Bones – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word https://www.iswasandwillbe.com Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty Wed, 05 Mar 2025 22:40:48 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cropped-headerlogo-32x32.png Bones – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word https://www.iswasandwillbe.com 32 32 The Spiritual Significance of Bones in Scripture https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-spiritual-significance-of-bones-in-scripture/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-spiritual-significance-of-bones-in-scripture Tue, 04 Mar 2025 16:05:05 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=32245 Study Audio Download

The Spiritual Significance of Bones in Scripture

[Study Aired March 4, 2025]

Introduction

What can the physical structures that support our bodies teach us about our spiritual lives? Throughout Scripture, God reveals spiritual truths through physical elements of creation, for “the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made” (Romans 1:20). Among these elements, bones carry especially deep spiritual significance, teaching us about our spiritual foundation, mortality, resurrection hope, and inner health.

Bones as Structure and Strength: Our Spiritual Foundation

In the physical body, bones provide framework and support, reflecting how Christ serves as our spiritual foundation. As Paul declares, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). This connection between physical bones and spiritual foundation appears consistently throughout Scripture.

The very creation of woman demonstrates the profound significance of bones in God’s design: “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:21-23). This foundational account shows how God used bone—the very structure that provides strength and framework—as the basis for creating humanity’s essential relationship, establishing a pattern of interconnection and mutual support that reflects our spiritual dependence on Christ.

King David understood this relationship when he prayed, “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice” (Psalm 51:8). His words reflected not merely physical trauma but the deep spiritual breaking he experienced after his sin with Bathsheba. The very foundation of his being was shaken, and he recognized that only God could restore his spiritual structure.

Think of how a broken bone must be properly set and given time to heal. Similarly, when our spiritual foundation is damaged through sin or tragedy, proper healing requires God’s intervention and sufficient time for restoration. Just as we wouldn’t expect a broken arm to heal overnight, deep spiritual restoration follows a similar pattern.

Job expressed a similar understanding when affliction penetrated to his core: “My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest” (Job 30:17). His physical agony reflected a deeper spiritual anguish that touched the foundation of his being.

The prophetic statement that “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken” (Psalm 34:20), which finds perfect fulfillment in Jesus on the cross (John 19:36), reveals God’s protection over the spiritual foundation of Christ—a protection that extends to us through our union with Him. This preservation speaks not to our old nature, which must be crucified and broken, but to our new man that has been born of the Spirit. As Paul explains, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is this new creation that is incorporated into Christ’s body, as Paul declares, “we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (Ephesians 5:30). This remarkable union doesn’t preserve our old nature but rather grafts our new spiritual identity into Christ’s very being, making us partakers of His glorious nature and structure. The old man must be broken for the new to emerge—just as a seed must die to produce new life—but this new life in Christ receives the same protection that preserved our Savior’s bones on the cross.

Bones and Mortality: The Reality of Human Frailty and Divine Renewal

Throughout Scripture, bones frequently represent both mortality and the potential for heavenly renewal. As remnants after flesh has decayed, they serve as stark reminders of our limited earthly existence while simultaneously pointing to God’s power to restore.

The prophet Jeremiah describes scenes of judgment where “the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, shall be brought out of their graves” (Jeremiah 8:1). This vivid image of exposed bones served as a powerful prophetic statement about righteous judgment.

To understand this judgment scene fully, we must appreciate its historical context. Jeremiah prophesied during a period of deep spiritual decline in Judah, shortly before the Babylonian exile. The people had abandoned God’s covenant, embraced idolatry, and rejected repeated warnings through the prophets.

This prophetic imagery of exposed bones conveys several powerful spiritual truths that Scripture consistently affirms. It reveals universal judgment before God, as the text specifically mentions every level of Judean society—kings, princes, priests, prophets, and ordinary citizens—showing how God’s judgment transcends human status distinctions. As Solomon writes, “The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2). This principle appears throughout Scripture, from Job’s recognition that God “accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands” (Job 34:19) to Peter’s declaration that “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). The imagery also demonstrates heavenly exposure of hidden things, as the Lord repeatedly warns through the prophets that what is concealed will be revealed: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known” (Luke 12:2). The prophet Ezekiel similarly described God’s judgment: “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them” (Ezekiel 8:18). This exposure fulfills the principle that “some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after” (1 Timothy 5:24). Furthermore, it highlights the powerlessness of idolatry, as Jeremiah continues in the next verse to describe how these bones would be spread before “the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped” (Jeremiah 8:2). This vividly illustrates the biblical truth that “their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands… They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone that trusts them” (Psalm 115:4,8). Isaiah similarly declares that idolaters “cannot deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity” (Isaiah 46:2), showing how false worship ultimately leaves its adherents vulnerable to God’s judgment.

Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones presents the ultimate picture of death and hopelessness. The Lord asked him, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3). This question extends beyond physical resurrection to spiritual renewal—can that which is spiritually dead be made alive? The answer comes through God’s sovereign power alone: “Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live” (Ezekiel 37:5).

This transformation from death to life reflects Paul’s description: “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13). Bones in Scripture therefore represent both our mortality and God’s power over death.

The prophet Habakkuk vividly expressed how awareness of God’s judgment penetrates to our very foundation: “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself” (Habakkuk 3:16). Yet this same God who brings conviction also brings restoration, as demonstrated in Ezekiel’s vision when the dry bones were miraculously assembled and brought to life.

The most dramatic demonstration of God’s power over death came through a man who was restored to life after touching Elisha’s bones: “And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet” (2 Kings 13:21). This historical miracle foreshadowed the greater resurrection power that would come through Christ.

Bones and Inner Health: The Connection Between Spiritual Condition and Vitality

Scripture reveals a profound connection between bone health and spiritual condition. Proverbs 14:30 states, “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” This verse shows how negative spiritual states affect our innermost being at the foundational level.

In our modern context, we understand how emotions like bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness can literally impact our physical health. Medical science increasingly recognizes these connections, confirming what Scripture revealed thousands of years ago—that our spiritual condition affects us to the very core of our being.

Proverbs 3:7-8 confirms this relationship: “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” Here, proper spiritual alignment with God produces inner vitality, symbolized by marrow-filled bones. Since bone marrow produces blood cells essential for life, this suggests that right relationship with God nourishes our spiritual life at its source.

Isaiah 58:11 elaborates on this theme: “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” This beautiful promise connects inner spiritual nourishment with outward fruitfulness.

Christ Himself is our ultimate nourishment, as He declared: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51). Just as physical nourishment strengthens bones, spiritual nourishment through Christ strengthens our inner being, reminding us of Jesus’ words, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

The Protection of Righteous Bones: Godly Care for the Faithful

The scripture reveals a special holy protection over the righteous that extends even to their physical bodies. Psalm 34:19-20 declares, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.” This promise, while applying broadly to God’s care for His people, points to the life-giving preservation that God provides for those who trust in Him. We see this same divine protection illustrated in Daniel’s testimony about his companions in the fiery furnace: “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:24-25). Just as God preserved these faithful men without even the smell of smoke on their garments, He likewise exercises sovereign protection over His people according to His perfect will and purpose.

This life-giving protection speaks to God’s care for the fundamental structure of our spiritual being. The contrast appears in Psalm 53:5, where God’s judgment on the wicked is described: “There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.” The scattering of bones symbolizes complete defeat and disgrace for those who oppose God’s people. This reveals the internal conflict between the old man and the new man within us, as Paul describes in Ephesians 4:22-24: “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts… And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Just as those who oppose God’s people face the scattering of their bones, so must our old nature be broken and overcome for the new creation in Christ to flourish. The old man, with its carnal thinking and resistance to God’s ways, stands in opposition to the spiritual work God is accomplishing in His people. Yet through Christ, God preserves and strengthens the bones of the new man—the spiritual foundation of our redeemed nature—while bringing judgment upon the old nature that opposes His purpose.

This protection extends even to death, as seen when Josiah fulfilled prophecy regarding the bones of the man of God: “And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria” (2 Kings 23:18). Even in judgment, God remembers mercy toward those who served Him faithfully.

Christ’s Bones: Prophetic Fulfillment and Resurrection Reality

The most significant bones in Scripture belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning His crucifixion, John records, “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs… For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken” (John 19:33,36). This fulfillment reaches back to the Passover instructions: “In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof” (Exodus 12:46).

After His resurrection, Jesus proved His body was appeared to be real by asking His disciples to touch Him. He said, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39). This shows us something important about resurrection—Christ’s new body wasn’t just spirit, but appeared as physical substance that could be touched. This wasn’t simply His old body brought back to life, but a transformed body that still kept recognizable features from His earthly body, including the marks from His crucifixion.

Christ’s physical resurrection sets the pattern for what will happen to believers. Our resurrection will also involve transformed physical bodies, not just spiritual existence without bodies. This fulfills what Paul taught when he wrote, “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44).

Paul elaborates on this mystery: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Christ’s resurrection body, appearing with flesh and bones, provides the pattern for our future resurrection.

The Progressive Transformation: From Dry Bones to Living Army

The valley of dry bones vision in Ezekiel 37 reveals a crucial truth about spiritual transformation—it occurs progressively, not instantaneously. The sequence of restoration follows a divine pattern:

  1. First, the bones came together, representing the beginning of structural restoration.
  2. Then sinews and flesh appeared, showing the connections and substance being added.
  3. Skin covered them, providing protection and completeness to the form.
  4. Finally, breath entered, bringing life through the Spirit.

This sequence illustrates how God works systematically in our lives, bringing order from chaos before imparting spiritual life. It reflects Paul’s teaching about our ongoing transformation: “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Corinthians 15:49).

In our spiritual journey, we often desire immediate transformation, but God’s work is typically more gradual and methodical. Just as a broken bone must heal in stages, our spiritual restoration follows perfect timing and order. This gives us hope during times when change seems slow or incomplete—God is still at work, bringing the disconnected parts of our lives together before breathing His life into them.

Paul describes this process in another passage: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). This progressive work continues until we reach full spiritual maturity, transformed from dry bones into a mighty army for the Lord.

Conclusion: The Living Reality of Bone Symbolism

The spiritual significance of bones in Scripture provides profound insights into God’s redemptive work in our lives. Through this physical element, God teaches us about our spiritual foundation in Christ, the reality of our mortality and His power over death, the connection between spiritual health and inner vitality, His protection over those who belong to Him, the pattern of our resurrection through Christ’s example, and the progressive nature of spiritual transformation.

Remember the words of the Psalmist: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:14-16).

This reminds us that God knows our frame intimately, even to the very structure of our bones, and His creative work in us continues throughout our lives. The prophet Jeremiah affirms this ongoing work: “Thus saith the LORD, the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:2-3).

The Lord promises restoration through the prophet Joel: “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25). Just as He can restore what seemed utterly consumed, He can revive our dry bones and bring new life where death once reigned.

Let us heed Solomon’s wisdom about spiritual health that affects our bones: “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:20-22). This internal transformation leads to the external manifestation of God’s glory, until we can say with Isaiah, “The LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended” (Isaiah 60:19-20).

As we walk in faith, may we internalize Paul’s prayer: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19). In this way, our entire being—bones, body, soul, and spirit—becomes a living testimony to God’s transformative power and unfailing love.

 

]]> Book of Obadiah – Oba 1:10 For Violence to your Brother…You Have Been Cut Off https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/book-of-obadiah-oba-110-for-violence-to-your-brotheryou-have-been-cut-off/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-of-obadiah-oba-110-for-violence-to-your-brotheryou-have-been-cut-off Tue, 06 Feb 2024 06:28:08 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=29290 Audio Download

Book of Obadiah – Oba 1:10 For Violence to your Brother…You Have Been Cut Off

[Study Aired February 7, 2024]

Oba 1:10  For slaughter, for violence to thy brother Jacob, Cover thee doth shame, And thou hast been cut off—to the age.

Oba 1:10  For slaughterH4480 H6993 For thy violenceH4480 H2555 against thy brotherH251 JacobH3290 shameH955 shall coverH3680 (H8762 Piel) thee, and thou shalt be cut offH3772 (H8738 Niphal) for ever.H5769

H4480 – Min, from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than, some of, after (of time), from…even to, both…and, either…or, too much for, through, because, from H4482, Mane, musical chord, a stringed instrument from an unused root to apportion

H6993 – Kehtel, slaughter, from a primitive root H6991, Kawtal, to slay, kill (Used three times in OT)

H4480 – see above

H2555 – Khawmawse, violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice, from a primitive root H2554, Khawmas, to wrong, do violence to, treat violently, do wrongly, be treated violently

H251 – Awkh, brother, half-brother (same father), relative, kinship, same tribe, each to the other (reciprocal relationship), of resemblance, a primitive word

H3290 – Ya`aqob, Jacob = heel holder or supplanter, from a primitive root H6117, Awkab, to supplant, circumvent, take by the heel, follow/attack at the heel, assail insidiously, overreach, to hold back

H955 – Buwshah, shame, (Used 4 times in OT) participle passive of a primitive root H954, Boosh, to pale, be ashamed, be disappointed, delayed, confounded, confusion, become dry, delay, be long

H3680 – Kawsaw, (Piel) to cover, conceal, clothe, cover over, spread over, overwhelm, a primitive root

H3772 – Karath, (Niphal) to be cut off/down, be chewed, fail, a primitive root

H5769 – Olam, long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world, long time, always, continuous existence, perpetual, indefinite or unending future, eternity, from a primitive root H5956, Alam, to conceal, hide, be hidden, be concealed, be secret, dissembler, hide oneself

Here is the literal translation of Obadiah 1:10 with the root words included:

Oba 1:10 Because of slaughter and the treating violently (we do to our) brother Jacob, (our old man will be) supplanted, shame (become dry) covers (our old man and it will be) cut down perpetually (continually).

The old man in us is, by design, created to be a “very good” adversary to the New Man. “Very good” is in the sense of being very effective at carrying out its purpose. It is an appropriate tool for the job at hand. In the same way God comments on all the beasts of the earth of His creation (including the serpent), saying it was “good” [H2896: ṭôb, appropriate]

Gen 1:24  And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Gen 1:25  And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good (appropriate).

The old man is a very good (appropriate) adversary. However, we reap what we sow, and all actions have consequences. It is because of the violence against the new man, the old man is being covered in shame as it is being cut down. Ultimately, the old man in us “shall come to nought.” There are a few Hebrew words translated as shame

  1. H955 boo-shaw’ feminine of H954, shame
  2. H954 boosh meaning to be pale, become dry
  3. H1322 bo’-sheth from H954 shame (the feeling and the condition, as well as its cause); by implication (specifically) an idol.
  • a drying up of a land. 
  • When a wetland dries up the fish and vegetation die and begin to stink from the rotting matter. 
  • Something that gives off a bad odor or is loathsome. [Hebrew and Aramaic]: stink, abhor, abomination, loathsome, stinking, savour, displeased.

Shame is used in the context of being clothed or covered and also translated as confused

Psa 89:44  Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
Psa 89:45  The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame [H955]

Job 8:22  They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame [H1322]; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought

Psa 71:1  In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion [H954]

The passage in Ezekiel about the Valley of the dry bones uses the Hebrew word H3002 yaw-bashe’ to describe the bones as dry. It comes from the root word H3001 yaw-bashe’ meaning ashamed, confused and confounded. 

Eze 37:1  The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
Eze 37:2  And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry [H3002].

These bones are dry, and we know Christ referred to living people as ‘dead’ when He said, “Let the dead bury their dead” (Mat 8:22). Spiritually speaking, our bones are very dry if we are not clothed with Christ. If we do not have Christ, the quickening spirit, to cover our bones, we do not have true life

Eze 37:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

It is only when we are given the breath (spirit) of Christ to cover our bones that we are given life. This life covers our dry bones as we hear the word. We “hear” in the full sense of the word, because we hear and understand.

Eze 37:4  Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
Eze 37:5  Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath [wind/spirit/make of quick understanding] to enter into you, and ye shall live:

It is Christ alone who gives us life, even though we were slain, His covering is life.

Eze 37:6  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Eze 37:7  So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
Eze 37:8  And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them

Here is how flesh and blood is described in the New Testament. Spiritually speaking, flesh is not flesh; flesh is “meat”, and blood is not blood; blood is “drink.” Meat and drink are how we are transformed from the old corruptible state (having dry bones) to the nourished New man.

Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Joh 6:58  This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Christ lives by the father; meaning Christ is in the Father and obedient to the words of His father having come to do not His will but the will of His Father. We can say the same. We are in Christ and He is in us because we are obedient to His words. We are filling up behind of the afflictions of Christ in our bodies as Christ increases in us. Our new sinew and flesh covering us is the New man dwelling in us. Christ dwells in us the same way drinking water dwells in us (physically) and gives us nourishment and life.

Eze 37:9  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live

Eze 37:14  And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

While the old man will be clothed with shame, the new man is clothed with white raiment. Being clothed with Christ means He is putting His spirit in us.

Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

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

In Revelation we see the contrast of the old man (whatsoever worketh abomination) and the new man (they that are written in the Lamb’s book of life).

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.

In Zimbabwe, I remember growing up in a very warm and welcoming Church. The people were very genuine, loving and kind. During Sunday church I remember clearly singing the worship song with the lyrics, “Is your name written in the lamb’s book of life?” Most Christians, if you asked, would say yes, they want their name written there, and their name is written there because they have welcomed Jesus Christ into their heart. In their hearts they have the assurance of their salvation. However, the mystery of our salvation, and how this happens, is revealed in scriptures. We know it to be a process; a process in which we are more of a bystander than author. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is the author of our salvation (Heb 2:10) and author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2). This process of salvation which Christ is orchestrating is described using the Greek word [G341] renewed:

Rom 11:25  For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery—that ye may not be wise in your own conceits—that hardness in part to Israel hath happened till the fulness of the nations may come in;
Rom 11:26  and so all Israel shall be saved, according as it hath been written, ‘There shall come forth out of Sion he who is delivering, and he shall turn away impiety [wickedness] from Jacob,
Rom 11:27  and this to them is the covenant from Me, when I may take away their sins.’
Rom 11:28  As regards, indeed, the good tidings, they are enemies on your account; and as regards the choice—beloved on account of the fathers;
Rom 11:29  for unrepented of are the gifts and the calling of God;
Rom 11:30  for as ye also once did not believe in God, and now did find kindness by the unbelief of these:
Rom 11:31  so also these now did not believe, that in your kindness they also may find kindness;
Rom 11:32  for God did shut up together the whole to unbelief, that to the whole He might do kindness.
Rom 11:33  O depth of riches, and wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Rom 11:34  for who did know the mind of the Lord? or who did become His counsellor?
Rom 11:35  or who did first give to Him, and it shall be given back to him again?
Rom 11:36  because of Him, and through Him, and to Him are the all things; to Him is the glory—to the ages. Amen.

Rom 12:1  I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice—living, sanctified, acceptable to God—your intelligent service;
Rom 12:2  and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing [G342] of your mind, for your proving what is the will of God—the good, and acceptable, and perfect.

The word “renewing” appears twice in the New Testament (Rom 12:2, Tit 3:5). Renewing is the Greek word G342 [an-ak-ah’ee-no-sis] derived from G341; renovation: – renewing.

Tit 3:5  (not by works that are in righteousness that we did but according to His kindness,) He did save us, through a bathing of regeneration, and a renewing of the Holy Spirit.

It is derived from G341 [an-ak-ahee-no’-o] meaning:

  • to cause to grow up, new, to make new
  • new strength and vigour is given to one, to invigorate
  • to be changed into a new kind of life as opposed to the former corrupt state

G341 also appears twice in the New Testament

2Co 4:16  wherefore, we faint not, but if also our outward man doth decay, yet the inward is renewed day by day.

Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, having put off the old man with his practices,
Col 3:10  and having put on the new, which is renewed in regard to knowledge, after the image of Him who did create him

The process of our salvation is Jacob supplanting Esau within us. It is us putting on the new, and putting off the old man with his practices. This is what we are instructed to lay hold of: “to lay hold on the hope set before us.”

Heb 6:18  that through two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, a strong comfort we may have who did flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us,
Heb 6:19  which we have, as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and entering into that within the vail,
Heb 6:20  whither a forerunner for us did enter—Jesus, after the order of Melchisedek chief priest having become—to the age.

Conclusion and Spiritual Principle

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

2Pe 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture at all is becoming its own explanation

We see that our valley-of-dry-bones experience is Spiritual. It is our coming out of Babylon and putting on Christ which renews and invigorates our dry bones, transforming us into the New Man.

]]> Study of the Book of Kings – 2Ki 13:14-25  “For the battle is the LORD’S,  and he will give you into our hands” (1Sa  1 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/study-of-the-book-of-kings-2ki-1314-25-for-the-battle-is-the-lords-and-he-will-give-you-into-our-hands-1sa-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-of-the-book-of-kings-2ki-1314-25-for-the-battle-is-the-lords-and-he-will-give-you-into-our-hands-1sa-1 Thu, 08 Dec 2022 23:24:20 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=26710 2Ki 13:14-25  “For the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands” (1Sa 17:47)
[Study Aired December 8, 2022]

2Ki 13:14  Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. 
2Ki 13:15  And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
2Ki 13:16  And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands. 
2Ki 13:17  And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
2Ki 13:18  And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. 
2Ki 13:19  And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice. 
2Ki 13:20  And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. 
2Ki 13:21  And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet. 
2Ki 13:22  But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 
2Ki 13:23  And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet. 
2Ki 13:24  So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead. 
2Ki 13:25  And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.

In last week’s study we learned that Jehoahaz besought the Lord to take the nation of Israel out from under the oppressive bondage of “Hazael king of Syria” and “Benhadad the son of Hazael“, and the LORD hearkened unto Jehoahaz and gave Israel a savior who we learn in this section of kings is Elisha who typifies Christ our savior. 

2Ki 13:3  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days. 
2Ki 13:4  And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. 
2Ki 13:5  (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.

The deliverance God gave Israel came as a result of Elisha, just as our deliverance is completely dependent upon Christ’s hand in our lives (Joh 10:28, 2Ki 13:16-17) and there are many instructive events which take place in this section of kings that show us how we are to make spiritual warfare in our walk in Christ as we die daily and are blessed to be “baptized into his death” (Rom 6:3).

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.

2Ki 13:16  And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. [Php 2:12] And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands. [Php 2:13]
2Ki 13:17  And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Without Christ our hope of glory within (Col 1:27), we cannot make war against the enemy within (Rev 13:4) and cannot understand the extent of the battle to which the Lord has called us that belongs to him (1Sa 17:47). In the end, the Lord will triumph through His people both to will and to do God’s good pleasure which is to give us the kingdom of God (Luk 12:32) through the destruction of the giants in our own land [our bodies, our hearts and minds] typified in this story by the nation of Syria which is oppressing Israel. God calls us to arm ourselves with His mind and to not take any anxious thought for the morrow because “the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands” (1Sa 17:47, 1Pe 4:1-2, Mat 6:34).

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?

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.

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

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

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.

2Ki 13:14  Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. 

Elisha is on his deathbed when these events transpire with Joash, and what we are being shown is in the sickness that he had “whereof he died” is the sickness we all have, which is found in these corruptible marred vessels that are in the hand of the Potter (Jer 18:4) who knows all our days and how they are numbered and meant to play out according to the counsel of His own will (Psa 139:16, Eph 1:11).

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them. 

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: 

What God is showing Joash, in type and shadow through Elisha, is that his deliverance and the nation’s are going to come through the death of his carnal nature which can only happen through Christ abiding in us (Ecc 7:2-4). He is mournful for the condition of Elijah, “And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face“, and does not yet understand the power that this situation represents (Luk 23:28-31) even though he alludes to it in his description and memory of Elijah, “O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.“

Ecc 7:2  It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 
Ecc 7:3  Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 
Ecc 7:4  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 

Luk 23:28  But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 
Luk 23:29  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck [Gal 4:27]. 
Luk 23:30  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 
Luk 23:31  For if they do these things in a green tree [Christ and his Christ], what shall be done in the dry? [1Pe 4:17-18, Joh 5:29]

2Ki 13:15  And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. 
2Ki 13:16  And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands. 

It is in our weakest state where God’s strength is made perfect through us (2Co 12:9) as we learn to make war against the enemy within us with the word of God symbolized by “arrows“. The bow represents the strength of God’s arm in our lives (Gen 49:22-24, Gen 9:13), and the arrows represent the word of God (Num 24:8, Psa 127:4-5) which enables us to accomplish what God proclaims from His mouth (Isa 55:11).

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Gen 9:13  I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 
Gen 9:14  And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth [Rev 11:15], that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: [Heb 1:21]

Gen 49:22  Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:
Gen 49:23  The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 
Gen 49:24  But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel).

Psa 127:4  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth [2Pe 1:4]. 
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 [2Ti 2:15].

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

Verse 16 further confirms where our strength comes from and how God is faithful to accomplish all He has set out to do through Christ (Joh 4:23).

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

The imagery of these words “And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands” represents our putting our trust in the strength of Christ in our lives who is represented by the bow. Elisha putting his hand upon the king’s hand reminds us that our victory in the Lord is not by might nor power but by God’s holy spirit (Zec 4:6). As mentioned earlier, it is all of the Lord both to will and to do of His good pleasure as we are instructed by the Lord to trust in His power in which we rest, “And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow (Php 2:12).” It is when we cast our cares upon the Lord, or rest in Him, that we learn of His mercy and great power and continual desire to deliver us from ourselves, “And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands” (Php 2:13).

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 [resting our hand on the bow].
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. [Typified by Elisha who puts his hand upon the king’s hand, Christ’s effectual working in His body (Eph 4:16).]

2Ki 13:17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. 

Then Joash was instructed by Elisha to open the eastward window and to shoot an arrow which symbolizes the need for our obedience to God’s word as we are led by the spirit to accomplish God’s will of overcoming the enemy within us (Act 5:32, Rom 8:14). God’s word is the “The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance” that if we are blessed to continue will set us free (Joh 8:31-32). We are delivered from the sin within our members, typified by Syria, and it is in “AphekH663” this battle takes place “till thou have consumed them“. Aphek represents the strongholds of our flesh which are giants in our lands that will be bread for us at the appointed time of their destruction (Num 23:30, Exo 14:9). It is at an appointed time, and the process starts by shooting an arrow toward the east, meaning the word of God comes into our heart and starts a process of judgment which destroys the man of sin within us who is destroyed by the brightness of His coming from the east unto the west (Mat 24:27, 2Th 2:8).

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

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. 

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 

Exo 23:30  By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

2Ki 13:18  And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. 
2Ki 13:19  And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

This part of our study references back to Romans 6:1-3 where we are shown that initially we are repentant and do war against our flesh, but it is not enough to completely defeat the enemy within us as we can’t help but “continue in sin, that grace may abound”, so it is worded this way, “And he smote thrice, and stayed.“

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, [stop trying to overcome and not keep under ourselves, and just abide (stay) in sin] that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? [Rom 6:11] 
Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [rather abide, (stay) alive in Christ and be dead to sin]

Joash has no idea how many times he should have smitten the ground, and yet the prophet was inspired to say that three times is not enough, that initial process of judgment is not enough as it caused him to “stay” and not move forward. This movement forward is what happens when we abide in Christ or stay in Christ in order to become His disciples indeed who go unto perfection on the third day, pressing toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ (Joh 8:31-32, Luk 13:32, Php 3:14). In this story we see the number three being used to demonstrate judgment that is not complete, and the need to endure until the end (Mat 24:13) to be saved going beyond these verses in Hebrew 6:1-3, Lord willing.

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. 

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

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

‘Disciples indeed’ are permitted to go beyond this degree of overcoming by the grace of God that gives us the power to overcome our flesh. “Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times“, which is something that is permitted by God (Heb 6:3). The man of God being “wroth with him” typifies God’s wrath against our old man, and God knows the only way to go onto perfection is to have that man of sin within us smitten “five or six times” which represents the chastening grace of our Father in the elect’s lives that causes us to be received by the Lord (Heb 12:6-7). The earlier mentioned three [3] times smiting the ground is worldly repentance, but the [2×3=6] witnesses [2] to the process of judgment that brings about Godly repentance which moves us forward by God’s grace through faith [5] (2Co 7:9-10).

Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

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?

2Co 7:9  Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 
2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

The foundation of Christ in our lives [12] is preceded by the dissolution of our flesh, represented by the number eleven [“five or six times“=11]. We must endure His chastening from start to finish, in other words, in order to have Christ’s body built upon the Rock that is Christ [12] (Mat 21:44, Mat 16:18).

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

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.

2Ki 13:20  And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. 
2Ki 13:21  And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
2Ki 13:22  But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 

It is when Elisha dies that “the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year” showing us the natural way our flesh goes when Christ is no longer in our midst, who is typified by Elisha (Act 20:29-30, Joh 21:3).

Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 

Joh 21:3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing [as opposed to when Christ was there giving direction Joh 21:6, Rev 7:9].

The Moabites invaded Israel’s land, and at one point “as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha“.  This situation is a parable for us of how the dead bury their dead or hide their sinful flesh that will be exposed through a resurrection which comes about as a result of our being touched by Christ who is the power of the resurrection (Joh 11:25). 

It is “when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, [that] he revived, and stood up on his feet“. BonesH6106 are a symbol of our essence/substance/self but they are not the body and blood of Christ and the flesh and bones that together make it possible for God’s elect to be raised in heavenly places today with our Father and Christ, in earnest, in heaven (Eph 5:30, Eph 2:6).

These chapters in 2 Kings don’t follow a strict timeline as we see here with the writer being inspired to now return to remind us of the king of Syria who has been given a hardened and unbelieving heart to continue oppressing his neighbor, “But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.” We do not know if Hazael had heard of this miracle of a resurrection, but because of its placement here in scripture, right after mention of the man touching the bones of Elisha and reviving, it brings to mind how it is the Lord who opens and closes the hearts and minds to fulfill His will (Job 12:14, Rev 3:7, Rev 17:17).

The elect rising from the dead in the first resurrection will cause the world to believe at first, like certain Jews that believed on Christ but could not continue in that belief (Luk 16:31, Joh 8:31-32). This unbelief is centered around the inability to repent “but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent“, not until they are washed with the word of God and baptized with fire in the lake of fire (Joh 3:5-6). This resurrection of the nameless man was temporary, as all others were, until Christ comes (Psa 85:6, Isa 57:15,  Rom 7:9, Rom 14:7-9).

Luk 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 
Luk 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Psa 85:6  Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

Isa 57:15  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 humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

Rom 7:9  For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died [Gal 2:20].

Rom 14:7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 
Rom 14:8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 
Rom 14:9  For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 

2Ki 13:23 And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

The Lord is not a respecter of persons but “because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob“, He will save all of humanity, which can only happen by going through a process of judgment that is shown us in the symbolic words of “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” [3 people]. 

‘Jacob’ is whom God loves while we are in this flesh as His elect, and ‘Esau’ our old man is whom He hates within us (Rom 9:13). The seed of promise matures and progressively goes from Jacob to Isaac, who is the more mature man of God being formed in us, leading to the father of the faithful Abraham, who typifies the matured creation that will go on to perfection on the third day as a result of coming into the unity of the faith through Christ (Luk 13:32, Eph 4:13). 

Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Abraham is mentioned first because God declares the end from the beginning and knows that all men will be saved by grace through faith, typified by Abraham who is a type of Christ (Heb 11:8, Rom 5:19).

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; [Php 2:12] and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

Rom 5:19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous [all in Adam (1Co 15:22)]. 

2Ki 13:24  So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead. 
2Ki 13:25  And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel. 

After Hazael king of Syria dies, Benhadad his son reigned in his stead, and “Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war“. These cities that were taken represent the bondage of sin that our old man overtakes in us at an appointed time, and only by God’s mercy can we recover “the cities of Israel” (Pro 16:4). 

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

The “three times” that Joash beat Benhadad reminds us that overcoming in the Lord is a lifetime process of judgment where we must keep under our body, “and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1Co 9:27). This exercise of evil is one that is unavoidable as the body of Christ (Ecc 9:3, 1Pe 5:6, Act 14:22), and yet it is one that we can rejoice in, and again I say rejoice, because it is through this process of which we pray we never grow weary, which we learn of our Lord’s faithfulness toward His children and the certainty of our victory through Christ over our enemies within, “for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands” (1Sa 17:47).

Ecc 9:3  This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

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.

]]> Studies In Psalms – Psa 102:1-5 Thou Shalt Arise, And Have Mercy Upon Zion https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/studies-in-psalms-psa-1021-5-thou-shalt-arise-and-have-mercy-upon-zion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=studies-in-psalms-psa-1021-5-thou-shalt-arise-and-have-mercy-upon-zion Fri, 12 Jan 2018 03:10:10 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=15363 Psa 102:1-5 “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion” Part 1

Psa 102:1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.
Psa 102:2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
Psa 102:3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
Psa 102:4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
Psa 102:5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

Christ is pouring out our complaintsH7879 that we cast upon him so that he can go before our Father as a mediator for all our fleshly and spiritual concerns. Those utterances that we make are a result of the affliction, and the much tribulation that bring about the overwhelmedH5848 feeling that we experience as God’s children in this age from time to time, as God works these Psalm 107 events in our life for our spiritual growth (Heb 5:7, Psa 107:28-30).

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Christ is our mediator today, and while he was in sinful flesh that needed to learn obedience by the things which He suffered as a Son, he set the example of what we can expect to go through as His body, the church, today (1Jn 4:17, Eph 5:30, Col 1:24).

Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death [the flesh], and was heard in that he fearedG2124;
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;

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.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

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:

Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and tremblethH2730 at my word.

Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Isa 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that trembleH2730 at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake (Mat 10:22), said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

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

If we are being judged in this age, our flesh will be trembling at the prospect that we may not enter into his kingdom because of sin that can potentially rule over us, knowing no man can make war with the beast. Our hope of glory is that Christ, as our high priest and mediator, will grant us the grace and faith needed to open the seals (Rev 5:4-5) which is about what this prophecy in this particular Psalm is speaking – “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion”, and so we ought to make every effort to “Strive to enter in at the strait gate” as Christ has commanded us. We are being saved and being made perfect through that judgment (the seals being opened and poured out), and it is that certain process in which we rejoice always even as we acknowledge that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God who is working this process within us, through Christ, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. These verses in the book of Revelation give us a snap-shot of that process of how it is that “thou shalt arise” as we live by these words inwardly and know that they will also have their outward fulfillment one day.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

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?

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

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.

Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Heb 10:32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. [type and shadow event of Eph 2:6]
Rev 11:13 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 affrightedG1719, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

These following verses explain to us the admonitions that God has set out for us so that our continually carnal flesh, which cannot inherit the kingdom, can fear and tremble at His word; and by His power alone, by the grace and faith granted, we can acknowledge that we are more than conquerors through Christ, just as He acknowledged His overcoming was all a result of the Father working in His life (Rev 22:14-17, 1Co 6:9-12, Gal 5:18-25, Eph 6:5-7, 1Jn 4:18).

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
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.

Act 10:35 But in every nation he that fearethG5399 him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Act 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

We are not to fear men or what they can do to our flesh, and unless the Lord grows his love within us that is shed abroad in our hearts (Rom 5:5), that perfect love of God which rules over the fear of men and all flesh (1Jn 4:18), without that love, we will walk in a negative way as Peter did claiming he loved Christ but did not realize that he did not have the inner spiritual strength that God alone provides so that we can follow through and having done all stand. Christ tells us to fear God and work righteousness and that is the narrow way of our calling, to be stedfast in our service to God proving all things and not letting anything or anyone get in the way of His purpose for us, not being easily provoked by the lies of Babylon that try to creep within Christ’s body. God willing, we will be more than conquerors through him and be granted to realize that nothing can separate us from his love, simply because he is showing mercy to us in this age, as expressed in this Psalm with these words: “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion”.

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 both soul and body in hell.

Mat 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

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.
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:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Psa 102:1 A Prayer of the afflictedH6041, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

If we are not afflicted, we will not be overwhelmed, and if we are not overwhelmed and brought to our wits’ end, we will not cry out to the Lord with our “complaint before the LORD” and be brought to our desired haven. That is the humbling process that we are all part of, if we are being worked with in this age. If God is going to “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee” it will be proceeded by a life in Christ that has been humbled and brought to see that we are the chief of sinners and bring nothing to the throne of God as this story illustrates.

Psa 107:30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

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

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

It is not any prayer that is heard and acted upon by our Father in heaven but rather one that has been formed by the circumstances that God creates so that we cry out and come boldly before the throne of grace in our time of need which He prepares our hearts to go through.

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Pro 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Pro 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

Psa 102:2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

“In the day” is mentioned twice in this verse, and that is a witness in itself which tells us that in the day of the Lord, God will not hide his face from us, but will rather make us the apple of his eye and answer us speedily as He does this quick work in our very temporal life that is a vapour unto him (2Co 4:18).

Zec 2:5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. [Isa 33:14]
Zec 2:6 Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.
Zec 2:7 Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
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.
Zec 2:9 For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them [the nations within that God is going to destroy so we can be comfortable in the fire], and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.

Jas 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Jas 4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Jas 4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Jacob’s “trouble” is the “day of the Lord”, and it is a day of darkness and judgment, and it is the day that God brings us to see that we are ‘the man’. We are the “The Pharisee [who] stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” It takes this “day” for God’s people to be humbled and abased under His mighty hand, and then he will “incline thine ear unto me”.

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:

There is the recipe for our overcoming the accusers of the brethren, the adversary who cannot at this time be humble and contrite in his spirit, and as it is worded we see that there is a process involved “that he may exalt you in due time”. When that time comes, we know what we are in our flesh, and we can go before God as the publican with a sober and vigilant spirit (as discussed in the last study, it is when we are pressing, and sober and vigilant that God is in the process of cleansing us) that says to God “be merciful to me a sinner”. Only God can get us to that frame of mind through those fiery trials that we ought to think as not being strange now, knowing that they serve that purpose of bringing us to the Lord’s altar so that we can be “justified”.

Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Psa 102:3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
Psa 102:4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.
Psa 102:5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

These next three verses should serve to help us see the need for the body of Christ to be armed with the mind of Christ, readied to go through the next fiery trial, not thinking it strange that our flesh needs to be humbled and crushed as Christ’s flesh was.

Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

If we are blessed to have that mind of Christ which was not easily provoked, knowing he would be hated of all men for the words of God that he cherished, we will be able to help others by comforting them “by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God”.

2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Co 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

Our days “are consumed as smoke” which references the idea that our life is a vapour, but more importantly it is a vapour in God’s hand that has become a living sacrifice, a sweet smelling vapour of incense that is offered up to God through Christ.

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

Psa 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

Our bones are burned, whereas Christ’s bones are preserved, because He is our new foundation which is of what the physical skeletal system of Christ is a parable. Our new creation is formed in Christ and we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Everything else is burned without the camp as we become a completely new creation through Christ.

Joh 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Lev 9:11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.

Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Mary’s heart was “smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.” as these verses reveal.

Luk 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
Luk 2:35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Mary is a type of the church, and we are therefore pierced and fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ (Col 1:24), which is another way of saying we are pierced as the stripes of the nation are put upon us as well (Isa 53:5, 2Ti 2:12, 1Jn 4:17).

When we knew Christ after the flesh we rejoiced with the bridegroom and did not fast, but when Christ went away and sent the holy spirit we became a new creation that would now be “withered like grass” and “forget to eat my bread” just as Christ prophesied of His church who was predestinated to go through these trials and much affliction in this life that would spiritually leave us “By reason of the voice of my groaning [have our/my] my bones cleave to my skin”

Mat 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

The “then shall they fast” part of this verse explains this prophecy for us “By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin” and is really a full circle of what we began talking about in our study how Christ and his body are made perfect through this process “By reason of the voice of my groaning”.

Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death [the flesh that is “withered like grass” even as “my bones cleave to my skin” Psa 22:17, 1Co 4:9], and was heard in that he fearedG2124;
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;

Psa 22:17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

1Co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the second part of our study entitled “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion” where we will see more evidence in God’s word of the humbling process that God puts his people through so that ultimately we can learn of His mercy and extend that mercy “unto all generations”:

Psa 102:6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.
Psa 102:7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.
Psa 102:8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.
Psa 102:9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
Psa 102:10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.
Psa 102:11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.
Psa 102:12 But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.

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