John Eckhardt - Belial : the wicked ruler

Contents

Foreword

Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits MORE WICKED THAN HIMSELF, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be unto this WICKED generation.

Matthew 12:45

Although all evil spirits are wicked, it is evident from this verse of Scripture that there are some spirits "more wicked" than others. According to the previous verse, there are also generations that are wicked because of the spirits that inhabit them.

Webster defines wicked as "morally very bad, evil, fierce, vicious, disposed to mischief, roguish, disgustingly unpleasant, vice, going beyond reasonable and predictable limits."

In other words, there are demons more fierce, vicious and vile than others. One of the most wicked and vile spirits in the kingdom of darkness is the spirit of BELIAL.

He is a ruling spirit of wickedness. There are a host of demons that operate under his command that we will discuss in this book. "Belial" is mentioned twenty-seven times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament. It is from the Hebrew word beliyaal which is translated as Belial sixteen times in the Old Testament.

This word is also translated in other verses as wicked, ungodly, and naughty. The Strong's definition of beliyaal is "without profit, worthlessness, destruction, wickedness, evil , naughty." The most common of these definitions is worthlessness.

Webster's definition of worthless is "valueless, useless, contemptible, despicable", and despicable is defined as "deserving to be despised: so worthless or obnoxious as to rouse moral indignation."

Therefore, BELIAL'S WORK is to cause men to commit sins that are so vile and contemptible that it ROUSES MORAL INDIGNATION. All sin is wrong and I don't make any excuses or allowances for any sin. However, there are some sins more abominable than others. That is, there are different degrees of sin.

Under the law, there were some sins that were considered "abominations" and punishable by death, while other sins required certain sacrifices. Belial's work is to draw a nation into such abominable sins that it will bring the curse and the judgment of God.

When I observe the practices and sins that are happening in our nation, I know that the spirit of Belial is behind them. Belial is a strongman in America as well as other nations of the world. Belial is a world ruler of wickedness. Jesus taught us the necessity of binding the strongman in order to spoil his goods (Matthew 12:29). As previously stated, this strongman has a list of demons at his disposal that he has released upon our society.

Chapter 1

Belail and the Spirit of Idolatry

If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,

Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out front among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;

Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you;

Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.

And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the Lord thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.

And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;

Deuteronomy 13:12-17

This is the first mention of Belial in the Word of God. The Lord identifies the men that would attempt to lead His people away from Him to serve other gods as "children of Belial".

Children of Belial indicates the individuals that were under the control of Belial. They were being used by Belial to draw the people of God away from Him to serve other gods. It is interesting to note that the word idol is the Hebrew word eliyl which means "good for nothing, vain or vanity, of no value, thing of nought ." This can be summed up in one word WORTHLESS.

Belial, which means worthlessness, tries to lead men astray to follow something that is worthless. Idols are worthless; they have no value, and they cannot satisfy. There is a principle of

Bible study which we call the law of first reference. It is a law of Bible study that says whenever a subject or a particular word is first mentioned in the Bible, there are some important principles that will be found concerning that subject or word.

The first principle we see in connection with Belial is that he attempts to draw people away from worshiping the true God. Under Belial are spirits that will SEDUCE people and draw them away from the Lord.

The Apostle Paul prophesied that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to SEDUCING spirits; and doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1). The Taylor translation of this verse says, "some in the church will turn away from Christ . This is known as APOSTASY.

Webster defines apostasy as "abandonment of a previous loyalty, defection." I believe this is the reason why so many churches and some denominations have abandoned the faith. Some are considering ordaining homosexuals as ministers. What an abomination! This is no doubt the work of Belial and seducing spirits to cause many to Apostatize.

To seduce means to lead away, to persuade to disobedience or disloyalty, to lead astray by persuasion or false promises, to attract, to lure.

Chapter 2

Belial Works with Jezebel

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to TEACH and to SEDUCE my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Revelation 2:20

Belial works with the spirit of Jezebel to seduce the servants of the Lord into fornication and idolatry. Jezebel can manifest through false teachings, and it is a seducing spirit.

Again, the intent is to draw people away from the truth and cause them to go into error, bringing upon themselves the judgment of God.

Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Revelation 2:22 ,23

This was the judgment of the Lord upon those who allowed themselves to be seduced by the teachings of Jezebel.

Fornication and adultery will always be judged by the Lord.

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but WHOREMONGERS AND ADULTERERS GOD WILL JUDGE.

Hebrews 13:4

Marriage is under attack in America like never before. Divorce is no longer considered unacceptable, but it is almost expected. Jezebel is a seducing spirit that draws people into whoredom and adultery. This will bring the judgment of God.

Whoredom means prostitution. It also means faithless, unworthy or idolatrous practices or pursuits (Webster). To whore means a faithless, unworthy or idolatrous desire, to debauch. Recently, a visiting minister was ministering in our church and began to prophetically identify spirits operating in our region. As he was prophesying, he mentioned in the prophecy the spirit of DEBAUCHERY. I took note as the word "debauchery" stayed with me months after the meeting.