Shining a Light in Darkness

The Advance Man
by Sis YahChannah

There is a man who is called in many traditions... "THE ADVANCE MAN". This is the man that goes before others to prepare the way for them. For a salesman, the advance man may set up appointments for him. Perhaps he might also even pre-sell for the salesman and when the salesman arrived, he would complete the deal.

Then, there is the man who goes in advance of an appearance of a musician or a politician. In this instance, the advance man’s job is to make clear the desires of the celebrity so all may go smoothly. The lights must be just right, the sound perfect, the security tight and the media informed. No pitfalls must be overlooked. The advance man’s only importance is to make a smooth path for the needs of the celebrity and the audience.

Then there is also the confidence game wherein the success of the scam relies heavily on the confidence given to the person scamming by the one scammed.

In its most highly developed form, the confidence game, which has generated its own jargon, victimizes wealthy and prominent individuals. In a typical scheme, an "inside man" induces the victim, or "mark," into a dishonest gambling establishment. There, the mark sees decoys, or "shills," who appear to be making big winnings. The inside man advances the mark's funds, and he is allowed to win with uncanny regularity. When he has reached the point at which he is convinced that additional investment will bring him a substantial win, or a "killing," the mark is persuaded to leave the game in order to obtain money or documents conveying title to property. When he returns and places his bet, his luck suddenly changes, and his fortune disappears in a matter of minutes.

We have here the ‘advance man’ who either sets appointments and/or pre-sells for the salesman or who makes certain the appearance of the musician or politician goes as planned. Then there is the one who is there simply to deceive you and take from you what is valuable.

We find recorded in TNK, of ‘advance men’ for YHWH.. to prepare His paths, to pre-sell, if you will. To give us a foretaste of the message of YHWH, the glory of YHWH and the wrath of YHWH. He also informs us of the love and mercy of our Creator. The ‘advance man’ tries to conceive of all questions that will be asked and to answer those that he has already been given an answer to. He tries to prepare against any problems and have contingency plans for any unexpected situation that might cause discomfort for either the performer or his guests.

Isa 57: 14,15 And it shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove {every} obstacle out of the way of My people."

15 For thus says the High and Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell {on} a high and holy place, and {also} with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite

What are the duties of YHWH advance men. They are certainly to announce Him, proclaim His Name and thus prepare the ‘customer’ for His arrival. Perhaps the offer is even pre-sold by the advance man. Then the Father closes the covenant with the ‘customer’.

The other thing the advance man may do is to make sure the sound system is workable, the right light is shining on both the One coming. He may also let the ‘audience’ know how to take advantage of the security that has been prepared for them.

Mal 3:1-7

CHAPTER 3

1 "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And YHWH, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says YHWH of hosts.

2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.

3 "And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to YHWH offerings in righteousness.

4 "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to YHWH, as in the days of old and as in former years.

5 "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me," says YHWH of hosts.

6 "For I, YHWH, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes, and have not kept {them.} Return to Me, and I will return to you," says YHWH of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?'

The ‘program’ described above is truly a ‘spectacular’! It is described in grand and glorious terms. There will be great auditory and visual input. We are hereby given a preview of the performance. If the advance man has done his job well, the audience will know what to expect.

We will know that on that day many will be rewarded for their faithfulness and the Most High YHWH’s mercy. On the other hand, the sorcerers, the liars, the adulterers, the oppressors, the scornful will receive swift judgment.

Isa 40:1-5

1 Comfort you, comfort you My people, says your Elohim.

2 Speak you comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of YHWH’s hand double for all her sins.

3 The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of YHWH, make straight in the desert a highway for our Elohim.

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

5 And the glory of YHWH shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of YHWH has spoken it.

Comfort my people, that is another job of the advance man for YHWH. Prepare the paths but also warn all those in rebellion.

YHWH told Mosheh and the people that He was sending an ‘Advance Man’ before them, to make sure they stayed on the path that they might arrive at the place prepared for them by their Father.

Exod 23:20

20 Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.

We have looked at the Advance Men sent by YHWH to prepare the way, to set up the rules of a covenant relationship between man and Elohim.

We have one more type of advance man which we have not yet explored. That is the one who sets up the situation for the confidence man. He makes ready the mark, the victim to be deceived by the one who will rob them of all that is worthwhile in their lives.

This man puts decoys, fakes, deceptive writings, and whatever else that is necessary to make sure that when his ‘boss’ arrives the ‘mark’ will be set up perfectly to believe every lie he hears.

If we look at this as though there were two sides being represented here, we find that the one side wishes truly for us to find truth and to be ready to enter into this covenant relationship with the Almighty YHWH, to learn His Law, to obey His Law, to do what pleases Him.

Not so, with the other side. This side sends forth those to misdirect your loyalty, to lead you away from the Law, if fact even to idolatry. If this advance man came and told you what he was going to do, described his job to you, informed you that when his job was finished that you would then opt for a deal that was in direct opposition to YHWH and would, in fact the only dividends you would receive would be death. Would you sign on and invite the man with this plan into your life?

Of course not! You would have to be a fool to willingly, with understanding, enter into such an arrangement.

Gen 17:10
10 This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

Although the 'advance man' comes saying you do not have to abide by the covenant ...

Remember what the Almighty says:

Gen 17:10
10 This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

This is enough. If you wish to know the truth, He is faithful. He will not turn you away but will guide you into truth. You must decide for yourself. Who will you listen to? Will you listen to the Advance Man for the enemy of YHWH or will you listen to those who come to you in truth, with a great desire to see you well, happy and obedient, not to them but to YHWH?

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