THOU SHALT SURELY DIE
(COVETOUSNESS)
by Tony Alamo
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife: You shall not crave your neighbor’s house or his field… or his ox or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Deuteronomy 5:21, Hebrew translation). This is number ten of the Ten Commandments, the moral law, which JESUS said HE did not come to destroy. HE said that Heaven and earth would pass away, but not the moral law—not one jot or one tittle of it. “Till Heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18).
It is not wrong to want more than what you now have, but it is wrong to desire it at your neighbor’s expense (or at your church’s expense). In their Mishna, the Jewish rabbis say that Torah law (the first five books of the Bible) almost never attempts to regulate thought—only deeds. However, in this, they are wrong. What they say is heresy.
Let me explain, through GOD’S WORD, the TRUTH of this matter, provided by the HOLY SPIRIT through Paul the Apostle in 2 Corinthians, chapter 10, verses 1-6: “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of CHRIST, who in presence am base among you [and all rabbis], but being absent am bold toward you [and all rabbis]: But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of GOD, and BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST; [This scripture clearly shows that we are commanded by GOD to not only regulate our thoughts, but to put them to death, make all of our thoughts obedient unto CHRIST.] And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
GOD tells us to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of CHRIST because coveting is a demon possession so strong that it inevitably leads to immoral actions. The Bible depicts two kings, men who presumably possessed more than almost anyone else, as being guilty of coveting. David coveted Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife (2 Samuel, chapter 11). As a result, he soon violated two more of the Ten Commandments: he committed adultery with her (the seventh commandment1), and when she became pregnant, he had her husband murdered to cover up the potential scandal (the sixth commandment2).
More than a century later, King Ahab coveted the vineyard of a man named Naboth (1 Kings, chapter 21). When Naboth refused to sell Ahab the land, the king went into a deep depression. His wife, Queen Jezebel, resolved to acquire the land for him by any means necessary. She arranged for false witnesses to testify that Naboth had committed treason. This led to his execution, whereupon the king took possession of his field. Thus, what started with coveting, ended up with the violation of three more of the Ten Commandments—the ninth commandment, which forbids bearing false testimony,3 the sixth, which prohibits murder,4 and the eighth, which forbids stealing.5
A person cannot be a GODLY person unless he, or she, learns to control sinful, covetous impulses. One must remind oneself constantly that what belongs to another person is forbidden to him, or her.
Whoever can stop the members of his household from committing a sin, but does not, is held responsible for the sins of his household. If a man can stop the people of his city from sinning, but does not, he is held responsible for the sins of the people of his city. If he can stop the whole world from sinning, and does not, he is held responsible for the sins of the whole world. James 5:20 says, “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”
GOD confirms the above mentioned truths in Ezekiel 33:2-33. GOD commands and threatens the great prophet Ezekiel by saying, “Son of man [Ezekiel], speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword [condemnation, destruction] upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet [warns the people by the WORD of GOD], and warn the people [again, with the WORD of GOD]; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet [the warning from GOD], and taketh not warning [does not heed the warning from GOD]; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at MY mouth, and warn them from ME. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
“Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them, As I live, saith the LORD GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
“When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
“Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the LORD is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
“And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me [Ezekiel], saying, The city is smitten [GOD allowed it to happen as HE had warned it would]. Now the hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
“Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance. Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the LORD GOD; Ye eat with the blood [this evil deed is unlawful6], and lift up your eyes toward your idols [this also is evil, an abomination7], and shed blood [‘Thou shalt not murder’8]: and shall ye possess the land? [Absolutely not!] Ye stand upon your sword [your trust is not in GOD, your trust is in your sword], ye work abomination [the very worst of sins], and ye defile every one his neighbour’s wife [this is adultery, another abomination9]: and shall ye possess the land? [Absolutely not!]
“Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the LORD GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will lay the land most desolate [as GOD’S angels are currently doing in the whole world today under the instructions of GOD. Destruction is most always carried out by the angels, who are never female but are male.10], and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate [as well as the rest of the world’s mountains], that none shall pass through. Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I [by the angels] have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.
“Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as MY people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love [some of them], but their heart goeth after their covetousness [what they want to do]. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words [which are from ME, GOD], but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.”
I wonder if there is anyone in this generation capable of accepting reproof. When people will not receive reproof from ALMIGHTY GOD, their lives become like ships that are wrecked. As a pastor, I can testify that when this happens, they come running and screaming for help from me, since their lives are a mess after their disobedience. They don’t believe that GOD is how HE says HE is.
When the disobedient become desolate, as GOD will cause them to be, there’s nothing that I can tell them to do but repent. If they won’t repent, I simply walk away from them. They don’t know they’re being cursed, and some of them obviously don’t care that they’re cursed. No one can help them, not even GOD, so I don’t care. They’re getting exactly what they have asked for and what they want. Praise the LORD!
If you don’t want to be cursed or wrecked, then say this prayer:
Prayer
My LORD and my GOD, have mercy upon my soul, a sinner. 1 I believe that JESUS CHRIST is the SON of the living GOD. 2 I believe that HE died on the cross and shed HIS precious blood for the forgiveness of all my former sins. 3 I believe that GOD raised JESUS from the dead by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT 4 and that HE sits on the right hand of GOD at this moment, hearing my confession of sin and this prayer. 5 I open up the door of my heart, and I invite YOU into my heart, LORD JESUS. 6 Wash all of my filthy sins away in the precious blood that YOU shed in my place on the cross at Calvary. 7 YOU will not turn me away, LORD JESUS; YOU will forgive my sins and save my soul. I know because YOUR WORD, the Bible, says so. 8 YOUR WORD says that YOU will turn no one away, and that includes me. 9 Therefore, I know that YOU have heard me, and I know that YOU have answered me, and I know that I am saved. 10 And I thank YOU, LORD JESUS, for saving my soul, and I will show my thankfulness by doing as YOU command and sin no more.11
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Thou Shalt Surely Die (Covetousness) footnotes:
1. Ex. 20:14, Deut. 5:18 return
2. Ex. 20:13, Deut. 5:17 return
3. Ex. 20:16, 23:1, Deut. 5:20 return
4. Ex. 20:13, Deut. 5:17 return
5. Ex. 20:15, Lev. 19:11, Deut. 5:19 return
6. Gen. 9:4, Lev. 3:17, 7:26-27, 17:10-14, 19:26, Deut. 12:15-16, 23-27, 15:23, Acts 15:20, 29, 21:25 return
7. Ex. 20:3-6, chap. 32, 34:12-17, Lev. 19:4, 26:1, Deut. 4:23-29, 5:7-10, 6:14-15, 12:29-32, 17:2-7, 1 Kings 9:6-9, 11:1-11, 21:25-26, 2 Kings 17:7-23, 21:11-12, 23:24, 2 Chron. 15:8, 24:18, Psa. 97:7, 106:34-42, Ezek. 6:8-10, 14:1-11, 18:10-13, 20:6-21, Acts 15:20, 29, 21:25, Rom. 1:18-25, 1 Cor. 5:9-13, 10:7, 14, 19-22, Gal. 5:19-21, Eph. 5:5-7, 1 John 5:21, Rev. 9:20-21, 21:8, 22:15 return
8. Gen. 9:5-6, Ex. 20:13, 21:12-15, Lev. 24:17, Num. 35:16-21, 30-33, Deut. 5:17, 27:24-25, Prov. 1:10-16, 6:16-18, Matt. 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Rom. 13:9, Gal. 5:19-21, 1 Tim. 1:9-10 James 2:11, 1 John 3:15, Rev. 9:20-21, 21:8, 22:14-15 return
9. Ex. 20:14, Lev. 18:20, 20:10, Deut. 5:18, Prov. 6:29, 32-33, Jer. 5:7-9, Ezek. 18:4-13, Mal. 3:5, Matt. 5:27-28, 15:19-20, 19:18, Mark 7:21-23, Luke 18:20, Rom. 13:9, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Heb. 13:4, James 2:10-12, 4:4 return
10. Gen. 19:1-25, 2 Sam. 24:1-17, 2 Kings 19:35, 1 Chron. 21:15-16, 2 Chron. 32:19-22, Psa. 78:49, Matt. 13:38-42, 49-50, Acts 12:23, 2 Thes. 1:7-9, Rev. 7:1-3, chap. 8, 9:1-4, 13-15, 14:8-11, 15-20, 15:1, 6-8, chap. 16, 18:1-2, 21, 19:17-18, 20:1-3, 21:9 return
Prayer footnotes:
1. Psa. 51:5, Rom. 3:10-12, 23 return
2. Matt. 26:63-64, 27:54, Luke 1:30-33, John 9:35-37, Rom. 1:3-4 return
3. Acts 4:12, 20:28, Rom. 3:25, I John 1:7, Rev. 5:9 return
4. Psa. 16:9-10, Matt. 28:5-7, Mark 16:9, 12, 14, John 2:19, 21, 10:17-18, 11:25, Acts 2:24, 3:15, Rom. 8:11, I Cor. 15:3-7 return
5. Luke 22:69, Acts 2:25-36, Heb. 10:12-13 return
6. I Cor. 3:16, Rev. 3:20 return
7. Eph. 2:13-22, Heb. 9:22, 13:12, 20-21, I John 1:7, Rev. 1:5, 7:14 return
8. Matt. 26:28, Acts 2:21, 4:12, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14 return
9. Matt. 21:22, John 6:35, 37-40, Rom. 10:13 return
10. Heb. 11:6 return
11. John 5:14, 8:11, Rom. 6:4, I Cor. 15:10, Rev. 7:14, 22:14 return