Palestinian terrorist organization, Hamas. It means violent.
Abuse can be physically violent, but also a person can be verbally violent:
Proverbs 10:6 – Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But violence <Hebrew word 02555. chamas> covers the mouth of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:11 – The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence <Hebrew word 02555. chamas> covers the mouth of the wicked.
The verbal violence and physical violence, what we would call verbal and physical abuse, are why Yahweh chose to send the flood. It is what grieved Yahweh’s heart so much that scripture actually says it actually hurt Him!
Now here is this same Hebrew word, translated a different way:
Psalm 35:11-12 – Fierce <Hebrew word 02555. chamas> witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.
12 They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.Deuteronomy 19:16-19 – “If a false <Hebrew word 02555. chamas> witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,
17 “then both men in the controversy shall stand before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.
18 “And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false <Hebrew word 02555. chamas> witness, who has testified falsely against his brother,
19 “then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
I hope this gets our attention. Bearing false witness against someone is an act of verbal violence and abuse. It’s that serious, and it’s surely why Yahweh included the command against bearing false witness in the 10 commandments.
Exodus 23:1 – “You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
So even carelessly forwarding harmfully false information about another person is considered to be an act of verbal abuse against them.
In some ways, spreading harmfully false information about another person can do more harm to them than if you had hurt them physically. It’s very serious in the eyes of Yahweh and, according to scripture, hurts HIM.
We are just getting started, and in our next segment we will continue to look at the topic of verbal abuse toward children.
I really don’t think we understand how harmful it truly is, how offended Yahweh is when we allow things to come out of our mouths that we shouldn’t, or in some cases we don’t even know what He considers to be abuse.
Accountability is a great deterrent to abuse ever being a problem among us. Let’s allow the scriptures to bring us to some common ground in defining what abuse actually is in the eyes of Yahweh, so that we will turn from it, bring proper accountability wherever it may be happening, and thereby walk in love as Yahushua did.
Look for Part 2, coming soon… or watch the videos at https://eliyah.com/archives/abuse-how-do-we-solve-it-part-1-2021/