In continuation of last week’s publication, about the little leaven that leaveneth the whole lump, today’s publication is about the leaven of Herod, against which Jesus warned His disciples, as written in Mark 8:15 which is quoted thus, “TAKE HEED, BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES AND THE LEAVEN OF HEROD.” To have a clearer spiritual understanding of what this leaven is all about, it is important that we remind ourselves about this king and his wicked activities against the early church. Herod was a heathen king who hated the truth and all those who stood for the truth. Herod was that wicked king who killed John the Baptist during his ungodly birthday celebration. He also killed James the brother of John with the sword. He later arrested Peter to kill him but that period coincided with the season of an idolatrous festival, known as Easter/Ishtar festival, as written in Acts 12:4, and I quote, “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him: intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.” The word EASTER which is the same as ASHTAROTH or ASTARTE is the name of the Babylonian goddess, known as the queen of heaven, which was the object of worship in Ancient Babylon. And the worship of this Ashtaroth by the children of Israel incurred the anger of God, as written in Judges 2:13, and I quote, ‘’And they forsook the LORD and served Baal and Ashtaroth.’’
As the Jews were observing the days of unleavened bread, which was the ordinance of the Jews Passover, as commanded by Moses, King Herod and all the pagans in his domain, coincidentally, were observing their ungodly Easter orAshtaroth festival.

If Jesus Christ warned his disciples to beware of the doctrine of Herod, then this warning is also for all believers in Christ, in this dispensation. Since Herod’s life-style was worldly and ungodly, therefore all worldly and ungodly festivals and celebrations as in Birthday, Easter, Christmas, Valentine etc. make up the leaven of Herod. The doctrine of Herod was actually A DOCTRINE OF LYING VANITIES and the doctrine of the Gentiles, who walk in the vanity of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; and have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to walk all uncleanness with greediness, as written in Ephesians 4:17-19. Any true church, whose pillar and ground is the truth, should flee from this leaven of Herod, otherwise, it can slowly and in a very subtle manner, change the rocky foundation of that true church into a false foundation, leading the church into the broad-way that leads to destruction.

A LITTLE LEAVEN CAN ALSO BE ANY SIN IN THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD, WHICH, IF NOT DEALT WITH, CAN RAPIDLY SPREAD AMONG THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION, as written in 1 Corinthians 5:1-6, hence any erring member that commits any sin must be excommunicated from the church, as written in 1 CORINTHIANS 5:13, and I quote, “THEREFORE PUT AWAY FROM AMONG YOURSELVES THAT WICKED PERSON.”

For example, because of the sin of hypocrisy, and the sin of lying to the Holy Spirit, committed by Ananias and Sapphira, they were excommunicated by death from the early church, even by the Holy Spirit. This brought fear upon the early church, as written in Acts 5:1-11.
In EXODUS 12:19, it is written, and I quote, ‘’seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.’’ It means, therefore, that the leaven of SIN in the house of God, which should NOT be found at all, must be dealt with quickly, before it leavens the whole lump, hence the leaven of the sin of fornication, that was found among the Corinthian church, grieved the Holy Spirit, who commanded through Paul, that the young man, who committed the sin, should be taken from among them and be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the LORD JESUS, as written in 1 CORINTHIANS 5:5, and I quote, ‘’TO DELIVER SUCH AN ONE UNTO SATAN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH, THAT THE SPIRIT MAY BE SAVED IN THE DAY OF THE LORD JESUS.’’

A true church should watch against the leaven of the woman, mentioned in REVELATION 17:5-7, as the Mother of Harlots and of the abominations of the earth, whose work is to corrupt the word of truth, by her wrong doctrines. Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Corinthian church, said in 2 CORINTHIANS 2:17a, and I quote, ‘’FOR WE ARE NOT AS MANY WHICH CORRUPT THE WORD OF GOD.’’ But this woman, being the bride of Satan, uses Satan’s ministers that are more in numbers than the true ministers of God, to corrupt the word of truth, which is the unleavened bread, of sincerity and truth, mentioned in 1 CORINTHIANS 15:8. And once the word of truth is corrupted, it leads to the preaching of another Jesus and the preaching of another gospel, because another spirit, the spirit of error, must have taken over the entire church, as written in 2 CORINTHIANS 11:4.
CONCLUDED
____________________________________________________
COURTESY:
SERVANT OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, OLU GEORGE
CHRISTIAN GOSPEL CHURCH
(The Truth Centre).