mercantile
Definition: (adjective) Of or relating to merchants or trade.
Synonyms: moneymaking, commercial
Usage: While the nation's farmers faced a depression, mercantile enterprises flourished.

Although Satan is insane for choosing to war against his Creator, he is certainly not lacking in industry.  In fact, his mercantile ways have managed to deceive billions into following this angel of light.

Remember when YahShua, consumed with righteous anger and zeal, drove out the merchants in the Temple with a whip?  Satan had transformed a holy place that Yah had intended for worship into a mercantile zoo.  YahShua cleansed this abomination by whipping the merchants out.

In fact, the major wicked empires throughout earth's 6000 year history -- Nimrod's Empire (Sumeria), Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Charlamagne's France, the British Kingdom, the United States and Red China have all gained their wealth through their mercantile ways, buying and selling the beautiful substances of the earth.  While being mercantile in and of itself is not wrong, Satan has used this industry to draw wealth unto nations and cause them to glory in their riches rather than their Creator.

And each empire,  with the exception of the USA and Red China, has fallen due to her pride.  History charts empire after empire crashing into the dust, despite how bloated they had become through their mercantile ways.  And why?  Because righteousness exalteth a nation but pride will bring it down.  Riches and industry does not sustain a nation -- only adherence to the eternal Torah does.

Before Satan managed to transform the USA into its present wicked condition through its gains of riches and pride therein, the USA was observing a great deal of Torah.

For example, Christmas was outlawed in the United Stated even up through the Revolutionary War.  In fact Washington was able to win a decisive victory against the British because they attacked on Christmas day while the British were enjoying an orgy fest.  The early Americans knew the paganism of Christmas and it was illegal to own a Christmas Tree.

The Puritans and Pilgrims honored many of the laws in Torah, although they never came into the fullness of it.  However, they rejected much paganism and strictly abided by the light they had.  This righteousness exalted the early colonies and slowly transformed the USA into the most powerful nation ever.

Satan, however, used the blessings of Yah and her mercantile ways to cause this nation to grow fat and lazy, even as he managed to do to Ancient Yisrael.

Eventually Satan will be bound in prison and the mercantile ways will no longer be used to deceive the nations.  It is foretold that all the mercantile industry will be directed toward Yisrael and Messiah will benefit from all the gold, silver and riches of the earth.  Unlike all the empires before it. Yisrael will grow rich and fat from its mercantile ways but will NOT glory in her riches, but rather in the Messiah ruling physically over her.  The scattered tribes of the earth may look on with envy and bitterness, but Yisrael will enjoy a prosperous and physically wealthy time of 1000 years, yet never taking her eyes off her Master -- YahShua.

Why this trek through history?  In our personal lives, Satan can trick us in the same way.  Yes, we may be wholly devoted to Yah, wholly  surrendered to the Ruach ha Kadosh, carefully following the commandments of Yah -- but what happens once our fidelity to Yah begins to bless us with material wealth?  Yah may allow Satan to tempt us, bringing mercantile prosperity into our lives.

What happens when we are exalted and receive a great deal of physical wealth?

Sadly, many belivers begin to slowly but surely trust more in their riches than in their Creator, their hearts grow cold and they worship their blessings more than the Blesser.  Satan manages, like he does to nations, to increase his mercantile prosperity in your life and by doing so, causes you to rely more on this prosperity than Yah.  Hence why YahShua says it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom.

Yet, what seems impossible for man is possible with Yah.  After all, did not the wealthy tax collector restore 4 times to those he had plundered, and did not he give half his wealth to the poor?  YahShua saw that this man had struck down his idol of wealth and declared salvation had come to this still very wealthy individual.

When Satan is allowed to bless us with the mercantile ways of the earth and when Yah allows money to flow into our bank accounts, we must be on guard against that wicked one.  Satan, at that point, will no longer seek to draw us into open sin, but rather seek to gently and subtely shift our eyes from Yah to the riches accumulating around us.  Satan must be resisted and rebuked.  Yah may allow Satan to tempt us, but resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The most important daily prayer a rich man can offer is the request to walk and grow in humility even as the Savior walked.  Apostle Paul said he knew how to survive in want or in abundance.  We must learn the same lesson.

Yoseph and Daniel were both given much wealth and a great deal of power.  Yet they seem to have remained loyal to Yah.  Thus, it is not impossible to overcome this deception of the wicked one and remain trusting in Yah.  Ackolwedgement that these riches are to be given to the poor, the orphans, the widows, the Levite without an inheritance and planted into the Kingdom of Yah will go a long way in discouraging Satan and keeping your heart reliant on the Creator rather than growing riches.

Do not try to horde your wealth or protect it.  It is merely mammon and will someday pass away.  Use money for the purpose it was intended: to further the Kingdom of Yah on earth.  If this is done, Satan will gnash his teeth as Yah continues to bless and exalt you.