1 Samuel 7:1–17 Samuel Judges Israel

[Study Aired February 16, 2026]

Introduction

Our focus today will be centered on the ark of the covenant coming to Kirath-Jearim, Samuel judging Israel during this period, the gathering of the Lord’s people at Mizpeh and finally, the battle with the Philistines.

The Ark Comes to Kirath-Jearim

1Sa 7:1  And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD. 

In the word of the Lord, a city represents the church of the firstborn or Jerusalem above or the church system of this world or Babylon, depending on the context. 

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

Rev 17:18  And the woman [the church system of this world] which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. 

The name Kirath Jearim means city of forest. As shown in Isaiah 29:17, the fruitful field is regarded as a forest and therefore the city of forest (Kirathjearim) denotes the church of the Lord’s elect.

Isa 29:17  Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

The name Abinadab means ‘father of generosity.’ The ark being possessed by the men of Kirathjearim and bringing it to the house of Abinadab signifies our transition from Babylon to the church of the Lord’s elect where Christ comes with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to possess the hearts and minds of His elect, whose father is known for His generosity in favoring us.

If we are to have the Lord in our hearts and minds, then our hearts and minds need to be sanctified as shown by the sanctification of Eleazer, with the purpose of keeping the ark in verse 1. It is instructive to note that the name Eleazer means ‘helper.’ We know that the helper is the Holy spirit whom the Lord is sending to His elect for their sanctification.

1Pe 1:2  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

In Exodus 19:14, being sanctified means washing our clothes which means becoming righteous through the washing or cleansing by the word of the Lord. This washing by the word is the Lord’s judgment or the fire of the Lord’s words which causes us to learn righteousness.

Exo 19:14  And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

1Sa 7:2  And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

Some versions of the Bible make verse 2 much clearer. Examples of these versions are as follows:

1Sa 7:2  And the ark was in Kiriath-jearim for a long time, as much as twenty years: and all Israel was searching after the Lord with weeping. (BBE)

1Sa 7:2  A long time passed after the ark came to stay at Kiriath Jearim. For 20 years the entire nation of Israel mournfully sought the LORD. (GW)

It is when we come into the church of the firstborn or the Lord’s elect (Kirathjearim) that we mournfully seek after the Lord. We mourn because we are being judged in this age. We are just like the two witnesses of Revelation chapter 11, who are clothed in sackcloth.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

The ark abiding in Kirjathjearim for twenty years signifies the time during which the Lord enrolls us in His army as we war against our flesh.

Num 1:3  From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. 

Num 1:26  Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

Samuel Judges Israel

1Sa 7:3  And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 
1Sa 7:4  Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. 

Samuel in this case represents our Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 3, Samuel admonishing the house of Israel is the Lord speaking to His people, His elect. If we are to progress in our spiritual relationship with Christ, then we must do away with the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among us. These strange gods and Ashtaroth signify the idols of our hearts or the false doctrines which we hold dear in our hearts. When we come to the church of the firstborn from the church system of this world or Babylon, signified by the Lord dragging us just as the ark is brought to Kirathjearim, we come with a lot of idols of our heart which must be done away with. These idols of our hearts are the stumbling block of our iniquity.

Eze 14:1  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. 
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; 
Eze 14:5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

In verse 3, we are told that if the Israelites do away with their strange idols and Ashtaroth, the Lord will deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines. This implies that our false doctrines empowers our flesh and that by doing away with these idols of our hearts, we are set free from the clutches of our flesh, denoted by the Philistines.

The children of Israel putting away Baalim and Ashtaroth and serving the Lord only is the Lord’s elect being given to know the truth of the Lord’s word which destroys the idols of our hearts. As we imbibe the truth of the Lord’s words, these false doctrines are done away. The truth of the Lord’s words is the hail that sweeps away the refuge of lies in our hearts and minds.

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 

The Gathering of the Lord’s People

1Sa 7:5  And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD. 

As indicated, Samuel in this study represents the Lord. Mizpeh means ‘watch tower.’ This implies that the Lord is requiring us to become His watchmen.  

Isa 21:6  For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

Isa 52:8  Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

Isa 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,

Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

As shown in these verses, the role of a watchman is to hear the word of the Lord and to declare what the Lord is showing us. Samuel telling the people of Israel to gather at Mizpeh so that he prays for them means the Lord interceding on our behalf to make us His watchmen.

Heb 7:24  But this man [Jesus], because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 
Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

1Sa 7:6  And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. 

As the Lord’s watchmen, we are to draw water and pour it out before the Lord. To draw water means to be given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. To pour the water out before the Lord means to be judged by the Lord, as shown in the following verses:

Psa 22:14  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
Psa 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 

Job 30:16  And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction have taken hold upon me. 
Job 30:17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest. 

As we are aware, the spiritual significance of fasting is to loose the bonds of wickedness or to break the yoke of the flesh which comes about through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh. The Israelites fasting at Mizpeh therefore implies that we learn righteousness as we are judged by the Lord. All of this comes at the back of the fact that we know we have sinned against the Lord and therefore deserve His judgment.

Isa 58:6  “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
Isa 58:7  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 
Isa 58:8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

Samuel judging the people of Israel at Mizpah symbolizes the Lord governing or ruling and executing judgment over His people to make us His watchmen. It is therefore, we, His elect, whom the Lord is governing and executing His judgment for the purpose of destroying our flesh.

It is important to note that here at Mizpeh, all the Israelites were gathered together for the purpose of Samuel praying for them as they turn back to the Lord. This oneness is the unity that is required in our gathering as the Lord’s elect for Him to command His blessings.

Psa 133:1  A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 
Psa 133:2  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 
Psa 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. 

The Battle with the Philistines

1Sa 7:7  And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 
1Sa 7:8  And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 

Our engagement against our flesh is typified by the lords of the Philistines coming up against Israel. It is when we are making progress in our relationship with Christ, as the Lord makes us His watchmen (significance of Mizpeh), that this struggle against our flesh becomes intense. The children of Israel being afraid of the Philistines means that we are all afraid of our flesh because in our natural state, we have been defeated several times by our flesh, and we think we cannot make war against our flesh. In our desperation, we come to the Lord asking Him to save us from our own flesh. This is symbolized by the Israelites appealing to Samuel to pray to the Lord to save them out of the hand of the Philistines.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

It is important to note that as our High Priest, the Lord is always interceding on our behalf in accordance with the oath He swore to our father Abraham that we shall be delivered from our enemies (flesh and the devil) so that we pass the rest of our lives in rest and quietness. 

Luk 1:70  As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 
Luk 1:71  That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
Luk 1:72  To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
Luk 1:73  The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 
Luk 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
Luk 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

1Sa 7:9  And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. 

Our Lord Jesus had been offered for a burnt offering to God for our sake and is praying for us His elect, and God the Father has heard Him because of His reverence.

Heb 5:6  as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 
Heb 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

1Sa 7:10  And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. 

Through the mercies of the Lord, it is while we are offering ourselves as living sacrifices to the Lord that the pull of the flesh, signified by the Philistines drawing near to battle the Israelites, becomes intense. 

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

In the Bible, the phrase “the Lord thundered” implies the Lord’s judgment as shown in the following verse:

Psa 18:13  The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

The hail stones and the coals of fire in Psalm 18:13 above, are all part of the Lord’s instruments of judgment. Therefore, the thundering with a great thunder upon the Philistines indicates our victory over the flesh through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh (Philistines). Are you struggling with sin? Continue to cry to the Lord as the Israelites did, and He will come with His judgment to destroy the flesh so we can have victory over it. As we can see in verse 11 of the study, the Israelites had victory over the Philistines. This implies that the Lord who has started this work of destroying the enemy within us, will deliver victory to us.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

1Sa 7:11  And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

Bethcar means ‘the house of the lamb’ which is Christ. Therefore, Bethcar is the church of the Lord’s elect or Jerusalem above which is free. The men of Israel pursuing and smiting them until they came to Bethcar means that our struggle with our flesh is completed in the house of the Lord. This is through what every joint supplies.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  

1Sa 7:12  Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. 
1Sa 7:13  So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 

Samuel taking a stone and calling the name of the place between Mizpeh and Shen, Ebenezer, is to let us know that the destruction of our flesh is done in stages and that at every stage of our walk with the Lord, we must acknowledge that it is the Lord who has helped us this far.

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Here in 2 Corinthians 3:18, the Lord changing us into His image from glory to glory means that we are being changed from one stage to another, which is consistent with what Samuel said at Ebenezer as he laid a stone to symbolize how far the Lord had helped the people of Israel.

The defeated Philistines not able to come to the coasts of Israel anymore in verse 13 implies that as we journey with the Lord, we come to see certain areas of our lives in which the Lord has wrought complete victory for us over our flesh. In such cases, the flesh has been completely defeated and therefore cannot rise again. However, there are still areas of our lives which we are yet to overcome.

It is interesting to note that the Lord was against the Philistines as long as Samuel lived. This is to assure us that as long as the Lord is with us, He will fight our battles for us as He will continue to destroy our flesh through His judgment.

Isa 42:13  The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

1Sa 7:14  And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

The restoration of the cities which the Philistines had taken is the Lord making us aware that our labor in the Lord shall not be in vain and that whatever we have lost in Him because we yielded to our flesh, shall be restored to us. Indeed, the Lord is the restorer of the broken down walls of our lives. He will not relent until He has brought us to our desired haven.

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 
Psa 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

These verses in Psalm 107 above describe how the Lord comes to us with His judgment to destroy our flesh with the purpose of bringing us to our desired destination of becoming His children abounding in His resources to complete the race marked out for us.

Joe 2:23  Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 
Joe 2:24  And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
Joe 2:25  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 
Joe 2:26  And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Joe 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

It is important to note that at the end of verse 14, it is mentioned that there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. The Amorites also represent our flesh, just as the Philistines do. This statement that Israel was at peace with the Amorites is to make us aware that the destruction of our flesh is in phases. As we know from the word of the Lord, in the early part of Israel’s journey to occupy the land of Canaan, the Amorites were confronted and destroyed. That is why the Israelites were at peace with the Amorites. The flesh will always be with us but it is being rendered powerless by the Lord through His judgment. 

Jos 10:6  And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
Jos 10:7  So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
Jos 10:8  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
Jos 10:9  Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
Jos 10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.

1Sa 7:15  And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
1Sa 7:16  And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. 
1Sa 7:17  And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD. 

As indicated earlier, Samuel judging Israel all the days of his life is the Lord ruling, governing and judging us throughout our lives as His elect. The moving of Samuel from Bethel to Gilgal, to Mizpeh and finally to Ramah every year shows us our spiritual progression in Christ. Bethel means ‘the house of God.’ We must leave Babylon and enter the house of God or the church of the first born as the Lord’s elect. Gilgal means ‘circle’ or ‘rolling.’ One of the significant events which happened to Israel in their walk with Christ is the mass circumcision of the men of Israel at Gilgal. This implies that through the Lord’s judgment, we overcome the flesh as we roll away our reproach when we lived like the people of the world.

Jos 5:2  At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
Jos 5:3  And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 
Jos 5:4  And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 

Jos 5:8  And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. 
Jos 5:9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

It is as the Lord judges us that we become His watchmen at Mizpeh which means ‘a watch tower.’ That is when we press for the heights of our calling or the high calling of God, symbolized by Samuel coming to Ramah, which means ‘heights.’

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

May we continue to grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ even as we press for the high calling of the Lord. Amen!!

1 Samuel 6:1–21 The Philistines Return the Ark

[Study Aired February 9, 2026]

Introduction

Today, we shall look at how the Philistines sent back the ark with rich gifts to the Lord, to make an atonement for their sin. The study also looks at the reaction of the men of Beth shemesh in Israel when the ark came to them. Finally, the study focuses on the judgment of the Lord on the men of Beth shemesh for looking inside the ark. 

The Ark Returned to Israel

1Sa 6:1  And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 

The ark being in the possession of the Philistines for seven months indicates the time our flesh or the beast is given power over us to continue for forty-two months. This forty-two months is the complete period of time (significance of the number seven) in our lives when we are under the dominion of our flesh. In other words, it is the complete time that our flesh symbolized by the Philistines, sits in our hearts and minds claiming himself to be God.  

The number forty-two in the negative context signifies our spiritually dead state when we are under the dominion of our flesh, as shown in the following verses:

2Ki 2:24  And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

2Ki 10:14  And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 
Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 
Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

1Sa 6:2  And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place. 
1Sa 6:3  And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 

The Philistines calling for the Priests and Diviners means that when we are overcome by the flesh, during our time in Babylon, we tend to seek direction of how to worship the Lord from our leaders in Babylon. It is insightful to note that the response of priests and diviners is that being healed is through our giving to the Lord. This is the mantra of the church system of this world or Babylon, that is, we must always offer something to the Lord to be healed. However, we know from the word of the Lord that this is false doctrine. Rather, it is the Lord who first gave to us and is always giving to us. 

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

2Co 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 
2Co 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever. 

Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

The Lord is not our enemy, He is the enemy of sin in our lives and will stop at nothing to destroy the flesh within us His elect first, and the people of this world in an age to come.

Job 19:26  And after my skin (flesh) has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 
Job 19:27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! 

1Sa 6:4  Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 
1Sa 6:5  Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 

According to the word of the Lord, a trespass offering involves a sacrifice of a ram which represents Christ. It is the blood of Christ which cleanses us from our sins. 

Lev 5:14  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Lev 5:15  If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: 
Lev 5:16  And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him. 

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

As we can see, the Philistines’ trespass offering was not in accordance to the word of the Lord, but according to their own intuition. For example, the Lord has stated categorically that mice are unclean, and therefore the golden mouse image created by the Philistines to appease the Lord is still abhorrent to Him.

Lev 11:29  “The following swarming creatures that move on the ground are unclean for you-moles, mice, and all types of lizards: (GW)

Isa 66:17  People make themselves holy and prepare themselves for their garden rituals. They go into the garden and devour pork, disgusting things, and mice. “They will come to an end at the same time,” declares the LORD.

When we are full of the flesh, we do not do things according to the rules of the Lord. In our imagination, we think that giving is a substitute for a guilt or trespass offering. Many think that as long as they are giving to the church through the money they offer or the services they render to the church, the Lord will override their sins. It is the blood of Christ which cleanses us of sin. As Paul stated, if we are to compete, then we must compete according to the rules. We must come to see who we really are – that we are beasts before the Lord, before the Lord comes to cleanse us from all righteousness through His blood shed for our sake.

Psa 73:22  So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 

2Ti 2:5  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 

1Sa 6:6  Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? 

A key indicator of our spiritually dead state in some time past is the stubbornness of our hearts and minds as portrayed by the Pharaoh and the Egyptians when they were oppressing the people of Israel and would not let them go. When we are under the dominion of our flesh as symbolized by the capture of the ark by the Philistines, it takes the Lord’s mighty hand to release us from our bondage. This mighty hand involves the judgment of the Lord on our flesh. 

Exo 3:20  And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. 
Exo 3:21  And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
Exo 3:22  But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

As shown in Exodus 3:21, through the suffering that we endure, we not only learn righteousness as our flesh dies, but we are spiritually enriched in Him as our eyes of understanding are enlightened, just as the Israelites left Egypt enriched with gold, silver and raiment. 

Deu 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

1Sa 6:7  Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them: 
1Sa 6:8  And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.

When we are full of the flesh, symbolized by the Philistines in possession of the ark, we worship the Lord according to what our carnal minds say as we see the Philistines laying the ark of the covenant on a cart instead of the shoulders of Levite (Kohathite) men. However, when the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness into our lives, those times of ignorance, the Lord ignores.

Act 17:30  The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 
Act 17:31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”  (ESV)

Exo 25:14  Put the poles through the rings on the sides of the ark in order to carry it.
Exo 25:15  The poles must stay in the rings of the ark. Never remove them. 

It is important to note in verse 7 that the new cart to carry the ark was to be drawn by two young dairy cows that have never been yoked. These two young dairy cattle are beasts and since we are beasts, these two cattle represent false witnesses of Christ who parade in the church system of this world or Babylon, supposedly feeding the Lord’s flock with milk.

Psa 73:22  So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 

A yoke is a wooden beam used to connect two oxen, allowing them to work together as a team to pull heavy agricultural loads like plows or carts. The fact that these young cows have never been yoked means that these supposed men of God are not given to working with one another. In other words, they work as individuals and do not work as a team. We see this in the churches of this world where their leaders work alone. Although some of these churches have elders, they only play an advisory role which these pastors override according to their whims. These men of God do not play according to the rules that the Lord has established in His word as seen in verse 8 where the Philistines take the ark and place it upon the cart drawn by the cattle. The Book of Joel gives a glimpse of the characteristics that these supposed men of God are capable of.

Joe 2:3  Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them.
Joe 2:4  Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run.
Joe 2:5  As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle. 
Joe 2:6  Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale. 
Joe 2:7  Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths. 
Joe 2:8  They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted. 
Joe 2:9  They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief. 
Joe 2:10 The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. 

As we shall see later in this study, the ark on the cart, driven by the two young cattle was being taken to the people of Israel. This shows that everything is for our sake with the end result being for our good. 

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 

The cart with the jewel of gold in it shows us that even in our deplorable state where we are overwhelmed by our flesh in which we are not playing according to the rules, are all ordained of the Lord for our sake. In other words, our flesh occupying the place of God in our hearts and minds is to give the Lord the occasion that He is seeking to come with His judgment, resulting in us learning righteousness and also being endowed with the keys of the kingdom of heaven symbolized by the jewels of gold accompanying the ark.

1Sa 6:9  And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us. 
1Sa 6:10  And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home: 
1Sa 6:11  And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods. 
1Sa 6:12  And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth shemesh.

Beth shemesh is a border town of Israel with its Philistine neighbors. The name means house of the sun. It therefore signifies the church of the firstborn. Being a border town with the Philistines, it means that it signifies our journey with Christ where we are still grappling with sin as we come to know Christ. It must be noted here in these verses that although the means of transporting the ark of the covenant was not according to the Lord’s prescribed method of carrying the ark, the ark went in the direction of where it belongs – to Israel or the Lord’s elect. This is to let us know that in our initial stages of our walk with Christ as His elect, our flesh, denoted by the Philistines, helps us. This is clearly demonstrated by Abraham, a symbol of the Lord’s elect, being brought close to the land of Canaan (Haran) by his father Terah, when the Lord first appeared to Abraham to leave Mesopotamia. 

Act 7:2  Stephen answered, “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God who reveals his glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia. This happened before Abraham lived in Haran. 
Act 7:3  God told him, ‘Leave your land and your relatives. Go to the land that I will show you.’ 
Act 7:4 “Then Abraham left the country of Chaldea and lived in the city of Haran. After his father died, God made him move from there to this land where we now live. (GW)

Gen 11:31  Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (son of Haran), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, wife of his son Abram. They set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came as far as Haran, they stayed there. (GW) 

Another witness to this is the following verse:

Isa 60:16  Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. 

The Ark Returns to Israel

1Sa 6:13  And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 
1Sa 6:14  And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD. 
1Sa 6:15  And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD. 

It is significant to note that the people of Bethshemesh were reaping the wheat harvest in the valley when the ark came to them. As indicated, the people of Bethshemesh represent our initial walk with the Lord when we were babies in Christ. The people of the Philistines being judged because of the ark of the covenant in their midst is to let us know that our judgment starts while we are full of the flesh in Babylon. However, when we come to the house of the sun or the church of the Lord’s elect, we are still grappling with sin. The time of the wheat harvest signifies the time for us to know our sins and be judged as our eyes are being opened to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

Num 32:23  “If you don’t do all these things, you will be sinning against the LORD. You can be sure that you will be punished (judged) for your sin. 

The following verses show us that the time of wheat harvest is the time of knowing our sins:

Jdg 15:1  But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

1Sa 12:17  Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

In Judges 15:1, Samson’s father-in-law’s refusal to let Samson see his wife brought about a chain of events which made Samson aware of the wickedness of the Philistines (our flesh), and this happened during the time of the wheat harvest.  In verse 13, the people of Beth Shemesh rejoiced when they saw the ark. It is a time of rejoicing, when the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to destroy our flesh. 

Isa 25:9  And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be and rejoice in his salvation. 
Isa 25:10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

Moab to be trodden down in Isaiah 25:10 means that when the Lord comes to us, our flesh shall be destroyed. Joshua means ‘Jehovah saved’ and therefore, the ark coming to rest in the field of Joshua implies that when the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness, that is the beginning of the process of us being saved. The people of Beth Shemesh offering a burnt offering and sacrifices unto the Lord in verses 14 and 15 means that when the Lord comes to us, our response is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1Sa 6:16  And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. 
1Sa 6:17  And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 
1Sa 6:18  And the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite. 

The negative application of the number five means famine of the word of the Lord which brings us to spiritual poverty. Therefore, these five lords of the Philistines represent our domination by our flesh which brings us to spiritual poverty through the famine of the word of the Lord. 

Gen 45:11  And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

The names of the cities of these Philistines give us insight into what happens to our lives when we are dominated by our flesh. Ashdod means ‘a ravager’ or ‘a destroyer.’ We know that the devil is the destroyer. This implies that when we are overwhelmed by our flesh, we are under the control of the devil who powers our flesh.

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

Gaza means ‘strong.’ Our flesh is stronger than our will as he is empowered by the devil. This implies that even though we desire to do good, our flesh overpowers us to do the wrong things. 

Rom 7:18  I know that nothing good lives in me; that is, nothing good lives in my corrupt nature. Although I have the desire to do what is right, I don’t do it. 
Rom 7:19 I don’t do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don’t want to do. (GW) 

Askelon means ‘weighing place.’ When we are of the flesh, it is like coming to a weighing place and finding out that we do not measure up to the standard of the Lord. 

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

Gath means ‘winepress.’ It stands for the Lord’s judgment. The Lord will not relent in dealing with our flesh until He has destroyed it. Because of our flesh, we face intense, multi-directional pressures as the Lord’s hand of judgment becomes heavy on us. However, through the grace of the Lord, we are sustained by His power to endure without being completely destroyed. All of these pressures are to bring us to learn righteousness so that we will be in Him.

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
2Co 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  

Ekron means ‘eradication.’ The purpose of the ark becoming possessed by the Philistines is to give the Lord the occasion for Him to come and judge our flesh with the purpose of eradicating or completely destroying our flesh. 

The Lord Smote the Men of Bethshemesh

1Sa 6:19  And he smote the men of Beth shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 
1Sa 6:20  And the men of Beth shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 
1Sa 6:21  And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you. 

As indicated earlier, the men of Beth shemesh represent our early walk with Christ. The men of Beth shemesh looking into the ark signifies our inclination to validate the presence of the Lord instead of walking by faith, at this point in our walk. This is to give the Lord the occasion He is seeking to come and judge us, with the view of destroying our old man or flesh. Most versions of the Bible record seventy men as those killed by the Lord’s judgment. The number seventy in the negative context signifies the Lord’s judgment which leads to the destruction of our flesh.

Jdg 9:56  Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 

2Ki 10:7  And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.

The sending to Kirjath-jearim for them to come and fetch the ark is an indication of our inability to see that the Lord’s judgment brings righteousness. Therefore we want to avoid the Lord’s judgment just like our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world who shun the Lord’s judgment. When we have this mentality, we suffer in vain. 

Gal 3:1  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 
Gal 3:2  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 
Gal 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 
Gal 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 

May the Lord grant us the grace not to suffer in vain. Amen!

1 Samuel 5:1–12 The Philistines and the Ark 

[Study Aired February 2, 2026]

Introduction

Today’s study is about the spiritual significance of having the ark of God in the possession of the Philistines. Before we can understand the study for today, let’s take a look at what the ark represents spiritually. 

The first time the word “ark” appeared in the Bible was when the Lord commanded Noah to build an ark. 

Gen 6:13  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 
Gen 6:14  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

This ark was a prototype of the ark Moses was required by the Lord to build. There are many similarities between these two arks. The following verses of scriptures bring out what the ark stands for spiritually:

Num 10:33  And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 

Num 10:35  And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

2Sa 6:2  And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. 

Jdg 20:27  And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days), 

From these verses, it becomes obvious that the ark of the covenant represents our Lord Jesus Christ, just like the ark the Lord commanded Noah to build is also Christ. When we are in Him, we are delivered from the flood waters of false doctrines, carnality, traditions, human wisdom, etc. 

Gen 6:17  And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die. 
Gen 6:18  But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. 

Noah, his wife and sons, and his son’s wives represent the elect who have fled to take refuge in our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to note that it is through the Lord’s judgment of the flood that Noah and all those saved took refuge in the ark. Our Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh is what facilitates our being found in Christ. Noah’s ark resting on the seventh month is another way of saying that the Lord rested on the seventh day from all His work. All of these are to confirm to us that the ark represents the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Gen 8:4  And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. 

Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Now let’s take a look inside the ark of the covenant. There are three items – the golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the tables of the covenant. 

Heb 9:3  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5  And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 

On a positive note, the golden pot containing the manna represents the Lord’s words. It is through the word that we know that we are in Him as He is in us. The Lord commanding Noah to bring food into the ark emphasizes the point that it is through the word of the Lord that we find ourselves in Him. 

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 

The next item in the ark was Aaron’s rod. As we are aware, a rod signifies discipline or judgement. Thus, Aaron’s rod refers to the judgment we must go through in order to be found in Christ. As we know, the flood was the catalyst that resulted in Noah and his family being found in the ark or in Christ. It is therefore through the Lord’s judgment that we are found in Him. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

The third item in the ark is the tables of stones on which were written the commandments of the Lord. The tables of stones remind us of our spiritual poverty state as we were not able to obey the Lord’s commandments as our hearts were hardened like the tables of stones. To be in Christ therefore, we must first acknowledge that we are spiritually bankrupt as our hearts are hardened like stones. However, through the grace of God, we now have a heart of flesh.

2Co 3:3  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

With this as the basis of our study for today, the lesson will be more understandable in its application to our lives. It is important to note that when Jesus revealed Himself to John at the island of Patmos, John turned to see the voice of the Lord. This means that part of the scriptures deal with what has happened to us in the past. 

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 

Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;  

Today’s study is about looking behind us to see how the Lord had dealt with us in the past when we passed through the valley of the shadow of death.    

The Ark is Brought to Ashdod

1Sa 5:1  When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 

The Philistines capturing the ark of God signifies our old man or flesh opposing and exalting himself above God as he sits in the temple of God, showing himself as God. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

Ebenezer means ‘stone of help’ which is Christ. Ashdod denotes a ravager, who is a person that causes extensive destruction, devastation or ruin. The devil is the ravager. Therefore, the ark of God being moved from Ebenezer to Ashdod implies that when our flesh is sitting in the throne of our hearts and minds, then it means that we have left our first love of Christ and are under the sway of our flesh, powered by the devil. In other words, the devil becomes our father. As a result, we become worse off. This situation is what Paul described as follows:

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

When we are ruled by our flesh, we are no longer in Christ. This happened to us during our time in the churches of this world due to the great swelling words of vanity we imbibed which were propagated by the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon. 

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 

As indicated in Romans 1:25, in our worse state we end up serving the creature instead of the creator. That means that our attention is turned to the things of this world instead of Christ. 

We must understand that the ark being captured by the Philistines is therefore the occasion the Lord is seeking to come to us with His judgment when we are full of the flesh so that we will learn righteousness.

Jdg 14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 
Jdg 14:2  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 
Jdg 14:3  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 
Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. 

Isa 26:8  In the path of your judgments, O LORD, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. 
Isa 26:9 My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. 

1Sa 5:2  When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 

As indicated, the Philistines taking the ark of God means that our flesh is the one ruling our hearts and minds, thinking that he is God in the sense that we think that we make our own decisions. 

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

2Th 2:3  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 
2Th 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

The name Dagon means ‘a fish’ and was a Philistine deity of fertility represented with the face and hands of a man and the tail of a fish. Dagon therefore represents the devil who empowers our flesh. The ark being brought into the house of Dagon and being set beside Dagon therefore means that we are controlled by the god of this world, the devil, as our minds are blinded by him.  

2Co 4:3  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
2Co 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 

1Sa 5:3  And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 
1Sa 5:4  And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. 

As the Lord’s elect, we were overwhelmed by the flesh during our time in the churches of this world, but the Lord did not forget us.

Rom 11:2  God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? (ESV) 

In the fullness of time, He will come to us to start the process of delivering us from ourselves (our flesh). The early morning in verse 3 signifies the rising of the morning star in our hearts as the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. In other words, as we are judged by the Lord through His coming, the flesh is being destroyed. It implies that the influence of the devil over our flesh is reduced. This is what it means for the idol Dagon to fall with its face on the earth before the ark. 

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

The fact that the people set up Dagon in his place again is to make us aware that the Lord’s judgment is a process as our flesh is gradually incapacitated by the Lord’s judgment of our flesh. The cutting off of the head and palms of Dagon’s hands means that the devil’s influence over our flesh is subdued over time as we learn righteousness. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

The Inhabitants of Ashdod Smitten with Emerods

1Sa 5:5  Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. 

Verse 5 shows us another area which had kept us in the dark before Christ came to deliver us, that is, the traditions of men. The mention of the priests of Dagon together with the people of Ashdod not treading on the threshold of Dagon to date is to remind us of the idols of the heart which relate to our belief in the false doctrines of traditions. Our flesh is steep in traditions which robbed us of our ability to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord when we were in Babylon. Our Lord Jesus pointed this out during His ministry here on earth.

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 
Mar 7:9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 
Mar 7:10  For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 
Mar 7:11  But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 
Mar 7:12  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 
Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  

1Sa 5:6  But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof. 
1Sa 5:7  And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

When we are ruled by our flesh, we become like the people of Ashdod. However, as the Lord’s elect, the Lord comes to judge us. The hand of the Lord being heavy upon the people of Ashdod in verse 6 refers to the judgment of the Lord overwhelming our flesh. The Lord destroying the people of Ashdod with emerods signifies the Lord destroying our old man or flesh through His judgment.

Deu 28:27  The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. 

As shown here in Deuteronomy 28:27, the flesh cannot be healed. It has to be destroyed. It is insightful to note that when the men of Ashdod saw that the Lord was judging them, they refused to have the ark of the Lord abiding with them. This implies that our flesh will always try to avoid judgment. The hand of the Lord being sore upon the people of Ashdod and upon Dagon their god means the Lord will continue to judge our old man and, in the fullness of time, will judge the devil who empowers the flesh represented by Dagon, the god of Ashdod. 

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

1Sa 5:8  They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither. 

In 1 Samuel 6:4, the number of the Lords of the Philistines is given as five. 

1Sa 6:4  Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 

The negative application of the number five means famine of the word of the Lord which brings us to spiritual poverty. These five lords represent the various stages of our domination by our flesh which brings us to spiritual poverty through the famine of the word of the Lord. 

Gen 45:11  And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

Gath means ‘winepress.’ Therefore, the ark being taken to Gath implies that we face intense, multi-directional pressures as the Lord’s hand of judgment becomes heavy on us. However, through the grace of the Lord, we are sustained by His power to endure without being completely destroyed. The Lord will not relent in dealing with our flesh until He has destroyed it. All of these pressures are to bring us to learn righteousness so that we will be in Him.

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
2Co 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  

1Sa 5:9  And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts. 

The Lord continues judging us until our flesh is destroyed. It is important to note that here in verse 9, both small and great were judged with emerods in their secret parts. That is another way of saying that we never graduate from the Lord’s judgment. The small and the great being judged implies that at every stage of our walk with Christ, we are being judged.

Rev 19:18  That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 

The Ark of God Brought to Ekron

1Sa 5:10  Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people. 
1Sa 5:11  So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 
1Sa 5:12  And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven. 

The name Ekron, according to Brown-Drivers-Briggs, means to be torn up by the roots. The people of Ekron crying out because the ark of God of Israel has been brought in their midst to slay them is to let us know that the presence of the Lord (the ark) and judgment go together with the purpose of destroying our flesh by the roots. The fact that there were three cities of the Philistines that were judged by the Lord because of the ark – Ashdod, Gath and Ekron, means that our spiritual maturity is through the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh (significance of the number three). 

The great destruction that took place in the city of Ekron is to remind us that the Lord as the lion of the tribe of Judah will not relent until He has destroyed our flesh through His judgment. The men of Ekron’s cry going up to heaven means that the Lord was going to take action in Ekron. The same thing happened to the Israelites in Egypt when they cried to the Lord because of their oppression. The Lord took action and came to their aid.

Exo 2:23  And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
Exo 2:24  And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 
Exo 2:25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.

In a similar vein, when we cry to the Lord during our fiery trials, the Lord comes to our aid as He provides a way of escape for us to be able to bear the suffering.  

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

We give thanks to the Lord for His unwavering love towards us. Amen!

1 Samuel 4:1–22 The Glory had Departed From Israel

[Study Aired January 26, 2026]

Today’s study can be put under three sections. The first one is about the Philistines engaging the Israelites in a battle. The second one deals with the capturing of the ark by the Philistines. The last section has to do with the death of Eli and his two sons. 

The Philistines Engaged the Israelites in a Battle

1Sa 4:1  And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. 
1Sa 4:2  And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. 

Here in verse 1, the word of Samuel is the word of the Lord. The word of Samuel being heard by all Israel implies that we are without excuse of not knowing the word of the Lord regarding what He requires of us. The Lord always seeks for an occasion to come to us with His judgment so that we are without excuse of not knowing His word.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

For example, when the Lord wanted to judge the Philistines who had dominion over the Israelites, He sought for an occasion through Samson to engage the Philistines in a battle. Israel here represents the Lord’s people who are used to being dominated by the flesh, signified by the Philistines. At a certain stage of our walk with Christ, we have to come to know that we are no match as far as our flesh is concerned. In other words, the Lord wants us to know our spiritual depravity before He comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to deliver us.

Jdg 14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 
Jdg 14:2  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 
Jdg 14:3  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 
Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Verses 1 and 2 therefore show us how the Lord causes us to be overcome by the flesh (represented by the Philistines) to give Him the occasion that He is seeking to come into our lives to judge the flesh. Israel being smitten by the Philistines in verse 2 is to show us our inability to overcome the flesh before the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to overcome the flesh on our behalf. 

Gal 5:17  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 

It is instructive to note that the number of the Israelites killed by the Philistines was 4,000 (4 x 10 x 10 x 10) men. The number four means the whole of the matter under discussion. The number 10 means the fullness of the flesh. The three tens means that our spiritual maturity through the process of judgment begins with us realizing that our flesh had dominated us to the fullest extent. In other words, the whole of the Lord’s elect must be overcome by the flesh before the Lord comes to us with His judgment to bring us to maturity. For example, Gideon, a symbol of the Lord’s elect, had to be overcome by the flesh (Midianites) before He was given victory over them.

Jdg 6:12  And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 
Jdg 6:13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 

Jdg 8:4  And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing. 

Jdg 8:7 So Gideon said, “Well then, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will flail your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.” (ESV)

1Sa 4:3  And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 

In our spiritual poverty, we behave just like the elders of the people of Israel, who do not understand that the Lord has occasioned our defeat by the flesh. Our thinking at that time of our walk was that if only we have the tangible presence of the Lord, signified by the ark with us, we shall be saved from our flesh. The elders of Israel here are a symbol of the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon who have no clue as to what it takes for the Lord to grant us victory over the flesh. This is what it takes to overcome the flesh:

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

The spirit here is the word of the Lord and therefore walking in the spirit is living according to the word of the Lord. As we have been shown in the word, we have to understand the word of the Lord in the spirit and not the letter, which kills. 

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

To be able to walk in the spirit implies that we are able to understand the Lord’s words in the spirit. This is achieved through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh which is the same as hearing the voice of the Lord in the fire.

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. 

Walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh therefore implies that as we are given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, our flesh is being judged, and it is through this that we learn righteousness or learn not to fulfill the desires of the flesh.

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.  

1Sa 4:4  So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. 
1Sa 4:5  And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. 

Shiloh represents the church system of this world or Babylon. As indicated, the ark symbolizes the presence of the Lord. The people sending to Shiloh to bring the ark means that it is the church system of this world which seeks to validate the presence of the Lord through signs and wonders. It is important to note the mention of Hophni and Phinehas with the ark of the covenant of God. This is what we know about Hophni and Phinehas from previous studies:

The mention of Hophni and Phinehas as priests of the Lord at that time in Shiloh is to make us aware of the deplorable state of the leaders of the church system of this world which we were ushered into at the beginning of our walk with Christ. This is what the word of the Lord says about Hophni and Phinehas, who were sons of Eli, the high priest:

1Sa 2:12  Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 

1Sa 2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD. 

According to Strong, the sons of Eli being referred to as sons of Belial is to show us their deplorable state as they epitomize wickedness. One of the principles of the word of the Lord is the is, was, and will be nature. If at the time of Hannah, the leaders of the church system of her day were sons of wickedness, then it means that the situation today is the same, that is, evil men are in leadership. 

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Mic 3:11  Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. Your priests teach for a price. Your prophets tell the future for money. But they rely on the LORD when they say, “After all, the LORD is with us. Nothing bad will happen to us.” 
Mic 3:12 Because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, and the temple mountain will become a worship site covered with trees. (GW)  

Jer 5:30  A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 
Jer 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? 

Our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world, represented by the physical Jews, require a sign, while the people of this world (Greeks) seek after wisdom. 

1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 

The Israelites requesting for the ark means requesting for signs and wonders. What this means is that our brothers and sisters in the church system validate the presence of the Lord through signs and wonders. This is what causes them to be deceived as we shall see in this study.

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 

The great shouting that greeted the presence of the ark in the midst of the Israelites is what we see today in the churches of this world as we see great excitement greet the performance of signs and wonders in the midst of the churches of this world.  They think the Lord has come in their midst just as the Israelites thought that the Lord was with them in their battle against the Philistines.

The Capturing of the Ark by the Philistines 

1Sa 4:6  And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. 
1Sa 4:7  And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. 
1Sa 4:8  Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 

To understand these verses, we need to know the relationship of the devil with our flesh which is represented by the Philistines. The devil is the one who influences our flesh. Our flesh is the beast which is empowered by the devil. 

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

Verses 6 to 8 show us that the Philistines were afraid and were wondering who shall deliver them from the hands of the mighty Gods, when they heard that the ark of the covenant has come in the midst of the Lord’s people. When Christ comes to us to begin our walk with Him, the power of our flesh is initially subdued. This is what it means for the beast (our flesh) to have a deadly wound. Verses 6 to 8 therefore show us the nervousness of our flesh when Christ comes to us to begin our journey. 

1Sa 4:9  Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. 
1Sa 4:10  And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 
1Sa 4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.

Over time, however, our flesh’s deadly wound is healed through the false doctrines propagated by false apostles, parading in the corridors of the churches of this world as the Lord’s elect.

2Co 11:13  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Therefore, we become worse off and are of no match to our flesh. As shown in verse 10, the great slaughter of the Israelites means that we were overwhelmed by our flesh. This scenario is what Apostle Peter described as follows:

2Pe 2:20  For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 
2Pe 2:21  For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 
2Pe 2:22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” 

It is important to note that the number of Israelites who fell that day amounted to thirty thousand footmen. The number thirty can be broken down as follows:

30,000 = 30x10x10x10. The number thirty on a positive note denotes reigning with Christ as shown in the following verses:

Gen 41:46  Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 

2Sa 5:4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

On a negative note, the number thirty means the spiritual death of the Lord’s elect. 

Jdg 20:39  the men of Israel should turn in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to strike and kill about thirty men of Israel. They said, “Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.” 

Num 20:29  And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

Deu 34:8  And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. 

The Philistines’ slaughter of 30,000 men of Israel therefore signifies the fact that as the Lord’ elect, we become spiritually dead in Babylon as our flesh reaches its fullness. 

The ark of the Lord being taken by the Philistines in verse 11 signifies the man of sin or our flesh sitting in our temple or our hearts and minds, claiming himself to be God. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

As a result, we profane the name of the Lord among the people of this world during our time in the churches of this world.

Eze 36:20  And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. 
Eze 36:21 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 

The death of the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, who represent the leaders of the church system of this world, is to let us know the spiritual bankruptcy or death of the leaders of the church system of the world or Babylon who are overcome by the flesh. 

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 
Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 
Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 
Isa 56:12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

As shown in Isaiah 56:9, the leaders or the watchmen of the church system of this world are all devoured by the beasts of the field. That is to say that they are all dominated by the flesh which, in our study, is represented by the Philistines’ slaughter of the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas. 

The Death of Eli

1Sa 4:12  And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. 
1Sa 4:13  And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 
1Sa 4:14  And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. 
1Sa 4:15  Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. 

The man of Benjamin of the army of Israel, who escaped from the battle, rent his clothes and put earth upon his head is a symbol of the Lord’s elect. Rending one’s clothes and putting earth upon one’s head is a symbol of deep mourning and grief. It was a traditional Hebrew custom to express overwhelming sorrow, particularly upon hearing news of death, tragic loss, or national catastrophe.

Gen 37:34  And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 

As shown in the Book of Revelation, the Lord’s elect in this age, denoted by the two witnesses, are in a mourning mode as we carry the message of death of our old man or flesh through the Lord’s judgment.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

The man of Benjamin informing the people of the city about what has happened shows us that in the fullness of time, the Lord’s elect will be given the opportunity to preach to our brothers and sisters in Babylon. As we know, a city in the Bible can represent Babylon or the church of the living God. In verse 13, we are shown that all the city was crying out after the message from the man of Benjamin. This means that as we preach to our brothers and sisters in Babylon in the fullness of time, they will also mourn just as we are mourning in this age.

In verse 15, we are shown that Eli could not see as his eyes were dim because of his age (ninety eight). Eli signifies the fading glory of the law of Moses which operates in the churches and in the world. When we are under the law of Moses, we cannot see the sons of God and their glorious liberty. 

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

1Sa 4:16  And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? 
1Sa 4:17  And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 
1Sa 4:18  And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 

What the man from Benjamin told Eli is that he fled from the Philistines and that Eli’s two sons have been killed. He also mentioned that the ark had been captured by the Philistines. As the Lord’s elect, we are overcome by our flesh (the Philistines) before we are given to win the victory over our flesh. As indicated earlier, the ark of God is the presence of the Lord and this presence is in our hearts and minds. The capturing of the ark therefore means that our old man or flesh is the one sitting on the throne of God in our hearts and minds, thinking that he is God. 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

Immediately he mentioned that the ark had been captured, Eli fell from his seat and in the process, broke his neck and died. As indicated, Eli signifies the fading glory of the law of Moses. The death of Eli means that Samuel is the one to take over the mantle. The death of Eli therefore means that faith has come to us, His elect, and therefore, we are no longer under the law of sin and death, as the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. 

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 
Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

1Sa 4:19  And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 
1Sa 4:20  And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. 
1Sa 4:21  And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. 
1Sa 4:22  And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken. 

Phinehas’ wife denotes the church system of this world or Babylon which is in bondage with her children. Her death shows us that the church system of this world is spiritually bankrupt. 

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

To understand the meaning of the glory departed from Israel, we need to know what the glory of the Lord represents. The first time the word “glory” was used in the Bible, it referred to the wealth of Laban as follows:

Gen 31:1  And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory.

The second time glory was used in the Bible, it shows the wealth, the power and authority of Joseph in Egypt.

Gen 45:13  And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

These examples of the use of glory show us that the glory of the Lord has to do with His spiritual wealth, power and authority. Therefore, Phinehas’ wife naming her son Ichabod, which means that the glory is departed from Israel, implies that the children of the harlot woman (the church system of this world or Babylon) shall not be given to know the spiritual riches, power and authority of Christ. In other words, they have not been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

We thank the Lord for this opportunity to know Him in this age. Amen.

Rev 11:15-19, Part 2 – The Seventh Trumpet

Now Is Come Salvation

[Study Aired Nov 15, 2024]

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.
Rev 11:16  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 11:17  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great;   and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Rev 11:19  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

In our last study we took note of the fact that the seventh trumpet is the only event among all the seven seals, all the seven trumpets, and all seven vials, which does not immediately describe the actions which this trumpet produces. Notice how this seventh trumpet, unlike any of the other six trumpets, is first alluded to in chapter 10:

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

We are told that this trumpet eventually fulfills the mystery of God, but the same verse 7 of chapter 10 also reveals that this seventh trumpet is a process which requires a certain number of days to be fulfilled.

In chapter 11 we are actually given the fruit which is produced by this seventh trumpet… “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ”, but before the kingdoms of this world can become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, it is revealed that a “manchild”, who was “to rule the nations with a rod of iron” must first be born of a harlot woman, which ‘woman’ was to spend “a thousand two hundred and sixty days in the wilderness, while her “manchild” was caught up unto God and His throne”.

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Rev 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

But before that manchild can become mature he must first come to see himself as the beast of Revelation 13, which arises up out of the sea of all flesh. He then matures into “a second beast with two horns like a lamb, but which speaks as a dragon:

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

“The earth and them that dwell therein” includes you and me and all the rest of mankind:

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Three sixes is not the number of “a man”. There is no article in the Greek. The Greek simply reads…”it is the number of anthropos…” and ‘anthropos’ is the Greek word for ‘mankind’. Mankind’s creation began on the sixth day along with all the rest of the beasts of this earth. Consequently ‘mankind’ has been branded with the number six, signifying his incomplete state ever since the beginning of his creation:

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Being ‘incomplete’, which is the spiritual significance of the number ‘6’, mankind is universally afflicted with the false doctrine of “free will”. Mankind is therefore incapable of understanding that he must be brought to “cease from his own works as God did from His”, before he can “enter into the Lord’s rest” and thereby become complete, which is the spiritual significance of the number seven:

Heb 4:3  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5  And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8  For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

The thirteenth chapter of Revelation reveals that the Lord’s Christ must come to see himself as an incomplete and hopeless beast before he can enter into the Lord’s rest and be complete in the Lord, who is in the process of making man in His image. But there is chapters 14 and 15 still to be revealed to the Lord’s elect before he can enter into His rest.

Revelation 14 begins with a snapshot of the completed product, 144,000, of “the firstfruits unto God and the  Lamb:

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault [they are the complete and finished product] before the throne of God.

However, mankind cannot be completed by the work of this all important seventh trumpet, until he has been judged, because God’s judgments, whether in this age or in the great white throne judgment, always teach men to become righteous:

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

To that end, Revelation 14 tells us of the work of the three angels ‘flying in the midst of our heavens’. ‘Three’ signifies the process of being judged.

These three spirits are working our judgment in our heavens. The first angel brings the gospel to us. That good news includes the fact that “the hour of His judgment is come” upon us. The second angel destroys the very foundations of Babylon in our lives, and the third angel’s work is to pour out the seven last plagues which fill up the wrath of God upon us, and to torment the Lord’s very elect with the fire and brimstone which is His Word and His doctrines. That torment and judgment takes place “in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of The Lamb”. The work of this third angel causes the smoke of our torment to ascend up for the eons of the eons giving us no rest day nor night while there is any tendency at all to worship the beast and his image within us:

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, [Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:]
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

The work of the third and final angel concludes with these words, which let us know exactly to whom these words are addressed:

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The point that is being made is the imminence of the work of this seventh trumpet. “NOW is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ”.

This inheritance is all ours even now but only in down payment form.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest [the downpayment] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

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.

For all who are “found worthy” to be in that blessed and holy first resurrection, this kingdom and this reign is now. “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Rev 12:10)

The judgment of Revelation 14 is the judgment of “the very elect” and it is the product of the pouring out of the seven last plagues of the Lord’s wrath upon the kingdom of the beast within the Lord’s elect which is described in great detail in Revelation 15-16. That ‘wrath of God’ is His judgment which transforms the beast within the Lord’s elect into the four beasts and the four and twenty elders of Revelation four and five.

Where are the four and twenty elders?

Rev 11:16  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

When we know what the four beasts and the four and twenty elders symbolize, we need not to even ask that question, because the four beasts and the four and twenty elders symbolize one and the same thing. Asking ‘where are the four beasts’ is like asking ‘what happened to the seven cows’ of Pharaoh’s dream, while discussing the the seven ears of corn. The cows and the corn are both symbols of the one point that is being made. There will be seven years of plenty, to be followed by seven years of famine.

Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

So too, the beasts and the elders are one. The seven angels and the seven priests are one, and in this entire prophecy God is showing us what the Lord is about to do.

Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

And what is God about to do? It is the very next verse, and it is to be “read… heard… and kept, for the time is at hand”.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Christ has “given us a kingdom” just as His Father has given Him a kingdom, and like Him we are to “reign on the earth… for the time is at hand.” “Every creature in heaven and on earth” will worship God, and the four beasts do so continually.

Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Those who have been given “eyes within” know that the four beasts are always worshiping God

Rev 19:4  And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

But when is this worship emphasized and made especially evident? It is especially evident at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when the kingdoms of this world “within” is seen by those who are “full of eyes within” to fall and “become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ”.

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.

What a wonderful day that is when the conquering king takes control of His own rightful kingdom which has been in the hands of wicked husbandmen for so long. Everyone will, in their own time, bow their knee and confess that our Lord is Lord over the man of sin “to the glory of God”.

Rom 14:11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Every part of our being rejoices at the time of this great event.

Rev 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

God’s wrath is, was, and will come before the dead are judged

Rev 11:17  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

How few it is that realize that they are born and live their lives under the wrath of God until the day they believe on Christ. If “the time of the dead that they should be judged” means the resurrection that immediately precedes the millennium, and you do not experience the death and resurrection which is the revelation of Jesus Christ here and now, then you will not be in that resurrection that immediately precedes the millennium, and you will not be one of the priests and kings who will rule with Christ over the kingdoms of this world.

Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

This truth is demonstrated with two verses of scripture. It is a rare person who even sees the apparent contradiction between these two verses of God’s Word.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

It is “in judgment” that God pours out His wrath upon all of our ungodliness and unrighteousness. Let’s read it again: “keep the things that are written therein, for the time is at hand… and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged…” (Rev 11:18).

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Death must precede judgment. Only those who are “full of eyes within” can even begin to see that those who “are appointed once to die and then be judged” are us. It is we who are the first to die to our old man through the judgment of our old man, and that dying and that judgment has begun at the house of God and we must “die daily” and be crucified with Christ daily:

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

It is we who are “crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20), and it is we who are “buried with Him in baptism” (Rom 6:3-4), even as we live and are being judged in these dying “earthen vessels”.

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The ‘world’ that is within us and the ‘world’ that is without us are both bent on the destruction of “the seed of the woman”,  (Rev 12:5). There are many other titles given to the “seed of the woman” who is also called “a manchild who is to rule the world with a rod of iron”, but they are all titles of “the very elect” of God.

Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

While God is in the process of destroying our old Adam by replacing him with a “New Adam” who is called “the last Adam”, it is not our prerogative to “destroy the earth”. That is a task that has been delegated to those who are called ‘the seed of the serpent’ and are said by our Lord to be “of their Father the devil”.

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Who is it that our Lord says will bruise His heel? Who is it that seeks to destroy the manchild as soon as he is born? It is each of us when we are “those Jews which believe on Christ, but are still “of our Father the devil”.

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

This is us when we were “of our father the devil”, even as we thought we “believed on Christ”. This is us when our “man of sin” is standing in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God. This is us as the wrath of God is being poured out upon our ungodliness and unrighteousness and we are made to admit that “I am the man” (2Sa 12:7). This is us when we come to see that “Them that destroy the earth” are those who are seeking the life of our Lord Himself.

Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

What is found within the ark of His covenant?

Rev 11:19  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

These are the closing words of the introduction of the seventh trumpet. “The temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of His testament.”

What was in the ark in the temple of God? Here is the first and the last account of the contents of what “was seen in His temple [in] the ark of His testament”.

Deu 10:5  And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

1Ki 8:9  There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

Within the ark of the covenant was the law of God. That was the basis upon which the covenant was contracted. Israel contracted with God to keep His laws, and our Lord agreed to be their God. That is the same way we are married to our Lord today. That is how we become His bride. We agree to “do the things He says… and fulfill the law of Christ”. If we don’t do the things He says, then we are not His wife, and He is not our Lord.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

That is what is meant by “there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament”. If we have our Lord living within us, then we will be doing the things He says and we will be doing “the will of our Father which is in heaven”. It is “the things which He says” which are the “lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake”. It is “the things which He says” which are the “great hail” which will “sweep away the refuge of lies”.

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

Summary

We have seen that “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ” is primarily to be understood as first happening within, as the image we are is destroyed by Christ as we decrease daily and He increases daily within us.

We have seen that “our Lord and His Christ” is speaking of us as those who are anointed of and are sent out by Christ, just as He was anointed of and sent out by His Father to save this world.

We have demonstrated that the four beasts and the four and twenty elders are one and the same symbol of God’s elect, just as the cows and corn both meant the same thing in Pharaoh’s dreams. Thus, when we are told that the four and twenty elders fall down and worship God when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, we are being told that the four beasts also fall down and worship our Lord and our God.

We have seen that it is God’s Word which is the fire of His wrath which is, was and will be poured out upon all of our ungodliness and unrighteousness, and we saw that this is all being announced and being done even as we are beginning to take the land away from the giants who have for so long dominated our land. This is the significance of the imminent judgment in every generation which is this seventh trumpet, which has already begun to take the kingdom of this world and “by little and by little” transform it into the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.

Finally, we saw that this is all accomplished by the Words of our Lord being within us and destroying by its great ‘heat’ all that can be burned out of us, as we learn to “do the things that our Lord says”.

Next week, Lord willing, we will begin to see what we are given to understand in the first of the four chapters which separate this introduction of this seventh trumpet from the chapter which reveals to us the exact nature of the judgments of the seven last plagues of this seventh trumpet. It will be the beginning of chapter twelve, concerning the woman, the manchild she is prophesied to bring forth, and the dragon who is right there seeking to destroy that manchild.

Numbers 17:1-13  The Budding of Aaron’s Rod

[Study Aired August 28, 2023]

Num 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 17:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. 
Num 17:3  And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 
Num 17:4  And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. 
Num 17:5  And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. 
Num 17:6  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 
Num 17:7  And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. 
Num 17:8  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 
Num 17:9  And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 
Num 17:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. 
Num 17:11  And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Num 17:12  And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. 
Num 17:13  Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying? 

Introduction

Chapter 17 deals with who has the right to rule with Christ. Our brothers and sisters in Babylon think they represent the Lord’s elect and therefore have the right to rule with Christ. Their eyes have been blinded to understand spiritually the difference between a Levite and a priest in the Old Testament. As we shall see in chapter 18, the Lord emphasized the role of a Levite and that of a priest to make us know who is to inherit the kingdoms of this world.  As we saw in chapter 16, Korah, Dathan and Abiram, who represent Babylon, thought they had the right to rule the Lord’s people and therefore rose up against Moses and Aaron. Chapter 17 is there to make clear whom the Lord has chosen to rule with Him. 

Throughout the Bible, the right to rule has been contested by many. For example, when David was about to die, his son Adonijah felt that he had the legitimate right as a son to the throne, but in the final analysis, he was not chosen.

1Ki 1:5  Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
1Ki 1:6  And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. 
1Ki 1:7  And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
1Ki 1:8  But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
1Ki 1:9  And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants: 
1Ki 1:10  But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not. 

1Ki 1:28  Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. 
1Ki 1:29  And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, 
1Ki 1:30  Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

What we need to know is that it is not our desire or decision to rule that counts. It is all about the Lord’s mercy, as He has already chosen us, His elect in Him, before the foundation of the world to rule with Him. It was therefore not about the number of sheep or oxen slaughtered on the altar by Adonijah that was important, it was the fact that David had made a promise to Bathsheba many years before the issue came up that her son Solomon would become king. It was therefore not what Solomon had done that mattered.

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 
Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 
Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Adonijah represents Babylon whose sacrifice of love to the Lord is obvious for everyone to see in this world as shown by the number of sheep and oxen that he slaughtered as sacrifice to the Lord. In 1 Kings 1:6 it was stated that he was very handsome and that his father David had not displeased him at any time. Outwardly, Babylon looks very beautiful, and because she is not being judged in this life (the father had not displeased her), she thinks she is called and chosen and therefore has the claim to rulership. This brings to mind the story of the prodigal son’s brother who thought that because his father had not rebuked him, he was destined to inherit his father’s possessions. He was therefore displeased to see the other son being rewarded by the father. 

Luk 15:25  “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 
Luk 15:26  And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 
Luk 15:27  And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’
Luk 15:28  But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 
Luk 15:29  but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 
Luk 15:30  But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 
Luk 15:31  And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 

The older brother being in the field means that he was of the world and that is where Babylon is. The man telling his older son that “all that is mine is yours” does not mean that Babylon will also inherit the promise. What it means is that everything the Lord has created will be enjoyed by all humanity in the fullness of time. It has nothing to do with rulership.

In this study therefore, we shall look at the assurance and the signs the Lord has given in His words that we are chosen instead of our brothers and sisters in Babylon, to reign with Him.

Num 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 17:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. 
Num 17:3  And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 
Num 17:4  And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. 
Num 17:5  And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. 

We need to understand that it was the leaders of the various tribes who were requested to bring a rod. So, this whole controversy is about who has the right to rulership. That is, who will lead the people of the world represented in this case by the people of Israel. As we are aware, the whole world is groaning for the right kind of leaders to lead them. As the end of this age is approaching, countries all over the world are crying out about the bad leadership they are having which has brought untold hardships to the people. It is therefore the manifestation of the sons of God for which the world is waiting, but they are not aware of it. 

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

The sons of God here in these verses refer to the Lord’s elect, but our brothers and sisters in Babylon think it is referring to them. The manifestation of the sons of God will come when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

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.

To write one’s name on the rod as shown in verse 3 is the same as identifying with the rod or being represented by the rod just as those who are called and chosen have Christ’s name written on their forehead which means that we are representing Christ. This means that we are the rod.

Rev 22:4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

In verse 4, the rods of the leaders are required to lie before the Lord in the tabernacle of the congregation. We represent the tabernacle of the congregation. What we are being told is that we are all manifested before the presence of the Lord and therefore all things are naked and opened before Him of whom we must give an account. 

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 

It is instructive to note that the Lord chose a rod to show to His elect and our Babylonian brothers and sisters who are chosen to rule with Him. In the Bible, a rod is used to signify a chastening rod for correction, a scepter for ruling or a walking stick, that is, a support for our walk with Christ. Here are the verses that show the different usage of a rod in the scriptures:

As a Chastening Rod for Correction

Psa 89:32  Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

Pro 22:15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Lam 3:1  I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

As a Scepter for Ruling

Psa 110:2  The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

As a Support for our Walk with Christ

Exo 4:17  And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

Exo 4:20  And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Exo 17:9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

What all of this means is that the one chosen and destined to rule is the one who is under the rod of correction (being judged) in this life and is being dragged to the finish line by Christ as his/her support. As stated in verse 5, the end result of being corrected with a rod and being supported by Christ is a life that blossoms to produce the fruit of righteousness. It is through the fruit of righteousness that we produce fruits, which will let people know that we are indeed chosen to rule with Christ. A dead wood (rod) cannot germinate and therefore cannot produce fruit. It is those who are spiritually alive who can produce the fruit of righteousness. 

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Num 17:6  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 
Num 17:7  And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. 
Num 17:8  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

As indicated in previous studies, this age is regarded as one long night. The twelve rods lying before the tabernacle of witness spiritually signify our walk before the Lord in this vessel of clay, which is the temple of God or the tabernacle of witness. If we are called and chosen, then we shall not be dead wood (rod) before the Lord in this life, but will be a branch (rod) to the vine tree and therefore will surely bear the fruit of righteousness.

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 
Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

The fruit that we are to bear is almonds which represent the fruit of the spirit, which is born out of a life of walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Gen 43:11  And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

As stated above, one of the best fruits is almonds. In the tabernacle of the congregation, within the veil, symbols of almonds were engrafted on the branches and the stem of the candlestick before the Lord. 

Exo 37:19  Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
Exo 37:20  And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:

As the word of God says, the candlestick represents the assembly or the church of the elect. The bowls fashioned like almonds on the branch of the candlestick seem to suggest that it is in the assembly of the elect that we are able to bear fruit of the Spirit through what every joint supplies. The fact that there are three bowls on a branch means that it is through the process of judgment (suffering) that we become spiritually mature as we produce the fruit of the Spirit (almonds). On the candlestick itself, there were four bowls made like almonds, which means that the whole of the elect of every generation is required to bear fruit of the spirit, signified by almonds. 

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

The fact that the candlestick is within the veil of the temple means that it is only the priests who see the almonds on the candlesticks. What this suggests is that in this age, it is only the elect (priests) who see the fruit of the spirit (almonds) that we are bearing. It is when tomorrow or the morning came that the whole of the people of Israel saw that it was only Aaron’s rod that budded and bore the fruit of almonds. In a similar pattern, it is in the dawn of a new Age characterized by the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ that the whole world, signified by the people of Israel, will see the Lord’s elect who will rule with Christ as our rods have budded and produced the fruit of the Spirit.

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

Num 17:9  And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 
Num 17:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

Every man taking his rod in the morning signifies that at the dawn of a new age, our brothers and sisters in Babylon, together with the whole world, will come to know who are the elect and therefore accept their fate that they are not the elect. That is the same as the five foolish virgins who came to the five wise virgins to ask for oil as their lamps had gone out, but the wise responded that they should go and buy oil for themselves. Their lamp going out means their rods never budded and therefore could not subsequently produce almonds (the fruit of the Spirit). The five virgins telling them to go and buy oil for themselves is the same as the leaders of Israel taking their rods which never budded.

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 
Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

That will be the time when our brothers and sisters in Babylon will know that the Lord loves us, and they will come and worship before our feet.

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Aaron’s budded rod was brought back before the Testimony to be kept as a token against all those who rebel against the leadership of the Lord’s elect. Later, Aaron’s budded rod became one of the items embedded in the ark which represent Christ.

Heb 9:4  having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

As indicated earlier, each of the staff or the rod has a name on it which means that the rod represents the one whose name is on it. Aaron’s rod represents the elect. The rod being part of the ark means being part of Christ as we are His body. This means that when Christ comes in His glory, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, we shall be with Him to rule the earth as the whole world will see who is called and chosen to rule the world.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Psa 37:11  But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 
Psa 37:12  The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 
Psa 37:13  The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

Num 17:11  And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Num 17:12  And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
Num 17:13  Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

It is when our brothers and sisters realize they are not destined to rule with Christ when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ that they will know they are spiritually dead and are perished, as shown in verse 12 and 13 when the people of Israel spoke to Moses that they shall die and perish. This is all because of the false doctrines they have imbibed which say that God will burn forever all those who are not part of the elect. They forget that our Lord is merciful and His mercy endures forever. In addition, the Lord’s elect will show mercy to all humanity as a result of the mercy that they have received from the Lord.

Psa 136:1  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

What the people of Israel went through when they realized they were not chosen is what took place during the time that Joseph was made king in Egypt. His brothers, representing Babylon, also thought that Joseph would seek revenge on them, and that they would perish or die just like the people of Israel said to Moses. They were not comfortable with Joseph until the father’s death. This mental suffering is all part of what our brothers and sisters in Babylon will go through to learn righteousness during the lake-of-fire age. As we can see, both Moses and Joseph were merciful to their brethren. Both Moses and Joseph represent the elect who will show mercy to our brothers and sisters in Babylon during the lake of fire age.

Gen 50:15  And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
Gen 50:16  And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 
Gen 50:17  So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
Gen 50:18  And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
Gen 50:19  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

May the Lord continue to drag us to Himself so we do not lose our crown to rule. Amen!!

Exo 25:10-22  Building the Ark of the Covenant

[Study Aired October 10, 2022]

Exo 25:10  And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
Exo 25:11  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. 
Exo 25:12  And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. 
Exo 25:13  And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exo 25:14  And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
Exo 25:15  The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. 
Exo 25:16  And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 
Exo 25:17  And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 
Exo 25:18  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exo 25:19  And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 
Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 
Exo 25:21  And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 
Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. 

Introduction – What Does the Ark Signify?

This section of Exodus chapter 25 deals with how to build an ark. In order to understand the passage of scripture we are reviewing today, we need to understand spiritually what an ark signifies. The first time the word “ark” appeared in the Bible was when the Lord commanded Noah to build an ark.

Gen 6:13  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Gen 6:14  Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

This ark is a prototype of the ark Moses was required to build by the Lord in this chapter we are reviewing. There are many similarities between these two arks. The following verses of scriptures bring our what the ark stands for spiritually:

Num 10:33  And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.

Num 10:35  And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

2Sa 6:2  And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

Jdg 20:27  And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,

From these verses, it becomes obvious that the ark of the covenant represents our Lord Jesus Christ, just like the ark the Lord commanded Noah to build is also Christ. When we are in Him, we are delivered from the flood waters of false doctrines, carnality, traditions, human wisdom, etc.

Gen 6:17  And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
Gen 6:18  But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.

Noah, his wife and sons, and his son’s wives represent the elect who have fled to take refuge in our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to note that it is through the Lord’s judgment of the flood that Noah and all those saved took refuge in the ark. Our Lord’s judgment of our old man is what facilitates our being found in Christ. Noah’s ark resting on the seventh month is another way of saying that the Lord rested on the seventh day from all His work. All of these are to confirm to us that the ark represents the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gen 8:4  And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. 

Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Inside the ark of the covenant, we have three items – the golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded and the tables of the covenant.

Heb 9:3  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 
Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5  And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

On a positive note, the golden pot containing the manna represents the Lord’s words. It is through the word that we find ourselves in Him as He is in us. The Lord commanding Noah to bring food into the ark emphasizes the point that it is through the word of the Lord that we find ourselves in Him.

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

As we are aware, a rod signifies discipline or judgment. Thus, Aaron’s rod refers to the judgment we must go through in order to be found in Christ. As we know, the flood was the catalyst that resulted in Noah and his family being found in the ark in (Christ).

Psa 89:32  Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

Pro 13:24  He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

The third item in the ark is the tables of stones on which were written the commandments of the Lord. The tables of stones remind us of our spiritual poverty state as we were not able to obey the Lord’s commandments as our hearts were hardened like the tables of stones. To be in Christ therefore, we must first acknowledge that we were spiritually bankrupt as our hearts were hardened like stones, but through the grace of God, we now have a heart of flesh.

2Co 3:3  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Similarly, the Lord commanding Noah to bring into the ark beasts (both clean and unclean) and the fowls of the air are to remind us that a prerequisite to being in Christ is to recognize our beastly nature and the devil’s influence (fowls of the air) on our live, that is our spiritual poverty. This is what the tables of stones in the ark remind us of.

Gen 7:2  Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 
Gen 7:3  Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

Today’s study focuses on the construction of the ark, which therefore symbolizes how we become like Jesus Christ. Let us therefore take a closer look at what the Lord commanded Moses regarding the building of the ark.

Exo 25:10  And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

The ark was to be made of shittim wood from shittah tree, probably from acacia. They were found growing wild in the Sinai desert and the Jordan River valley. Growing wild means that it is not planted and taken care of by man. In other words, it is not the work of man. If we are to become like Christ, then we need to know that from the beginning until our maturity, it is all the work of God – not man. Even our sins are all part of the work of God. All we do to become like Christ is to believe in Him.

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

The ark of the covenant in the tabernacle (Exo 37:1) had the following dimensions: Two and half cubits in length and a cubit and half in breadth and height. What is significant about the measurements are that they are all in halves. This means that we cannot obtain the stature of Christ in this life. It is in resurrection that we become perfected like Jesus Christ.

1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Another significant point to note in verse 10 is that to become like Christ means we are constantly being measured to see if we have obtained the standards of Christ. This means that we are constantly being judged to conform to the standards of Christ. All those who are not measured are not part of the commonwealth of Israel or His elect. They belong to the Gentiles!!

Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Exo 25:11  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

Overlaying the ark with gold means that to become like Christ, we must be refined just like gold refined in the fire. This is the judgment of our old man which brings us to learn righteousness. That is what will qualify us to be crowned with gold just as our Lord Jesus Christ overcame and is wearing a crown of gold.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Exo 25:12  And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put four rings of gold that  them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. 

In Ezekiel chapter 1, the living creatures who represent the elect have wheels which are rings full of eyes. These living creatures represent the elect. The four cast rings of gold are therefore the elect which are placed in every corner of the earth even as the Lord fills the earth. The number four means the whole of all the elect scattered over the four corners of the earth. The fact that two are placed on one side and two on another is to let us know that we serve as witnesses of Christ on this earth.

Eze 1:15  Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. 
Eze 1:16  The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
Eze 1:17  When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. 
Eze 1:18  As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

Rev 7:1  And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

Exo 25:13  And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
Exo 25:14  And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
Exo 25:15  The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

The staves are long rods of wood which pass through the rings to make it easier to carry the ark so that the ark is not touched. The function of the staves suggests that spiritually, they represent the spirit of the Lord which helps us bear Christ wherever we go. These staves are made from shittim wood and therefore are not of man’s origin but the Lord. In verse 15, the staves being in the rings means the promise of the comforter being within us to lead us into all truth so that we can have the mind of Christ and therefore “carry” Christ wherever we go.  The commandment that the staves shall not be taken from the rings in verse 15 is to assure us that the spirit of the Lord or the Comforter has come to stay in the elect.

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Exo 25:16  And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

The testimony is the two tables of stone upon which the commandments of the Lord had been written.

Exo 31:18  And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exo 32:15  And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

The placing of the two tables of stones bearing the commandments into the ark is why the ark is later called the ark of the testimony as shown in the following verses:

Exo 30:26  And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,

Exo 31:7  The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,

The question is, “Why are the two tablets of stones called the testimony?” Testimony is evidence or proof of something. What this means is that the two tablets of stones upon which the commandments of the Lord were written provide proof or testify that we are really sinners who have been saved by grace before God. This is to affirm to us that in order to be in Christ, we must acknowledge that we are sinners or spiritually poor. The difference between the elect and those in Babylon is that the elect are aware of their spiritual poverty while those in Babylon do not even know that they are spiritually poor. The law of Moses written on the tablet of stones is what brings us to acknowledge our sinful state.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Exo 25:17  And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 

One of the significant aspects of the ark is the mercy seat. This is to make us aware that the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ is to show mercy to humanity.

Psa 145:8  The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

Psa 147:11  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Mat 9:13  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

If we are to be like Christ (the ark), then the mercy we have received from the Lord should translate into us being merciful in all our dealings. This is what the Lord requires of us.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

The scriptures above show us that we have a significant role to play in showing mercy to humanity during the lake of fire age. The measurement of the mercy seat is to let us know that as His elect, we are being measured regarding our mercy attribute. What this means is that as we fall short of this measure, we are being disciplined to conform to Christ.

The fact that the measurement of the length and breadth of the mercy seat are given as two and half cubits and a cubit and half are to remind us that we cannot grasp the fullness of our Lord’s mercy in this age until we are perfected.

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Exo 25:18  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

We need to know what the Cherubims represent in order to understand what is being said here. The Cherubims are living creatures, and it is in the midst of these Cherubims that the Lord dwells and speaks to His people.

Eze 10:20  This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.

1Sa 4:4  So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

2Sa 6:2  And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

This is what we know about where the dwelling place of God is – among His people. This means that the cherubims represent His people or His elect.

Exo 29:46  And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

What verse 18 is therefore telling us is that in order to become like Christ, we must be like the beaten work of gold. Gold can be beaten to assume any shape only when it is melted through heat. It is through our fiery trials (heat) that the Lord can make us become like Him.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

The fact that Moses was required to make two cherubims suggests that through the beaten work of gold, we become witnesses of Christ.

Exo 25:19  And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 
Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

What these verses tell us is that the mercy seat is between the two Cherubims who cover it with their wings as they behold each other. The mercy seat is where the Lord dwells. Wings in the scriptures serve as a hiding place and also a place of protection.

Psa 17:8  Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

Psa 57:1  To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

The wings of the Cherubims hide the mercy seat where the Lord dwells. This means that the Lord is hidden in the elect in this age.

As we are aware, Christ is the word of God. The mercy seat sandwiched  between the two Cherubims means that the two Cherubims protect the mercy seat. This means that the role of the elect is to protect the truth of the word of the Lord in this age. This role was made clear to us when the Lord was laying the foundations of the earth. We are the ones who are keeping the way of the tree of life, which is Christ and His words, through a flaming sword which turns in every way.

Gen 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Exo 25:21  And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

Putting the mercy seat above upon the ark is not to say that mercy is greater than our Lord Jesus Christ who occupies the mercy seat. What is being said here is that to the elect, represented by the two Cherubims beholding the mercy seat, the Lord has elevated His mercy for them to see clearly. In other words, mercy is one of the key characteristics of the Lord which He wants His elect to appreciate. In a later age, all humanity will also see His mercy.

Psa 89:14  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

Psa 57:10  For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds (the elect).

Psa 86:15  But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

As indicated earlier, the first step toward being found in Christ is to acknowledge our spiritual poverty. This is the work of the testimony that is put into the ark to remind us of the law which was our schoolmaster until Christ came.

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 
Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

It is between the two Cherubims which are upon the ark that the Lord meets us to commune with us. In other words, the Lord speaks in our midst. It is in the assembly of the elect that the Lord speaks to us through what every joint supplies.

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

May the Lord avail to us more of His mercy to be able to know Him more as He gathers us under His wings just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. Amen!!

[Study Aired July 11, 2022]

Exo 16:19  And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 
Exo 16:20  Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. 
Exo 16:21  And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. 
Exo 16:22  And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 
Exo 16:23  And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 
Exo 16:24  And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 
Exo 16:25  And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 
Exo 16:26  Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 
Exo 16:27  And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 
Exo 16:28  And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
Exo 16:29  See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
Exo 16:30  So the people rested on the seventh day. 
Exo 16:31  And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 
Exo 16:32  And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. 
Exo 16:33  And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. 
Exo 16:34  As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 
Exo 16:35  And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. 
Exo 16:36  Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

In this session, we will continue to learn more details about manna sent from heaven to the people of Israel to eat. The focus of Exodus chapter 16 is the eating of manna. In last week’s study, we dealt with certain aspects of the eating of manna. Today’s study continues the discourse on instructions about the eating of manna. Chapter 16 does not focus on behavior or conduct; it deals only with eating – how we must take in the word of the Lord. Eating is a key underlying concept in the word of the Lord as it reflects on our relationship with the Lord. In Genesis 2:16-17, eating was first mentioned in the scriptures. Thus, it governs the meaning throughout the scriptures.

Gen 2:16  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 
Gen 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

The Lord’s intention is for man to eat the tree of life, which is Christ. We know that Christ and His words are synonymous. Thus, God wants us to take in His words in order to live. The manna also represents Christ who is the bread from heaven. However, on a negative note, manna represents physical food which nourishes only the flesh, which when we eat, we end up dying. 

Joh 6:58  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Deu 8:3  And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

In this age, it is only the Lord’s elect who are given to eat of the tree of life. However, in the fullness of time, all humanity will also be eating the tree of life. In Revelation 22:2 we see that on either side of the river, which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb, is the tree of life or Christ who is the manna, which is for the healing of the nations.

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 
Rev 22:2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.   

Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Exo 16:19  And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Exo 16:20  Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.

Not being able to eat all the manna gathered in the morning causes the left-over manna to breed worms and stink by the next morning. Not being able to eat all the manna means not living by every word of the Lord. That is the same as taking away from the word of the Lord.

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 
Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The consequence of not living by every word of the Lord is that the word of the Lord becomes polluted, as signified by the worms and foul smell of the manna the next day. This polluted word of the Lord causes us to become spiritually dead. As shown in the verses below, worms and foul smell are closely related to death.

Job 21:26  They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.

Isa 14:11  Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

Joh 11:39  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Exo 16:21  And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

We are to spend time daily, denoted by every morning, studying (gathering) the word of the Lord. Our spiritual experience yesterday may not be adequate to meet the challenges of another day. We therefore need to feed daily on Christ as His mercies are new every morning to help us at our point of need.

Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 
Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The gathering of the manna is done by every man according to his eating. In other words, we have been given different capacities to absorb the words of the Lord. As we mature in Christ through His judgment of our old man, we are able to take in more of the word of the Lord (manna).

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 

In verse 21, we are told that when the sun becomes hot, the manna melts. This means that we do not wait until we have trials or tribulations (sun waxing hot) before we seek the Lord. If we do that, we will end up empty handed (manna melts). What we have gathered in the morning is what takes us through our fiery trials.

Exo 16:22  And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.

While we are in this flesh, signified by the sixth day, we, the elect, are the witnesses of Christ (two omers), and to do that, we need to gather twice as much bread. That means we must study the word to show ourselves approved as a workman who rightly divides the word of truth.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Exo 16:23  And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 
Exo 16:24  And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 

The sabbath is the day of rest for God’s people after laboring for six days. Spiritually, it signifies the period in our walk where we come to see that it is the Lord who does the work and therefore, we cease from our own strivings and depend on the Lord totally for everything for the rest of our walk in Him.

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

What we need to understand is that this sabbath rest will be fully realized externally, in the elect in the next age when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The baking and the seething of manna on the sixth day refer to the processing of the word of the Lord to make it easier for us to assimilate in this age. The baking and seething are the works of our brothers and sisters who labor in the word of the Lord on our behalf, to make it understandable (eat). This all takes place in the camp of the Israelites. What this means is that it is within the body of the elect that the Lord has gifted His people to enlighten our understanding of the word of the Lord through what every joint supplies.

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

In verse 23, we are also told that whatever is left of the manna on the sixth day must be kept for the morning. In the morning of the seventh day, none of the left-over manna stank or got infected with worms. When we come to find rest in Christ, we shall eat the leftover manna which refers to the word of the Lord that we did not understand. Eating here means we shall understand and apply it to our walk with Christ. Externally, the morning here refers to the dawn of a new age which starts with the first resurrection. At the first resurrection, we shall be made perfect!! Whatever we did not understand of the word of the Lord (the left-over of the manna) will be made plain to us. Paul puts it this way: That in this age, we are seeing through a glass, but in the fullness of time, we shall know fully!!

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Exo 16:25  And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the LORD: today ye shall not find it in the field. 
Exo 16:26  Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 
Exo 16:27  And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
Exo 16:28  And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 

On the seventh day, which is the sabbath, we are to eat all the left-over manna. This left-over manna shall complete our understanding of the word of the Lord in the next age. Verses 25 and 27 also reveal to us that in the next age (the sabbath), manna shall not be found in the world. That is to say that the truth of the word of the Lord shall not be found in the world (field). What this means is that there shall be no salvation for mankind during the next age when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. Internally, Verse 27 means that if we do not find rest in the Lord and we try to use our own effort or strength to serve the Lord, we shall not find Christ who is the manna in this life. The false doctrine of man having his own will, which we learned in Babylon and the world, will never give us the rest we need. We will try to use every effort to know Christ but will not find Him.

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Heb 4:4  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 
Heb 4:5  And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 
Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 
Heb 4:8  For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 

Verse 28 shows us that refusing to rest in Him constitutes breaking of the Lord’s commandment and therefore sin. During our time in Babylon, we were taught that as long as we are not engaging in overt sins, we are righteous. The very fact that we consider ourselves as righteous through our own effort is iniquity before the Lord!!

Eze 33:13  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.

Exo 16:29  See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
Exo 16:30  So the people rested on the seventh day.

As indicated, the seventh day is the time in our walk where we come to rest in the Lord. We cease from our own strivings and depend wholly on the Lord for everything. If we ignore this rest by trying to use our own effort in this walk with Christ, we shall end up not abiding in our place. The place referred to in this verse is our family which is the body of Christ or the church of the firstborn. Some of the departures of our brothers and sisters are because they have not found rest in Christ. This was what happened to the Galatian church which Paul talked about.

Gal 3:1  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Gal 3:2  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 
Gal 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh(our own works)? 
Gal 3:4  Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

Exo 16:31  And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

Here we are given further characteristics of Manna. A key characteristic of manna is that it was a mystery. In fact, the word manna means, “What is it?” None of the children of Israel knew what manna was. In the scriptures, manna is described by likening it to several things. This is because manna is mysterious. It was in the New Testament that we came to see that manna is actually Christ who came down from heaven as bread to feed the people of God. As the real manna, Christ is mysterious. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. In this life, we are limited by the flesh to understand Christ fully. That is why Paul stated that in this age, we see Christ through a dark glass. However, in the age to come, we shall see Him as He is.

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Manna is like coriander seed. This means that as seed, the words of Christ are full of life. In other words, Christ or His words come as seed which is small but full of life. The word or Christ being a seed, has the potential to grow within us. This means that our lives in Christ is a process which takes time for Christ to fully grow within us. The smallness of the seed means that if we are looking for the spectacular, in terms of signs and wonders, we shall surely miss the truth or the words of the Lord. That was what had led all of us astray during our time in Babylon. We were taught that as long as we were seeing the signs and the wonders, the Lord was in our midst. However, we did not know that the glory of the Lord had departed – Ichabod!! There are many Christians who are expecting a mighty movement of the Holy Spirit to bring about revival all over the world.

Unfortunately, this will never happen. We are not going to experience any Pentecostal movement. Christ is moving mightily in His people, the elect, but in a small way such that we can easily overlook His presence. 

1Sa 4:21  And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.

Another characteristic of manna is that it is white. The color white on a positive note signifies the light of the truth or righteousness as shown in the following verses:

Mat 17:2  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 

Rev 19:8  And to her [Christ’s bride] was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Ecc 9:8  Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

The whiteness of manna signifies that the word of Christ leads us to righteousness. It also serves as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. In other words, the word of the Lord gives us direction or guides our walk in this life.

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

The manna tasted like wafers made with honey. Honey is sweet, and in the scriptures, the description of the way we receive the word of the Lord when we are enlightened is sweetness. The sweetness relates to how we see the whole plan of the Lord unfold in our lives; His mercies toward His elect and what is in store for us as His elect in this age and the powers of the world to come.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Eze 3:1  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. 
Eze 3:2  So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. 
Eze 3:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. 

In Numbers 11:8, the taste of processed manna was compared to that of fresh oil or of oil cake. The processed manna is the word of the Lord broken down in such a way for us to understand. As we are aware, oil signifies the Holy Spirit. When we eat Christ as manna, we taste of the spirit of the Lord. In other words, Christ comes within us as spirit as we feed on Him, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. We are no longer in bondage to sin.

Num 11:8  And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 

Exo 16:32  And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. 
Exo 16:33  And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. 
Exo 16:34  As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 

These verses are the commandment of the Lord given to the people of Israel when the Lord fed them with manna. The manna was to be kept as a memorial before the Lord for the coming generations. The Lord commanded Moses to keep an omer of manna in a pot before the Lord for future generations. Later, the manna was placed in a golden pot and put in the ark along with the tables of the covenant and Aaron’s rod, with the ark before the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. 

Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

As we are aware, the ark was placed in the Holy of Holies and was therefore out of sight from the people of Israel including the Levites, except the priest appointed for service in the Holy of Holies (the elect). This manna in the pot is therefore the hidden manna spoken of as a reward for those who overcome.

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

In verse 33, we are told that this hidden manna is to be kept for future generations. These future generations refer to the elect who are given access to manna which is now hidden. As we have indicated, the manna is Christ and His words. The hidden manna represents the truth of the words of the Lord which are hidden and only available to the elect in this life. In the fullness of time, when we are blessed to be part of the first resurrection, we shall have full access to this hidden manna as we now see only in part.

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

Rev 22:4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 
Rev 22:5  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Verse 33 says that the omer full of manna was placed in a pot. The manna represents Christ and His words. Therefore, the omer full of manna placed in a pot signifies the treasure of Christ in our earthen vessels.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 
2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 
2Co 4:11  For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

We are told in verse 34 that Aaron laid up the pot, with the omer of manna before the presence of the Testimony, to be kept. The Testimony refers to the law of God, the ten commandments. The Testimony, therefore, represents Christ. Those who have access to this hidden manna, the elect, are always before the presence of the Lord where there is the fullness of joy and times of refreshing. In addition, His hand leads us and upholds us!!

Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 

Psa 139:7  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 
Psa 139:8  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 
Psa 139:9  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 
Psa 139:10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Exo 16:35  And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan. 

As we have indicated, the manna has both a positive and a negative meaning. Jesus showed us the positive and the negative aspect of manna as follows:

Joh 6:58  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever.

The manna represents Christ and the truth of His words. It also represents the polluted word of the Lord that we were eating in Babylon. We had spent significant time of our lives in this journey of faith in Babylon eating manna which brought us to death. The time that we spent in Babylon is signified by the number forty. Forty signifies the period in our lives in Babylon where the Lord tries us and finds us wanting. It is the time that we come to see that we are a people who are always erring and have not known the ways of the Lord. Immediately, we become aware of this, and we leave the wilderness of Babylon to enter the church of the first born (signified by Canaan), the physical manna which brings death when we eat, ceases.

Psa 95:8  Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 
Psa 95:9  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
Psa 95:10  Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 

Exo 16:36  Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah. 

An ephah is an ancient Hebrew unit of dry volume measure, equal to approximately one bushel which is roughly equal to about 35 liters. As stated in verse 36, an omer is a tenth of an ephah. In Numbers 18:26, it can be seen that the tenth part denotes a special portion that is reserved for the priesthood. This indicates that the hidden manna was not for the congregation in general (Babylon and the world at large), but for the priests exclusively. 

Num 18:26  Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.

May the Lord grant us the grace to continue feeding on Him (Manna) and to be obedient to Him as we see the day approaching!! Amen!!

[Study Aired December 23, 2021]

1Ki 8:1  Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. 
1Ki 8:2  And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 
1Ki 8:3  And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 
1Ki 8:4  And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up. 
1Ki 8:5  And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 
1Ki 8:6  And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. 
1Ki 8:7  For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 
1Ki 8:8  And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. 
1Ki 8:9  There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 
1Ki 8:10  And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 
1Ki 8:11  So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. 
1Ki 8:12  Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 
1Ki 8:13  I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever. 

In the last verse prior to this chapter (1Ki 7:51), we were told regarding the work king Solomon made for the house of the LORD, “So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD” which ending was just the beginning of what God purposed to do with the temple for the nation of Israel, typifying for us today what the Lord will do for all of His creation that is going to be saved through the church, which will implement the judgments of God in the earth. These judgments will bring forth the fruit of Christ’s righteousness in time (Isa 26:9, Isa 55:11). God’s judgments are in the earth and began to be revealed from the “creation of the world” with the natural physical creation (Rom 1:20) revealing the spiritual plan of God. That plan is progressively moving forward with “many prophets and kings” (Luk 10:24) who desired to see and hear the things that we see but did not, and will not until the holy spirit dwells in them (Joh 6:28-29, Heb 11:6, 1Co 2:12-13, Rom 8:9).

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

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 the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, [“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” (1Co 2:14)] but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

This section of Kings shows us in type and shadow how God is going to use the elect to redeem all His creation by bringing them into the knowledge of God’s judgments. That judgment is always done in stages, just as the disciples who were blessed to walk with Christ during his ministry for so many years without having their heavens open so that they could believe and understand what all His teachings meant. That understanding would all begin to change when the holy spirit was given on Pentecost making it possible for the seed of God’s word to not return void through God’s kind of first fruits (Rom 8:22-25, Col 1:20-22, Psa 107:1-15, Joh 2:17-19).

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. [Like a tree planted by the riverside we don’t see the roots of the tree, but our hope is that our hope of glory within (Col 1:27) is taking deep root within us as the author and finisher of our faith who God is faithfully directing to give us the nourishment that we need to mature in Him (Psa 1:1-3)]

Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Col 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 
Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Psa 107:1  O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 107:2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 
Psa 107:3  And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 
Psa 107:4  They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 
Psa 107:5  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 
Psa 107:6  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:7  And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 
Psa 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 
Psa 107:9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 
Psa 107:10  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 
Psa 107:11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 
Psa 107:12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 
Psa 107:13  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, [Psa 23:4] and brake their bands in sunder. 
Psa 107:15  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

This section of Kings introduces us to this “city of habitation” of Psalms 107:7, which is represented by the temple of God and the country we seek and the city in that country. It is all saying the same thing regarding that ‘place’ being the house of the Lord, the temple of God, which temple represents the body of Christ where our Father and Christ abide with us in spirit and give us rest and peace that passes all understanding (Heb 11:14, Jas 4:13-15, Joh 14:23, Heb 4:11, Php 4:5-7).

Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

Jas 4:13  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 
Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 
Jas 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him [“city of habitation“].

Heb 4:11  Let us labour [“continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain” (Jas 4:13)] therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief [to do the works we must believe and it is through doing those works that we enter into God’s rest (Jas 2:20)].

Php 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 
Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1Ki 8:1  Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

The completion of the temple by Solomon and bringing “in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels” of 1 Kings 7:51 is typical language that represents the finished work of the body of Christ that will occur in the first resurrection and is being represented by this physical temple’s completion (1Co 3:16). 

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It is after God’s elect are resurrected that Christ, who is represented by Solomon, assembles “the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem“, which symbolizes all the world coming up to learn of God’s truths via the elect who have already been gathered at this point “from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Mat 24:31, Rev 11:15-17). 

Mat 24:31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

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. 
Rev 11:16  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 
Rev 11:17  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 

What they bring up to Solomon, who is a type of Christ, is “the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.” The ark of the covenant being brought up represents overcoming Babylon through the communion of the blood of Christ that is now being recognized by a world that has had no stay of bread or water (Zec 9:11-12,  Oba 1:21).

Zec 9:11  As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water [Isa 3:1].
Zec 9:12  Turn you to the strong hold, [Psa 18:2] ye prisoners of hope: [Col 1:27] even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; [judgment]

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

1Ki 8:2  And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim^H388, which is the seventh month. 
1Ki 8:3  And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
1Ki 8:4  And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.

The Israel spoken of in this second verse is typical of the Israel of God who represents the world, the other fold Christ spoke of in John 10:16 who will come up to keep the feast of tabernacles. It is “all the men of Israel” who “assembled themselves unto king Solomon“. They assemble at a place called “the permanent brooks” [Ethanim^H388] which will bring forth the living waters to heal the nations via the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) typified by “the priests and the Levites” (Rom 6:5, Joh 7:38, Rev 22:2).

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 

Rev 22:2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

All of this occurs in “the seventh month” reminding us that the completion [7] of the temple, which represents the body of Christ, is now ready to bring forth “the living waters to heal the nations”.

“All the men of Israel assembled themselves” and “all the elders of Israel came” represent “flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great” who the elect will  judge, which is what it means when we “eat the flesh of kings” having been commanded “Come! Gather for the great supper of God [ISV]” found in (Rev 19:17-19).

1Ki 8:5  And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 
1Ki 8:6  And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.

Now the stage is set for these sacrifices to be made from “all the congregation of Israel“, from which congregation the elect are called. It is “before the ark” or before Christ and His body (Rom 12:5) that the world will give an accounting of what they have done in this life (Ecc 11:9, 1Co 6:3), and it is through Christ’s sacrifice, which takes away all the sins of the world, that humanity will be made free by the same advocate who will have already set the elect free (Joh 1:29, 1Jn 2:1, Joh 8:36).

Sacrificing “sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude” foreshadows the time when all the multitudes of humanity will present their bodies a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) that has been redeemed by the blood of the lamb (Rev 7:9). That redemption will come about through the process that is explained in the following verses (1Ki 8:6-7) and is accomplished by God’s elect who are being typified in this instance by the priests who “brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.”

We know the end of the thousand-year reign will end in rebellion (Rev 20:8) and so this dedicated and zealous beginning that we’re reading about in Kings represents the ‘anon with joy’ (Mat 13:23) period of the world that ends up in a less than zealous society that has lost sight of the forgiveness that was granted them (2Pe 1:9). This pattern is talked about in The Biblical Overview of the Plan of God – Part 11 by Mike Vinson that discusses the spirit of rebellion of Israel reflected by the diminishing sacrifices offered at that time (during the feast of tabernacles in the seventh month), which is a type of the end of the thousand-year reign of the saints (Num 29:12-34).

That Solomon did not listen to the exact details of these ordinances to do sacrifice in Numbers 1:1-34, as they should have been, is again an admonition for us now in this age, because these things happened unto them for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages have come to admonish us to listen very carefully and not to do the same which we will do until we don’t (1Co 10:11, 2Ti 4:3, Heb 10:25).

Those “wings of the cherubims” represent the saviours who will come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21) and who will show mercy through judgment to those “whom the god of this world hath blinded” so they could not believe. God’s fiery judgment in the lake of fire will be executed by those who were first redeemed through a lifetime of judgment in this age (1Pe 4:17, Act 14:22) which will make them “prepared unto every good work” because of the purging process they will have gone through.

Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 

2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

1Ki 8:7  For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves^H905 thereof above.
1Ki 8:8  And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. 

These staves^H905 that were used to carry the ark represent God’s elect who are granted to handle the holy things in this life in the prescribed manner God has directed (Heb 13:10). There are two staves which witness [2] that it is Christ in us as our hope of glory in this life (Col 1:27) who makes it possible for us to handle the holy things of the temple, being accepted through him (Eph 1:6). God gives us this power through Christ to bring healing to the nations as the bride of Christ who has an unction to do so (1Jn 2:20, Oba 1:21).

staves  H905 bad
From H909; properly separation; by implication a part of the body, branch of a tree, bar for carrying; figuratively chief of a city; especially (with prepositional prefix) as adverb, apart, only, besides: – alone, apart, bar, besides, branch, by self, of each alike, except, only, part, staff, strength.

Total KJV occurrences: 202

It is the ministry of reconciliation that will cause twain to become one (2Co 5:18, Eph 2:14), a ministry represented by the cherubims who “spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves^H905 thereof above.” Carrying the ark is a symbol of our bearing each other’s burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ (Gal 6:2).

Notice that the “ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle” and conversely “not seen without: and there they are unto this day“. This ‘being seen’ and ‘not seen’ reminds us of the first commandment of promise given to the elect to have a period of life in Christ before the rest of God’s creation where we are seen and known of God (Gal 4:9) who we now see face to face in earnest (Joh 14:9, 1Jn 4:17). We see him now in each other, symbolized also by the cherubim who face each other. We are hidden in Christ now (Col 3:3), and the world cannot see the hidden work God is doing in His little flock “unto this day” (Rom 11:8). That work is to bring forth much fruit which will remain, both within ourselves as the body of Christ matures and outwardly seeing the fruit develop and mature as the whole world will eventually be saved in time (Zec 4:10, Joh 15:16, 1Ti 4:16).

Our marriage to the Lamb makes us one with Him and happens as a result of our being drawn out of this world toward Christ (Eph 6:2-3, Mar 10:8, Joh 6:44). We are no longer of our father the devil. We honour our Father in heaven and Jerusalem above who is the mother of us all. As such we are being made one with Christ and assured that there is a reward and great incentive being held out for us to encourage us to endure until the end by fighting a good fight of faith (1Ti 6:12). That reward is symbolized by the first commandment with promise which tells us we will live long on the earth (Gal 4:26, Rev 20:6).

Eph 6:2  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise 
Eph 6:3  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

1Ki 8:9  There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

It was at a desolate place [“Horeb^H2722] in our lives when the Lord, represented by Moses, put “the two tables of stone” (the law for the lawless – 1Ti 1:9) in our ark, which ark represents the temple where we are first judged by that law which is likened unto a schoolmaster (Gal 3:24) “that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful” (Rom 7:13). If God is working with us, this law that brings us to see more clearly the law of sin in our members will cause us to cry out from the bondage of sin which we cannot escape unless we become partakers of the new law of liberty found by the life of Christ in us (Gal 6:2) symbolized by this statement:  “when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.” Coming out of Egypt could never happen without Christ having prepared a way (Hos 11:1, 1Jn 4:17, Jer 51:44-45) for us to make this possible. That is the covenant our Father has promised is going to happen to those who are called to overcome in this life (Rom 5:10, Rom 8:37).

Hos 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Jer 51:44  And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall. 
Jer 51:45  My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD [Rev 18:4].

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

1Ki 8:10  And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 
1Ki 8:11  So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. 

When the glory of the LORD fills the house of the LORD, the priests “could not stand to minister because of the cloud”. This event symbolizes for us that when we’ve done all, it is Christ who is going to give us the power to stand, and not our flesh, as He is the one who fills the temple “for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD” both to will and to do of our Father’s good pleasure (Php 2:12-13, Mar 13:11).

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

The great cloud of witness represents the body of Christ (Heb 12:1), and the earthly priests that “could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD” represents our flesh, and Adam who cannot stand  (Rev 6:17) but must decrease by coming out of the holy place to have Christ increase and enter in as He does when we are granted to put off our flesh via the plagues of God which chasten us to the end that we might learn to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts in this life (Rev 15:8, Tit 2:11-12). In other words, it is the new man who enters into the temple represented by “the glory of the LORD” that “had filled the house of the LORD” and the “no man” represents the flesh that cannot enter into this holy place.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? 

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 

[“Then after we are chastened and receive of God (Heb 12:6) the new man the great cloud of witness, the body of Christ stands having done all, meaning having been judged which is an ongoing dying daily process, that we’re called to endure until the end of our life (Joh 3:30).“]

1Ki 8:12  Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 
1Ki 8:13  I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever. 

Solomon, who represents Christ or Christ in us, declares [“Then spake Solomon“] that God will dwell in the “thick darkness” while He abides in those who keep His commandments (Joh 14:20-23). The “thick darkness” is symbolic of where the life of Christ is hidden within us (Col 3:3, Col 1:27) and reminds us that we see through a glass darkly in this life even though we can search out the deep things of God with the spirit of God (1Co 2:10). Our sojourn in this life is a narrow way accompanied with certain victory for the few who God has predestined to overcome by trusting God today “to the praise of his glory” (1Pe 4:18, Mat 7:14, Mat 22:14, Eph 1:12). The house God is building for us today is established through judgment which is taking place in “thick darkness“^H6205 where we stumble (Jer 13:16, Job 22:13, Pro 24:16) and when we look at some of the entries that refer to this Strong’s number, it becomes clear that God dwells there in our midst to establish His righteousness in us through His judgments (Psa 97:2).

“thick darkness” H6205‛ărâphel

Total KJV Occurrences: 18
darkness, 13
Exo_20:21, Deu_4:11, Deu_5:22, 2Sa_22:10, 1Ki_8:12, 2Ch_6:1, Psa_18:9 (2), Isa_60:2 (2), Jer_13:16, Joe_2:2, Zep_1:15

dark, 2
Job_22:13, Eze_34:12

gross, 2
Isa_60:2, Jer_13:16 

cloud, 1
Job_22:13

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted^G4276 in Christ.

G4276 proelpizō pro-il-pid’-zo

From G4253 and G1679; to hope in advance of other confirmation: – first trust.

G4253pro pro

A primary preposition; “fore”, that is, in front of, prior (figuratively superior) to. In compounds it retains the same significations: – above, ago, before, or ever. In compounds it retains the same significations.

G1679 elpizō el-pid’-zo

From G1680; to expect or confide: – (have, thing) hope (-d) (for), trust. [Jer 29:11]

If we have the mind of Christ which enables us to see through a glass darkly, our groaning will be within because of the birth pangs we are experiencing, and we will know “that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” and that pain and groaning without ourselves is for our sakes as well (2Co 4:15) causing us to sigh and cry for the abominations of this world as Christ softens our hearts in this age through all the suffering that is unfolding in this world (Rom 8:20-23, Eze 9:4).

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 

Eze 9:4  And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 

Christ has “surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever” as was promised in John 14:3, and it is through the much tribulation of this life that we become a “settled place” (Act 14:22, 1Pe 5:10) where our Father and Christ abide as we learn to possess our souls patiently as we are saved by grace through faith that He gives, along with peace that passes all understanding (Luk 21:19, Eph 2:8, Php 4:7).

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Solomon says of our LORD, “I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever” and God’s elect are given to see and acknowledge that it is the Lord who builds the house (Psa 127:1, Php 2:12-13) and uses Solomon to accomplish this as he or we give back to God that which was always His in the first place (1Ch 29:14, Rev 4:10-11).

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 
Php 2:14  Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 

1Ch 29:14  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 

Rev 4:10  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

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Awesome Hands - part 163: “He that believeth shall not make haste” - Discussion

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Awesome Hands – Part 163

“He that believeth shall not make haste”

January 6, 2020

The story of Jericho and the walls falling is probably one of the more well-known stories in the bible. It isn’t quite up there with the parting of the Red Sea, David and Goliath or baby Jesus being born, but it is still one of the more recognizable stories to the average Christian.

We now find ourselves looking at this story in the Awesome Hands series. Some of you may have heard similar details as what will be presented here today, while other details may be new. However, rest assured that if you do not see yourselves on both sides of the Jericho wall, then you have missed the point of the story.

The verses we will be covering today are found in chapter 6 of Joshua.

Jos 6:1  Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

The first verses set the tone for us by letting us know how one side of the battle is thinking and behaving. “Jericho” was “shut up” so that no one was entering or exiting. Let there be no mistaking that Jericho and the inhabitants knew exactly why Israel was here.

The people of Jericho hid behind their man-made walls, walls made with hands, with a defying spirit that knew they could wait out the invaders and besiegers of their city.

At the time, Jericho was one of the strongest fortresses of Canaan, and this city would have been needed in order for Israel to gain somewhere to fall back to when venturing into the rest of the promised land.

Yes, indeed, Jericho knew they were going to be attacked, but they were confident that they could and would prevail.

Jos 6:2  And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

On the side of Israel, Joshua was just told that the Lord has given Jericho into his hand; not that Jericho would be given at some later date, but that it was already a done deal.

This is very important to understanding how it is the Lord still works with us to this very day.

Mal 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Mal 3:7  Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

The Lord tells Joshua that He has given Jericho into the hand of Joshua, and all that needs to be done is trust in the Lord.

The trust in the Lord comes from doing the commandments of the Lord as it pertains to how to ultimately achieve the victory over Jericho.

Jos 6:3  And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
Jos 6:4  And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
Jos 6:5  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

These instructions were short and sweet; at least in how they are recorded in the history of the scripture. Compass the city once a day for six days with the men of war, the priests blowing trumpets, with the ark of the covenant, and then go back to camp.

On the 7^th day, compass the city seven times, have the priests make a long sound on the trumpets, wait for Joshua to give the command to shout, then shout and the wall will fall down.

With any good story, you have a good side and a bad side, a good guy and a bad guy. In this story, we indeed have the “good side” representing the people of God doing God’s will, and the “bad side” representing the inhabitants of Jericho also doing God’s will but not knowing this truth.

What we need to realize as the people of God, is that we have been on both sides of the walls of Jericho.

We have been the people of Jericho who stand behind our high and defensible walls, only to see those walls come down without a moment's notice. We have been these same people who trusted in their own strength to get through even the worst of times because we have “prepared” for bad times by building up our strong walls.

Yet, when we have the provider of the home fall ill suddenly, a death in the family that we didn’t see coming, the job go away that had been around for 20 years, an accident in a car that devastates the whole family, etc., we see our own walls of Jericho go down.

Maybe the walls of Jericho are the beliefs that have helped you get through some tough times that suddenly are challenged by the Lord because He presents a verse or two to you that shatters your beliefs in an instant.

Yes, we have all been inhabitants of Jericho. To such as these inhabitants of Jericho, these Israelites must have been looking very foolish marching around the outside of walls while blowing trumpets and then just going back to their camp.

Jos 6:6  And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:7  And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:8  And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
Jos 6:9  And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
Jos 6:10  And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
Jos 6:11  So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

Just imagine for a minute the scenario these people were in. Remember, the Israelites were once slaves in Egypt, and they had been moving around the wilderness for 40 years while the Lord caused all those who had disobeyed Him to die during that time. Only Joshua and Caleb of the original group got to go into the promised land.

During this time, they did not suddenly gain an immense ability to conquer lands in warfare. Likewise, Jericho and the people there knew fully well what a high-walled city could do to those that tried to overtake it.

In those days, the city would have had to have been starved out or the invading army would have starved while trying to siege the city. Either way, Jericho’s people knew warfare.

Here are the armies of Israel marching around the walls. They could have attacked them at any time. Any invading army would know that if they retreated, the armies in the city would attack them in their backs as they fled.

Yet, we do not see any arrows flying or any stones being slung. There is almost a smugness that can be felt at what had to be contempt on the part of the inhabitants of Jericho.

I always think it is amazing that David is always seen as some immense underdog when he only had a sling in his possession to fight with.

I read a report once that did the math on how fast a skilled slinger could have slung a stone with the same type of sling David used, and it is equivalent to a .45 caliber pistol. Slings used for war were not what you picture today as someone pulling back a rubber band and projecting a projectile from it.

Slingers were VERY powerful if they were skilled.

Jdg 20:15  And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
Jdg 20:16  Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.

1Ch 12:1  Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.
1Ch 12:2  They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.

So, given that there must have been ranged soldiers on those walls, they still didn’t attack Israel. This tells us that when we are under the protection of the Lord, your Head, not a hair on your head shall perish.

Luk 21:17  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

On the side of Israel, they must have been given an immense amount of Faith and patience to continually go out day after day performing this same procession, and we know this because we are told it in sciprture.

Jos 6:12  And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
Jos 6:13  And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
Jos 6:14  And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

Heb 11:30  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

These priests and soldiers must have had faith to continually do something that didn’t produce immediate fruit.

Hab 2:1  I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
Hab 2:2  And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Hab 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Hab 2:4  Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Isa 28:16  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

What we should be taking away from this story, among other things, is that the Lord is patient in His deliverance of us to the Faith He has given us. In other words, the Lord’s Word does not come back to Him void and just because it takes time to manifest itself does not mean that it will not manifest itself. Isn’t this what faith is all about?

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

(NIRV) Living by Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being certain of what we do not see.

Just because the wall didn’t come down on days one through six does not mean it will not come down.

Yet, the wall will fall when the time is complete.

Jos 6:15  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
Jos 6:16  And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.

For me, this is written in a strange way in that we see in verse 16 that Joshua gives the command to shout, and then he starts a speech in verse 17.

In practical terms, I do not think he says “shout” and then gives these next directions during a big pause and then the people wait for him to finish before they shout.

The scripture sometimes is written in these ways to clarify what exactly is happening, but it is not necessarily in the order in which it is written here.

In verse 17, Joshua is recorded as giving more detailed instructions on the particulars of what will happen when the Israelites raid the city.

Jos 6:17  And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Jos 6:18  And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Jos 6:19  But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

In Joshua 7, we read why the Israelites are told not to take of the accursed thing. It is like the rest of the sum of the Word. The Lord tells us NOT to do something knowing fully well we are going to do it.

Jos 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Jos 6:21  And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

Right about now, the inhabitants of Jericho are seeing the full might of the Lord. Indeed, His Word will not come back to Him void.

Likewise, as Christians, we, too, may be looked down on and made fun of, especially when we adhere to the Truth of the doctrine of the Christ, but we are told not to waver in our Faith.

1Co 1:17  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

“For the preaching of the cross is ….. the POWER OF GOD.” What the majority of blind Christians do not see if that the power of the cross includes those who “pick up your cross and follow me”.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Your cross is your life nailed to your cross alongside Jesus Christ, and that is the power of God. Yet, it is only in down-payment form that we get to experience the fullness of Christ in this life.

The walls that keep us from fully being slain by Christ will not totally be cast down until we breath our last breath, and even then, we pray to go on to perfection in the first resurrection.

Rest assured though, that just as the Lord promised salvation to Rahab and her household for helping the messengers of Joshua, we, too, are promised that we will be with Christ in the end.

Jos 6:23  And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred,  and left them without the camp of Israel.
Jos 6:24  And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
Jos 6:25  And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

When all was said and done, Rahab did receive the reward she was promised, just as we will.