Sword of Division
It should be understood by all men born with a Fivefold Ministry Gift that they will typically be in danger of separation from relatives and this is especially true of those who are born with a gift of Apostle or Prophet. An Apostle cannot remain silent and sit by and witness disorder and not expose and rebuke and confront that disorder and put it in order again by the principles of God’s word. The Apostle was made for this purpose and he cannot sit and be quiet just because he is in the presence of his own relatives.
The exact same thing also applies to any man born with a gift of Prophet because a Prophet cannot sit still and watch people engage in sin and not say something about it. He was born for the purpose to expose and define and rebuke sin and he cannot remain silent just because he is in the presence of his own relatives.
But this exposing of disorder and sin will typically bring a sword of division between that Apostle or Prophet and their own relatives who do not want to comply with his mandates and do they want to listen to his counsel given from the word of God.
Typically, the relatives of an Apostle or Prophet act as if they expect the Apostle or Prophet will put away being an Apostle or Prophet when they are in their presence. But this cannot be done because an Apostle and Prophet are born with the gift and it is part of their makeup and they cannot compromise or “turn-off” their gift just because they are in the presence of relatives.
These relatives want to have everyone enjoy some peace “by compromise” at their family gatherings or reunions or family holidays etc. But this is not going to happen if there was an Apostle or a Prophet born within that family. A separation is going to occur because the Apostle or Prophet will not compromise (and in fact can never compromise) and if that family wants to remain as being comfortable in disorder and sin then they will not have a “happy-time” with a relative who is born as an Apostle or Prophet because they are going to be exposed and rebuked for disorder and sin. When they refuse to repent or change but instead expect the Apostle or Prophet to change then they will be in for a rude awakening. They will discover that their relative Apostle or Prophet will be forced to separate from them completely because he will die before he compromises with these things that he was created to destroy such as disorder or sin!
Matthew 10:33 (NIV)
33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
The Apostle and Prophet were born with a calling from God which is part of their makeup and it is not possible for them to compromise for anyone (not even relatives of their own household where they happened to be born into)! For an Apostle or a Prophet to compromise is equal to them disowning the Lord before men. Their “calling” comes before any human relationships on earth including next of kin. If an Apostle or a Prophet should compromise with anyone (concerning matters of their calling) then they will be disowning the Lord who gave them the gift they were born with. If they disown the Lord then they will also be disowned by God in heaven! This is not a matter that can be taken lightly! An Apostle and Prophet were created to expose disorder and sin and to rebuke that disorder and sin. This job description applies to all humans that they meet and they cannot turn off the gift just to compromise with relatives at a family gathering or reunion. The gift of Apostle and Prophet is on all of the time and there is no turning it off or compromising for anyone or else the one with the gift could have his gift go dormant and face unspeakable damnation on judgment day!
Matthew 10:34-36 (NIV)
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law–
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
Jesus depicted the division of the Apostles from their own relatives as by a sword. Jesus stated emphatically that he did not come to bring peace but rather a sword of division. Peace by compromise means that people choose to accept disorder and sin in order to please humans rather than God. But the end is eternal damnation for all of those who compromise to gain the acceptance of humans at the expense of disobeying God. Jesus said that the enemies of an Apostle will be those members of his own household of relatives.
Matthew 10:5 (NIV)
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions . . .
It should be noted that the scriptures taken in context regarding the sword of division within a man’s own household is referring to Apostles being divided from their kin-folk and relatives at home. In verse 5 above Jesus sent out the twelve “Apostles” with the following instructions (which following instructions include verse 34-36 which speaks of the sword of division within the household). This means that Jesus is addressing his twelve “Apostles” and he told them emphatically that they would experience a sword of division among their own relatives.
The reason for this sword of division is that an Apostle cannot compromise his gift or calling or even suspend that calling or gift while in the presence of his relatives. This means Apostles will expose and rebuke and correct disorder wherever they see it and that includes being in the company of their own relatives. These relatives who do not want to change or comply with the divine order brought by an Apostle will typically find-fault with the delivery boy in order to excuse themselves from having to change. This fault-finding will result in the sword of division in their relationship with the one born as an Apostle within their family. The Apostle cannot compromise nor be silent to keep peace and so this will force a separation when his own relatives refuse to accept his word from the Lord and disdain him instead!
Matthew 10:37 (NIV)
37 “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
The Apostle is warned in verse 37 (which is addressed to Apostles) that anyone who loves father or mother more than the Lord is not worthy of the Lord and whoever even loves son or daughter more than the Lord is not worthy of the Lord. The message is made abundantly clear that the Apostles cannot place any human relationship before the Lord and this means he cannot compromise his calling trying to keep peace with his own relatives. If he does this, he would be in danger of his gift going dormant and this could result in unspeakable damnation for the Apostle who failed to fulfill his calling upon the earth. Compromise to please relatives is really not a viable option to even consider for an Apostle because nothing would be worth the damnation he would face if he chose the path of compromise to keep peace with those relatives living in sin and disorder!
Matthew 10:40-41 (NIV)
40 “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.
41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
Note that verses 40-41 are still part of the instructions of the Lord given to Apostles so these are all “Apostle-instructions” in the entire passage of Matthew 10:5-42. Jesus is saying that whoever receives the Apostle (or Prophet) also receives the Lord who sent that Apostle. This is a true-life principle that is in no way negated or suspended just because an Apostle is in the presence of his own relatives at home. If his relatives will receive the Apostle then it is equal to receiving the Lord who sent and called that Apostle. Conversely if they reject that Apostle (and do not receive him or his ministry) then they have also rejected the Lord who sent him. This is equally true with relatives of that Apostle as it is also true for anyone else outside of that Apostle’s family clan.
The part of receiving a righteous man must not be confused with saying that any “human” is perfect (righteous) so that relatives can feel authorized to point out his short-comings and thus relieve themselves of the responsibility to comply with the Apostle or Prophet who speaks God’s word to them. The “righteous” man is not referring to being “perfect” because no human was ever perfect except Jesus alone. The “righteous” man speaks of one who is carrying God’s word and God’s authority and God’s commission. To be “righteous” in this sense is not referring to being without sin or blemish or being perfect. It means that the Apostle and Prophet are on a “righteous” mission and are sent by God and it is not their own words that they carry.
But all too often relatives want to silence the Apostles or Prophets born among them and they typically employ counter-accusation against them for this reason. This fault-finding and counter-accusation is designed to shame the voice of the Apostle or Prophet into silence and thus relieve themselves of the need to change by seeking to silence that voice. Yes, the Apostle and Prophet will become silent after that but not because they are being controlled by the relatives accusing them but because when the relatives pull this age-old “worn-out” trick then there is nothing more that can be said to them. At this point they have made a willful choice against God and have chosen damnation over repentance. So, there is nothing more to say and at this point a sword of separation manifests.
There is no point of speaking any more words of correction or rebuke to someone who is not teachable and who has forced their own separation by pulling this old “worn-out” trick of counter-accusation. So, these people did silence the Apostle or Prophet at this point but it was not because they were successful in shaming him into silence like the devil tries to do. The silence of the Apostle and Prophet results in them having been cut off from the rebellious relatives who refuse to repent or change and so nothing more can be said to them and a complete separation is then forced between the Apostle or Prophet and those relatives to sought to silence his words.
Again, I say that it is a dangerous thing for a family to have an Apostle or a Prophet born within their family. Often times members of the family belonging to the family of the Apostle or Prophet will end up in hell. This is because they do not receive the Apostle or Prophet as a “righteous” man called by God and so disdain his words of correction or rebuke. But in disdaining the words of their Apostle or Prophet “relative” they are also disdaining the words of the Lord who sent him. When they reject his words then they force their own separation with their relative Apostle or Prophet and this can result in their own damnation!
1 Samuel 2:29 (NIV)
29 Why do you scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’
The priest Eli was rejected by the Lord and his entire family line was rejected from the priesthood of the Lord because he compromised by honoring his own sons more than he honored God! Honoring any relatives more than God (including sons) can cost an Apostle or Prophet their very lives! They can perish eternally if they allow any such compromise of trying to please humans at the expense of obeying God.
1 Samuel 15:24 (NIV)
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them.
King Saul was also rejected by the Lord because he feared people more than God and he tried to keep peace with people at the expense of obeying God. This caused Saul to be rejected as king and he was later destroyed and sent to hell! This provides a stern warning for any Apostles or Prophets who would fear humans or seek to garner human acceptance more than obeying God to fulfill their calling. Trying to compromise to keep peace with humans will result in the eternal damnation of both Apostles and Prophets who feared humans (relatives) more than they feared God!
Deuteronomy 33:8-10 (NIV)
8 About Levi he said: “Your Thummim and Urim belong to the man you favored. You tested him at Massah; you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.
9 He said of his father and mother, ‘I have no regard for them.’ He did not recognize his brothers or acknowledge his own children, but he watched over your word and guarded your covenant.
10 He teaches your precepts to Jacob and your law to Israel. He offers incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
In the sin of idol-worship at Mount Horeb it was the tribe of Levi who rallied together to Moses. They strapped on their swords and they put to death all those who engaged in idolatry and immorality and pagan worship. They had no regard for next of kin or relatives but put them all to death who sinned regardless if they were brothers or children or any close relative. The tribe of Levi honored God above human relationships including those of next of kin or close relatives.
Ephesians 6:17 (NIV)
17 . . . and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
This scripture reveals that the word of God is called the sword of the Spirit. This means that the word of God is what causes division within a household and this is especially true of households that harbor an Apostle or Prophet who will constantly bring the word of the Lord against disorder or sin. This causes a separation and the Levites of the Old Testament are direct counterparts of the New Testament Levites of the Fivefold Ministry. NT Levites bring the sword of the word of God and apply it even to their own relatives. This is just like the tribe of Levi strapping on their swords and putting to death all that sinned against God (including relatives).
Exodus 32:26-27 (NIV)
26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.
27 Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'”
The Levites took their swords and went among the congregation and even killed their brother or friend or neighbor without hesitation if these people engaged in the sin of idolatry and immorality and wickedness against God.
This is a spiritual analogy that those born into a family as Apostles and Prophets (NT Levites of the Fivefold Ministry) are to apply the sword of God’s word to every human (even those who are next of kin). They are not compromise or remain silent trying to please people when in fact they are born for this job and their gift applies to all humans regardless if they are relatives or not.
It is the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) that brings a division between family members and the Apostle or Prophet born into that family. But the Apostle and Prophet cannot compromise the word of God even for relatives. They have to apply God’s word to everyone (regardless if they are relatives or not).
But typically, it is the relatives who will reject an Apostle or Prophet born to their own family and they will disdain him because they are too familiar with him.
Numbers 12:1-2 (NASB)
1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had married a Cushite woman);
2 and they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?” And the LORD heard it.
Miriam was listed first because she was the ringleader in this rebellion and she got her weak and passive brother Aaron to serve as a “beta-male enabler” to empower her to take over the leadership from Moses. The problem was that Miriam was too familiar with her younger brother Moses and therefore she did not honor him as a Prophet of God. But God took offense at this and Miriam was judged for this insubordination!
Numbers 12:5-10 (NASB)
5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the doorway of the tent, and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward,
6 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream.
7 “Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household;
8 With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses?”
9 So the anger of the LORD burned against them and He departed.
10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous.
Miriam was struck by leprosy and defiled and this was a judgment on her pride and presumption to take over the leadership role of Moses. This is typical of all relatives of anyone born as an Apostle or Prophet and they will seek to disdain them or discredit them so that they do not have to comply with the divine order and rebuke for sin that is carried by Apostles and Prophets. This is why it is dangerous for an Apostle or Prophet to be born into a particular family because most often this will result in the eternal damnation of their own relatives. This is because these relatives see the weaknesses and defects of their Apostle or Prophet and therefore use that as an excuse not to submit to the word of God that he carries. This then causes them to send themselves to hell because they do not receive an Apostle or a Prophet as a “righteous” man sent by God on a mission. Rejecting their relative Apostle or Prophet causes them to reject God word sent to them and it will not turn out well for them in the end as a result!
Miriam was judged and defiled by disdaining her brother Moses because she did not honor the gift of Prophet within him. She was too familiar with her younger brother Moses and this was her downfall because she failed to honor the gift within him.
Matthew 10:40-41 (NASB)
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
41 “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
Again, this can be applied to the Apostle or Prophet because whoever receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet receives a Prophet’s reward which is holiness and fear of the Lord. Whoever receives an Apostle in the name of an Apostle receives an Apostles’ reward which is divine order. But if relatives disdain these gifts just because they were born into their own family, they will typically reject the one God has sent and receive judgment just as Miriam received judgment for rejecting her younger brother Moses and for not honoring the gift of “Prophet” within him.
Mark 6:3-4 (NIV)
3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
It is ironic that an Apostle and Prophet will typically be honored by those who are outside of their own families but within their own family they are most often despised and rejected. Jesus was the Son of God and walked as a perfect man but the people of his hometown and his own family rejected him and did not honor the gift within him.
It should be noted that if Jesus was a perfect man and he was not honored by his own relatives then how much more will imperfect Apostles and Prophets be rejected by their own kin-folks. But in fact, pointing out short-comings of these men in no way relieves these same relatives from complying with the word of God given to the Apostle or Prophet relative that they are disdaining and rejecting. This is why an Apostle or Prophet typically works death to the members of his own family because when these relatives reject him, they are rejecting God’s word he carries and so they bring damnation upon themselves!
Sword of Division
Therefore, a sword of division will come and this sword of division is a result of the sword of God’s word spoken by Apostles and Prophets to their own relatives. The Apostles and Prophets cannot compromise and “turn-off” their gift while in the presence of relatives because they are born with the gift and it is part of their own makeup. They cannot compromise to keep peace with relatives. So, when the same relatives reject them or try to silence them with counter-accusation then it will bring a sword of division. The sword of God’s word divides those relatives who do not want to comply with God’s word from the Apostles and Prophets born within their own households.
Luke 8:21 (NIV)
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Jesus said that his mother and brothers were those how hear God’s word and put it into practice. These are the people who love Jesus and who hear and obey his words. But the natural mother and brothers of Jesus did not receive him as the Son of God and so they were placed on the outside of his circle of friends. Those who attained “friendship” with the Lord were those who heard and believed and applied the word of God carried by Jesus.
Too Familiar with Ministry Gift
Mark 3:20-21 (NIV)
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.
21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
It is amazing that the relatives of Jesus came to take charge of him saying that he is out of his mind! Jesus was the most perfect man that ever walked upon the earth and yet he was deemed “insane” by his own relatives. Then how much more will Apostles and Prophets who are only defected humans also be disdained by their own relatives.
It is for this reason that those born with a Fivefold Ministry Gift should protect themselves and not expose any personal information or financial information to relatives or next of kin. The reason these relatives disdain them is because they are too familiar with them and do not honor their Ministry Gift that they were born with. It is for this reason that a man born with a Fivefold Ministry Gift should keep his own relatives at “arms-length” meaning that he should not give them any more information than necessary. In fact, whatever they say or do can be used against them. A Fivefold minister should not use his mother or any other relatives as a ministry secretary and allow them access to his personal financial records or they can carry this information to other relatives and it be used as a point of judgment against them.
Matthew 10:36 (NIV)
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
Jesus stated clearly that a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household and this specifically has application to a Fivefold Ministry Gift and his own relatives who do not appreciate him when he points out disorder or sin in their lives.
Jeremiah 12:6 (NIV)
6 Your brothers, your own family– even they have betrayed you; they have raised a loud cry against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.
Even during the Old Testament era, the Prophet Jeremiah was betrayed by his own relatives who plotted against him. God warned him not to trust his own relatives for this reason.
Jeremiah 11:21-23 (NIV)
21 “Therefore this is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD or you will die by our hands’–
22 therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish them. Their young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine.
23 Not even a remnant will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.'”
The relatives of Jeremiah from Anathoth were threatening Jeremiah to try to silence him from exposing sin. They even threatened to kill Jeremiah the Prophet in order to stop his Prophetic words. But God brought judgement upon these wicked people who were not fighting against Jeremiah but against God who sent Jeremiah and put His own words in Jeremiah’s mouth.
It is dangerous for relatives to have a Prophet or Apostle or other Fivefold Ministry Gift born among them because he carries God’s words and if they reject him and seek to silence him then they are in fact fighting against God and this will bring judgment upon them. Many relatives have been judged for disdaining a Fivefold Ministry Gift born among them and this has happened throughout all generations and even occurred thousands of years ago during the Old Testament era.
If a Fivefold Minister does not fulfill his calling then his gift will go dormant and he will end up perishing in eternal damnation.