"Deceitful is the heart above all, incurable, this who know, Yahweh searches the heart, testing the reign, giving man fruit of his deeds."1
This word for reign, kilyah, means "kidney," it speaks of a most vital organ, of gut feeling, instinct, of emotion. "For you have possessed the reign, you have covered my mother's womb."2 Interestingly it is not the heart, but the kidney that is the reign, as gut feelings comes from deeper within. The heart is incurable, some translations say desperately wicked but this word anash means "incurable" to be weak, sick. God searches the heart and tests the reign, such implies there is a reign of the heart.
This word reign is derived from keli, "instruments" from kalah "to be complete, finished, accomplished, consumed" i.e. "Finished were the heavens and the earth and all their vast array."3 Negatively, it speaks of accomplished, fulfilled, of purpose wrath or prediction of; to be determined, plotted; be spent, used up. Literally, it speaks of wasted away, to be exhausted, fail, literally of fading grass, vanishing cloud... The heart is like grass and clouds that fade and vanish away, incurable... "Vanity of vanities, proclaimed the preacher, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."4
Job's friends shake their heads at him, finished in their own hearts, and they were at ease, comfortable in the judgment of their hearts but Job says so was he until he no longer just heard of God but now sees Him. "I was at ease until he broke me asunder, shaken me by my neck to pieces and set me up for his mark, he edges around me his archers, cleaves my reign and does not spare, he pours out on the ground my gall. He breaks me, runs through me, breaching, he runs on like a warrior."3 David speaks of such a breakthrough, a breach of God at Baal-perazim.5
The friends of Job speak of godly things, like how God rewards the good and punishes evil but they ultimately dishonor God, a man more righteous is before them, but they take the high ground, their hearts are completed or finished in gall. Interestingly Jesus refused wine mixed with gall.6 But took the wine without, "when he took the wine, Jesus said it is finished and having bowed the head yield up his spirit."7 Gall refers to the content of the bladder, bile (proverbial for its bitterness). They would offer wine to numb the pain, but adding gall is, I think, a mocking gesture, asking, taunting, would you participate in bitterness to numb the pain? Such speaks to heart reign.
"Indeed in the gall of bitterness and the blood of iniquity I see you being."8
Even at the end, the Son of Man did not participate in the gall of bitterness. Luke states as the sun darkened and the veil of the temple tore, Jesus cried out, "Father into the hands of you I place before you the Spirit of me, moreover, this having said he breathed his last."9 By such a Spirit Jesus fell into the arms of a loving Father, without bitterness toward man for how he was treated. And by such a Spirit of Adoption, we can approach the throne of Grace, we can learn to reign the heart.
The gift of authority many wish to obtain by other means, they would want to buy it, to perform religious acts of righteousness, but the gall is shown within their hearts. "There is to you no part, nor lot in this matter indeed, the heart of you is not right before God, Repent therefore of this malice, and request the Lord if indeed will be forgiven you the intent of the heart of you, Indeed in the gall of bitterness and the blood of iniquity I see you being." Do we not see the gall? the problem of the deepest inner being accomplished, in malice, gall. And do we not see the solution?
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you a heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."6
"Repent therefore of this malice, and request the Lord..." Repent means to change your mind, it is often misused. Here Peter speaks to the Jew, God's people, repentance begins in the house of God, to be bitter towards sinners, to have gall, such speaks to inward heart issues of God's people. This word for malice is kakía, "inner malice" – properly, inwardly foul, bad, evil, rotten(poisoned). Those who have a sinful nature, they are lost and act as the lost do, it is their nature, they need a new nature.
"The good man out of his good treasure puts forth good things, the bad man out of his bad treasure puts forth bad things."7
An unbeliever by nature has an inner being that is bad, controlled by the sinful nature of the flesh, though in their heart they can be good, or do what the law requires, being a law to themselves.8 The hypocrisy and self-righteousness of the church is a law in and of itself to unbelievers who see such. It is why Jesus spoke out against such wearing of false masks. Hypocrisy is false piety, not to be confused with our imperfection and brokenness. In the believer there is a new nature, a heart of stone replaced and a new Spirit, in their inner being they delight in the laws of God. The distinction is of a new heart and Spirit.
So we see good and bad by nature, by inner malice, and good and bad by choice, or by the reign of the heart. Though not always translated well, there is a distinction of these words in the Bible; kakos, "inner malice. evil" and ponéros, "bad, to toil." Those who do not have a new inner being can in their heart be a law into good things, and those who are believers can be not so good of people, toiling to the desires of the flesh. Is there a bad evil heart, or a good evil heart, or a bad righteous heart, or a good righteous heart? So we see the idea of the reign of the heart.
Some people speak that unbelievers need to turn from their sin, repent, etc... as if they can reign their heart and the desires of the flesh. The old testament is our history lesson of the unsuccessful attempts of men to do so. Yes, we need to rule over sin but it starts with being born from above, otherwise we place heavy burdens on the shoulders of men. And these things offer a solution to the sin problem, boasting in the flesh, not Christ. To turn from my sin is to say I can give myself a new nature, a new heart that desires the things of God, I can be a god. Of course I can't do such a thing, I need to request from God a new heart. Then I learn principles of the Kingdom, like repentance, Lordship, obedience...
"Repent therefore of this malice, and request the Lord..."
I now need deep roots or I will wither away like the seed that fell on stony ground "and because of not having roots it withered away."9 The seed grows but the heart without reign is like a plant with no roots that withers away. If you do good will you not be accepted? and if you do not good sin lies at the door, it desires to reign over you... Cain where is Abel your brother? am I my brothers guardian? And so God gave man a guardian until Christ...10 The heart problem of evil is the issue of a new heart, born from above, the heart reign problem is a root problem. I need a new heart and I need deep roots to reign the heart.
"For Christ to dwell, through faith, in the hearts of you, rooted and grounded in love."9
This word for rooted is rhizoó, "I root, fix by the root." The only fix to the heart issue and the root problem is the Root, of Jesse, the Seed, he is the one who overcame and by him we overcome. He deposits a seed, a life giving Spirit, our heart is circumcised by the Spirit. We grow our roots deep in his love, by such we reign the heart. We receive a Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father! We are rooted and grounded in the Father's love. Those who have heart issues always point the finger at the sinner, taking the high ground, at someone who needs a new heart. The gall of bitterness of the believer is a heart not reigned and is shown in disobedience of the command to love one another.
"Yahweh searches the heart and tests the reigns and will give man fruit of his deeds."
This kalah or reign of the heart is tested. It is accomplished in thought, "he shuts his eyes to devise fraudulent things, moving his lips to accomplish evil."4 The two-edge Sword of God, Spirit and Truth is the dividing factor of thoughts and intentions of the heart. The reign of the heart is a matter of good soil, and of being rooted and grounded in Agape Love. It is the nature of a sinner to be bad but a believer must reign in the heart. The true nature of the reign of the heart is put forth in obedience, do we break or obey the commandments of God. But you say, I have done all these things since I was young. If you love me you will follow my commands, "sell all you have... and come follow me," and "love your neighbor as yourself." Therefore the true nature of a heart reign is displayed by your love for your neighbor.
This word for reign, kilyah, means "kidney," it speaks of a most vital organ, of gut feeling, instinct, of emotion. "For you have possessed the reign, you have covered my mother's womb."2 Interestingly it is not the heart, but the kidney that is the reign, as gut feelings comes from deeper within. The heart is incurable, some translations say desperately wicked but this word anash means "incurable" to be weak, sick. God searches the heart and tests the reign, such implies there is a reign of the heart.
This word reign is derived from keli, "instruments" from kalah "to be complete, finished, accomplished, consumed" i.e. "Finished were the heavens and the earth and all their vast array."3 Negatively, it speaks of accomplished, fulfilled, of purpose wrath or prediction of; to be determined, plotted; be spent, used up. Literally, it speaks of wasted away, to be exhausted, fail, literally of fading grass, vanishing cloud... The heart is like grass and clouds that fade and vanish away, incurable... "Vanity of vanities, proclaimed the preacher, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."4
Job's friends shake their heads at him, finished in their own hearts, and they were at ease, comfortable in the judgment of their hearts but Job says so was he until he no longer just heard of God but now sees Him. "I was at ease until he broke me asunder, shaken me by my neck to pieces and set me up for his mark, he edges around me his archers, cleaves my reign and does not spare, he pours out on the ground my gall. He breaks me, runs through me, breaching, he runs on like a warrior."3 David speaks of such a breakthrough, a breach of God at Baal-perazim.5
The friends of Job speak of godly things, like how God rewards the good and punishes evil but they ultimately dishonor God, a man more righteous is before them, but they take the high ground, their hearts are completed or finished in gall. Interestingly Jesus refused wine mixed with gall.6 But took the wine without, "when he took the wine, Jesus said it is finished and having bowed the head yield up his spirit."7 Gall refers to the content of the bladder, bile (proverbial for its bitterness). They would offer wine to numb the pain, but adding gall is, I think, a mocking gesture, asking, taunting, would you participate in bitterness to numb the pain? Such speaks to heart reign.
"Indeed in the gall of bitterness and the blood of iniquity I see you being."8
Even at the end, the Son of Man did not participate in the gall of bitterness. Luke states as the sun darkened and the veil of the temple tore, Jesus cried out, "Father into the hands of you I place before you the Spirit of me, moreover, this having said he breathed his last."9 By such a Spirit Jesus fell into the arms of a loving Father, without bitterness toward man for how he was treated. And by such a Spirit of Adoption, we can approach the throne of Grace, we can learn to reign the heart.
The gift of authority many wish to obtain by other means, they would want to buy it, to perform religious acts of righteousness, but the gall is shown within their hearts. "There is to you no part, nor lot in this matter indeed, the heart of you is not right before God, Repent therefore of this malice, and request the Lord if indeed will be forgiven you the intent of the heart of you, Indeed in the gall of bitterness and the blood of iniquity I see you being." Do we not see the gall? the problem of the deepest inner being accomplished, in malice, gall. And do we not see the solution?
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you a heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."6
"Repent therefore of this malice, and request the Lord..." Repent means to change your mind, it is often misused. Here Peter speaks to the Jew, God's people, repentance begins in the house of God, to be bitter towards sinners, to have gall, such speaks to inward heart issues of God's people. This word for malice is kakía, "inner malice" – properly, inwardly foul, bad, evil, rotten(poisoned). Those who have a sinful nature, they are lost and act as the lost do, it is their nature, they need a new nature.
"The good man out of his good treasure puts forth good things, the bad man out of his bad treasure puts forth bad things."7
An unbeliever by nature has an inner being that is bad, controlled by the sinful nature of the flesh, though in their heart they can be good, or do what the law requires, being a law to themselves.8 The hypocrisy and self-righteousness of the church is a law in and of itself to unbelievers who see such. It is why Jesus spoke out against such wearing of false masks. Hypocrisy is false piety, not to be confused with our imperfection and brokenness. In the believer there is a new nature, a heart of stone replaced and a new Spirit, in their inner being they delight in the laws of God. The distinction is of a new heart and Spirit.
So we see good and bad by nature, by inner malice, and good and bad by choice, or by the reign of the heart. Though not always translated well, there is a distinction of these words in the Bible; kakos, "inner malice. evil" and ponéros, "bad, to toil." Those who do not have a new inner being can in their heart be a law into good things, and those who are believers can be not so good of people, toiling to the desires of the flesh. Is there a bad evil heart, or a good evil heart, or a bad righteous heart, or a good righteous heart? So we see the idea of the reign of the heart.
Some people speak that unbelievers need to turn from their sin, repent, etc... as if they can reign their heart and the desires of the flesh. The old testament is our history lesson of the unsuccessful attempts of men to do so. Yes, we need to rule over sin but it starts with being born from above, otherwise we place heavy burdens on the shoulders of men. And these things offer a solution to the sin problem, boasting in the flesh, not Christ. To turn from my sin is to say I can give myself a new nature, a new heart that desires the things of God, I can be a god. Of course I can't do such a thing, I need to request from God a new heart. Then I learn principles of the Kingdom, like repentance, Lordship, obedience...
"Repent therefore of this malice, and request the Lord..."
I now need deep roots or I will wither away like the seed that fell on stony ground "and because of not having roots it withered away."9 The seed grows but the heart without reign is like a plant with no roots that withers away. If you do good will you not be accepted? and if you do not good sin lies at the door, it desires to reign over you... Cain where is Abel your brother? am I my brothers guardian? And so God gave man a guardian until Christ...10 The heart problem of evil is the issue of a new heart, born from above, the heart reign problem is a root problem. I need a new heart and I need deep roots to reign the heart.
"For Christ to dwell, through faith, in the hearts of you, rooted and grounded in love."9
This word for rooted is rhizoó, "I root, fix by the root." The only fix to the heart issue and the root problem is the Root, of Jesse, the Seed, he is the one who overcame and by him we overcome. He deposits a seed, a life giving Spirit, our heart is circumcised by the Spirit. We grow our roots deep in his love, by such we reign the heart. We receive a Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father! We are rooted and grounded in the Father's love. Those who have heart issues always point the finger at the sinner, taking the high ground, at someone who needs a new heart. The gall of bitterness of the believer is a heart not reigned and is shown in disobedience of the command to love one another.
"Yahweh searches the heart and tests the reigns and will give man fruit of his deeds."
This kalah or reign of the heart is tested. It is accomplished in thought, "he shuts his eyes to devise fraudulent things, moving his lips to accomplish evil."4 The two-edge Sword of God, Spirit and Truth is the dividing factor of thoughts and intentions of the heart. The reign of the heart is a matter of good soil, and of being rooted and grounded in Agape Love. It is the nature of a sinner to be bad but a believer must reign in the heart. The true nature of the reign of the heart is put forth in obedience, do we break or obey the commandments of God. But you say, I have done all these things since I was young. If you love me you will follow my commands, "sell all you have... and come follow me," and "love your neighbor as yourself." Therefore the true nature of a heart reign is displayed by your love for your neighbor.