Hi Mike, Quick thought/ question:  These two verses in Ecclesiastes written below are talking about the dead “for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” & “but the dead know not any thing” I have used these scriptures (among many others) to point out that “immortality of the soul/ spirit” is an unscriptural teaching which originated outside of scripture in ancient Egypt.  Jesus said “Let the dead bury the dead” and the way we can find life is to lose our life.
In Scriptural terms can we equate being “spiritually blind” to being “spiritually dead” so while Ecc 9 IS talking about what happens after we die (.. in the grave [ sheol], whither thou goest) would I be going down the wrong path to say from an “iswasandwillbe” perspective and “living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” that I (… in times past – Eph) as a spiritually dead person but alive physically “know not anything” as I (… in times past – Eph) in “this spiritual grave (sheol)” can do no “real spiritual” work, have no “real spiritual” knowledge, no “real spiritual” wisdom and no “real spiritual” work to do since I (…. in times past) am spiritually dead and only fit to bury the other spiritually dead.  So, while if the Lord tarries and I physically die I WILL BE (future) in a physical grave awaiting the ressurrection, but I still NOW (IS) live this out (… in times past)… IsWasAndWillBe even now living this out spiritually while dispensationally or Will Be live it out in the natural (actually die and goest  to the grave. Similarly, the “1000 year reign” in the millenium is a dispensational future event, BUT we must live it in the vessel of clay spiritually NOW (in earnest…). Your thoughts?
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten Ecc 9: 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest Be Blessed,
M____

Hi M____,
My thoughts about those thoughts are… Amen! to every word! “The holy spirit teaches by comparing spiritual things [ death, life, kingdoms, giants, lambs, lions, etc.] with spiritual.”

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which t he Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

I am pleased to see that God is giving to you the ability to apply this principle to “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” It has been only in the past couple of years that I have come, and am still coming, to see just how true 1Co 2:13 is. It was not long ago that I wrote a letter, which is probably still on the site, telling someone that Christ’s statement to Nicodemus, ‘You must be born again” was a reference to first being born of the flesh and then of the spirit. But that is comparing spiritual birth with physical birth. In truth we are all born “of our father the devil” and are converted to his doctrines, before we are spiritually “born again” of our heavenly Father. Now that is “comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”
None of this in any way denies the ‘was and the will be’ truth of Christ’s words, but it is those who are living the ‘is’ and ‘the time is at hand’ words of God, who will be the rulers of the ‘will be’ kingdoms of this world.”

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

I hope this helps you to continue to boldly apply the fact that “the time is at hand [ to] keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book, [ by] comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Your brother in The Christ,
Mike>