“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” Part 4

(Pro 21:16-31)

[Study Aired November 20, 2025]

Pro 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
Pro 21:17  He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Pro 21:18  The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
Pro 21:19  It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
Pro 21:20  There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
Pro 21:21  He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Pro 21:22  A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
Pro 21:23  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Pro 21:24  Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
Pro 21:25  The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
Pro 21:26  He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
Pro 21:27  The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
Pro 21:28  A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
Pro 21:29  A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
Pro 21:30  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
Pro 21:31  The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

In this last part of proverbs chapter twenty one, there will be a strong emphasis on how to hold fast to the crown of life that God has called us unto (Rev 3:3, Rev 3:11).

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

We can negatively or positively hold fast to even the words of God, and so it is by God’s grace in the end that we will be found holding fast to the crown of righteousness which is Christ’s life in us (Col 1:27), as opposed to our own righteousnesses, which can even understand all mysteries and yet still be glorying in that which God is doing through us as though we had not received what we have from the Lord (Php 3:9, 1Co 4:7).

The Lord must take us through much tribulation (Act 14:22) along this river of life that He is taking us, and in doing that we will become persuaded, in time (Rom 8:38), that nothing can separate us from His hand that has the heart of the elect within it, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Joh 10:28).

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Pro 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

Christ is the way, the truth and the life, and no man can come unto Him unless the Father draws us to him (Joh 6:44). Verse 16 is an admonition and a reminder to God’s people that we are where we are by the grace of God. The way of understanding is not given to Babylon today, and God’s elect have been called out of “the congregation of the dead”, those who are spiritually dead because there is no stay of bread or water to keep us spiritually alive when we are in the church systems of this world, which have been purposely blinded by the parables that Christ spoke and reveals to the elect (Isa 3:1, Mat 13:10-12).

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

Pro 21:17  He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

True riches are to know God and His Son Jesus Christ, the pearl of great price (Joh 17:3). Loving pleasure requires that we love the things of this world, and God’s love does not abide in someone who has their heart set on the things of the earth, and not the things of the heaven (1Jn 2:15-17, Col 3:2).

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

What we are being shown is that “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man” spiritually, however if we are granted to see that he “that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”, then we can expect to live the rest of our lives being taught by God to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust, so that we can fulfill His will and His good pleasure, which is to give us the kingdom of God (Tit 2:11-13, Mat 6:33-34, Luk 12:32).

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Wine and oil, are symbols of God’s word, and in this proverb the wine and oil represent those earthy idols wrapped around His rich Word that draw us away from the true riches of knowing God and Christ. If God grants us to seek the kingdom of God first and His righteousness (Mat 6:33), putting Him before all things, we can then learn to be obedient to those rich words of Life, whether we have a little or a lot (1Pe 1:13-14, 1Ti 6:8, Heb 13:5, 1Ti 6:17).

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt:[the wine and oil pleasures of this world] for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Mat 19:24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Mat 19:25  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (God has made a way for us to esteem the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Eph 2:8)
Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? [we have forsaken all, and followed you in this manner Mat 16:24-26]
Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting^G166 life.
Mat 19:30  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Pro 21:18  The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

When we recognize the wickedness within us in the day of evil (Pro 16:4), and our life that transgresses against the Lord, it will be because we are now making war against that wickedness through the righteous and upright spirit of God that is given to God’s elect (Rev 17:14). We overcome the ransom^H3724 (figuratively a redemption price: – bribe) of the wicked and the transgressor through Christ (1Co 6:20, 1Co 7:23, Rom 8:37).

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Co 7:23  Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Pro 21:19  It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

John the baptist typifies the elect who are in transition in the wilderness of this world and ‘coming out of her my people’. The cry of John is to point to the saviour, and to denounce the woman, the church in the wilderness that God’s elect come out of. Christ then tells us that, with God’s spirit within us, the least is greater than John, seeing John does not have the earnest of the inheritance within him (Mat 11:11, Mat 10:31, Eph 1:14).

Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Mat 10:31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

The “angry woman”  is a symbol of the church in the wilderness that is governed by the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9). This church in the wilderness symbolizes Babylon of today that have that same spirit of anger against God and His “but I say unto you” elevated commandments, preferring rather to embrace the eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth approach of the unconverted sons of thunder (Mat 5:44-45, Luk 9:54-55).

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Luk 9:54  And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
Luk 9:55  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

Pro 21:20  There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth^{H1104 [H8762]}. it up.

The “treasure” that we desire is the mind of Christ, His refined word on our hearts that is likened unto gold and oil (Zec 4:2-6). God’s word is a spiritual commodity that we partake of daily, by dying daily. If we don’t die daily and pick up our cross, and deny ourselves and follow Christ, then we will be as a foolish man that squanders it all, not growing unto maturity as this parable of the wise and foolish virgins brings out (Mat 25:8-13) as well as the parable of the prodigal son (Luk 15:11-32). God is the one who determines who will heed His counsel, that will have us buying gold that is tried in the fire, meaning we are being crushed under the stone (Luk 20:18) with trials that will refine God’s word in our hearts (Mat 24:13, 1Pe 1:6-7).

H1104 Spendeth  bâla‛ baw-lah’
( [H8762] = Piel)
1. to swallow
2. to swallow up, engulf
3. squandering (fig.)

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. [Rev 3:18]
Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Luk 15:12  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
Luk 15:13  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Luk 15:14  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Pro 21:21  He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

If we are granted by God’s grace to follow after righteousness, we will find His life, His righteousness, and the honour that God has promised to bestow upon those who suffer in this life for the gospel of the kingdom of God. If God has written this in our books then Christ will accomplish this through His body, by grace through faith (2Ti 2:12-13, Php 2:12-13, Eph 2:8, Luk 22:32-34, Mat 16:25, Pro 8:35).

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Pro 8:35  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

Pro 21:22  A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

Christ in us scales the “city of the mighty”, representing the powers and principalities that we war against in our heavens (Eph 6:12), as he gives us the strength to overcome (Eph 1:20-23), “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”(2Co 10:5).

Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.(Col 1:24)

Pro 21:23  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

“Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” is what God is able to accomplish in His workmanship, the elect. It is an ongoing process of examining our hearts that keeps our souls from troubles, and God knows how to deliver us from all of our troubles (Psa 34:19).

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Pro 21:24  Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

This proverb is a good description of the beast that comes out the sea and blasphemes the name of God (Rev 13:6), being given power over all the nations within us at first (Rev 13:7-10) until Christ begins to destroy this haughty scorner with the brightness of his coming into our heavens (2Th 2:8). To have this haughty and proud spirit burnt out of us we will need the patience and faith of the saints given to us, so that we can hold fast to the crown of life we’ve been called unto.

Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Pro 21:25  The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

The slothful person’s desire is to do nothing and that is what kills us spiritually and gives life to the beast. By God’s grace and the faith of Christ, we can be permitted to do battle against these spirits that “refuse to labour”. (Joh 6:27, Joh 6:63, Mat 11:28, Col 1:27-29, Heb 4:11-12).

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Pro 21:26  He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

God’s elect are called unto a way of life that is generous, doing good unto all men, especially unto the household of faith “but the righteous giveth and spareth not” (Gal 6:10, Joh 12:3).

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Joh 12:3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Mary represents the church, and her sacrifice of this costly ointment on Christ’s feet typifies the holy spirit that each joint supplies in love on Christ’s feet, representing our foundational walk in Him (Joh 13:10, Eph 2:20). Her tears and hair that are used to wash his feet remind us that we need to be washed by the word through the church (1Co 11:15), and that when we are broken and contrite as Mary was, we will take actions that demonstrate the fruit of our repentance causing the house, the church, to be filled with the odour of the ointment.

Joh 13:10  Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

1Co 11:15  But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Pro 21:27  The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Pro 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abhorrence; How much more so when such a one brings it with scheming. (CLV)

Cain did not do well, and neither do any of us until we are given to acknowledge that the only sacrifice that is accepted by God is the one that is understood to be given by Christ working in us (Php 2:12-13, Eph 1:6).

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

When we do well it is because Christ our hope of glory is within us doing well, both to will and to do, and as a result we are accepted of God, unlike Cain whose sacrifice had all the components of this proverb, “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?” (Gen 4:3-7, 1Jn 3:11-12).

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

1Jn 3:11  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1Jn 3:12  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one (first Adam), and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous (last Adam).

Pro 21:28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

Pro 21:28  A false witness shall perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak unchallenged.(AFV)

If we are blessed to continue in the truth, the truth will set us free (Joh 8:31-32), and God will make our words like fire (Jer 5:14). It is those fiery words of God that cannot be challenged, and will save us and those who hear those words, which devours our Adamic nature (1Ti 4:16).

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Pro 21:29  A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

It is Christ who directs our ways, and gives us power over the hardened heart that gives us a hardened face. When our hearts our softened then we can truly be directed by God and led by the spirit of God (Rom 8:14-16), which is where there will be liberty in our lives (Pro 3:5-8, 2Co 3:17).  Again, we are reminded that “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”, so it is true that “the upright, he directeth his way”, but this must be understood in the context of (Php 2:12-13).

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.

Pro 21:30  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

These following verses give confirmation to this proverb.

Isa 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isa 40:14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? (“There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD”)
Isa 40:15  Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

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?
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (“There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD”)
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.(1Co 8:6, 1Co 2:16)

Pro 21:31  The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

Mankind’s way is against God, and it is a vain thing to trust in the arm of man, or a horse that is “prepared against the day of battle”. The rider and the horse ‘are one’, like the harlot on the beast of (Rev 17:3), and they will both be destroyed within us and all of humanity in time (Exo 15:1-3, Psa 37:16-18).

Exo 15:1  Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Exo 15:2  The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exo 15:3  The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

Psa 37:16  A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Psa 37:17  For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
Psa 37:18  The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

“Safety is of the LORD”, and the whole world will learn this great lesson when Satan is loosed for a little season and comes up against the camp of the saints, and the Lamb will overcome them (Rev 20:7-8, Rev 17:13-14).

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Rev 17:13  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD” because, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will”, and what He wills, will in His perfect time be accomplished (1Ti 2:4, Job 23:13-14).

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Job 23:13  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? (“he turneth it whithersoever he will”) and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Job 23:14  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

Rev 21:4-8 The Lake of Fire and The Great Innumerable Multitude, Part 2

[Study Aired July 13, 2025]

Rev 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

We concluded our last study posing the question: “To just what extent is Christ reconciling the world to Himself?”

These are the last verses we quoted:

2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us [aorist tense], to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us [aorist tense] the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation [of the world to Christ].

Let’s look at the previous verse:

2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

What were we just told? If I am not to know you after the flesh, how am I to know you? We are never left to guess about these matters. In words that are clearly understood, we are told how we are now to know each other in Christ.

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him [the angel showing John these things]. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

To make sure we do not miss this great revelation, and to confirm that it will shortly come to pass, this great Truth is repeated in chapter 22:

Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book:  worship God.

So we are now to see each other as angels of God who are sent to show these things to our brothers in Christ. We are to see this primarily as a present reality, as well as being true in John’s day and as being true in the future.

Revelation 22:8-9 is just another way of saying what Paul said in:

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

“By the church” means by you and by me, and if you think you are too insignificant to have a part in making all men to see the fellowship of the mystery “which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God”, listen to how Paul felt about being given this same gift:

Eph 3:8  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

That angel which showed John “the unsearchable riches of Christ” signifies all who comprise the whole church. It is “by the church”, meaning “every joint” of the church, that “all men” will eventually see “what is the fellowship of this mystery”, and it is “by the church” that all men will be made to “know the manifold wisdom of God.”

Let’s go back one chapter to see just how clearly the holy spirit wants this unity of His body to be made.

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

“The ages to come” is referring to your age and my age as well as all the ages of the lake of fire. It is “by the church”, meaning the whole church, “every joint” supplying a part, that these words have been written, and it is by these written words that we are all brought to this understanding. We are admonished to never “think above that which is written”, but we are also told that every part of His body contributes to “the edifying of itself in love.”

1Co 4:6  Now these things, brothers, I applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us ye might learn not to think above that which is written, so that ye may not be puffed up, one over the one against the other. (ACV)

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.

There is an Old Testament story which makes this point very clearly. It is the story of what happened to David and his men during the period when King Saul, signifying Babylon the Great, was seeking to kill David and his men. David and his men had been living with a Philistine king named Achish. Achish had recruited David and his six hundred men to fight with the Philistines against King Saul, but the rest of the princes of the Philistines refused to let David go up to the battle with them fearing that David would turn against them during the battle. David and his company had left their wives and families in a Philistine city under the rule of Achish. The name of that city was Ziglag. When David and his men were sent back to Ziglag they found that the Amalekites, who King Saul claimed he had destroyed, had taken the whole city captive and had burned the city to the ground. David and His people were grief stricken and some of them blamed David for the loss of their families. David inquired of the Lord and the Lord told him to pursue the Amalekites. Two hundred of the six hundred “were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.”

1Sa 30:9  So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
1Sa 30:10  But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
1Sa 30:11  And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water;
1Sa 30:12  And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
1Sa 30:13  And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.
1Sa 30:14  We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
1Sa 30:15  And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.
1Sa 30:16  And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
1Sa 30:17  And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.
1Sa 30:18  And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.
1Sa 30:19  And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.
1Sa 30:20  And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.
1Sa 30:21  And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
1Sa 30:22  Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.
1Sa 30:23  Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.
1Sa 30:24  For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.
1Sa 30:25  And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.

Christ’s church is also His body, and in His body the little toe of His foot is just as much a part of His body as the arms and legs. It is “by the [whole] church” that the manifold wisdom of God will be made known to “all men”:

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

So God is in the process of “reconciling the [whole] world unto Himself, and He is not imputing their trespasses unto them.” This is being done “by the church”, the whole church, even those who are not up front in the heat of the battle. “They [too] shall take part alike.”

1Sa 30:24  For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.

The Lord wants us all to know that “as He is in this world, so are we”:

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. [Every one of us]

We all struggle just to accept those words. The whole world sees our Savior as a babe in the manger; as a twelve year old child asking and answering the questions of the doctors and lawyers of the law in the temple; as a traveling evangelist, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead; as that man who fed the hungry multitudes, and finally they see Him as our dying Savior on the cross. However, we are no longer to see him that way. The Lord we know is no longer in a body of flesh in any of those capacities. He is now seated at the right hand of His Father with all power in heaven and in earth and we are seated right there with Him at the right hand of His Father.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

It is a rare person who even understands that if “all power” is now in Christ’s hands, why is there still evil in this world? Could it be that Christ is actually actively involved in the process of sending strong delusion via the dragon, the beast and the false prophet? Have we not all been deceived by this trio?

Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Who was it who had us deceived?

Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Does any of this refer to God’s saints? Yes, it does. The fact is that all of this is written, at this time, only for God’s saints. God’s words are not even designed, at this time to be understood by those who are not given to see and understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God in this present age.

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.

Even the Lord’s elect are by His design first overcome and deceived by the lies of the adversary:

Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him [the beast within us] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

It is only by believing and by “living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” that we are prepared by God and are proven and qualified to become the merciful, loving and caring kings and priests we are intended to be.

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.

Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

It is in this very reassuring spirit that our Lord continues to comfort us with these words:

Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

These words of comfort apply “specially to them that believe”:

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

They are also meant for all men “each in his own order”, who will all come up through great tribulation and will be given “the water of life freely”:

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11  And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 7:12  Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 7:13  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 7:15  Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Rev 7:16  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
Rev 7:17  For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

This is what the scriptures teach?

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

The wages of sin is death, and death is slated to be destroyed by “the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Do the wages of sin come only upon some men? How absurd! The wages of sin come upon all “in Adam.” So we are told:

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

It is “as in Adam [that] all die”, and just as all die in Adam, “even so in Christ, shall all be made alive.” It is through this “lake which burns with fire and brimstone” that all men will be saved.

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day [of judgment] shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Here is what Strong’s Concordance reveals about this word ‘brimstone’.

G2303
θειον
theion
thi’- on
Probably neuter of G2304 (in its original sense of flashing); sulphur: – brimstone.

When we look up this G2304, the Greek root of this word ‘theion‘, this is what we find.

G2304
θειος
theios
thi’- os
From G2316; godlike (neuter as noun, divinity): – divine, godhead.

So “brimstone” or ‘theion‘ is “godlike” and “divine”; and what is God?

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

The only thing “our God” consumes is all the “wood, hay, and stubble” which signifies all the lying, self-righteous, false doctrines in our lives, and “through [that] fire” we are being “saved” by learning to love God and keep His commandments:

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day [of judgment] shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward [Rule with Christ a thousand years and judge angels in the lake of fire, (Rev 20:1-6)].
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. [‘Fire’ does indeed torment and destroy our old man but it saves our new man]

“Our God is a consuming fire” but that ‘fire’ is His love toward us:

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth [with His fiery Word, (Jer 5:14)] every son whom he receiveth.

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

How long does his mercy last?

Psa 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Is His mercy just for believers?

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.

For this present time His mercy is only being shed on those who believe and obey the Lord. After the thousand-year reign of “the Lord and His Christ” there will be what Christ called “the resurrection of judgment”, the resurrection of the great white throne judgment, and through that fiery judgment life will be given to all men.

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [G2920: ‘krisis’, judgment, “according to their works”, (Rev 20:12-13)].

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Now we can begin to understand why this second judgment is called a “great white throne judgment.” It is a ‘godlike’ merciful judgment. It is not called ‘a great black throne.’ It is a great white throne.’ Christ died for the ungodly, not just for believers, and He did so while we were yet in our sins.

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

“This mercy of [ours]” is coming to the very unbelievers ‘through whose unbelief we are given this mercy.’ It will be given to them through the very same “one event”, and the same “goodness of God” experience through which “one event” you and I have been “shown mercy”.

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

This is not contrasting Jews with Gentiles. The contrast here is between “the righteous and the wicked… the good and the sinner”, and we are plainly told “All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked”, and we are “yet sinners” before we become aware of any of this.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

It is as “the fearful and the unbelievers” that Christ died for us. It is in that state that the apostle Paul poses this question:

Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

The answer to this question is a resounding, yes! At first we all despise “the goodness of God which brings us to repentance.” We despise it so much that we are brought “to our wits’ end” by that very “goodness”. Here is that “goodness of God” which Paul speaks of in Romans 2:4.

Psa 107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psa 107:23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
Psa 107:24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
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 [and only 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 [and only 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 [His chastening grace, (Heb 12:6)], and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

It is with this hope set before us that through all the trials and tribulations which we endure on a daily basis, we can still say with the apostle:

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?
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

2Th 1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
2Th 1:5. Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Next week, if the Lord wills, we will begin to see that it is only “in the spirit” that we are able to see and understand that we are “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”

Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

“The Spiritual Significance of Earthquakes”

Whose Voice then Shook the Earth

[Study Aired Dec 31, 2024]

Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:26-29)

Scripture shows that earthquakes reveal both God’s presence and His work within us. As Christ taught us, “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20), therefore these shakings have both an outward and inward application. This dual nature is first seen at Mount Sinai:

And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. (Exodus 19:18)

God demonstrates how His presence brings shaking when He revealed Himself to Elijah:

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12)

An earthquake during King Uzziah’s reign was so significant that it served as a historical marker:

The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. (Amos 1:1)

This earthquake was remembered generations later:

And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. (Zechariah 14:5)

These physical earthquakes point to how God shakes and removes false doctrines. This is shown when God’s temple is opened in heaven:

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. (Revelation 11:19)

This earthquake comes during the time of God’s two witnesses who prophesy against false doctrines:

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

The result of their testimony brings a great shaking:

And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:13)

This pattern of God’s presence shaking foundations is confirmed in the Psalms:

Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. (Psalm 18:7)

In the New Testament, we see these shakings marking pivotal moments of God’s work. At Christ’s death:

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. (Matthew 27:51)

This earthquake signified the shaking of the old covenant system. At His resurrection:

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. (Matthew 28:2)

When Paul and Silas were imprisoned, an earthquake led to spiritual conversion:

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas… and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:26-30)

The pattern of shaking is mentioned earlier in Revelation. With the opening of the sixth seal:

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood. (Revelation 6:12)

Under the seventh seal:

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5)

These earthquakes symbolize God’s judgments and the shaking of all Babylonian doctrine foundations. The prophet Haggai foresaw this universal shaking:

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come. (Haggai 2:6-7)

The writer of Hebrews reveals the ultimate purpose of this shaking:

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. (Hebrews 12:27)

Just as earthquakes break down old structures, God’s word breaks down our old nature:

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29)

Through these shakings, we learn to anchor ourselves in what cannot be moved:

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. (Hebrews 6:19)

Just as earthquakes disturb the natural foundations, spiritual battles establish what cannot be shaken:

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. (Psalm 46:2-3)

These shakings reveal who truly sits on the throne of our hearts:

But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. (Jeremiah 10:10)

The process connects directly to God’s sovereignty:

The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. (Psalm 97:1-4)

Through every spiritual shaking, God is fulfilling His word:

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:12-13)

These shakings are not for our destruction but for bringing us to a contrite and trembling spirit:

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and trembling spirit, and that trembleth at my word. (Isaiah 66:2)

Let us therefore embrace these spiritual earthquakes, knowing they serve to establish Christ’s kingdom within us:

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. (Hebrews 8:10)

Next week, Lord willing, we will examine North, South, East and West.

Rev 9:9-12 Part 6 of The Fifth Trumpet

[Study Aired August 18, 2024]

Rev 9:9  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Rev 9:10  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, [ which is] the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [ is] Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath [ his] name Apollyon.
Rev 9:12  One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

 The symbol we last covered was the fourth symbol which was the fact that these locusts which had the appearance of horses and the face of a man also “ had hair as the hair of women”. Our next symbol is:

5) They had breastplates, as breastplates of iron

We know what iron signifies in scripture:

Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

Iron is harder and stronger than any other Biblical metal. “Iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things.” So why do these locusts have “breastplates of iron”? The answer is that a breastplate covers the heart, and there is no way to get to the heart of these locusts because of the deep darkness and the pride and deception that is in our hearts at this stage of our walk.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Daniel’s image, which typifies our experience, begins with a head of gold, followed by arms of silver, followed by a belly and thigh of brass, followed by legs of iron, and finally it is standing on feet which are made of part iron and part clay. It is concerning the legs of iron that we read in Dan 2:40, that “iron breaks and subdues all things”. The reason these breastplates are of iron is to let us know that it will take the supernatural intervention of God and His Son coming into our lives to destroy these breastplates of iron and to destroy our hardened and darkened hearts, which are protected by the seemingly impenetrable deceits which these “breastplates of iron” signify:

Dan 2:45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands [signifying that it has nothing to do with our will], and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

6) the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

Rev 9:9  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

Our sixth symbol that describes these horse- like locusts is “the sound of their wings was a the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.” All locusts have wings, and the wings of these locusts sound like chariots of many horses going to battle.” ‘Wings’ in scripture signify those things which operate in the heavens, and the fact that the wings of these locusts “sound like chariots of many horses going to battle” tells us that we are up against an insurmountable and powerful army which has been given power over our heavens and is constantly warring against the spirit of our mind:

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Rom 7:23  But I see another law [the law of sin and death] 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 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

These ‘locusts’ are the messengers of “the prince of the power of the air”, and their influence upon our lives cause us to be “the children of disobedience” living to fulfill “the lust of our flesh” keeping us subject to “the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:2) which ‘sting’ hurts us for a symbolic 5 months as we fulfil the desire of our flesh and mind while knowing that the Lord has commanded us to overcome those desires of the flesh and of the mind:

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Whether it is the destructive power of locusts or the lies spread into every house by the work of an unclean bird like a stork, it is all accomplished by the operation of ‘wings’ which can travel about in our heavens:

Zec 5:5  Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
Zec 5:6  And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
Zec 5:7  And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
Zec 5:8  And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
Zec 5:9  Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
Zec 5:10  Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
Zec 5:11  And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar [Babylon, Gen 10:10] and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

Gen 10:10  And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

“A woman…. is wickedness… through all the earth” is verified by these words in:

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

We are called “the bride” of Christ and women are universally accepted as signifying the church whether faithful  or apostate.

What we need to learn in this symbol is that ‘wings’ signify what the Lord is doing in our heavens. In this case He is sending evil spirits with false doctrines to trouble us just as he did to King Saul:

1Sa 16:14  But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
1Sa 16:15  And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

It was common knowledge in the days of King Saul that evil spirits were servants of God  The same thing happened to King Ahab:

1Ki 22:20  And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
1Ki 22:21  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he [the Lord] said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
1Ki 22:23  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

It is the same today, and it behooves us to simply acknowledge the sovereignty of God over both the good and the evil. In scripture evil men are called the Lord’s sword.

Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, [ which is] thy sword:

We need to acknowledge that the words ‘which is’ are not in the Hebrew and could just as easily have read ‘with’ instead of ‘which is.’ Nevertheless we are still told this in Pro 16.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

So the Lord is definitely the Lord of both the good and the evil that is within us, and it is He who creates us as wicked first, for our own “day of evil” within each of us. It is He also who sends the angel that opens the bottomless pit and darkens our Sun and air by these locusts which hurt us for five months and crush us and bring us to want to die with Him on His cross. Here is Rev 9 in Joe 1. It is the same event. This is the “day of the Lord” which Peter said he had experienced just before the day of Pentecost.

Joe 1:1  The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
Joe 1:2  Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
Joe 1:3  Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
Joe 1:4  That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
Joe 1:5  Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
Joe 1:6  For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth [ are] the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
Joe 1:7  He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast [ it] away; the branches thereof are made white.
Joe 1:8  Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
Joe 1:9  The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’S ministers, mourn.
Joe 1:10  The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
Joe 1:11  Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
Joe 1:12  The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Joe 1:13  Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
Joe 1:14  Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders [ and] all the inhabitants of the land [ into] the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
Joe 1:15  Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD [ is] at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Joe 1:16  Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, [ yea], joy and gladness from the house of our God?
Joe 1:17  The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
Joe 1:18  How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
Joe 1:19  O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
Joe 1:20  The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

Is this not what the seven seals, seven trumpets and seven plagues are doing within us as we are caused to  “keep the things written therein?” (Rev 1:3) Is this not the very same “Lord’s day” which includes the events of the revelation of Jesus Christ? Is this not the destruction of our old life, which we must all experience to bring us into our new life? Speaking of this very battle, Joel continues:

Joe 2:11  And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

Joe 2:30  And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Joe 2:31  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Christ mentions this very same battle in which these locusts as horses with the faces of men and the hair of a woman are involved:

Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
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 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Rev 6:12  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

None are able to stand against his wrath in this battle. The lies of all these locusts, their strength as horses, and their iron breastplates will all fall victim to Christ, and the armies that are with him. He has created this army of locusts for our destruction. When they have accomplished their evil deeds and have destroyed within us all that the lies of Egypt and Babylon have produced within us, then He will destroy the destroyer.

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

7) They had tails like scorpions…

Rev 9:10  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months

The scriptures tell us plainly what the significance of ‘tails’ is:

Isa 9:15  The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

8) They had a king over them…

Our eighth symbol is that of a king:

Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Kings exercise power over their subjects. Kings and princes are used interchangeably in scripture. Isaiah 14:3-23 is addressed to the king of Babylon while Ezekiel 28:1-10 is addressed to the prince of Tyrus. Both express the exact same message. Both condemn “the beast” who is also called “the man of sin” who sits on the throne of our hearts demanding to be worshipped as God until the brightness of the coming of Christ destroys this “man of sin” and his kingdom within us:

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. [Exactly what the king of Babylon and the prince of Tyrus did]
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
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:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Our last symbol is:

9) The angel of the bottomless pit

Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The Lord has ordained that his “vessel of clay… first man Adam” is to worship himself and fulfill his every carnal desire. This is what the scriptures can “worshipping  the beast”. What the king of Babylon, the prince of Tyrus, and the man of sin within us fails to realize is that when we worship ourselves we are also worshipping the dragon who empowers us to put our own desires ahead of the Lord’s desires for us:

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
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?

“They worshipped the dragon” confirms the words of our Lord and the words of the apostle Paul both of who call us “of your father the devil” and “the children of disobedience… the children of the prince of he power of the air”:

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.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [“The dragon” who is the first to empower us to do his bidding], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

The Hebrew word ‘abaddon,’ becomes the name of the angel of the bottomless pit. This word appears 5 times in the Old Testament.

Job 26:6  Hell is naked before him, and destruction [ abaddon] hath no covering.

Job 28:20  Whence then cometh wisdom? and where [ is] the place of understanding?
Job 28:21  Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Job 28:22  Destruction [ abaddon] and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Job 31:12  For it [ is] a fire [ that] consumeth to destruction [ abaddon], and would root out all mine increase.

Psa 88:11  Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [ or] thy faithfulness in destruction [ abaddon]?

Pro 15:11  Hell and destruction [ abaddon] are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

Will God’s loving kindness be declared in the grave? The answer is, yes, it will. Will His faithfulness be declared in destruction? Again the answer is, yes, it will.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose [ Greek, apollumi] it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

It is only through the destruction of our old man that our new man can be born.

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy [ Greek, apollumi] both soul and body in hell.

Mat 12:14  Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy [ Greek, apollumi] him.

It is a grave mistake to think that the king of the bottomless pit is Adam himself. If that were so, then where is ‘Adam’ in these verses?

Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

1Sa 16:14  But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
1Sa 16:15  And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee

King Saul was not “troubled” until the Lord sent a spirit to do so.

Mat 4:1  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

If Christ’s flesh was ‘satan’ what need was there to “go into the wilderness to be tempted?

Joh 13:27  And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly

Where was Satan before “the sop”. If Judas’ flesh was satan why wait till “after the sop” for satan to enter Judas?

Satan is not our flesh, but he is our ‘father’ (Joh 8:44) and he definitely has been given to rule over our fleshly bodies until the Lord comes and dethrones him with “the brighteness of His coming” (2Th 2:3-8).

Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

There is no one here who is denying that “that old serpent the devil and Satan” dwells within us, just as Christ dwells within us whe He comes to dethrone “the man of sin”. When ‘the man of sin’ is cast out Satan goes with him. When we say that Satan is our flesh we are saying that Eve was speaking to Adam when she was seduced by the serpent. What utter nonsense! Adam was already in King Saul before “the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.” Christ was not being tempted of Adam when He was in the wilderness 40 days. Adam did not enter into Judas “after the sop.” Adam was there all along. And finally, Adam will be on earth being ruled with a rod of iron all through the thousand year reign of Christ, while Satan is bound in the bottomless pit which is within us all.

Therefore Abaddon, also known as Apollyon, is the king of the lies which are symbolized by the locusts which come out of the smoke of the bottomless pit, simply because God created him to be his lying Adversary, “from the beginning.”

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.

Summary

We have covered nine symbols in this study. There are six symbols which the holy spirit has used to describe these locusts which come out of the smoke that ascends up out of the bottomless pit.

1) They are shaped like horses prepared to battle, tells us that we are fighting an enemy with great strength.

2) They appear to have crown of gold on their heads, tells us that they will at first be mistaken for overcomers, and those who are the servants of, and the angels of God.

3) Their faces are “as the faces of men,” tells us that these lies are nothing more or less than idols of our own hearts, which we have carved out of the truths that are the Word of God.

4) They had hair as the hair of women, tells us that these doctrines are one and all the doctrines of that great harlot woman, and they certainly do darken our sun and air.

5) They had breastplates, as breastplates of iron, tells us that it is impossible for any man to reach our hearts and destroy these lies and deceits, and that it will take Christ, Himself to do so.

6) “The sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle,” tells us that these deceits are many and strong and they are ready and willing to do battle with our Lord and His Word.

The last three symbols are concerned with the function of the adversary, satan, in the Lord’s plan and purpose for our lives

7) They had tails like scorpions, and we saw that their ‘tails’ signified “the prophet that prophesies lies” :

Isa_9:15  The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

8) They had a king over them…

Our eighth symbol is that of a king:

Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

We saw that a king exercises power just as we will be “kings and priests” with Christ ruling this ear for a thousand years if we are granted to have a part in that “blessed and holy… first resurrection”:

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.

9) The angel of the bottomless pit

Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The king that is over these locusts is “the angel of the bottomless pit”. What that means is that he ministers to our fleshly lusts with all of His lies. It all works to destroy our lives so He is named Abaddon, in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek.

This tells us that this is a life and death battle in all of these seven trumpets, and God had created the waster to destroy, and he is good at what he was created to do. That is to destroy all that we think we are, so that we can be “made again as seems good to the Potter to make us” (Jer 18:4). Just like the evil Joseph’s brother thought against him worked for the good of the entire family, so also is the evil that Satan is given to perform working good for all of the Lord’s creation.

Next week, Lord willing, we will begin our study of the sixth trumpet, which is also called “the second woe.”

Rev 9:13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

The Book of Joel – Chapter 2:1-11,  Part 1 – The Day of the Lord

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” –  Mal 4:5

[Study Aired July 27^{th 20}24]

The Day of the Lord

Joe 2:1  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 
Joe 2:2  A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 
Joe 2:3  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. 
Joe 2:4  The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 
Joe 2:5  Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. 
Joe 2:6  Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 
Joe 2:7  They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: 
Joe 2:8  Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. 
Joe 2:9  They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. 
Joe 2:10  The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: 
Joe 2:11  And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 

Introduction

The sequential step from “Repentance” studied in last week’s Chapter One of Joel is in rigid lockstep with the dreadfully enigmatic “The Day of the Lord”, the revelation of Jesus Christ signified in Revelations. For our former Babylonian selves, the obscure meaning of that term remained fearfully unsolved, regardless of our masking joyfulness with endless affirmations that “Jesus loves us” as we choked down the glazed death rings (doughnuts) and drank the awful coffee.

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Rev 1:2  Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
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 the Berean student of Christ (Acts 17:10-15), and as far as joyfully receiving repetitive verses go, the following one in Matt 13 holds the key, yet it is equally baffling to the Babylonian mind. Even though Matt 13:10-17 was referring to the parable of the sower, Jesus’ answer to his Elect, primarily represented as the Apostles, though not solely named as such, ‘is, was, and will be‘ an ‘earth’ shattering realisation that it is only a very, very limited few who will be given to understand The Mysteries of the Kingdom of God. It is they, alone, who in this age since the cross, and stealthy hidden in Gideon’s physical account, are given to go and fight the spiritual enemies within themselves as individual joints constituting the Bride of Christ.

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.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias [Jehovah’s help], which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 
Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Jdg 7:2  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 

Gideon’s army (Jdg 7:18) is severely stripped from 32,000 to 300 men to fight the relatively massive Midianite army. In this case, the number 3 (3 x 100) carrying trumpets and lamps represents the progression of the Lord’s Elect, who see by the light of Christ’s spiritual word, the enemy in the dark and gloomy night approaching within and blow the war trumpet alarm to fight the giant enemies by Christ’s power and might, not by their strength.

Jdg 7:7  And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped [like dogs, signifying faithful devotion] will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place [home, effectively back to symbolic Babylon].

Isa 58:1  Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

This prelude brings us to the incredibly exciting understanding of “The Day of the Lord.”

Heb 3:15  As it has been said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion.”
Heb 3:16  For who were the ones who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?
Heb 3:17  And with whom was God [their Husband] angry [symbolically “bitter” – Col 3:19] for forty years? [because they couldn’t understand that He needed Shulamite-like kisses of espousal devotedness – Son 1:2] Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
Heb 3:18  And to whom did He swear that they would never enter His rest? Was it not to those who disobeyed?
Heb 3:19  So we see that it was because of their unbelief that they were unable to enter.

Significations:

The first verse of today’s Study in Joel, Chapter Two, describes our formally fearful anticipation of “The Day of the Lord” in him being our enemy! In ancient Israel, an enemy was announced by blowing a trumpet. Today, after the cross, it is represented by Christ’s spiritual message to all to whom he has given ears to hear the trumpet and eyes to see the enemy and to spiritually divide the truth. It is the day of judgement first, “nigh at hand” for the Bride of Christ while she is in the flesh and for the remainder of the world represented as Gog and Magog, their ‘day of the Lord’ as unrefined spirit beings in the Resurrection to Judgement, the Lake of Fire.

Rev 8:12  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Rev 8:13  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth [Gog and Magog as numerous as the stars of heaven] by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Joe 2:1  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

Christ’s Bride is the heavenly New Jerusalem above, who inherits Christ, him being “the holy mountain”; they, now in marriage, are unified as one ‘holy mountain’.

Isa 57:12  I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
Isa 57:13  When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; 

Zec 8:3  Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and [New] Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. 

Our Lord’s holy mountain is established by much violence in our earth as Michael and his angels, meaning Christ, fight our battles within since Christ’s strength is made manifest in the ‘weaker vessel’ (1 Pet 3:7), the Woman, the Bride of Christ we hope and pray to be.

Mat 10:34  Think not that I [Christ] am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 
Mat 10:35  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

Eze 33:2  Son of man, speak to the children [The Bride of Christ] of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land [you and I], if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
Eze 33:3  If when he  [you and I] seeth the sword come upon the land [our spirit; our conscience], he blow the trumpet, and warn the people [Primarily, first judge yourself before you are capable of warning others, but not limited to your hypocritical self – 1 Cor 11:30];
Eze 33:4  Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword [God’s word] come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 
Eze 33:5  He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
Eze 33:6  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. 
Eze 33:7  So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

In the Gideon scriptures mentioned above, he represents Christ, and his 300 men are the selected Elect, having come out of the 32,000 men of Israel representing the world, fleeing Egypt and, later, Babylon, similarly and all spiritually representing Assyria, Sodom and Old Jerusalem. With three aspects of lust written in their hearts, they are the Lord’s selected faithful Elect, all remaining subject to (1) the lust of the eyes, (2) the lust of the flesh, and (3) the pride of life. This symbolises the progression (Number 3) of the Bride of Christ and the forgiveness of her lofty sins (pride) by her Lord’s faith and spirit.

Rev 11:8 And their [the joints of the Bride] dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city [Old Jerusalem, the disappearing Whore within each of us], which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where [Spiritually today if you hear his voice] also our Lord was crucified.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he [the Bride alone since the cross] that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Isa 2:12  For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

Isa 13:4  The noise of a multitude in the mountains, [Babylon within and the world] like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle [within the incipient Bride’s.
Isa 13:5  They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land [of the Elect of God]. 
Isa 13:6  Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 

To the anxious Babylonian who unknowingly believes in “another Jesus” (2 Cor 11:4), ‘the day of the Lord’ is seen as one event of the outward return of Christ being witless of the obscure inference of a Second Resurrection, meaning, the Resurrection to Judgement. Even though he erroneously believes that Jesus loves him as he is, a certain doubt dogs his conscience because of verses such as Joel 2:2, and he dismisses it as a terrifying day for some other far worse sinner. Unwittingly for him, that day is the return of Christ, not for him, but for the Lord’s “little flock” Elect.

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved [in one of the two resurrections]

Of course, ALL Christians confess their sins and call upon Christ’s name, not knowing that they worship “another Jesus” (2 Cor 11:4) since they insist upon eating and drinking their own doctrinal bread and water.

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves [from Adam to the end of the One Thousand Year reign] shall hear his voice, 
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life [the First Resurrection]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [G2920 – meaning “judgement”, the Resurrection to Judgement resulting in salvation].

As former Babylonian Christians, verse 13 was all we needed to understand, as it speaks plainly, yet we did not grasp the meaning of “grace” in the following verse, which represents chastisement.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them [and not after the other Jesus’ doctrine modelled in our image]. 

Grace is God’s “gracious love and favour.” But what does grace do for us? Well, when we sin, grace does much more abound with God’s loving Fatherly chastening and scourging until we are brought to see that it feels so good when we finally quit banging our heads against the wall of “turning grace into lasciviousness.” As formally did we, lasciviousness is precisely what our Babylonian brothers and sisters do. They think that they are solely saved by Christ’s work on the cross and that they don’t have to do anything because “Christ died for us, so we don’t have to die”! THAT IS LASCIVIOUSNESS – colloquially expressed as greasy grace.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, [scourging, chastening, rebuking] grace did much more abound.

Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching [G3811 – Paideuo- Phonetic: pahee-dyoo’-o – Definition: 1. to train children a. to be instructed or taught or learn b. to cause one to learn 2. to chastise a. to chastise or castigate with words, to correct] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Apart from the Bride of Christ, the entirety of mankind ever to exist, having unwittingly cast themselves as royalty and been thrown into the Lake of Fire, will most torturously, yet temporarily, while ‘chastising grace’ works its utterly devouring work, will assuredly give God the glory for its molten re-casting them as God’s fine gold.

Lam 4:1  How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
Lam 4:2  The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 

Zec 9:3  And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets [Having cast her own righteousness]. 
Zec 9:4  Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire

Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city [Ephriam, Israel, Old Jerusalem, Egypt, Sodom & Babylon – The Great Whore; you and I], that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

The Elect of God today, the Bride of Christ, has had her day of gloominess and thick darkness and is now joyfully receiving the ‘gloomy foreboding’ chastisement and eagerly being re-cast as her Lord’s fine gold in his image. At the First Resurrection, when Christ’s Bride ascends into Christ, her sisters and brothers remaining on Earth will, with loin loosening fear (As was King Belshazzar’s in Dan 5:1-7), bitterly lament for their day of darkness remaining throughout the One Thousand Year reign by Christ and his Christs (plural) rod of iron on into the early stages of the Resurrection to Judgement. Only then, and upon their acknowledgement of their waywardness, will their dawning glory break forth in Christ.

Luk 23:45  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Luk 23:47  Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly [the Bride of Christ] this was a righteous man.
Luk 23:48  And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
Luk 23:49  And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. 

Joe 2:2  A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

After the First Resurrection, Babylonian Christianity and the world will realise, with much consternation, that they are not resurrected to eternal life. They will experience fear, as “a great people”, the Bride of Christ keeps them in forced peace during the Thousand Year reign. Their future will remain jittery since they will see the apostles and other long-dead truthful followers of Christ now resurrected, similar to how Joseph’s brothers in Egypt felt when they found Joseph alive.

Continuing in the following verses of Joel, there is hidden “one event to all” mankind, beginning first with the Bride of Christ being devoured by her Lord’s fiery word. Upon her resurrection to life and inheriting her Lord as her Husband, she will be His very same fiery sword that prepares the world to be utterly consumed by fire from Eden at the end of the One Thousand Years when fire consumes Gog and Magog, the world.

Joe 2:3  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
Joe 2:4  The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
Joe 2:5  Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

Eze 39:6  And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
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 [the entirety of mankind ever to have lived], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever [age lasting fire until all mankind and the Devil and his angels are refined as gold in a furnace].

Joe 2:6  Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

At the beginning of the Resurrection to Judgment, the entire world will endure immense mental suffering, which will manifest as “blackness.” This is because every jot and title of the previous understanding of the Lord’s word is as dark as the curtains in Solomon’s temple that hide Christ and his Bride, who are likewise depicted as “black” to their understanding. As a result, people will believe that they are about to be engulfed in the lie of a physical eternal fire.

Son 1:5  I [The Shualmite who symbolises the Bride of Christ] am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem [the rest of the world], as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. 
Son 1:6  Look not upon me, because I am black [… it is useless in this day and age to understand me], because the sun [Christ, the noonday sun, burnt black all of her whoredoms] hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards [all symbolic 40,000 plus disunited Christian denominations realising that they are not invited to the wedding supper]; but mine own vineyard have I not kept [since, and now, Christ is her vinedresser and workmanship].

All in the Lake of Fire do not realise that the intense pain they feel is actually a part of their spiritual refinement, not literal burning while they are still alive since spirit bodies cannot die, but rather a much lengthier physical version of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith-building firey event (Dan 3:8-30). Those three young children (probably in their teens) no doubt felt dreadful consternation while being bound to be thrown alive into the furnace. Likewise, it is similar to Joseph’s brothers living every day for seventeen years with the expectation that Joseph will exact sudden fiery retribution upon them until their old man, their father, Jacob, died. Only then did they ever come to be at peace with their brother Joseph. The death of their old man signifies the ultimate end of the Lake of Fire coming upon the whole world as they come through that fiery experience, having been purified of the carnal-minded, rebellious old man.

Zep 1:14  The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
Zep 1:15  That day [is] a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
Zep 1:16  A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
Zep 1:17  And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
Zep 1:18  Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Joe 2:7  They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

It is Christ, our husband, who runs upon our proud walls and its embedded breasts like fortification towers of Old Jerusalem, denoting the formally proud yet, repentant Rahab-like whore we have been before we become purified by our Lord’s fire and made his Bride. The joints of the Bride, the Elect of God are the “they” who “run like mighty men”. Having been saved by Christ, she now goes forth in the Lake of Fire and likewise breaks down her sister Babylon’s proud walls and whorish ways.

Son 8:10  I [The Bride of Christ] am a wall, and my breasts like towers [having powerfully put off her whorish ways]: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour.

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

Joe 2:8  Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall [not by chance] upon the sword, they shall not be wounded [H1214 – to cut off; gain by unrighteous violence].

The destruction of the Old Jerusalem we are is done in an orderly manner in Christ’s timing. We look forward to falling upon the sword of God’s word and are most certainly wounded in spirit and gained a contrite heart while yet we live.

Psa 118:16  The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Psa 118:17  I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Psa 91:7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Joe 2:9  They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

We are the city of Old Jerusalem being destroyed. God’s word enters through our eyes, which are the windows of the Lord’s spiritual understanding. Even though the wise virgins likewise sleep with the foolish, Christ, under cover of darkness, quietly puts his hand through the hole to the latch of our door.  Yet, and to the collapsing Babylonian world around us today in 2024, and at an undisclosed time of Christ’s imminent return, the Elect of God with him will climb upon the destroyed houses of man’s government and demonic spiritual ideologies. Christ’s wife, in iron rulership with him (Rev 2:27), will have come stealthily like a thief in the night yet in plain sight to force the Beast to submit to Christ.

Son 5:2  I [The wise virgins, the Bride of Christ] sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night [the dew is the ravishing life-giving word of God, enflamed by his kisses better than wine].
Son 5:3  I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? [He died, is resurrected and made pure and is returning to bless his Bride with her inheritance in Him]
Son 5:4  My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels [my heart ‘betwixt my breasts’, my seat of his spirit – Son 1:13] were moved for him.
Son 5:5  I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

(Myrrh is a dedicated anointing oil only for Aaron and his sons, representing the Bride of Christ and her priestly commission. It represents the pure unadulterated spiritual word of God. She, in unity with her husband, is anointed by him and made holy. Exo 30:32  Upon man’s flesh shall it [Myrrh] not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Exo 30:33  Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger [Expose Christ’s truth to a heritic], shall even be cut off from his people.)

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.

1Th 5:2-11  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 
1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, [who have perfect vision through the windows of their spiritual understanding] that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 
1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Most starkly, the following concluding verses of Joel’s expressions of The Day of the Lord are mirrored in Revelations, where Christ’s word (the sun) has become inky black to our collapsing world, and the 40,000 plus Babylonian Christian churches, depicted as the moon, worshipping “another Jesus” become even darker than the previous 2,000 years since the cross. At this point, Christ’s Christ, the “stars” with their testimony are likewise utterly hidden since their Lord has finished spiritually martyring them beneath him, their altar.

Joe 2:10  The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

Rev 8:12  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Rev 8:13  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Joe 2:11  And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

Rev 6:9  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 
Rev 6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

That “little season” has existed ever since the cross, yet, as seen in the spring growth of the fig tree, it is even at our door (Luk 21:29-33) and is to the Babylonian world, that dreadful Day of the Lord the Bride, paradoxically, has relished since understanding her jaw-dropping calling.

Lord willing, Christ has made the Bride ready for the ‘Return of her Lord’ in next week’s study.

Zec 9:1-17  The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus

[Study Aired July 27, 2023]

Zec 9:1  The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD. 
Zec 9:2  And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.
Zec 9:3  And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. 
Zec 9:4  Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire. 
Zec 9:5  Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 
Zec 9:6  And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 
Zec 9:7  And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite. 
Zec 9:8  And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes. 
Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Zec 9:10  And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. 
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. 
Zec 9:12  Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; 
Zec 9:13  When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.
Zec 9:14  And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
Zec 9:15  The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.
Zec 9:16  And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. 
Zec 9:17  For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

The first verse of this ninth chapter of Zechariah sets the stage for a prophecy that declares all the world will be judged by God through the church which will be an ensign upon the land revealing God’s goodness and beauty to all the earth, making the world rejoice in the word of hope the elect will bring (Rev 2:26-29). 

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.
Rev 2:28  And I will give him the morning star.
Rev 2:29  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

This judgment over the nations which are given to the elect is what “The burden^H4853 of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD” represents, and is a prophecy of the judgment of all the world symbolized by this statement, “as of all the tribes of Israel.“

H4853
Burden
maśśâ’ mas-saw’

From H5375; a burden; specifically tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively an utterance, chiefly a doom, especially singing; mental, desire: – burden, carry away, prophecy, X they set, song, tribute.

It is a physical and mental burden to have our old man judged in this age (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17), but it is also a joyful burden (2Co 7:4) knowing that the present suffering we are enduring cannot compare to the glory that will be revealed in the first resurrection, and so we look to the joy that is set before us through Christ who gives us that vision through the church (Rom 8:17-18, Heb 12:2, Pro 29:18).

2Co 7:4  Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation [Act 14:22]

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

This chapter of Zechariah talks about the judgements that will come upon Babylon through the church expressed as “the burden^H4853 of the word of the LORD“. That same expression can be found in Isaiah 19:1-25 where Egypt, representing all the world, will be judged by the LORD who will “rideth upon a swift cloud [God’s elect the great cloud of witness  (Heb 12:1)], and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it”.

Isa 19:1  The burden^H4853 of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. 

This chapter of Zechariah is about God’s indignation against the nations of the world and how He will judge all men with a mighty stretched out arm (Exo 15:16, Isa 34:1-6).

Exo 15:16  Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased. [God’s elect being connected to the passover lamb (1Co 6:19-20, Rom 8:36, Col 1:24)]

Isa 34:1  Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 
Isa 34:2  For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.
Isa 34:3  Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
Isa 34:4  And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree [Rev 6:12-13].
Isa 34:5  For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea^H123, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
Isa 34:6  The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea^H123. [Rev 14:18-20]

H123
‘ĕdôm    ‘ĕdôm
ed-ome’, ed-ome’

From H122; red (see Gen 25:25); Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him: – Edom, Edomites, Idumea.

When God’s judgments are in the earth, men will learn righteousness (Isa 26:9), so although these verses we have read speak of some very hard things that will happen unto the world at the hand of God via the elect, the end result will bring healing. This time in Christ’s life found in Mark 3:1-14 is a parable of what God’s elect will experience during the thousand-year reign, being like him in the earth (1Jn 4:17). The twelve disciples, who are sent forth by Christ to preach, are typical of the foundational [12] body of Christ that will be sent forth to preach to all the world during the thousand-year reign of the saints. Right down to the smallest detail, there are parallels to be drawn from this section of the gospel of Mark and the ninth chapter of Zechariah, which we will look at before we get into the actual verses of the study.

Mar 3:1  And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand [a withered hand in the synagogue represents our inability in Babylon to sow the word of God correctly].
Mar 3:2  And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
Mar 3:3  And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
Mar 3:4  And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 
Mar 3:5  And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Mar 3:6  And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him [All of the physical healing during the reign of the saints does not prevent the events of Revelation 20:8  from transpiring, showing there was no spiritual healing taking place, no conversion].
Mar 3:7  But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, 
Mar 3:8  And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. 
Mar 3:9  And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. 
Mar 3:10  For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
Mar 3:11  And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
Mar 3:12  And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.
Mar 3:13  And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 
Mar 3:14  And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 
Mar 3:15  And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

Zec 9:1  The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.

The judgment upon Hadrach (the country) and Damascus (the capital city), by way of the word of God which judges us, symbolizes what will happen to all men in time who will be dragged to Christ “when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD” (Joh 6:44). 

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.

All the world will labor to enter into that rest, “the rest thereof” each man in his own order (1Co 15:21-24). Being before Christ and believing because we have been dragged there by the Father requires that we continue in that relationship if we are going to grow unto maturity, as we are dragged to Christ to that “private place” [Hadrach], the hidden idols of our Adamic hearts’ “sack of blood” [Damascus] that are revealed and repented of in this age, Lord willing (Joh 8:31-32, Jas 1:18-20, 1Jn 1:7). That dragging for us today as the body of Christ (Joh 6:44) burns up the idols of our Adamic hearts typified by the names Hadrach^H2317 and Damascus^H1834.

Zec 9:1 The burden of the Word of I was, I am, I will be against the land of private place^H2317 Hadrach BDB definition =”dwelling”, and its resting place, sack of blood^H1834 Damascus BDB definition = “silent is the sackcloth weaver” , (when the eye of man, and all the tribes of he will rule with God shall be toward I was, I am, I will be), [PNB-YLT-1]

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.

Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 
Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Zec 9:2  And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.
Zec 9:3  And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. 

These next verses discuss the condition of man’s heart and the idols of the heart that will be destroyed by the body of Christ bringing great fear upon all the world, and they parallel very well with the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Act 5:1-11). 

The verses start off by describing cities that represent the strongholds of our flesh [Hamath^H2574 BDB=”walled”; PNB=wall of anger], the deceitful and desperately wicked heart (Jer 17:9) that is proud and “very wise” having built itself upon the negative rock [Tyrus^H6865 BDB=”a rock”; PNB=strength ] thinking we are complete and fulfilled in our self-sufficiency not having need of Christ’s words. Man’s wisdom is not the power of God, but God allows mankind to dwell in a place that creates a false sense of security where strongholds are laid up, “Tyrus did build herself a strong hold“; and riches of the flesh are accumulated through our industriousness [Zidon^H6721 BDB = “hunting”; PNB=hunting place] and “heaped up as silver as the dust” along with “fine gold as the mire of the streets.” “Dust and mire” – that’s the conclusion Paul comes to regarding the wisdom of man versus the power of God which is revealed in the true gospel of Jesus Christ (Php 3:8, Rom 1:16-17).

Php 3:8 and  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 

This is the mindset that is needed to win Christ that Paul is describing for us and the fruit of that mindset is then described in Philippians 3:9.

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 
Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Zec 9:4  Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire. 
Zec 9:5  Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 
Zec 9:6  And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.

Tyrus is being discussed now, which is the Phoenician way of saying the port city of Tyre. These verses are talking about the judgment of mankind at this time, and God uses the port city of Tyrus as a type of Babylon that must be judged by the saints and will be during their reign with Christ (Rev 8:9, Rev 18:17, Rev 18:19). 

Etymology blurb:

The predominant form in Classical Greek was Týros (Τύρος), which was first seen in the works of Herodotus but may have been adopted considerably earlier. It gave rise to Latin Tyrus, which entered English during the Middle English period as Tyre. The demonym for Tyre is Tyrian, and the inhabitants are Tyrians.

Rev 8:9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. 

Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 

Rev 18:19  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

The “Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire“, tells us that it is with the word of God that man’s false sense of power will be taken away, “in the sea“, meaning in our flesh and amongst all the rest of humanity that we trade with and exchange our ideas, all based on the lie that we have free moral agency.

What this judgment causes is fear and sorrow and torment, described with these words, “Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.“

This thought of “Ashkelon^{H831 BDB = the fire of infamy}: I shall be weighed“ and “Gaza^{H5804 BDB = “the strong”}” seeing this judgment unfold on Tyrus, and fearing, reminds us of this verse previously mentioned (Rev 18:19). The king perishing from Gaza, “the king shall perish from Gaza“, is symbolic language meaning that mankind is being shown we are not the masters of our own destinies, our own kings with ten crowns (Rev 13:1), and so the king of kings in our hearts [small k], with its lie of free moral agency, has to die. Ashkelon, which means ‘the weighing place’, will consider these events and see an end coming to its self-willed enterprising mind, all happening in thirds, meaning a process of judgment that must occur to rid mankind of these idols, as mentioned in Revelation 8:9. Men’s ideas about themselves, in other words, are no longer going to thrive and flourish: “Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.” So, it is a bastard^H4464  who dwells in Ashdod^{H795, H7703} at this point, seeing that the legitimacy of mankind’s ‘Jewishness’ has been exposed (Deu 23:2, Rev 3:9).

H795
Ashdod ‘ashdôd
ash-dode’

From H7703; ravager; Ashdod, a place in Palestine: – Ashdod.

H7703
shâdad
shaw-dad’

A primitive root; properly to be burly, that is, (figuratively) powerful (passively impregnable); by implication to ravage: – dead, destroy (-er), oppress, robber, spoil (-er), X utterly, (lay) waste.

H4464
Bastard
mamzêr mam-zare’

From an unused root mian. to alienate; a mongrel, that is, born of a Jewish father and a heathen mother: – bastard.

Deu 23:2  A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD. 

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.

Zec 9:7  And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite. 

Still speaking of Tyre, we are told that God will “take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth“, symbols of ‘another Jesus’ based upon our own understanding of Christ. Taking away our Adamic blood is what is required to understand the precious blood of Christ (1Pe 1:19). The abomination between our teeth is the man of perdition who sits on the throne of our hearts and represents our self-willed spirits that reject God’s sovereignty at first. So, God taking away “his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth” is a good thing and something that requires a process of judgment (Luk 21:19-20, 2Th 2:8, Mat 24:15, Lev 7:18). 

Then we’re told, “but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.” There will be no conversion during the thousand-year reign of the saints, but this verse shows us that there will be different levels of comprehension with the unconverted masses and even those who will befriend the elect acting as governors^H441 in Judah [typifying the elect], and Ekron^H6138, as a Jebusite^{H2983, H2982}.

governorsH441 
BDB: 1. tame, docile 
friend, intimate
3. chief

Strong’s:  From H502; familiar; a friend also gentle; hence a bullock (as being tame; applied although masculine to a cow); and so a chieftain (as notable like neat cattle): – captain duke (chief) friend governor guide ox.

Ekron H6138
BDB: Ekron = emigration or torn up by the roots 
the most northerly of the 5 principal cities of the Philistines; located in the lowlands of Judah and later given to Dan.
Strong’s: From H6131; eradication;

H6131: A primitive root; to pluck up (especially by the roots); specifically to hamstring; figuratively to exterminate: – dig down hough pluck up root up.

Jebusite H2983 
BDB: descendants of Jebus 
Strong’s: Patrial from H2982

H2982: BDB = threshing place ; Strongs = trodden that is threshing place;

Zec 9:6  The people in Ashdod will not even know who their real fathers are. I will completely destroy the proud Philistine people.
Zec 9:7  They will no longer eat meat with the blood still in it or any other forbidden food. Any Philistine left living will become a part of my people—they will be just one more family group in Judah. The people of Ekron will become a part of my people, just like the Jebusite people did (1Ch 11:4; 1Ki 9:19-22). I will protect my country. (ERV)

1Ch 11:4  And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 

1Ki 9:19  And all the cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
1Ki 9:20  And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel, 
1Ki 9:21  Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice (forced labour / slaves / servants) unto this day.

Mary was not converted, nor were any of Christ’s disciples at the point where He was on the cross. However, there was a closeness they had with Him that others did not share, and Mary’s heart was threshed and pierced at seeing her beloved son dying in such a horrific manner (Luk 2:35). This should give us hope for those who are yet  unconverted in our midst, still blessed to have known Christ within the body of Christ (Gal 2:20). 

Zec 9:8  And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes. 

Now the reality is in front of the world, God is dwelling on earth with His saints in the person of Jesus Christ, “I will encamp about mine house” where His bride “encamps about” to protect the holy city (Mat 26:53) so that “the exactor shall not pass over them furthermore” (CLV). “No oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes” (Rev 21:26-27) is another way of saying we will see him face to face in that day, when we are spirit beings who cannot be oppressed by the world. The natural precedes the spiritual in that regard as well, knowing that all those who are raised up as spirits in the second resurrection will not be able to oppress the elect but will be judged by the saints (1Co 13:12, 1Co 6:3, Mat 22:29-30).

Mat 26:53  Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Rev 21:26  And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. 
Rev 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 

Mat 22:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 
Mat 22:30  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

This verse is commonly thought of as a prophecy that points to the time when Christ makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and it is, but that moment in Christ’s life was also typical of His coming into the life of the elect, who are typified as Jerusalem (Gal 4:26) and now have taken on the perfected mind of Christ in the first resurrection and are glad and rejoicing for this loving relationship we have with our husband (Rev 19:7). We are glad and rejoicing and are also called the “daughter of Zion” and the “daughter of Jerusalem” throughout the scriptures. In light of the thousand-year reign though, we can also see this declaration spoken to ‘the other sheep not of this fold’ (Joh 10:16), the rest of humanity who are going to be saved and told, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee” (Oba 1:21, Psa 127:3, Psa 113:9, Isa 54:1-5)

Psa 127:3  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Psa 113:9  He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

With Christ being our head, the elect are like Him and are represented by “a colt the foal of an ass“, the tamed beast Christ controls and rides triumphantly into Jerusalem above, where we are raised in heavenly places (Eph 2:6). Because the Lord has guided our lives in this age, and we have been led by God’s spirit (Rom 8:14-16), we have been crushed and have suffered, making it possible for us to become that meek bride, being made ready to rule and reign under Christ (1Pe 3:4, Pro 18:22). 

1Pe 3:4  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 

Pro 18:22  Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. 

That crushing of the elect is directed by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is “riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” that is going over the tree branches and clothes (Mat 21:8) which represent the elect whose lives have been lost and cut down and crushed under the stone, Jesus Christ (Mat 21:44), as a glorious witness of His power and might that is able to finish this work of salvation (Zec 4:6, Psa 149:4, Luk 12:32) within the elect as His kind of first fruits (Jas 1:18).

Psa 149:4  For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. 

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Zec 9:10  And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. 

This verse contrasts with Christ “riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass“ showing us the need for judgment in the earth in order for the world to learn of His righteousness. God will take away the power of the nations, symbolized by these words, “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off.“

There will be no area of the world where Christ’s and His Christ’s influence will not be felt and implemented, declared here saying, “and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.”

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. 
Zec 9:12  Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; 

These two verses are talking about God’s elect today who are being given hope in His word that tells us because of our communion with Christ (1Co 10:16), He will, at the appointed time, send “forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water”, which has both an inward application and a dispensational one as well. We are told today to “Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope” as we look to Christ as our hope of glory within who can deliver us from our wretched flesh. We are hoping in those things which are not seen, by the faith of Christ (Col 1:27, Rom 7:24, Heb 11:1). He declares to His elect even today the double blessing which will be given to those who endure until the end and overcome by God’s power in this life “even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee.“

Zec 9:13  When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.
Zec 9:14  And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

These verses show us that God is preparing us for the battles that have been ordained for us to go through, battles that belong to the Lord (1Sa 17:47) but are executed through His bow, “When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.” The spirit of Christ in God’s elect is against the fleshly carnal heart of man, to which is what this section of the verse is referring, “and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece [representing carnal, gentile flesh, which is what all flesh is in God’s eyes], and made thee [God’s elect] as the sword of a mighty man.“

1Sa 17:47  And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands. 

The world will see this work of judgment unfolding upon them through the elect, which is what we are being told here, “And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.” The arrows represent His word that will go forth from our lips as lightning. All God’s elect do will be directed and guided by Christ, who will “blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south“, meaning we will take our lead from Christ. Coming from the south means we will go forth with the prosperity of His word in our quiver to do His bidding on the earth (Psa 127:3-5).

Psa 127:3  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psa 127:4  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 
Psa 127:5  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Zec 9:15  The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar.

The imagery in this verse describes the certainty of God’s judgments that will prevail throughout the earth. He will defend us and win our battles for us, and the giants in the land at that time will be slain, which was typified by King David slaying Goliath. “The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones” (1Sa 17:49-50).

This will be a great time of rejoicing for the bride of Christ as we see the loving protection and mighty arm of our saviour taking us into battle and giving us victory at every turn. That is why it says, “and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine.“ We shall be “filled like bowls and as the corners of the altar“, representing the complete power of judgment that will go forth from the body of Christ. The corners of the altar are where there are horns representing that power of God working in our lives. Today that power is made known to us as we die daily being, bound to the altar by the grace-through-faith relationship we have with our Lord (Psa 118:27).

Zec 9:16  And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land. 
Zec 9:17  For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

Again, some reassuring verses that remind us of God’s love toward the bride of Christ and the little flock who will be an ensign unto all the earth, “for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land” (Mal 3:17).

How great is God’s goodness toward us, and how great is His beauty, indeed! Our joy will be in living lives that have learned throughout our lifetime of overcoming that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Rev 4:8, Act 20:35), having been prepared as the bride of Christ for that service to all the world. That service is what this verse foreshadows, “For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.” We will have the privilege of giving the world the truth, represented by “corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.”

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. 
Rev 4:9  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 
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.

2Ki 19:20-37  Save us out of his hand that all may know that you are God alone – Part 2

[Study Aired March 9, 2023]

2Ki 19:20  Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
2Ki 19:21  This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
2Ki 19:22  Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.
2Ki 19:23  By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
2Ki 19:24  I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
2Ki 19:25  Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
2Ki 19:26  Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
2Ki 19:27  But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
2Ki 19:28  Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
2Ki 19:29  And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
2Ki 19:30  And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
2Ki 19:31  For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
2Ki 19:32  Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
2Ki 19:33  By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
2Ki 19:34  For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
2Ki 19:35  And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
2Ki 19:36  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
2Ki 19:37  And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

The last verse we looked at last week was (Ki 19:19) Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.

In this section of Kings (2Ki 19:20-37) we will learn how God answers this prayer of Hezekiah who typifies the elect who cry out to God day and night wanting to be avenged for the blood of the saints that has been spilt out over the years (Rev 6:10, Hab 2:3, Heb 10:37).

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence (Php 1:6), which hath great recompence of reward.
Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Hezekiah’s prayer is symbolic of how we sign and cry for the abominations of this world and are heard because of our fear and reverence toward God (Heb 5:7) that he has caused in us through the fiery trials of this life that make it possible for us to be received of God (Eze 9:4, 1Pe 4:12, Heb 12:6).

2Ki 19:20  Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
2Ki 19:21  This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

The “LORD God of Israel” hears our prayers and answers them “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph 3:20) when we are brought to that place of being abased as Hezekiah was (Mat 23:12, Jas 4:6, the prayer of untried faith does not receive anything from God Jas 1:5-8).

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Mat 23:12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering [tried faith 1Pe 1:7]. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed [and he that is not driven by the flesh, less and less is like a sea of glass mingled with fire (Rev 4:6) ].
Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Hezekiah is a type of the church being called “The virgin the daughter of Zion” and is the way God sees the bride of Christ now through our Lord (2Co 11:2, Rev 19:7, Rev 3:4)

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Christ alone is able to “make thine enemies thy footstool” and make us worthy (Mat 22:44) by setting us free from sin (Joh 8:36) as our sins typified by Sennacherib’s are laughed to scorn, “laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee“. This life long process of becoming stedfastly confident and more than a conqueror through Christ is promised to God’s elect who in time become persuaded of God’s faithfulness and power, something that is achieved through a process of having our faith tried repeatedly through this life (Rom 8:38, Act 14:22).

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

We shake our heads in dismay at our former conversation in this world (Eph 2:2) as Hezekiah did for ever having tried to make some sort of deal with Sennacherib “the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee“. We thank God for the mercy that he has shown to us as a kind of first fruits who are being given the power to put off that former conversation little and by little as God gives us victory or growth in our heavens through Christ the vine, who God’s first fruits are hoping in and seeking (Rom 11:30-31, Jer 29:13, Mat 6:33).

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.

2Ki 19:22  Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

Sennacherib’s reproach and blasphemy against the nation of  Judah was “even against the Holy One of Israel” and God is showing us that same principle that we find in (Act 9:4-5) that tells us that when we do it unto the least of these we do it unto Christ himself whether good or bad (Mat 25:40).

Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

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.

2Ki 19:23  By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his bordersH7093, and into the forest of his Carmel.
2Ki 19:24  I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt.

The words “With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains” of  Sennacherib is symbollic of how sin wants to rule over us because it is at the door of our hearts, but we will rule over it through Christ who is the mountain that we look to for deliverance from our enemies within and without (Gen 4:7, Psa 121:1).

What Satan wants to attack specifically in our lives is symbolized by this sentence “to the sides of (Lebanon – whiteness), and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his (Carmel – fruitful field)”. Satan’s goal is to always try to defile the temple of God and destroy the fruitful field of our life by corrupting it with lies (Mat 13:27-30). Cutting down “cedar trees” , and “choice fir trees” is referring to men who are as trees (Mar 8:24) that are cut down and sifted by the wicked one to become proselytes, twofold more the child of hell than yourselves (Mat 23:15). Entering into the “lodgings of his borders H7093” is referring to the extremities of the land and symbolizes for us how Satan like a roaring lion tries to cut us off in the area of our land [our bodies] where we are the weakest. We counter these attacks by humbling ourselves under His mighty hand, as we cast all our cares upon him, and look well to the flock to protect it against all such attacks, the strong bearing the weak (1Pe 5:6-9, Heb 13:17 CLV, Rom 15:1).

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

borders H7093 qêts kates  Contracted from H7112; an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after: –  + after, (utmost) border, end, [in-] finite, X process.

Isaiah’s recounting of Sennacherib’s boastful claim in his flesh with these words “I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt” further demonstrating the mind of a man being controlled by the man of perdition on the throne of his heart, whose idols within that perverted heart have been answered by those things which he has accomplished in the earth “I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt“.

2Ki 19:25  Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
2Ki 19:26  Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.

Sennacherib is God’s sword who was given those victories in his flesh (Psa 17:13), and it is God who has ordained the things that have been determined from the foundation of the world according to the counsel of His will.

Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

2Ki 19:24  I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet I will dry up all the rivers of Egypt.

Isaiah goes on to declare what God wants Hezekiah to hear in regards to Sennacherib “Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times that I have formed it?” in regard to Sennacherib’s boastful claim that “I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places“. In other words we don’t have free moral agency and God is the one who has formed the light and the darkness, and the peace and the evil (Isa 45:7), and “Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up“. These were the conditions that God created to his glory and reminds us of through the prophet Isaiah’s message to Hezekiah.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

2Ki 19:27  But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.

The Lord continues to drive this point home of His sovereignty to the proud and arrogant Sennacherib within “But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me“. These words spoken about Sennacherib cannot be heeded as he represents our old man of sin that must be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming (2Th 2:8). The verses in (Rev 2:12-13) are words for God’s people today that bare some similarity and also remind us that God is sovereign and knows our works and where our abode is and that we can through the mind of Christ, be granted to read hear and keep the sayings of this prophecy (Rev 1:3). The admonition found in (Rev 2:14) explains what it is that must be burnt out of our heavens and will be as the bride of Christ who God is going to make ready (Rev 19:7).

Rev 2:12  And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Rev 2:13  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
Rev 2:14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

2Ki 19:28  Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer 17:9), however it is known and not hidden from God as revealed with these words “to” Sennacherib, “Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears“. The way in which God will deal with that first corrupt nature that is within us is typified by what will happen to Sennacherib, described with these words “therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest“. Sennacherib is going to reap what he sows, and like Satan he will be bound “by the way which thou camest” (Rev 9:2, Rev 9:11, Rev 20:3) until the day of his judgement when his old nature will be destroyed in the lake of fire (Rev_20:10).

Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Sennacherib’s death will come by his own sons, his own household that will prove to be a house divided as Satan is (2Ki 19:37). A hook and a bridle in these very sensitive areas of one’s face reveals that God is in complete control of the beast seen here as Sennacherib who He has caused to err by going up against Hezekiah, and the nation of Judah (Isa 63:17). Going “by the way which thou camest” is reflective of the unchanged pattern in the heart of Sennacherib, unlike the true prophets of God who do not go back the same way, symbolizing the growth and the increase that God gives to his people (1Ki 13:17).

1Ki 13:17  For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.

2Ki 19:29  And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.
2Ki 19:30  And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
2Ki 19:31  For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

These three verses are in contrast with the old man and the new man, the old man that must decrease through a process of judgement described in (2Ki 19:29) along with the new man typified by Judah who must increase (Joh 3:30-31) and “yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward” in.

Things that we eat that “grow of themselves” represent the way that seems right to us but lead to death (Pro 14:12). That is the time in our life when we don’t understand God’s sovereignty over all things, or know of it but lack the faith to trust in it (Joh 21:18, Mar 9:23-24).

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Joh 21:18  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest:[Pro 14:12] but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. [Rom 15:1]

Mar 9:23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mar 9:24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. [Rom 3:27]

The second year we eat that which “springeth of the same” witnessing to us that because we are accustomed to doing evil we will continue on in our deception without God changing us (Jer 13:23). The third year represents that part of the process of judgement in Sennacherib’s life where the word of God comes to him symbolized by vineyards. God’s judgements are in the earth of Sennacherib “and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof” (Isa 26:9) however he will only learn righteousness in the lake of fire, when the “fruits thereof” that he has digested become purified at that time (Joh 12:48, Mat 12:37).

Jer 13:23  Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Mat 12:37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

It is through the process of judgement that is described as “a sign unto thee” to Sennacherib that we can go unto perfection on the third day God permitting, and it is very few who are granted that deliverance in this life from the man of perdition on the throne of our hearts (2Th 2:8) a deliverance typified by this statement “And the remnant (Rom 11:5) that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward“. Sennacherib represents our old man who cannot inherit the kingdom of God and yet his experience of evil (Ecc 1:13) is necessary as is ours in order to bring us unto perfection Lord willing in the first resurrection.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Ecc 1:13  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

Those few, the remnant “that escape” represent the bride of Christ who is made ready by the zeal of the Lord “ For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this” (Rev 19:7, Joh 2:17).

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:(“the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this“) for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

2Ki 19:32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.
2Ki 19:33  By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.
2Ki 19:34  For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.

Two things are being expressed here, one that the gates of hell will not prevail against the body of Christ (Mat 16:18), those gates being represented by the king of Assyria who shoots arrows [false doctrines] that represents all the fiery darts of the devil that the faith of Christ within God’s elect will quench (Eph 6:16). He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1Jn 4:4) is what we are being told in symbolic language and “He shall not come into this city” means that sin will no longer dominate God’s elect (Rom 6:14, Tit 2:11-12) who will go unto perfection, learning that no weapon formed against God’s people will prevail because God tells his little flock “I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake (who typifies Christ)” (Isa 54:17, Luk 12:32). Like the previous mentioned point when someone goes “By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD” it represents that this person was not ordained to go unto perfection in this life, but rather to go back to the same path that leads to death (Heb 6:1-6).

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

2Ki 19:35  And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

185,000 people smote by the angel of the LORD is a symbollic number that explains how the day of the Lord 1 will bring about the new man 8 by way of grace through faith 5.

It is “early in the morning” that we discover life comes out of death, and that a seed must die in order for life to come forth (Joh 12:24). That life, for those who are granted it today, is the life of Christ which enables us to die daily and be dead to sin and alive in Him (Gal 2:20).

Mat 20:1  For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. [we are hired of Christ and Lord willing labour in the eleventh hour]

Mar 16:2  And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Luk 21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Luk 24:1  Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

Joh 8:2  And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

Act 5:21  And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

2Ki 19:36  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
2Ki 19:37  And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that AdrammelechH152 and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.

After this devastating defeat of Sennacherib’s army, you would think there would be some humility and brokenness of spirit in him, but because he represents our man of sin no such contriteness is found, and  “So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh“, continuing in his idolatrous ways of “worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god“. His two sons Adrammelech who was named after an Assyrian idol and Sharezer whose name means “prince of fire” “smote him with the sword” and “they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead“, telling us that sin persists, and that although Satan’s house is divided against itself it continues to flourish regardless of the severity of God’s correction (Rev 16:21). That is the pattern of waxing worse and worse that is unfolding in this present age and God is the one who softens or causes hearts to be hardened which is the overarching lesson of this study that teaches us of His sovereignty over light and darkness and over good and evil (Rom 11:22, Isa 45:7).

Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

In the end Hezekiah is delivered from Sennacherib and all of his forces, and all these things happened unto them for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages is come (1Co 10:11), that demonstrate the mercy that God shows to his elect first (Rom 11:31-32) in this life so that all of God’s creation can one day come to know this truth “Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee,(Heb 5:7) save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only“(2Ki 19:19).

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.

[Study Aired June 9, 2022]

1Ki 20:22  And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. 
1Ki 20:23  And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 
1Ki 20:24  And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:
1Ki 20:25  And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so. 
1Ki 20:26  And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. 
1Ki 20:27  And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country. 
1Ki 20:28  And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 
1Ki 20:29  And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
1Ki 20:30  But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

In our last study, King Ahab, whose life represents that of God’s elect, was brought into remembrance by circumstances that God created through King Benhadad. How valuable the riches were in the temple that Ahab, which up to this point he had seemingly taken for granted. The lesson for God’s elect is that human nature can take anything for granted, and unless God gives us trials and tribulations, which came to Ahab by way of Benhadad, we would continue in this careless mindset of not holding fast to our crown, which all those riches represent (see vs 3: “Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest” [Rev 3:11).

Rev 3:11  I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

By God’s grace and mercy, Ahab had this laissez-faire spirit burned out of him. What an interesting modern word “laissez-faire” is, which would roughly translate into English as ‘leave the people do as they choose’. King Ahab is us as that carnal babe in Christ, and unless the Lord intervenes we will just do what we think is naturally right in our own eyes and even believe this is for the betterment of all others, letting ‘our brothers’ do as they choose (Pro 14:12, Pro 16:25, 1Co 5:11, Act 20:28).

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

Pro 16:25  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

This natural mind was as much a part of Christ as it is in all men, and unless Christ suffered in His flesh and learned obedience by those things which He suffered, losing His life in the process so He could gain it, we would not have a savior and high priest as we do today (Heb 4:15).

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

The feelings of our infirmities (Psa 119:67-71) includes being marred in the hand of the Potter (Jer 18:4) and being subject to a way that seems right to all mankind in this corruptible flesh. Nevertheless, Christ, being in that marred condition and having God’s spirit without measure, (“for God giveth not the Spirit by measure” [Joh 3:34]), always obeyed His Father and said not my will but your will be done — even as He was learning obedience through the things which He suffered (Heb 5:8-9, Mat 16:24, 2Ti 2:12, Luk 22:44).

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

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.

Christ denied himself to become our High Priest who can now save us from our natural tendency to deny Him in our flesh (Gal 2:20). Only Christ can be Christ, and He won’t deny Himself the work of saving all those whom the Father has given Him to save as a kind of first fruits unto God (2Ti 2:12-15, Joh 6:39, Jas 1:18, 1Pe 2:9).

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 
2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself [These are the profitable words that’s God children have been called to believe in order to do the work of God in this life].
2Ti 2:14  Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 
2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Joh 6:39  And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (1Jn 2:17, Php 2:13)

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

The winnowing process spoken of in Matthew 3:12 applies to our Head, Jesus Christ, as much as it does to His Body as well (Col 1:24), and unless the Lord builds the spiritual house within us which consists of many members that make up His body (Rom 12:5), we will be laboring in vain (Psa 127:1, Col 1:27). We are not laboring in vain however, any more than Christ was, and the reason is clear to God’s elect as to why this is the case: (1Co 15:58, Joh 5:30, Joh 15:5, Php 2:12-13).

1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent 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. 

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. 

This particular study is centered around the truth of scripture that tells us God is the God of the mountain as well as the God of the plain or valley, which is another way of reminding us that God’s will is being fulfilled in the lives of His children on earth…

“Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys“ (1Ki 20:28)

…as it is in heaven:

“Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys” (1Ki 20:28)

… and as such we have nothing to fear as we die daily and serve our Lord and His body, of which Body we are told, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven [represented by the hills] and in earth [represented by the plains]” (Mat 28:18, Php 2:12-13).

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

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. [“in heaven and in earth“]

1Ki 20:22  And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. 

The day of the Lord can be likened to one year (“for at the return of the year” of this verse), and Ahab is being told, as we are, that we are to prepare ourselves for battle (Psa 90:11-14, Eph 6:13). Ahab’s battle was physical and ours is spiritual in the Lord who gives us the power to “strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest” (Eph 6:12, Php 4:13).

Psa 90:11  Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 
Psa 90:12  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 
Psa 90:13  Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 
Psa 90:14  O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

What we must do to overcome sin after having done all is stand up against “the king of Syria” who “will come up against thee” who typifies Satan (Mat 4:2-3). The preparation for that battle against “the King of Syria” requires that “the prophet” come “to the king of Israel” to alert us of this day of visitation or judgment that is coming, and we are to heed this warning (Eze 2:5, Luk 12:47, 1Th 5:20).

Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 
Mat 4:3  And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 

Eze 2:5  And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. 

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 

1Th 5:20  Despise not prophesyings.

1Ki 20:23  And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 
1Ki 20:24  And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms: 
1Ki 20:25  And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

It is “the servants of the king of Syria” who come to the king of Syria to give him their earthly counsel as opposed to the prophet who came to the king of Israel to let Ahab know for certain what was going to happen (Amo 3:7).

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Carnal reasoning for taking “the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms” never works! To dismiss the ordained rulers (“the kings”) and replace them with the ‘military commanders’ will not bode well (Pro 14:12).

1Ki 20:24  So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, and replace them with military commanders. (NET)

Their pagan concepts of who they thought God was were defined with a small ‘g’, “god”. They believed that they had the “home court advantage” against Israel because of their belief that Israel’s ‘god’ only battled well in the mountains and as such was only the god of the mountains.

The lesson for God’s elect is to not lose sight that God can and will fight all our battles, the ones in the plain and the ones in hills, which are symbols for us of how Christ has all power over heaven and earth where He will reign victoriously (Mat 28:18, Isa 33:22).

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

Isa 33:22  For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

The fleshly carnal mind just naturally wants to compartmentalize God, and this pantheistic approach of the Syrians in defining who they thought Israel’s God was, led to their destruction.

The definition of insanity was once defined as doing the same thing over and over with the same wrong results, which is what we do when we are in the bondage of sin and why we read of Syria’s preparation for war in these terms: “And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.“

I can’t help but think of comparing this story to Gog and Magog (Rev 20:8-9). This battle at the end of the thousand year reign of the saints has the same delusional undertones as that of “the servants of the king of Syria“.

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

1Ki 20:26  And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
1Ki 20:27  And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.

Verse 26 explains why Benhadad, or anyone who is trying to fight spiritual warfare, will lose if they number the Syrians” (2Sa 24:1, 1Ch 21:1, Jas 1:13), representing our trust in our flesh and our own strength, which is what “Aphek^H663” means. It doesn’t say who numbered Israel, as opposed to declaring “that Benhadad numbered the Syrians“, the point being that the Lord is the one who determines our ranks and how many we need to win the battle (Jdg 7:7, Heb 11:32.

Jdg 7:7  And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men [Rom 2:4] that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

This is all symbolic language telling us that we need to get out of the way and confess our transgressions (300 men – process of judgment) so that God can fight the battle for us through Christ (Gideon) and the body of Christ (Gideon’s army). Our victory comes about by hoping in those things which we don’t see which requires the faith of Christ that is in His body the church, represented by Gideon’s army (Joh 20:29).

Heb 11:32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

More contrast is drawn for us in regard to the children of Israel who were numbered, and all present looking “like two little flocks of kids;” who were all present and pitched before the vastly larger Syrian army that “filled the country“. The contrast with “two little flocks of kids” and an army that “filled the country” reminds us that with Christ in us as His little flock who are “all present” as one body (Luk 12:32), we have nothing to fear regarding what any size army symbolizing our trials may come our way such as this one that “filled the country” (Rom 8:35-39, Mat 16:18).

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

H663‘ăphêq    ‘ăphı̂yq    af-ake’, af-eek’    From H662 (in the sense of strength); fortress; Aphek (or Aphik), the name of three places in Palestine: – Aphek, Aphik.  Total KJV occurrences: 9

1Ki 20:28  And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

This verse makes it very apparent how easy it is for the Lord to deliver us from our enemies, declared by the ‘man of God’ who comes and prophesies of things to come.

It is the prophets of old who came to Israel, expressed this way by the holy spirit “who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets”, and it is Christ who comes to us as the Comforter who will lead us into all Truth today through the church (Heb 1:1-3, Amo 3:7, 1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11, Joh 14:16-17, Eph 3:10).

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 
Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 
Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 

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 [Col 1:27].

Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

This is exactly what this man of God says for our sakes today: “Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.“

God is showing us through this event in history how He deals with any unbelief within Christ’s body, the church (Col 1:24). Notice it says, “And ye shall know that I am the LORD” — after the Syrians within me are destroyed who would have me believe that God is only God in certain parts of my earth [my life], when in fact He is the “God of the hills” as well as the “God of the valley“.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 

1Ki 20:29  And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
1Ki 20:30  But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

Both sides pitching one over against the other for seven days is a physical representation of the flesh being against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh (Gal 5:17) and how there must be a complete readiness of mind before “the battle was joined“. Such a battle symbolizes Christ now entering into the holy of holies which no man, specifically our carnal self, can enter. The carnal, first man Adam, is destroyed in spiritual battle, typified by Syria being overcome in this physical battle (Rev 15:8). The number slain “in one day” was “an hundred thousand footmen” reminds us that this battle represents the destruction of our readied and completely prepared carnal hearts which are deceitful and desperately wicked. But for the grace through faith of Christ, the sin that lies at the doors of our heart would sift us via the destroyer Satan (Gen 4:7, Luk 22:31).

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.

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. 

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him  [Eph 2:8].

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 

Notice the rest fled “to Aphek, into the city” to escape the battle “and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left“, telling us that our sins will find us out and there is no refuge or strength to be found when we go “to Aphek, into the city” which symbolizes our leaning to our own understanding (Num 32:23, Pro 3:3-6).

Num 32:23  But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.

Pro 3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 
Pro 3:4  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 
Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

The good news for God’s elect is that He is working with us as His workmanship so our old man will be sought out and completely destroyed by Christ as He knocks down our walls within our weakly fortified cities within ourselves in order to destroy our carnal nature as He gives us a new heart (Eze 36:26).

Eze 36:26  I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

This wall that kills 27,000 is a multiple of ten that represents flesh and blood which cannot inherit the kingdom of God and is prevented by the fiery sword which turns every way to keep the tree of life (Gen 3:24). It can also be likened to the shout of the armies of Israel that caused the walls of Jericho to fall, an act of faith typifying that when the body of Christ is of one mind, and all come in the unity of the faith being of one voice, our enemies are conquered (Jos 6:16, Jos 6:20-21, Heb 11:30).

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.

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. 

Sin is persistent and will always be at the door of our hearts to be overcome, and it will desperately try to hide itself in the inner chamber of our hearts and minds: “And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.” However, the Lord will seek it out and destroy it all, at an appointed time. The appointed time is an ongoing dying-daily process for God’s elect who are being judged today [27,000 – the 2+7 (which adds to 9) (1Pe 4:17)], a judgment that will conclude at our last breath, bringing us unto perfection on the third day, if we are blessed of God to endure until the end (Mat 24:13).

Luk 13:32  And he said to them, Having gone, say to this fox, Behold, I cast out demons and finish cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am fully perfected. 

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the last section of chapter twenty in Kings. Here are the verses:

1Ki 20:31  And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
1Ki 20:32  So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
1Ki 20:33  Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
1Ki 20:34 And Benhadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
1Ki 20:35  And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.
1Ki 20:36  Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
1Ki 20:37  Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
1Ki 20:38  So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
1Ki 20:39  And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
1Ki 20:40  And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
1Ki 20:41  And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
1Ki 20:42  And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
1Ki 20:43  And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

1Ki 20:1-21  “Whose fan is in his hand…”

[Study Aired June 2, 2022]

The title of this study is taken from Matthew 3:12 where we learn with this statement of John the Baptist what God will do through Christ via the unquenchable fire which represents God’s word that will actively and completely judge God’s people (Rev 15:8). The two things that will happen for those who are being judged in this age  (1Pe 4:17, 1Pe 4:12, 1Jn 4:17) are described in these terms; wheat will be gathered into the garner and the chaff will be burnt up with unquenchable fire.

Mat 3:12  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 

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. 

It is “his floor“, our heavenly Father’s and Christ’s floor (Joh 16:14-15), where all this activity is taking place; where Christ and His body will stand upon it, and where Peter, who represents the church, will be built upon the cornerstone Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18). Christ is set upon that floor by God (1Co 12:18, 1Pe 2:5-6) as the first of the kind of first fruits and sure foundation (1Co 3:11) who endured great suffering (Isa 53:4, Isa 53:10) so that He, as our forerunner, could help His body endure the winnowing process we must all endure to be fitly framed into the temple of God (Heb 4:15, Eph 2:21-22).

Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 
Joh 16:15  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 

Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 
1Pe 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion [1Co 12:18] a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 

The scriptures we will look at in 1 Kings 20:1-43 were written for our admonition “upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1Co 10:11). The battles of which we will read between Syria and Israel, between Benhadad and Ahab, are very instructive in showing us how we will overcome our principle enemy within through Christ who is working in us both to will and to do God’s good pleasure (Php 2:12-13). His pleasure is to give us the kingdom of God in earnest within us today (Luk 12:32, Luk 17:21, Eph 1:14) as He thoroughly purges us day by day as we die daily (1Co 15:31).  He is giving us what is needed to patiently possess our souls as doers of the word until the glorious day when we will inherit the kingdom in its fullness in the first resurrection, if we are granted to endure until the end through this process of judgment (Eph 6:12, Mat 6:34, Luk 21:19, Rev 11:15, Mat 24:13).

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

This battle between Syria and Israel, and all the lessons that Ahab the king of Israel had to learn, are all type and shadow events written for the elect’s sake (2Co 4:15) to teach us how to deal with sin in our members (Rom 7:23) as we learn to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts (Tit 2:12).  As a result of the destruction of our man of sin, typified by Benhadad along with a long list of other evil kings who also attacked Israel at their appointed time (Amo 3:6), Israel, being a type of the Israel of God, is the apple of God’s eye even as we are Satan’s primary target whom he wants to kill and destroy spiritually (Zec 2:8, Psa 17:8,Joh 10:10).

Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. 

Zec 2:8  For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. 

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

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 [“under the shadow of thy wings“].

1Ki 20:1   And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it. 
1Ki 20:2  And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad, 
1Ki 20:3  Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. 
1Ki 20:4  And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

Benhadad and all his host that have been gathered to battle against Israel represent the powers and principalities God’s people wrestle against all the time (Eph 6:12). Benhadad is God’s sword in His hand (Psa 17:13-14) who has “thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.” The 32 kings have all the right combination of numbers to witness [2] to us this process of judgment [3] upon Ahab who is learning for the elect’s sake one of many ways God’s grace is administered to us in this life – “by thy sword” [3+2=5].

Psa 17:13  Arise, O Jehovah, Confront him, cast him down: Deliver my soul from the wicked by thy sword;

None of “thy silver and thy gold”, “thy wives also and thy children, the goodliest”, were Benhadad’s, and yet by merely sending a seducing spirit via the messengers that Benhadad sent, Ahab very nearly gave up so much wealth to this evil king’s desire (Mat 4:9) saying, “My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.” The spiritual lesson for God’s elect is to know what is yours and to hold fast to it, as you cleave to God and resist the devil (2Pe 1:4, Rev 3:11, Jas 4:7).

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: [represented by “Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest“] that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

1Ki 20:5  And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 
1Ki 20:6  Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away. 

It took this second coming of the messengers sent from Benhadad to finally start to wake Ahab up to the treacherous and selfish spirit he was dealing with. It wasn’t good enough for Benhadad to know that Ahab was willing to give him all the things that he was asking of him, Benhadad needed to also send servants to investigate the merchandise of Ahab and take the best of the best, and take even “whatsoever is pleasant in thine [Ahab’s] eyes… and take it away”. This behavior of Ahab is one step worse than king Hezekiah who also had no comprehension of the proper decorum for a king of Israel, which is to not show all the treasures of the temple that represent God’s truth, the altar where we eat at which they are not worthy to eat [in this case king Benhadad and his entourage] (Heb 13:10, 1Jn 4:6). On the other hand, Ahab is even worse than Hezekiah willing to give away his typical birthright [“Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest“] in regard to this gentile king (Jud 1:11-12, Isa 39:2, 2Ki 20:13). Alas, God showed mercy to Ahab and made him reconsider enough that he would seek out safety that would soon be found in the multitude of counselors that were available to him (Pro 11:14, Pro 24:6).

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 

1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 

Jud 1:11  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 
Jud 1:12  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 

Isa 39:2  And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. 

1Ki 20:7  Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. 
1Ki 20:8  And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

Finally, Ahab starts to demonstrate some spiritual backbone in type and shadow by going to the elders to mark this proud man (2Th 3:14) who was simply on the take, wanting what was not his from an unsuspecting Ahab, who at this point was symbolically becoming friends with the world (1Jn 2:15-17). He reminds the elders all the things he was willing to give to Benhadad (perhaps to keep peace with Syria; we’re not told), but we are told what his elders thought of all such actions, “And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.”

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2Th 3:14  And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

1Ki 20:9  Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again. 
1Ki 20:10  And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. 
1Ki 20:11  And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

Now that Benhadad realizes he’s not going to get his way, seeing Ahab has had a spiritual wake-up call via the counsel of the elders, the real spirit of Benhadad starts to manifest with these murderous words that ironically sound a lot like the earlier words of Ahab’s wife Jezebel to Elijah “The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me“. Let’s compare those words to hers: “Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time” (1Ki 19:2). Ahab’s wicked and controlling wife represents Babylon that wants to call the shots and bring fear into our hearts through false accusations, threats and false doctrines (Rev 12:10, Rev 2:10, Luk 12:5). Benhadad represents Babylon who wants to rob us of all our spiritual riches, as stated earlier, to take our crown.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 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 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Luk 12:5  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Verse 11 confirms that Ahab has awakened to Benhadad’s evil intent by telling him in so many words that he is a lame duck who has no armor on, regardless of his proud words of defiance against the king and nation of Israel. Ahab is starting to sound more like King David in this instance and realizes that this defiant spirit of Benhadad must be challenged (1Sa 17:4-8, 1Sa 17:26). The lesson for God’s elect is that He will always wake us up and prepare us for battle at the appointed time despite ourselves, because the battle is the Lord’s, and the preparation and answer of our tongues are also from him (Mat 25:6-10, 2Ch 20:15, Pro 16:1).

1Sa 17:4  And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 
1Sa 17:5  And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
1Sa 17:6  And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. 
1Sa 17:7  And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield-bearer went before him. 
1Sa 17:8  And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 

1Sa 17:26  And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

1Ki 20:12  And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

Pride comes before a fall, and these are the words of the pride-filled and spiritually drunken voice of the king of Syria. He and the kings in the pavilions are about to bring a great slaughter on their own people as a result of their haughty spiritually drunken spirits (Pro 16:18, Pro 14:34-35).

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 

Pro 14:34  Righteousness exalteth a nation; But sin is a reproach to any people. 

1Ki 20:13  And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 
1Ki 20:14  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the province. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. 
1Ki 20:15  Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.

This prophet was prophesying for Ahab, but in fact it was a prophecy written for our sakes (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11) to remind us of “this great multitude” of Revelation 7:9  and how Ahab, who represents the elect, will “by the young men of the princes of the province” order the battle (Rev 11:15). That order will be maintained by Ahab who shall order the battle, just as it will be ordered by God’s elect during the thousand-year reign under Christ’s direction. Likewise, there was order in the seven churches of Asia which all eventually forsook Paul (2Ti 1:15) as will all the world represented by Gog and Magog at the end of the thousand-year reign (Rev 20:8). The world needs to clearly see the order God has ordained in the church during the thousand-year reign, which is maintained by a rod of iron, and that in time will be rebelled against, as per the counsel of God’s will (Rev 20:6, Eph 1:11). Verse 15 confirms that these prophetic events of Ahab’s rulership point to a future event reminding us that all the leaders of this world and all their decrees and laws are to be superseded by the rulership of Christ and His bride. Because we have dominion over all the rulers who rule the kingdoms of this world, represented by the numbers 232 [2+3+2=7], by extension we also will have absolute authority over all people of the earth, represented by the statement, “all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.“

1Ki 20:16  And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

This above verse we’re reading describes the status of the world just before the return of Christ (Deu 28:29, Luk 17:26-29). They (the young men of the princes of the provinces) “went out at noon” sober and vigilant being about their Father’s business so to speak (Heb 11:7, Luk 2:49) as opposed to “he and the kings” who were not in a state of readiness but of drunkenness (Joh 6:44, Heb 11:7, 1Pe 4:7,  1Pe 5:8-9).

Deu 28:29  And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. 

Luk 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 
Luk 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 
Luk 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 
Luk 17:29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 

Luk 2:49  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 

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. 

1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren^G81 [Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated who were taken from the same womb (Rom 9:13)] that are in the world^G2889.

G81 adelphotēs ad-el-fot’- ce  From G80; brotherhood (properly the feeling of brotherliness), that is, (the (Christian) fraternity: – brethren, brotherhood.  Total KJV occurrences: 2

G80adelphosad-el-fos’  From G1 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς delphus (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like [H1]): – brother. Total KJV occurrences: 346

1Ki 20:17  And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria. 
1Ki 20:18  And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. 
1Ki 20:19  So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them. 
1Ki 20:20  And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen. 
1Ki 20:21  And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

The enemies of God always underestimate the power and resilience which is in the weak of the world, who are more than conquerors through Christ (1Co 1:26-29, Col 1:27, Eph 1:21, Eph 6:12, Rom 8:37) as confirmed with this ultra-confident statement of Benhadad in his flesh toward the young men of the princes of the provinces who went out first, “Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.“

This again was another example of a spirit of pride, high-mindedness and conceit (1Co 10:12, Rom 11:20-25) that God warns us about repeatedly in His word and that will always precede destruction, the end result being shown: “And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen. And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter” (1Ki 20:20-21).

During the thousand-year reign, the elect have no intention of being influenced by the perverted cultures of mankind who will still want to “take them alive” whether we come in peace or come to make war. In truth, we are coming in the name of the Lord to enforce peace for an appointed time and then to make war against the entirety of humanity by administering the judgments of God during the great white throne judgment that will destroy the last spiritual enemy, which the naturally rebellious carnal mind of man is (Rev 20:11, Luk 13:35, 1Co 15:26, Jer 17:9).

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 
Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 
Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 
Rom 11:23  And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 
Rom 11:24  For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 
Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

This victory that was given to Ahab and the nation of Israel is a representation of the victory God can give His children over sin if the Son of man sets us free (Joh 8:36). It is a process, as we all know, and so, although Ahab has won this battle, he is already being warned to keep fighting a good fight of faith in type and shadow at the hand of the prophet sent to him by God: “And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.”

It takes a lifetime of overcoming, in other words, and much tribulation (Act 14:22, Mat 24:13, Rev 3:21), to receive the full benefit of this verse, “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Having done all through Christ, we will be able to “strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee” and you will by the grace of God be able to stand (Eph 6:11-18).

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [God’s elect are being winnowed now so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil.]
Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 
Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 
Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 
Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

Dan 10:1-21  Now I am Come to Make Thee Understand What Shall Befall thy People in the Latter Days

[Study Aired February 7, 2022]

Dan 10:1  In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. 
Dan 10:2  In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 
Dan 10:3  I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 
Dan 10:4  And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 
Dan 10:5  Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 
Dan 10:6  His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 
Dan 10:7  And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 
Dan 10:8  Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. 
Dan 10:9  Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. 
Dan 10:10  And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. 
Dan 10:11  And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. 
Dan 10:12  Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 
Dan 10:13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 
Dan 10:14  Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. 
Dan 10:15  And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 
Dan 10:16  And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 
Dan 10:17  For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. 
Dan 10:18  Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 
Dan 10:19  And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. 
Dan 10:20  Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. 
Dan 10:21  But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. 

Chapter 10 of Daniel relates to the vision Daniel had which left him without strength and speechless. However, the man he saw in the vision came to strengthen him and caused him to speak. As explained in one of the previous reviews of the Book of Daniel, Daniel, being a symbol of the Old Testament prophets, was not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. These Old Testament men of God were, therefore, given visions and dreams. However, we, like Moses, are given to know the mind of Christ or His mysteries. The reason our Lord talked plainly with Moses was that he was the only Old Testament prophet who was given the task of bringing his people out of the bondage of sin (Egypt) to know Christ in the wilderness. We, His elect, are also given the same role as Moses – that is, the world should be saved through His Christ.

Joh 3:17  For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the word; but that the world should be saved through him.

Performing such an audacious role requires knowing Christ intimately, that is, being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Num 12:5  And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. 
Num 12:6  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 
Num 12:7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 
Num 12:8  With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Dan 10:1  In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. 

The third year of Cyrus’ reign signifies the judgment of the elect, as the number three means the process of spiritual completion through judgment, and Cyrus means “possess thou the furnace”. Daniel represents the elect and the name Belteshazzar given to Daniel means “Lord of the straitened treasure”. It is in our spiritually impoverished (straitened) state that we find this treasure (Christ) ‘in earthen vessel’. This vision revealed to Daniel was not for himself as he was made to understand that the time appointed was long and that the vision would become a reality to his people in the latter days (verse 14). We, the elect, are Daniel’s people “upon whom the ends of the world are come” (latter days).

Dan 10:14  Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 
1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 
1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 
1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Dan 10:2  In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.

The three full weeks is the period appointed for the elect for their spiritual completion through judgment. This means that Daniel, representing the elect, was going through judgment and therefore in a mourning state during this spiritual completion process of judgment. In Ezekiel, we are told that we, the elect, are caused to eat (live by) the roll of the book which is the word of Christ. This word of Christ is the fire that causes us to experience the lamentations, the woes and the mourning written in it.

Eze 2:9  And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; 
Eze 2:10  And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. 

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 (mourning).

Dan 10:3  I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 

During this process of spiritual completion through judgment in our lives, we are not required to eat pleasant bread, flesh or wine. The bread here is a negative application of bread in the scriptures. This bread is the false doctrine which darkens our heavens and makes it impossible to see the glorious light of the Lord.

Pro 4:17  For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Pro 20:17  Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

So, what we are being told is that we must not imbibe false doctrines as we go through this process of spiritual completion through judgment. The same applies to flesh and wine. The flesh here refers to man’s wisdom, and the wine is the doctrines of demons.

1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 

Deu 32:33  Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.

To anoint means to sanctify. Thus, the statement that Daniel did not anoint himself during this period means that during this process of our spiritual completion, we do not seek our own righteousness. Our righteousness is of Christ.

Exo 40:11  And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.

Exo 40:13  And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

Dan 10:4  And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

The number twenty-four signifies the elect as shown as follows:

Rev 5:14  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth 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,

It is the elect, who are in union (the number 1) with Christ and are given to understand the word of the Lord, represented here by the great river, Hiddekel, which came out of Eden and parted into the east of Assyria.

Gen 2:14  And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 

Dan 10:5  Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 

The description of this man clothed in linen is of Jesus Christ our Lord. The reason for this is that when we compare scripture with scripture, we see this same description of Christ in other parts of the word of the Lord. For example, in Revelation chapter 1, we see the same description of Christ.

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 1:11  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 
Rev 1:12  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 
Rev 1:13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 
Rev 1:16  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 
Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

In Revelation 1:10-17 more details about Christ are provided than in Daniel 10:5-6, but the comparisons are basically the same. In Daniel 10:5, the man was clothed in linen but in Revelation 1:13, the man was clothed with a garment down to the feet. The linen garment represents the righteousness of Christ. The Lord’s ministers are required to wear clothes that do not make them sweat, hence the linen. Sweat represents our own effort or strength. Clothes that are not linen represent our own righteousness which the Lord abhors.

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

The loins being girded with fine gold of Uphaz in Daniel 10:5 is the same as the son of man being girt about the paps with a golden girdle in Revelation 1:13. The golden girdle or the loins girded with fine gold is the truth of the word of Christ.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

Dan 10:6  His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 

In verse 6, His face as the appearance of lightning is the same as the description of Jesus when He rose from the dead in Matthew 28:3.

Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 
Mat 28:3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Lightning connotes judgment. So, His face as the appearance of lightning means His coming to us is to judge us. The Lord’s eyes like lamps of fire is also speaking of the Lord’s judgment through the fire of His words.

Job 14:3  And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

Psa 11:4  The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Pro 20:8  A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.

In verse 6, it is stated that the arms and feet of the Lord are likened in color to polished brass. In Revelation 1:15, it is only the feet that are described as fine brass which is the result of burning in a furnace.

Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

The arms refer to our works, and our feet speak of our walk before the Lord. Thus, what we are being told is that every man’s work, which reflects our walk before Him, shall be tried in the furnace of affliction when Christ comes to us.

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

Finally, in verse 6, it is also stated that the voice of His words is like the voice of a multitude. In Revelation 1:15 it is said that Christ’s voice is like the sound of many waters. What we are being told is that when Christ comes to us, we will hear Him clearly. That is, our eyes will begin to see, and our ears will start to hear the words of the Lord.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Dan 10:7  And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 

What happened to Daniel was the same thing that happened to Paul on the road to Damascus. He saw Christ, but the people with him did not see Christ. The word of the Lord enlightens us to see Christ and His ways, but to others, it darkens their path, making it impossible for them to see Jesus.

Exo 14:19  And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 
Exo 14:20  And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 
Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 
Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 
Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 
Act 9:7  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

Dan 10:8  Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. 

The more we see Jesus, the more we realize our helplessness and unworthiness before Him. We come to see that without Him, we can do nothing. In other words, anybody who has seen Jesus has lost his strength. Such a person now depends on the strength of the Lord. Apostle John also experienced the same thing when Christ appeared to him at the island of Patmos.

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.

Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,

Dan 10:9  Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

While the angel was talking to Daniel, he was in a deep sleep until the angel touched him and set him upright. The deep sleep here refers to the fact that we were spiritually dead when Christ came to us with His word which woke us up to the reality of our spiritual poverty.  We were just like Lazarus, who was dead for four days. The four days signify the whole period of his life before Christ came to him. When Christ came to him with the brightness of His coming, Lazarus was set free from the shackles of grave clothes and the napkin that bound his face.

Joh 11:38  Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 
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. 
Joh 11:40  Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 
Joh 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 
Joh 11:42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 
Joh 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 
Joh 11:44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Dan 10:10  And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
Dan 10:11  And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. 

As indicated previously, when we come before the Lord, we lose all our strength. Our Lord then comes to give us His strength. It is when we lose our strength that the Lord comes in to strengthen us by touching us. This same experience happened to John at Patmos.

Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the first and the last,  

In verse 11, the Lord told Daniel that He was sent specifically to him. We are the lost sheep of the house of Israel to whom the Lord is specifically sent in this age.

Mat 15:24  But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Dan 10:12  Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

It is while in Babylon that the Lord comes to us to make us aware of our spiritual poverty and the need for us to be chastised. This coming of the Lord into our lives is for the purpose of destroying the raging beast within us with His words.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteh will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Dan 10:13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

We know that it is in the sum of the words of the Lord that we find truth. We also know that none can resist the will of the Lord and that everything is going according to the purpose of His will.

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever. (ASV) 

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 

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:

So then, what does it mean in verse 13 that the prince of the kingdom of Persia “withstood me one and twenty days”? As we have stated, nothing can resist the will of our Lord. We know that the word of the Lord is the same as Christ himself. Thus, resisting the word of Christ is the same as resisting Christ.  This is what the enemy or the evil one was doing in our lives before Christ came – he was resisting the words of Christ from being effective in our lives.

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 

The devil is the prince of the kingdom of Persia. Remember that during the time of Daniel, the world centered around Persia, and therefore Persia was basically the world. The devil is the god, or the prince, of this world as mentioned by the Lord.

Joh 14:30  I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me;

This resistance of the words of our Lord is for twenty-one days. This is how the number twenty-one is used in the scripture in the negative context:

2Ki 24:18  Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Zedekiah was one of the worst rulers in Judah, and his reign ended with the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of most of the Jews to Babylon.

In summary, what we are being told in verse 13 is that the twenty-one days that the prince of Persia resisted the Lord is the period in the lives of the elect in which, being devoid of the word of Christ, we are completely overcome by the evil one who desecrates our temple. The end of this period is when Christ comes to us after we have been made to see the abomination of desolation in our temple. That is, it is at this point in our lives that the wicked one is revealed, and Christ comes with His brightness (His words) to destroy the beast within who is influenced by the evil one. In the case of Daniel, it was immediately after the twenty-one days that the Lord came to Him with His words.

2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Michael means “Who is like God?” It is Christ and His Christ (the elect) who are like God. Michael therefore represents the elect. The coming of the Lord to us is through His Christ, the elect. That is the meaning of Michael coming to the Lord’s assistance. For example, the coming of Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch was through Philip, who represents the elect.

Act 8:29  Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 
Act 8:30  And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 
Act 8:31  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 
Act 8:32  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 
Act 8:33  In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 
Act 8:34  And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 
Act 8:35  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Dan 10:14  Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

The coming of the Lord is to make us understand what has been written concerning us in His words. We are the people being spoken of, who will experience what was revealed to Daniel and is supposed to take place in the latter days.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Dan 10:15  And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 
Dan 10:16  And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 

Christ coming to us is to make us aware of our dumbness. In other words, we realize that we cannot speak about Him since we do not know Him. His coming therefore is to put His words in our mouth. This is signified by the touching of the lips of Daniel. The same thing happened to Jeremiah as the Lord put His words in his mouth.

Jer 1:9  Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. 
Jer 1:10  See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

Dan 10:17  For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. 
Dan 10:18  Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 
Dan 10:19  And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. 

As we indicated earlier, the coming of the Lord to us is to destroy all our fleshly strength so that we can rely on His strength.

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Psa 37:39  But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
Psa 37:40  And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. 

Dan 10:20  Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. 

The statement “when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come” means that this battle is for a lifetime. Just like Jesus when He was tempted by the devil, the scripture says that the devil left Him for a while. Our engagement with the evil one is relentless. The good news, however, is that the Lord is on our side and is fighting our battles for us!! All we have to do is to have confidence in Him that what He has started in us, He is able to bring it to completion!!

Luk 4:13  And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 

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: 

Dan 10:21  But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. 

We, the elect, are the ones who are contending on the side of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the commander of the Lord’s army. We are indeed privileged to contend on the side of the Lord. This means that our victory is assured!! We, the elect, are just like Joshua who engaged the enemy to dispossess them of the land which is our bodies.

Jos 5:13  When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”
Jos 5:14  And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 
Jos 5:15  And the commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.