Canaanites In The House Of God

“…And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts in that day.”

(Zechariah 14:21)

Canaanite – [OT:3669] “a merchant, a pedlar (or “peddler”), a trader”

• merchant – “a buyer and seller of commodities for profit”

• peddler – “A peddler is a specific type of salesperson: someone who travels from town to town selling their wares; someone who sells things in small amounts often by traveling to different places; a person who peddles something”

• trader – “a person who buys, sells, or exchanges goods; to exchange something for something else”

Who was Canaan?

• Canaan is the 4th son of Ham (Genesis 10:6) and a grandson of Noah.

• His descendants were under a curse due to the transgression of his father (Genesis 9:18-27).

The Land of Canaan

• This is the name of a biblical man and a land that belonged to descendants of that man, and later became “The Promised Land” of Abraham’s descendants.

The Promised Land

• The land of Canaan was promised by God to the descendants of Abraham (Genesis 12:7, 13:15; 1 Chron. 16:18; Acts 13:19) and is thus referred to as “The Promised Land.”

Zechariah 14:1-21 – In this chapter, the prophet describes what will occur at the end of this age when the Lord judges Israel, but what I wanted to look at was the very last verse; “And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts in that day.” The Canaanites were, by the definition of their name, merchants. In the following passages we’ll see that they represent those in the church who “merchandise” the Holy Spirit (John 2:16). By selling their fleshly “wares” in the name of the Lord, they have exchanged His salvation for an earthly profit. I would call this the “Judas spirit.” The traders in the church are the traitors of Christ.

21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite [3669] in the house of the Lord of hosts in that day.

NASU

OT:3669 Kena`aniy (ken-ah-an-ee')

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

patrial from OT:3667; a Kenaanite or inhabitant of Kenaan; by implication, a pedlar (the Canaanites standing for their neighbors the Ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile caravans):

KJV - Canaanite, merchant, trafficker.

(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)

Canaanite = see Cana "zealous"

as an adjective:

1)   a descendant of inhabitant of Canaan

as a noun:

2)   a descendant or inhabitant of Canaan

3)   a merchant, a trader

(The following insights are from the Bible study Merchandising The Holy Spirit.)

In John 2:13-25, Jesus confronts the “money-changers” in the temple. He said to those who were selling doves, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” The dove is a picture of the Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16. This is a picture of the church “merchandising” the Holy Spirit.

Merchandising (from Oxford Languages):

• the activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially by their presentation in retail outlets

• branded products used to promote a particular movie, popular music group, etc., or linked to a particular fictional character [see the Bible study, The Business Model Of The World In The Church, that this came from to see a lot more in regards to the branding of the world that is now in the church.]

From the article “The Question That Changed My Life”;

• While a professor at a Christian college was discussing with his students the issue of the body of Christ becoming business-like in its functioning, a young lady asked the following question; “When the body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?”… YES, IT IS!!!

Excerpts from the article, “What Is Merchandising?”; (https://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-merchandising)

“Merchandising is everything you do to promote and sell your products once the potential customer is in your store [i.e. “in your church”]. When we talk about merchandise, we are talking about products available for sale, typically in a retail setting.

Since the sales process often starts with the eyes [Genesis 3:6; Satan’s original appeal to the flesh], retail merchandising typically involves presenting products in a visually favorable light, to try and encourage purchases.”

Benefits of merchandising

Some small business owners hire professional visual merchandisers to come in and spruce up their displays and selling floor, finding that the cost is well worth it [in the church, make your sanctuary more exciting, appealing to the “fleshly” senses like the world’s places of entertainment]. But merchandising goes beyond just moving inventory around, to space planning and product staging. Effective merchandising yields:

• Higher sales [Many of the leaders of the “mega-churches” have become multi-millionaires by selling their “products.”]

• Faster inventory turnover

• Buyers who spend more time in the store

• More satisfied customers

• Increased customer loyalty [In the church, loyalty to a “religious brand,” rather than Christ. Their slogan is usually along the lines of, “Come and see my church,” when it should be, “Come and experience Jesus” because His presence is in your midst.]

• Stores that present products that customers are frequently looking for in a pleasing display, or tucked away neatly, will find those same customers returning for more on a regular basis. [The goal of the so-called “seeker-friendly” church. Make them feel “happy” and “accepted” by appealing to their flesh, while never directly confronting sin in their lives, thereby “loving” them into hell.]

From the article “Who were the money changers in the Bible?” (https://www.gotquestions.org/money-changers-in-the-Bible.html)

“…Because Jewish law required a temple tax of a half-shekel (Exodus 30:11–16), Jews and visitors from other nations came to pay their taxes when they offered their sacrifices. But foreign coins with the likeness of pagan emperors would not be accepted in God’s temple. So money changers exchanged those foreign coins for Jewish money, but they did so at an exorbitant profit. Rather than provide this service as a business in another part of town, they exploited the religious zeal of the visitors to Jerusalem and did their business on temple grounds. Because they determined their own exchange rate, money changers easily took advantage of the poor and the foreigners pouring into Jerusalem for Passover.

These same money changers were associated with others who engaged in shady business practices in the temple courts. Some sold sacrificial animals, overcharging people who did not bring their own. Others were in charge of examining the animals to be sacrificed, and it was a simple matter to declare an animal “unapproved” and force the worshiper to buy another animal—at an inflated price—from the temple vendors. Such goings-on, exploiting the poor and the foreigner, angered the Lord Jesus and was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:34).

The money changers in the temple courts were similar to tax collectors in that they extorted money from their own people. They were more than ordinary businessmen. They were seeking to profit financially from the worship of God. Wherever passion and zeal are found, there will also be those who seek to profit from that zeal. Paul wrote to Timothy about such people, false teachers who found a way to make a fortune off the gospel (1 Timothy 6:5). Modern versions of the money changers flood the airways, promising to exchange your hard-earned dollars for blessings, healing, and God’s favor. For a suggested donation, they will supposedly pray for you or promise virtually anything you want. For another twenty bucks, they will sell you a book about how to wrangle prosperity, health, or spiritual insights from God. And, like the simony of the first-century money changers, the practices of modern religious price gougers only aid those worshipers who have enough cash to purchase their wares.

Paul often clarified the difference between his ministry and that of false teachers by pointing out their greed. In 2 Corinthians 2:17 he wrote, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” Peter also warned that one way to spot a modern-day money changer is to notice his or her fascination with financial gain (2 Peter 2:3 [Jude 16]). Jesus hated the money changers’ exploitation of the devout two thousand years ago, and He still hates it. We may not have shady characters collecting temple taxes outside our places of worship, but we have them invading our homes through radio and television. We are wise to remember how Jesus reacted to such selfish swindlers. With no apologies, He drove them out of His Father’s house. When we identify a modern money changer, we should do the same.”

Traders/Traitors In The Church; Exchanging God For Fleshly Passions And Desires

trader – “a person who buys, sells, or exchanges goods; to exchange something for something else”

Ezekiel 28:1-6 – See the note below.

1 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying,

2 "Son of man, say to the leader [5057- “a leader, a ruler, a captain, a prince”] of Tyre [6965- “a rock”], 'Thus says the Lord God, "Because your heart is lifted up and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the seas'; Yet you are a man and not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God — 

3 Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; There is no secret that is a match for you.

4 "By your wisdom and understanding you have acquired riches for yourself and have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.

5 "By your great wisdom, by your trade [7404- “trade (as peddled), merchandise, traffic”] you have increased your riches and your heart is lifted up because of your riches —  [i.e. the prosperity gospel peddlers! See verses 15 and 18 also.]

6 Therefore thus says the Lord God, 'Because you have made your heart like the heart of God… [See Isaiah 14:13-14 also.]

NASU

In this indictment against the prince of Tyre, the Lord declares that he, even though a man, has made his heart “like the heart of God.” As a trader, he became very wealthy and filled with pride, much like those who peddle the so-called “prosperity gospel” that has made them rich while destroying many of God’s children’s lives. The only ones getting rich through their doctrines of demons are the ones who proclaim it, asking you to send them a “seed of greed” to fill their pockets with. They have been fleecing the flock of God for years, offering them a false hope of financial gain while personally becoming richer through their deceived followers. The Lord has said enough is enough, which is why they are being exposed as religious hucksters who rob from God’s children that lack discernment. They peddle their wares without shame. Their hands are filled with blood and are now being called by God to give an account for their numerous lies.

In his second letter to the Thessalonian Christians, Paul refers to this rebellious heart for “sordid gain” that will be prevalent among God’s people right before the return of Jesus;

“Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him [and the binding of the tares], that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy [646- “defection from the truth, a falling away”] comes first, and the man of lawlessness [458- “illegality, wickedness”] is revealed, the son [5207- “primarily signifies the relation of offspring to parent”] of destruction [684- “ruin or loss, a destroying”], who opposes [480- “to be set over against, lie opposite to”] and exalts himself [i.e. self-exaltation] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying [584- “to point out, exhibit, show forth”] himself as being God.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:1-4/NASU)

Paul describes, very clearly, the “man of lawlessness” that is now being revealed in the church. They are also referred to by him as the “son of destruction” that will be exposed by the Lord in the final apostasy (i.e. “defection from the truth, a falling away”) that we now find ourselves immersed in.

First of all, many in the church, through the deception of the devil, would say that this is impossible to happen to a Christian. This spiritual blindness is due to the acceptance of the “once saved, always saved” falsehood. You cannot “fall away” from that which you were never connected to, or joined together with. We are now the temple of God. Like the trader in Ezekiel 28:5, this traitor has opposed the lordship of Jesus Christ within them, after turning to Him (see Hebrews 10:26-31) Placing themselves over the Lord in their heart, seating themselves on His throne within them, they have made their heart like the heart of God.

The devil does not want God’s people to see this which is why in Ezekiel 28, and Isaiah 14, he has made himself out as the subject being described. The very popular belief that he was once an upright angel (cherub) that fell away from God, I believe, is a lie. In fact, Paul teaches us the following in his letter to the church in Corinth;

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading [3345- “to transfigure or disguise, to transform”] as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades [3345] as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade [3345] as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

(2 Corinthians 11:13-15/NIV)

He was never an angel of light, but has only disguised himself as being one through lies secretly introduced and accepted within the church. I firmly believe that he was created by God as an evil being that would be used by God for His purposes. Many of his mouthpieces in the church are those who, like Judas, started following Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but along the way allowed for a fleshly desire to take over their heart instead of giving it to Him, causing them to betray Him to their enemy. If you want to know my proof of this, and just who is being described in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14, the chapters used to defend that the devil was once an angel of light, see chapter three, Satan’s Origin, in my book Satan’s Fall.

Matthew 16:24-26 (Mark 8:37) – In this passage, Jesus describes the expectations of His followers. His question for us today, in particular in light of this study, is, “What will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

25 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

26 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange [465] for his soul?

NASU

NT:465 antallagma (an-tal'-ag-mah)

(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

from a compound of NT:473 and NT:236; an equivalent or ransom (see definition below):

KJV - in exchange.

(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)

that which is given in place of another thing by way of exchange; what is given either in order to keep or to acquire anything

Ransom:

• In the New Testament, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is described as a ransom for humanity’s liberation from sin and death.

• Jesus paid the “ransom price” to redeem those who believe in him from the penalty of their sins and the power of Satan, as described in Matthew 20:28 and 1 Timothy 2:6.

• The idea of ransom is closely tied to concepts like redemption, atonement, and substitution. In a ransom, someone pays the debt or price for another, often to release them from a specific condition.

Romans 1:21-30 – Paul refers to those who “knew God,” but did not “honor Him as God or give thanks.” The non-Christian is not described as knowing God. Paul is describing those who came to an understanding of God, or were given the “precise and correct knowledge” of God, but did not continue in Him by holding Him in honor in their lives (i.e. lordship). Because of this, “they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” In exchange for their rebellion against the lordship of Jesus Christ over them, they were given over to “degrading passions” (i.e. homosexuality and lesbianism). In this case, they have become worse at that point then when they never knew Christ. Their last state, after having known and then walked away from Him, is worse than their first state when they were dead in their sins, not knowing or understanding the truth (2 Peter 2:20-22).

21 For even though they knew [1097- “to learn to know, come to understand, perceive”] God, they did not honor [1392- “to magnify, extol, praise, hold in honor”] Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile [3154- “to make empty, vain, foolish”] in their speculations [1261- “a thought, inward reasoning”], and their foolish [801- “without understanding or discernment, unintelligent, ungodly, wicked”] heart was darkened.

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools [i.e. “foolish virgins”],

23 and exchanged [236- “to make different, to change: to cause one thing to cease and another to take its place”] the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.

25 For they exchanged [3337- “to exchange, change, to change one thing for another, or into another”] the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them over [3860- “to surrender, to give over into ones power or use, to deliver”] to degrading [819- “dishonor, ignominy (“public shame or disgrace, deep personal humiliation and disgrace”)”] passions; for their women exchanged [3337] the natural function for that which is unnatural,

27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer [see the NKJV at the end of this verse], God gave them over [3860] to a depraved [96- “not standing the test, unapproved”] mind, to do those things which are not proper, [NKJV- “And even as they did not like to retain [2192- “to have, to hold fast, keep, to adhere or cling to”] God in their knowledge [1922- “precise and correct knowledge”]…”]

29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,

30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;

32 and although they know [1921- “to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know accurately, to understand”] the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

NASU