Ezekiel Chapters 2 and 3 – Eat the Roll!!

[Study Aired February 5, 2023]

Introduction

Over the past two weeks we have looked closely at the vision Ezekiel had concerning the four living creatures, the wheels and our Lord Jesus Christ sitting on the throne above the expanse over the heads of the living creatures. Today’s study focuses on what was said by the Lord Jesus Christ sitting on the throne of Ezekiel’s heart and mind. Part of what was spoken to Ezekiel covers chapter 2 and 3 of the Book of Ezekiel, which is our study for today.

We need to understand that the greatest gift that the Lord bestows on His children here on earth is for us to hear and understand what the spirit of the Lord is saying to us. Hearing and understanding the voice of the Lord is what confirms to us that we are indeed called and chosen. Usually, we hear the voice of the Lord out of the fire of our affliction, and many reject His voice because of the affliction.

Deu 4:12  Then the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of words, but saw no form; there was only a voice.

As we go through today’s study, may the Lord cause us to be sensitive to His voice and not become like the people of Israel or our brothers and sisters in Babylon, who love to hear from the Lord but do not want the fire, the thunders and the lightnings which accompany His words.

Exo 19:17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 
Exo 19:18  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.
Exo 19:19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

Exo 20:18  And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
Exo 20:19  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
Exo 20:20  And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
Exo 20:21  And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

Our Mission as Witnesses of Christ

Eze 2:1  And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 
Eze 2:2  And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

When the Lord came to visit Ezekiel in Babylon, the first thing He told him was to stand on his feet so that He could speak to him. Standing on his feet means Ezekiel getting himself ready to walk before the Lord. In verse 2 we are told that it was when the Spirit entered Ezekiel that he stood on his feet. This tells us that we do not have the capacity to get ourselves on our feet, ready to walk with God. Everything regarding our walk with Christ is initiated by the Lord and without Him, we can do nothing. 

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.

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Verse 2 says that it was when the Lord spoke to Ezekiel that the spirit of the Lord entered into him, causing him to stand on his feet. This implies that the word of the Lord is spirit, and therefore when we cannot understand the spiritual significance of His words, we cannot be on our feet to walk with the Lord acceptably.

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

Eze 2:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
Eze 2:4  For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.
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.

In verse 3, Ezekiel was given his mandate as servant of the Lord to preach to the house of Israel. When the Lord was here on earth, He told us that His area of operation is to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The lost sheep of the house of Israel is the same as the rebellious nation of Israel who are stiff-hearted. This rebellious nation is Babylon.

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

As He is, so are we. We are also called to minister to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. In the Book of Acts, the disciples including Paul and the others, ministered mainly to the Jews (the lost sheep of the house of Israel) wherever they went. At that time they did not understand that the Gentiles would become part of the commonwealth of Israel. Their ignorance was used by the Lord to minister to the lost sheep of the house of Israel as the Lord’s disciples ministered mainly to the Jews in Israel and the diaspora.

As indicated in verse 4 and 5, Ezekiel’s message would not be welcomed by the people of Israel. However, later, they would surely come to know that a prophet had been among them. This was exactly what happened to Jesus when the people of Israel did not accept his message, but through the witness of His disciples, the people of Israel came to see that indeed He was a Prophet!! The rejection of the message by the Lord’s disciples to the lost sheep of the house of Israel paved the way for the Gentiles to receive the message. At that time Ezekiel was not given to know this.

Rom 11:11  So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.
Rom 11:12  Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 
Rom 11:13  Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 
Rom 11:14  in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. (ESV)

The bringing in of the Gentiles means that now spiritually, the lost sheep of the house of Israel represent Jerusalem which is in bondage with her children and that is the physical churches of this world – Babylon. We, His elect, are therefore witnesses to the truth of the word of the Lord to Babylon even though they will not acknowledge this. However, at the right time, they shall recognize that indeed we, as the Lord’s prophets, have been among them.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Eze 2:7  And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

Here Ezekiel is being warned against what may cause us to abandon our mission to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The first thing mentioned is being afraid of them. What we need to know is that the Lord has prospered them physically, that is, they have the numbers and the resources, and therefore we may have the tendency to regard ourselves as grasshoppers in their sight just as the people of Israel looked to themselves as grasshoppers before the Canaanites’ giants.

Num 13:33  And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

This grasshopper mentality mitigates against our faith, and therefore we are not able to use faith in our witness of the truth of the word of the Lord to our brothers and sisters in Babylon. We do not need to know the full counsel of the Lord before we can become witnesses of Christ. The little of the truth which the Lord has shown us is sufficient to testify effectively before our brothers and sisters in Babylon. This grasshopper mentality affected Elijah when he became afraid of Jezebel and went to hide from her.

1Ki 19:9  And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 
1Ki 19:10  And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

The second thing Ezekiel was warned about by the Lord is that he should not be afraid of the words of our brothers and sisters in Babylon even though their words are like briers and thorns. The briars and thorns are false doctrines and therefore the lord is warning us not to become ensnared by their words as their words will make us worse off.

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

The third warning by the Lord is that Ezekiel should not be intimidated by their looks. The negative application of the word “looks” signifies being proud as shown in the following verses:

Psa 18:27  For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

Isa 2:11  The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. 

One of the characteristics of our brothers and sisters in Babylon is their pride in their resources and numbers which to them signifies the Lord’s approval of them being the Lord’s chosen bride.

Isa 3:16  The LORD said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet,

They think that it is their decisions and willpower through the false doctrine of freewill that has made them what they are. What we need to know is that in this world, we are the desolate woman and in the final analysis, we shall have more children than she who has a husband. As the Lord’s elect, our confidence should be in the fact that we know the Lord and He knows us!!

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

In verse 7, we are again warned that irrespective of their reaction to our words, whenever we have the opportunity, we should serve as witnesses of the truth of the word of the Lord to our brothers and sisters in Babylon.

Eze 2:8  But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
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.

In being given the mandate to serve as witness to the truth of the word of the Lord to our brothers and sisters in Babylon, we are warned not to become rebellious. From the word of the Lord, being rebellious has to do with not being prepared to listen to the truth of the word of the Lord. It also means not accepting the counsel of the Lord. In the body of Christ, the Lord’s counsel is sought through multitude of counsellors. Our inclination not to adhere or listen to the multitude of counsellors make us rebellious before the Lord.

Isa 30:1  Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

Isa 50:5  The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

In verse 8, we are advised by the Lord to eat what He gives to us, and what He gives to us is His words which is represented in verse 9 as a roll of a book. This roll had writings within and without, and these writings concern lamentations, mourning and woe.  The lamentations, mourning and woe that are written in the word of the Lord pertains to the fiery trials we are to go through in this life as the Lord’s elect. Our lives here on earth are characterized by lamentations, mourning and woe because it is through the fiery trials which are marked out for us in the roll of the book that we learn righteousness. That is why in the Book of Revelation, the two witnesses who represent the Lord’s elect in every generation were clothed in sackcloth which is a symbol of mourning.

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

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

The fact that the roll of the book was written within and without signifies that the word of the Lord has both an inward and an outward application. That is, the word of the Lord has both a spiritual and a physical application.

We have to eat the Roll

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

What these verses are showing us is that we should feed on the word of the Lord. That is another way of saying that we should study to show ourselves approved unto God. It is when we are feeding on the word of the Lord that we can serve as witnesses to the house of Israel, that is, Babylon. 

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

Our experience as we feed on the word of the Lord is the same as Ezekiel. As he began eating the roll, it was sweet in his mouth. That is to say that as the Lord unveils the truth of His words to us, we become excited about the revelation we are receiving.

Eze 3:6  Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 
Eze 3:7  But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. 
Eze 3:8  Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Eze 3:9  As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

These verses show us that as the Lord’s elect, our sphere of influence is our own people. The issue is that just as the Lord ministered to His own people and was not accepted, we, as His elect, will not be accepted by our own people.

Mar 6:4  But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their relatives and their own family.”
Mar 6:5  Jesus could not work any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people by placing his hands on them.
Mar 6:6  He was surprised that the people did not have any faith. Jesus taught in all the neighboring villages. (CEV)

As He is, so are we. It is our own people who reject us. Apostle Paul, Stephen and others were all rejected by the Jews – their own people. This reminds me of a hymn by Koda that we sang during our time in Babylon and is still relevant to how the Lord is dealing with us. 

Go labour on, spend and be spent
Thy joy to do the Father’s will
It is the way, the master went
And should not the servant tread it still?

Knowing that we shall be rejected by our own people, the Lord strengthens us daily to withstand the onslaught of our own people.

Psa 41:2  The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

Eze 3:10  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
Eze 3:11  And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

In verse 10, Ezekiel was to receive in his heart all the Lord’s words that He speaks to him. All the Lord’s words constitute the full counsel of the Lord and therefore, we are required to understand the Lord’s full counsel which will help us to rightly divide the word. 

Act 20:27  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Again, Ezekiel, a type of the elect, is told to serve as a witness of the truth of the word of the Lord to the people of Israel in captivity who represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon. However, they will not accept our testimony just as the Pharisees and the scribes rejected the counsel of God. This is what the Lord said about this generation that we are dealing with:

Luk 7:29  And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
Luk 7:30  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Luk 7:31  And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
Luk 7:32  They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

Eze 3:12  Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place. 
Eze 3:13  I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise

As indicated earlier, it is the spirit of the Lord within us that enables us to walk before the Lord and to hear the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. Hearing a voice of a great rushing is the same as hearing the voice of the Lord or His words. It is as we look back to see how the Lord has shown mercy to us by coming to live within us that we come to appreciate the blessedness of the glory of the Lord from His temple within us. Hearing the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another and the noise of the wheels is the same as hearing the truth of the words of the Lord.

Eze 1:24  And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

Eze 3:14  So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
Eze 3:15  Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

In the heat of my spirit in verse 14 means being angry. A more understandable version of this verse is as follows:

Eze 3:14  Then the Spirit lifted me and took me away. I went away feeling bitter and angry. The strong power of the LORD came over me. (GW)

In spite of all the revelations that Ezekiel received as he was carried by the spirit, he was bitter and angry. Why was Ezekiel bitter and angry? It was because he had been advised that the people will not accept His testimony of the truth. We have all gone through this experience of Ezekiel when we started hearing the truth of the word of the Lord. It was as sweet as honey in our mouth. However, in our zeal for the Lord, we went to our kindred to proclaim the truth of the word of the Lord but were met with fierce resistance to the truth. We became bitter and angry. However, the hand of the Lord was very strong on our behalf just like the case of Ezekiel, otherwise, we would have given up hope.  As stated by King David, the hand of the Lord will surely help His people.

Psa 37:23  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 
Psa 37:24  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Ezekiel came to his people in Telabib and over a period of seven days, he was overwhelmed by what he had seen. The seven days represent the complete period of our time in Babylon after the Lord had come to us to show us the truth, before we exit. We become astonished as we continue to live with our brothers and sisters in Babylon after we have started to know the truth. This is because we come to see the lies that are pervasive among our people which they consider as truth. This is what Jesus describes the situation in Babylon:

Mat 15:14  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Being Called to Become a Watchman

Eze 3:16  And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 3:17  Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Eze 3:18  When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 
Eze 3:19  Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 
Eze 3:20  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 
Eze 3:21  Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

As the Lord’s elect, we are called as watchmen of the Lord’s flock. We are to warn our brothers and sisters of the dangers lying ahead as we walk with Christ. If we refuse to warn our brothers and sisters and they die in their sins, their blood would be required of us.

Isa 62:6  I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 
Isa 62:7  And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Our role as watchmen means that we are to be ready at any point in time to share the Lord’s words when we are given the opportunity.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 

In Ezekiel 33, we are also shown another role of a watchman. We are to blow the trumpet of an impending sword in our land. That is to say that we are to warn our brothers and sisters about the judgment of our old man.

Eze 33:2  Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
Eze 33:3  If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 
Eze 33:4  Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword 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 be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

Eze 3:22  And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee. 
Eze 3:23  Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face. 
Eze 3:24  Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
Eze 3:25  But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
Eze 3:26  And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house. 
Eze 3:27  But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

One of the phrases that runs through the Book of Ezekiel is “The Glory of the Lord”. Here in verse 23, Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord and therefore fell on his face when he went to the plain to hear from the Lord. The glory of the Lord shows us His personality as one who is strong and mighty (Has all the resources), and the one who intervenes in our circumstance to lift up the gates that bar us from coming to know Him.

Psa 24:7  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psa 24:8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Psa 24:9  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psa 24:10  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

As we are aware, our Lord Jesus Christ and His words are the same. This implies that the glory of the Lord is also His words which we hear out of the midst of the fire which is our fiery trials.

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

Verses 24 to 27 show us that there is a time to speak and a time to keep silent. Here the Lord told Ezekiel that he should shut himself in the house and that he would be restrained from going out among his people. The Lord also told Ezekiel that He would cause him to be mute and unable to reprove the people of their sins. There is a time that the Lord causes us to shut ourselves up from all that surrounds us so that we can focus on His words. Paul gave us his experience when the Lord appeared to him as follows:

Gal 1:15  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
Gal 1:16  To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 
Gal 1:17  Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia [Shut himself up], and returned again unto Damascus.

There is also a time to bear witness to the truth of His words. That is the time that the Lord opens our mouth so that we can say “Thus saith the Lord.” Again, Paul’s experience can guide us to know when to speak and when to become mute.

Gal 2:1  Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 
Gal 2:2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

May the Lord continue to guide us by His spirit to know when to speak and when to remain silent. Amen!!

Exo 6:1-30 How Then Shall Pharaoh Hear Me, Who am of Uncircumcised Lips?

[Study Aired April 18, 2022]

Exo 6:1  Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 
Exo 6:2  And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 
Exo 6:3  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 
Exo 6:4  And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 
Exo 6:5  And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 
Exo 6:6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 
Exo 6:7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 
Exo 6:8  And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD. 
Exo 6:9  And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 
Exo 6:10  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Exo 6:11  Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 
Exo 6:12  And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 
Exo 6:13  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. 
Exo 6:14  These be the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben. 
Exo 6:15  And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon. 
Exo 6:16  And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. 
Exo 6:17  The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. 
Exo 6:18  And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. 
Exo 6:19  And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations. 
Exo 6:20  And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years. 
Exo 6:21  And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 
Exo 6:22  And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. 
Exo 6:23  And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 
Exo 6:24  And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. 
Exo 6:25  And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families. 
Exo 6:26  These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. 
Exo 6:27  These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron. 
Exo 6:28  And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 
Exo 6:29  That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. 
Exo 6:30  And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? 

To understand chapter 6, we need to look at the closing verses of chapter 5 where Moses became bothered and discouraged and even asked the Lord why He sent him. Furthermore, Moses said to the Lord, “Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.”

Many of us have had similar experiences. The more we think we are getting closer to the Lord through the enlightenment of His words, the more we go through certain circumstances of suffering that discourage us. This caused us to become troubled and discouraged just like Moses. Do not think, however, that increased suffering is a negative sign. Our suffering is a sign that God is in the process of delivering us from our enemy within – the old man or the beast.

Exo 5:22  And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 
Exo 5:23  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

Most of the first part of chapter 6 is devoted to the Lord’s response to Moses where the Lord was assuring Moses that what He has said, He is able to execute. The Lord assured Moses of His deliverance by reminding Moses of His name and His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The second part of chapter 6 deals with Moses and Aaron’s election.

Part One – The Lord’s Assurance to Moses

Let’s now examine the response by the Lord to Moses’ discouragement in the prior chapter as follows:

Exo 6:1  Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 

Here in this verse, we are being reminded that it is the Lord’s work to deal with the old man or the beast within, represented by Pharaoh. All we have to do is believe that the Lord will surely bring into completion what He starts.

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:

This work of the Lord in delivering us from the power of the beast within or the old man is characterized as being the strong hand of the Lord.

Neh 1:10  Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

Exo 13:9  And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

In the scriptures, the hand of the Lord on a negative note is judgment for the destruction of all that opposes or resists His will. So, the strong hand of the Lord is for the destruction of the beast or the old man within.

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

Exo 9:3  Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

On a positive note, this hand of the Lord is the extension of His mercies to us.

1Ch 21:13  And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

Ezr 7:28  And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

Exo 6:2  And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 
Exo 6:3  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 
Exo 6:4  And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
Exo 6:5  And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

After Moses expressed his discouragement and bewilderment to the Lord, our Lord came to him to reconfirm His name and His covenant. In verse 2 and 3, the Lord said to Moses that He is Jehovah. and he appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but the patriarchs did not know Him as Jehovah. The name God Almighty, in Hebrew translation, means El Shaddai, the all-sufficient God. What this means is that we start our walk knowing the Lord as God of all supply and promise just like the patriarchs. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all died without enjoying the fulfillment of the promise. In their experience, God was the all-sufficient one but He was not Jehovah, who fulfills promises.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

On the other hand, Moses was being introduced to a God who fulfills His promises. When the Lord came to Moses in response to Moses’ discouragement, He came as Jehovah, the One who is and fulfills promises. God’s existence is not dependent on anything apart from Himself. So, what the Lord was telling Moses was that he and the people of Israel’s exit from Babylon is not dependent on Pharaoh’s mood or anything else, but it is solely dependent on Him.  In a similar vein, it is later in our walk with Christ that we come to know Him as Jehovah, the self-existing God and the fulfilling God. This means that we have come to understand that our progress in the faith, or our walk with Him, are all dependent on Him!! That is the time we really find rest in Him.

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

The Lord’s name is what He Himself is, and His covenant is His words spoken with a promise and confirmed with an oath. Our every day words spoken to each other are not covenants. However, a word spoken with a promise and confirmed with an oath is a covenant. The Lord referencing His covenant with the patriarchs in verse 4 is to let us know that what the Lord has promised, He will surely bring to pass. That was the assurance the Lord gave to Moses when he was discouraged. Today, the Lord is reaffirming His name and His covenant to us to assure us that He will never fail us. Although things may happen the way we do not desire, what is important is that His purposes and plans concerning us shall come to pass according to what He has written in our books. Every day the Lord is unfolding to us His will for our lives, and we must embrace it with joy knowing that the road He is taking us through will bring us to our safe haven!!

Psa 139:16  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (ESV)

Exo 6:6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 
Exo 6:7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exo 6:8  And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

What we need to understand is that after the first conflict with Pharoah, Moses felt he had failed. The Lord’s reaction to Moses’ perceived failure was to give him further training. God would not send Moses again to Pharoah until he had received more training from Him. The first set of training that the Lord penciled out for Moses was to impress him with His name and covenant. The Lord reminded Moses that He is Jehovah, the self-existing one, who was, is and will be. He also reminded Moses of His covenant with the Patriarchs regarding the good land.

Verses 6–8 relate to the second set of training the Lord gave Moses, and it pertains to God’s word of assurance. We must pay attention to God’s word of assurance, the word that He speaks to us again and again. Have you been discouraged by the fact that you haven’t seen any significant progress with the death of the old man within you? Then, you are in the same place as Moses. Four things are mentioned here regarding the Lord’s word of assurance. First, the Lord said that He will deliver the children of Israel out of the Egyptian bondage. We, like Moses, are also being assured by the Lord that we shall be delivered from the beast or the old man within. We do not know how the Lord will accomplish this, but what we are aware of is that it will be through judgment (strong hand) that the old man would be put to death in our lives. It is the work of the Lord!! My brothers and sisters, what the Lord starts, He is able to finish. Let’s depend on Him!!

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.

Hos 6:3  Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. 

The second assurance given by the Lord to Moses was that He will take the children of Israel to Himself for a people, and He will be our God. Didn’t the people of Israel reject Moses’ words? But here the Lord is saying that they will be His people!! No matter what we are today in our own eyes or that of others, God is assuring us that we will be His chosen people. Sometimes, within us comes the voice of the old man powered by the devil that we are so far away from the Lord’s righteousness and that we are not fit for the kingdom!! Don’t condemn yourself. It’s time to take your eyes off yourself and look to Jesus!! On the day Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples kept looking at Him as He ascended. They were not looking at themselves. If they did so, they would have been extremely discouraged.

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 
Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 
Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

It was while the disciples were gazing up into heaven that two men appeared to them to assure them that Christ will come to them. The two men in white apparel represent the two witnesses or the elect. The fact that they were wearing white apparel is to assure the disciples that they will be clothed with Christ’s righteousness when He comes to them!!

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The third assurance given by the Lord to Moses was for Moses to know that the Lord is Jehovah. As we have explained earlier, Jehovah means the self-existing one. This is to assure Moses that his work of delivering the people from their bondage does not depend on him but on the Lord. He does the work!! Our transformation to be children of the Lord is God’s work and does not depend on us!!

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

The fourth assurance given to Moses was that the Lord will bring the children of Israel into the promised land. Remember that the promised land represents our bodies. Thus, what the Lord is assuring us is that we shall overcome the flesh or the old man.

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Exo 6:9  And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 
Exo 6:10  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Exo 6:11  Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 

Moses was also being trained in relation to the children of Israel’s unbelief and Pharaoh’s stubbornness. All the rebellious attitudes of our brothers and sisters who left us are all for our good or learning. As we shall see later, through the unbelief and Pharaoh’s stubbornness, Moses got to know his shortcomings and depended on the Lord alone. All the Lord’s elect ahead of us experienced the rejection by some of our own brothers and sisters and of course, Babylon at large. Let’s look at our Lord’s overwhelming rejection by all his disciples in the time of His need.

Mar 14:50  And they (His disciples) all forsook him, and fled. 
Mar 14:51  And there followed him a certain young man (Mark), having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 
Mar 14:52  And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. 

Mar 14:27  And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 
Mar 14:28  But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 

This is what Paul and John also went through:

2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
2Ti 1:16  The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 

3Jn 1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 
3Jn 1:10  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 

All these experiences are for our admonition so that when we encounter such opposition or resistance from those we consider as our brothers and sisters in our walk with Christ, we will know that the Spirit of the Lord is with us and that we are doing something in line with His will and purpose.

The fact that we are being made aware of the stubbornness of Pharaoh is to let us know that the beast within, or the old man’s demise, is a process and not a one-day wonder. It takes a whole lifetime to become perfected!! Let us, therefore, not focus on temporal setbacks of sin in our walk with Christ as we desire to please Him. The old man will surely die, and its death is gradual – we die daily giving way to the new man after the image of Christ.

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

Exo 6:12  And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 
Exo 6:13  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Here in verse 12, Moses told the Lord that he was of uncircumcised lips. This is reiterating what he said earlier in his encounter with the Lord in Exodus chapter 4 when he said that he was not eloquent and that he is slow in speech and of a slow tongue. Moses was complaining that the Lord had not done anything to make his mouth powerful such that it becomes easier for people to believe. As indicated earlier, Moses here was under training to lead the Lord’s people, and part of the training is for Moses to admit that he can of himself do nothing so that he would depend on the Lord wholly for the Lord’s work. It is not of him that wills or runs, but of the Lord that shows mercy. Success in becoming transformed by the Lord does not depend on ourselves by way of our skills, speaking, wisdom, etc. It depends wholly on the Lord!!

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

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.

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

It is in this context that in spite of Moses realizing his inability to lead the people of God, the Lord was still insisting that Moses, together with Aaron, has the mandate to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Once we have been chosen by the Lord, it is the Lord’s work to bring us to completion. Why then, do we get distracted by what we are going through, knowing that it is the Lord’s work, not ours, to bring us to our safe haven?

Part Two – God’s Election

In verses 14–26, we are given the genealogy of Reuben, Simeon and Levi. The intention for this record of genealogy is to let us know, from Jacob to Moses, who were chosen by the Lord. Although Jacob had twelve sons, only three were represented here. This is to let us know that the elect must go through judgment as part of the process of becoming spiritually mature.

Exo 6:14  These be the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.

Reuben’s genealogy is mentioned here because Reuben was the firstborn and as firstborn, Reuben should have received the birthright – the double portion of Jacob’s inheritance. However, his act of incest by sleeping with his father’s concubine, Bilhah, made him forfeit the birthright. This birthright symbolizes the Lord’s election. What this means is that Reuben and his families were not called and chosen by the Lord to lead His people out of bondage.

Gen 49:3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 
Gen 49:4  Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. 

Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Exo 6:15  And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.

Simeon was the second son of Jacob and Leah. Simeon’s descendants became one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He and his brother Levi tricked the Hivites of Shechem and massacred all the males because one of them had raped Dinah, their sister. Later, Jacob deplored this deed. Simeon, being the second born, should have received the birthright after Reuben, the firstborn was rejected. However, Simeon and his family also missed out on the Lord’s election.

Gen 49:5  Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

Exo 6:16  And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. 
Exo 6:17  The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. 
Exo 6:18  And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. 
Exo 6:19  And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations. 
Exo 6:20  And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years. 
Exo 6:21  And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 
Exo 6:22  And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. 
Exo 6:23  And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 
Exo 6:24  And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. 
Exo 6:25  And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.
Exo 6:26  These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. 
Exo 6:27  These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.

Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah. As indicated, Levi participated in the massacre of Shechem males in retaliation to Dinah’s defilement. His three sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari were ancestors of the three main divisions of the Levitical priesthood – the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites. On his deathbed, Jacob cursed both Simeon and Levi because of their cruelty and wrath. Despite all the negatives, the Lord called and chose the tribe of Levi for the priesthood and specifically chose Moses and Aaron for the deliverance of His people. These lessons are all written for our admonition, upon the ends of the world are come.

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.

What we are to understand is that our being called and chosen by the Lord is not because of what we have done or are doing. It was all done by the Lord before the foundations of the world. So, what we need to pay attention to here is that He who has called and chosen us will do the work to bring us to our inheritance. It is not our work. Let us therefore have confidence in Him that what He starts, He is able to finish!! This is why this genealogy was written in this part of the word of the Lord by Moses at the time Moses has despaired of leading the Lord’s people out of Egypt. The essence of this genealogy is to encourage us that in spite of all our weaknesses, what is important is being called and chosen like Moses and Aaron. Once our Lord grants us the grace to respond to His call, He is able to accomplish His will concerning what He has written in our books!!

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. 
Zec 4:7  Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. 
Zec 4:8  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Zec 4:9  The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. 
Zec 4:10  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. 

The question is, “How do I know that I’m called and chosen?” The fact that we are understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of God is a sure sign that we are called and chosen. Let’s not doubt our election!!

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 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 

Exo 6:28  And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 
Exo 6:29  That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. 
Exo 6:30  And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? 

The fact that Moses recognized his inability to convince the people of Israel and Pharaoh with his speaking by saying that he had uncircumcised lips has been repeated here in verse 30. This is to let us know that it serves as a witness and that it is established.

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 

Gen 41:32  And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

This means that what Moses said in terms of having uncircumcised lips applies to us all and that at a certain point of our walk with Christ we shall come to realize that we do not have what it takes to do the Lord’s work. In other words, as we walk with the Lord, our inadequacies will become obvious to us, and the devil may use this to try to disqualify us from the prize. That is why the Lord brought Moses’ election here at this point by giving us his genealogy to convince us that it is not about our inadequacies that matters but about our election. However, on a positive note, the Lord uses this to let us know that it is not our work but His work so that we will wholly depend on Him!!

2Co 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 
2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

In conclusion, we will end this review with the story of Jesus in a boat with the disciples crossing the sea from one end to another. This is because the disciples had the mandate of the Lord to cross the sea just as Moses had been given the command to go to Pharaoh to let the Lord’s people go. Therefore, this story summarizes the import of chapter 6 of Exodus.

Mar 4:35  On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 
Mar 4:36  And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 
Mar 4:37  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 
Mar 4:38  But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 
Mar 4:39  And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 
Mar 4:40  He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 
Mar 4:41  And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (ESV)

What we need to understand is that Jesus had already spoken to the disciples that they should cross the sea to the other side. Once the Lord has spoken, it is done!! Crossing the sea to the other side signifies overcoming the flesh (sea) in order to enter the kingdom of God (the other side). This is what the Lord has to say about His words:

Isa 55:11  so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 

Thus, we are in the same shoes as Moses regarding what the Lord had promised. However, in crossing the sea (overcoming the flesh), there are challenges – the great windstorms of life. They come in diverse ways – sickness, financial difficulties, family troubles, distress, loneliness, rejection, etc. These are all part of the Lord’s judgment on our sea of flesh. The good news about all this is that Jesus is in the boat with us, just as the disciples were with him in the boat, and therefore, we cannot perish with Him. However, our natural tendency is to accuse the Lord of not caring while we are going through all these troubles just like the disciples and Moses did.

Mar 4:38  But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 

Exo 5:22  And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 
Exo 5:23  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

When the storm was raging, Jesus was asleep. Another way of saying this is as follows:

Isa 54:7  For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 
Isa 54:8  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

Since the disciples did not perish, we shall also not perish. At the appointed time, the Lord will awake in our situation to rebuke the windstorm. That is when we shall testify just like the disciples said, “Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey?” What this means is that our Lord has full control of all that takes place in the spiritual realm (wind) and the physical world of flesh (sea)!!

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

May the Lord help us all to experience like the disciples of Jesus the fact that the Lord is in full control of everything that happens to us!! He is in our boat (within us) and therefore, we shall not perish!! Amen!!

Matt 26:21-30, Mark 14:18-26, Luke 22:21-23, John 13:18-32

[Study Aired November 2, 2021]

Joh 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
Joh 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
Joh 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Joh 13:21a When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, 
Mar 14:18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said,
Joh 13:21b and testified, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Luk 22:21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
Luk 22:23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
Mar 14:19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
Joh 13:22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
Joh 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Joh 13:24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
Joh 13:25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Mar 14:20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish,
Mat 26:23b the same shall betray me.
Mat 26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
Joh 13:26 He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
Mat 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
Joh 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Joh 13:28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
Joh 13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
Joh 13:30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
Joh 13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
Joh 13:32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Luk 22:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom,
Mat 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Mar 14:26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Luk 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Today’s study picks up after Christ washed the feet of the twelve disciples. Washing feet represents being a servant. Christ gave us this example and commanded his disciples to do the same for each other. We are to be the servants of the body of Christ. We do not serve each other by the ritual of foot washing as many practice. We wash each other’s feet by giving our time, energy, thoughts and support by laying down our lives as a living sacrifice.

Rom 12:1-2  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. 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.

This study will focus on those who are and are not able to eat at the Lord’s supper. Our first verses tell us that among the chosen there is a betrayal taking place. 

Joh 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
Joh 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
Joh 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Joh 13:21a When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, 
Mar 14:18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said,
Joh 13:21b and testified, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Luk 22:21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.

Being with Christ at the table represents being called and chosen. Being called and chosen, you may partake in the passover and have your feet washed, but that does not entitle you to eat the Lord’s supper. The disciples at this stage cannot determine who is the betrayer.

Luk 22:23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
Mar 14:19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
Joh 13:22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

Notice the disciples are looking at one another doubting that any of them is a betrayer. It takes Christ in us to determine the betrayer within the group of the called and chosen.

Joh 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Joh 13:24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
Joh 13:25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Mar 14:20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish,
Mat 26:23b the same shall betray me.
Mat 26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
Joh 13:26 He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
Mat 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

Judas is the betrayer who has been chosen by Christ since the beginning of the world. The scriptures are now fulfilled.

Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

Judas represents the called and chosen that cannot continue in Christ’s word who fall away without repentance and cannot go on into perfection in this age.

Joh 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Heb 6:1-6 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Judas also represents the fornicator within us that must be destroyed.

Joh 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Joh 13:28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
Joh 13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
Joh 13:30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

Christ has now delivered Judas to Satan for the destruction of the flesh.

1Co 5:1-13 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 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. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Judas will not be saved until the lake of fire, and he is used as a warning to the elect to examine their hearts continually for any fornication taking place within themselves.

Psa 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Now is the Son of man glorified. It takes being cast away to Satan for this to take place.

Joh 13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
Joh 13:32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

The Lord’s Supper can now take place.

Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Luk 22:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom,

The new testament is now beginning. The old is passing away.

2Co 5:11-21 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 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. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 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. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The churches of the world have turned this into a ritual. The Lord is not creating a ritual for mankind to perform. The Lord is telling us what it takes to reign with him in the kingdom of God.

Mat 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, 
Luk 22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Eph 5:1-21 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/study-of-the-book-of-kings-1ki-68-12-i-will-not-forsake-my-people/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-of-the-book-of-kings-1ki-68-12-i-will-not-forsake-my-people Thu, 07 Oct 2021 20:55:43 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=24500 https://www.dropbox.com/s/opv05mq7atf2alr/Tony-1ki-6_8-12.mp3?raw=1

1Ki 6:8-12 “I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel”

[Study Aired October 7, 2021]

1Ki 6:8  The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third. 
1Ki 6:9  So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
1Ki 6:10  And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
1Ki 6:11  And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
1Ki 6:12  Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

When we look at the construction of the physical temple of Solomon, every part of it has some spiritual significance for God’s elect to draw wisdom from. The building of the temple, like Noah’s ark represents our working out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php 2:12, Heb 11:7). God is preparing our hearts and warning us as Noah was warned, to be able to endure until the end (Amo 3:7), and we are learning together the strength that is ours when we operate together as one body, one ark, or one solid temple of God with Christ as our corner stone of support (Eph 2:19-20).

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.

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.

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

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

If we are God’s workmanship in this age (Eph 2:10) then we’ll know that Solomon’s temple and all of the measured and fitted materials represent the words of God that we laboured for over the years ‘proving all things and holding fast that which is good’ (1Th 5:21) so that our Father and Christ will make their abode with us (Joh 14:20-23). It is with us that the manifest knowledge of Christ is made known through the church via God’s holy spirit, as the comforter leads us into all truth (Joh 16:13).

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.

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him [(Eph 3:10) becoming measured and fitted materials by God’s power and might explained (Rev 11:1)].
Joh 14:22  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world [Heb 13:10, Eph 3:10]?
Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him [This is how God manifests Himself to us through every joint that supplieth – “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” (Eph 4:16) which is the fruit that is brought forth if we are granted to continue to abide in Christ, keeping His words (Joh 14:25-26)].

Christ manifests Himself to His bride through the church, which is His body and temple that we are, which houses God’s spirit (Col 1:24, 1Co 3:16, Rom 8:9). The temple is where the gospel is being preached to all men (Col 1:28, 1Co 9:22) as the light of Christ shines forth from the temple where we worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23) and continue to stay unspotted from this world as we visit the fatherless and widows who represent the elect in their affliction; which affliction is central to our communion in Christ (Jas 1:27, 1Co 10:16).

Christ has promised to make his disciples fishers of men (Mat 4:19), who are learning to always be ready to give an answer for the hope of the gospel within them which is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (1Pe 3:15, Rom 1:16). As we near the end of this age, the witness of Christ will shine forth more and more to this dying world both within, and consequently outwardly, as He increases and we decrease (2Pe 1:19, Php 2:15).

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

Php 2:15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

John the baptist was a physical witness who represents our own fleshly minds that can’t decrease without Christ increasing in our heavens, and so John’s type-and-shadow comforting words tell us that we must decrease and Christ must increase as was the case physically in his life having been beheaded (Mar 6:27). The spiritual reality for God’s elect is that we must be granted to continue in the truth which will cause our flesh to be put off as Christ increases within us through our being buried with Him into His spiritual baptism (Col 1:24) as John was not (Joh 3:30, 1Co 3:6, Rom 6:3).

We must follow Christ in order to be overcomers and fulfill our role of being witnesses in this age, and so we are promised that if we follow Christ (“Follow me”), we will be more than conquerors through Him, and the truth will set us free (Joh 8:32-36). Following Christ means our first Adamic head, represented by John the baptist, must be put off. The least in the kingdom is greater than John because of the new creation we have become through Christ who is our new head. John also represents the keeping of the law, which will never justify anyone (Mat 11:11, Gal 3:11).

Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men [Php 2:12-13].

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [“Follow me“] then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

The temple being built will be of little use unless its true function for the elect, of being the two witnesses within that temple, is accomplished, and once again we see that it has been prophesied to be accomplished not by might or power, but by God’s holy spirit which gives us the power to fulfill God’s will on earth as it is in heaven (Rev 11:3). If John was able to accomplish what he did in his flesh pointing to Christ, then it is certain that if we are Christ’s body, that we can be armed with the mind and suffering of Christ in order to overcome and witness to the world the life of Christ in us to which John was only pointing (Gal 2:20, Rom 5:10). John was pointing to the lamb of God Who would take away the sins of the world, but he was also unknowingly pointing to the saviours who would come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, the body of Christ (Col 1:24, Oba 1:21).

In this section of Kings there is a bright admonition that was given to Solomon “Concerning this house which thou art in building” which went this way: “if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father.”  This admonition to Solomon symbolizes our need to not only be hearers of the word who have built up our knowledge of God, represented by the temple, but doers of the word who now must lay a good foundation of predestined works against the day of evil that is to come upon this world (Mat 7:24, Eph 6:14-15, 1Ti 6:19, 2Ti 2:19).

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

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;

1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his [and I will make you fishers of men]. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity [We depart from iniquity by believing these words (Php 2:12-13)].

God is the only one who can permit (Heb 6:3) our hearts to be softened (Heb 12:6-7) in order to be received so we can lay up this foundation of good works, otherwise we will be found in the second resurrection having to have that hardened foundation softened through judgment at that time (Rom 2:5, Heb 6:1).

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?

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Our future and present ability to overcome is accompanied with the promise that Christ will never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5) as we go about our Father’s business of being fishers of men. A blueprint for God’s people regarding how His power will be used in the lives of those who have been called and chosen and remain faithful unto death as living sacrifices or witnesses with God’s power in their lives (Rom 12:1-2, Rev 11:7-8) can be found in these verses in Matthew 10:8-42, verses that represent the works and fruit that will manifest in us if our Father and Christ are abiding in us and we are continuing in the truth (Joh 15:5, Joh 5:30, Joh 8:31-32). Our life in Christ is one of witnessing to the kingdom of God, of which we are ambassadors, and how we pronounce that kingdom to the world is detailed in these verses (Mat 10:8-42). None of this is possible without Christ in us, but through Him we can be the light of the world that glorifies God in what we do and say in this life (Mat 5:14).

With such exceedingly great and precious promises in our lives, we can be assured that with the faith of Christ and the determined hand of our Father who is working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11), we will be more than conquerors through Him who loved us, and the witness to which we have been called will be accomplished through the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ, who is the true and faithful witness (Rom 5:10, Mat 16:18, Heb 12:2, Php 1:6, Rev 3:14).

Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

These verses (Mat 10:8-42) represent the witness that must come forth and will come forth through the body of Christ. It is a testimony of what Christ is going to do through the church, not what He might do, or that we in our flesh may prevent God from accomplishing, but rather it represents the fruit that is born out of the church that Christ is building (Mat 16:18). If it is Christ’s church, it will flourish and a witness will manifest and fruit will remain and be established and the tree will be known by its fruit (Joh 15:16).

We need wisdom to know how to walk in this age as we are led by the spirit of God with the knowledge He gives us to know how to discern spirits as we interact with the world today and minister to each other as we go through this life of much tribulation and judgment that is upon God’s house (1Pe 4:17). If we are in that blessed and holy first resurrection, these words of Christ will be no less applicable for the period of time when the true gospel will go out to all nations, with various degrees of acceptance and non-acceptance, always all unfolding according to the counsel of God’s own will (Mat 10:8-42, Mat 11:21).

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 [within me].

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you [to be fishers of men who know that the seed of God that we plant will not return void (Isa 55:11)].
Joh 15:17  These things I command you, that ye love one another.

In this section of the book of Kings, the temple that Solomon built was announced to be finished: “So he built the house, and finished it“. Christ’s physical life was also announced to be ready to do the work God had set before him in (Luke 2:52). Solomon’s temple was finished and made ready to serve its function, just as Christ’s life and the body of Christ represented by the temple (1Jn 4:17) will be made ready to fulfill our function in God’s plan (Col 2:17). The witness can now go forth through the body of Christ in power and might as we fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ, not by physical might or power but by God’s holy spirit that is the hope of glory that we have within making this possible (Act 1:8, Rev 11:3, Col 1:24, Col 1:27, Php 4:13).

1Ki 6:8  The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.

The middle chamber is the one which is six cubits (1Ki 6:6) which represents the number of man, so “winding stairs” that go up “and out of the middle into the third” are a witness to the process of judgment our carnal nature must go through in order to go on to perfection in the third chamber, which is seven cubits, the number for completion. It is found “in the right side of the house” as the “right” represents power, specifically the power of God which we will need to overcome. The stairs do not go straight up and down like an elevator, because God’s plan and our growth is not a linear event, but rather our Father gives us hope of what is ahead of us and a vision as such that sustains us through the body of Christ, through the angels of God that ascend and descend these stairs (Gen 28:12).

Gen 28:12  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Christ’s growth in us is predetermined and likened to Jacob’s ladder, where we ascend up and down that ladder which represents Christ. Christ’s purpose within us is never going to be thwarted seeing He is the One who is accomplishing this work within us as we are taught that it is through the chastening in this life that our ways are made straight as we learn to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts (Tit 2:12, Joh 1:23). There can be no ascending or descending of Christ in our life if grace and faith are not effectively a part of our day-to-day walk which, as we mentioned in last week’s study, is the reason why the first chamber is five cubits, which begins this process of being able to ascend into the third chamber as we die daily, being saved by the grace and faith of Christ (Joh 3:13, Eph 2:8).

The angels Jacob saw in his dream on that ladder represent the body of Christ and its various functions in Christ’s body found in Ephesians 4:9-13.

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) [Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21]
Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

1Ki 6:9  So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

Building the house and finishing it is not the same as continuing in the truth in order to be saved, which is what is required to become fishers of men (Joh 8:31-32, 1Ti 4:16, 1Jn 4:6). In type and shadow, however, the stage has been set to continue in the truth: God’s servant Solomon was used to cover “the house with beams and boards of cedar”.

Those “beams and boards” are produced from cedar trees that are non fruit-bearing trees that represent the knowledge and experience of Christ we had in Babylon that needs to now be rightly divided by Christ and properly fitted into the temple of God. We can have a lot of understanding with no true conversion or comprehension in our hearts as Hebrews 6:1-6 teaches us, but if God will permit (Heb 6:3), those beams and boards, which now cover the house, will resonate with a new relationship of maturity in Christ where we worship our Father in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23).

The beams represent the strength of Christ that is ours when we are obedient to our Lord (Act 5:32), and the boards of cedar represent the beauty of holiness (Psa 92:12, Psa 96:9) that comes about by rightly dividing the word of truth (2Ti 2:15).

The temple is also likened to a bride coming down from heaven who is adorned, and so all these elements that make up the physical temple represent that preparing or strengthening of the body of Christ taking place in our lives if God has ordained it (Rev 21:2, Rev 19:7).

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.

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.

Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews [Rom 2:28-29].
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.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

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.

1Ki 6:10  And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
1Ki 6:11  And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,

Again the mention of how they “built chambers against all the house, five cubits high:” accompanied with the thought “and they rested on the house with timber of cedar” tells us that we labour to enter into the rest of Christ represented by those “chambers” and that it is “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8, Php 2:12). The “five cubits” represent that grace through faith process whereby we are being saved when we find our rest in Christ which comes to us through the storms of this life God raises and through which we labour (Heb 4:11) and are delivered from (Psa 107:25-29).

It is through much tribulation that we enter into the rest of Christ (Act 14:22), and it is when we experience this communion of suffering found in our Lord’s body that the “word of the Lord” then comes to us (1Co 10:16, Luk 24:30-32).

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight [Joh 20:29].
Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

1Ki 6:12  Concerning this house which thou art in building^{H1129 [H8802]}, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

Solomon, who is a type of the elect, is now given the house rules so to speak of this marvellous temple “Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them“, and was told if he did these things “then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father“.  We are being told, in type and shadow, that if Solomon/we will continue in being a doer of the word, then God will “perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father“.

God’s word being ‘performed with David’ symbolizes the life of Christ that is faithful and well pleasing to God. David’s life typified Christ as a man who was after God’s own heart (1Sa 13:14, Joh 8:29), and with Christ in our ‘built and finished temple as our hope of glory’ (Col 1:27), we can fulfill the spiritual function of this temple which we are, as God gives us that increase making this possible (1Co 3:6). It is that love and care the body of Christ has for each other which is a gift from God typified by David’s love of the Lord (Eph 4:16) which Solomon was admonished to show by walking “in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments” (Joh 14:15).

1Sa 13:14  But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

Joh 8:29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

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.

Without God giving us the increase which comes from him, we can water and plant all day long, or build glorious churches in the name of the Lord, or temples as Solomon did, but the only one through whom God is going to give us increase is the one who is our mediator (1Ti 2:5) and the one through whom we are accepted (Joh 15:5, Eph 1:6).

The lesson for God’s elect today is that we must be given to keep dying daily and give God all the glory and honour in every aspect of everything we do, confidently rejoicing that our names are written in heaven (Php 1:6, Php 4:4, Rev 19:7-8, Luk 10:20) making it possible for us to go through a process of maturing in the Lord that will make us “meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (1Co 10:31-32, 1Ch 29:14, 2Ti 2:21).

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:

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

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.
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.

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1Co 10:32  Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

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

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

These verses mentioned earlier in the study in Matthew 10:8-42 explain the life of witnessing that will happen in our lives when these type and shadow words which applied to Solomon apply to God’s children today who are now able to accomplish and fulfill God’s will, not by might or power, but by God’s holy spirit “then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father“.

God will perform his word with us, if we keep His commandments, and if we keep His commandments our Father and Christ will abide with us and make Their abode with us (Joh 14:23) as we have been promised (Joh 14:13-17, Joh 15:10-11, Joh 14:13). Our desire with Christ in us as our hope of glory will be to preach the gospel to all nations as a witness, which Christ is doing through us everyday as we die daily and are ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us as His workmanship who need not be ashamed (2Ti 2:15, Rom 1:16-17, Mat 10:32).

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
1Jn 5:15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

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

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 [Gal 2:20].

Mat 10:32  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Christ will not deny Himself in this process of turning us into fishers of men as He witnesses to all the world through us of God’s power and might working boldly within us (2Ti 2:13). That is the promise God’s elect have been given which was typified in the promise made to Israel on behalf, or for the sake of, the elect who are the Israel of God (Gal 6:16): “I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel“

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-book-of-jeremiah-jer-1813-23-let-us-not-give-heed-to-any-of-his-words/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-book-of-jeremiah-jer-1813-23-let-us-not-give-heed-to-any-of-his-words Sun, 26 Sep 2021 03:26:06 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=24415 https://www.dropbox.com/s/rovaw34qwg5kbh4/20210926-Study_MikeV-NotGiveHeed.m4a?raw=1

Jer 18:13-23 Let Us Not Give Heed to Any of His Words

[Study Aired September 26, 2021]

Jer 18:13  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
Jer 18:14  Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? Or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
Jer 18:15  Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
Jer 18:16  To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
Jer 18:17  I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
Jer 18:18  Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
Jer 18:19  Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
Jer 18:20  Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
Jer 18:21  Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
Jer 18:22  Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
Jer 18:23  Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

Whenever our study begins with the word ‘therefore’ we must review the last verses of our last study:

Jer 18:11  Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
Jer 18:12  And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

That is the ‘therefore’ that provokes the Lord to ask:

Jer 18:13  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

The Lord catches us in our open adultery and tells us of our adulterous ways. Then He admonishes us with great patience to “return” to Him, but we refuse to do so. “Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things” is the same message the holy spirit is dealing with in the church at Corinth, when the apostle Paul admonishes us:

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.

Leaving the Lord, our spiritually legal husband, to worship our flesh and the great red dragon, is the equivalent of leaving pure life-giving waters to drink from a sewer. The fact that we do this provokes the Lord to ask:

Jer 18:14  Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

These words are addressed to each of us because we just naturally take our spiritual husband’s love for granted, and we just naturally use the knowledge of His sovereignty to turn His grace into lasciviousness so we can continue to please our flesh and continue in our sins and our false doctrines. These actions place us in the spiritual position of ‘worshiping the dragon who empowers the beast’ which we all are by nature (Ecc 3:18, Rev 13:4).

The waters from the melting snow in Lebanon flow down and refresh the Lord’s people. Just as the Lord’s wife “spoils the Egyptians” (Exo 3:22), and inherits ‘cities they did not build, and vineyards they did not plant’ (Jos 24:13). Lebanon is not Israel, but Lebanon also belongs to the Lord, and He uses the snow of the mountains of Lebanon as He sees fit, to refresh His people, and yet they turn from Him to other gods.

The message here is the same as in the previous chapters:

Jer 2:7  And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
Jer 2:8  The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
Jer 2:9  Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.
Jer 2:10  For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
Jer 2:11  Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
Jer 2:12  Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
Jer 2:13  For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jer 2:14  Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?

The question the Lord is asking us is why are we forsaking pure, clean, cool, refreshing waters to drink from the muddy waters of “Sihor”, the Nile, in Egypt or the Euphrates in Babylon? Why do we change the Truth in His Word, for the lies of Egypt and Babylon?

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

Jer 2:18  And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria [Babylon], to drink the waters of the river?

Jer 17:13  O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth [as opposed to “in heaven” (Luk 10:20)], because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

Christ tells us that “fountains of living waters” is speaking of Him, and He tells us just how precious His ‘waters’ are:

Joh 4:13  Jesus answered and said unto her,  Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
Joh 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Like Esau we place no value on things that are in the distant future. Rather we live for the moment to please our flesh, and we forget the promise of “water springing up into everlasting life”.

It is much easier to do all the things that cause us to be accepted by family, friends, and the society we live in, than it is to be faithful to the Lord and be divided from that comfortable position in this world. We find it easy to forget what our calling entails:

Mat 10:21  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his  master, nor the servant above his lord.
Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Mat 10:34  Think not that I 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.
Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Notice just how redundant the holy spirit is in repeating over and over again how we, the Lord’s own people, have turned away from Him in our desire to do what we want to do. Our flesh just naturally hates being told what to do. That is especially true because those commandments are contrary to our natural mind and our natural inclinations:

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot  please God.

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.

If you think that because you have been aware of the Truth for some time that your flesh is now subject to the law of God, then you are in for a rude awakening. It is true that if we “walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh”:

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

It is also true that “the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” is in the King James Version of the scriptures:

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.

What tense do you suppose that statement is? Yes, of course, it just happens to be in the aorist tense and should read “the law of the spirit frees me from the law of sin and death”. Both the John Mitchell Version and the CLV correctly put this statement in the continuing aorist tense:

Rom 8:2   For the law of the spirit of The Life within Christ Jesus [or: For the Law of Life’s spirit, within Christ Jesus; or: For the Spirit’s law of life within Christ Jesus] frees you [sets you free] away from the Law of the Sin [the Failure; the Miss] and of the Death. (JMV)

Rom 8:2 for the spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus frees you from the law of sin and death. (CLV)

We are being supported by the spirit to overcome our flesh, but we must never ever think that we need not be diligent, vigilant, sober, and alert to the pulls of our flesh, and the power the Lord has given the adversary to try our faith, and make us forget who we are in Christ:

Jer 18:15  Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

After listing all His accomplishments and all of his degrees bestowed upon him by men, Paul counts it all “loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ”:

Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8  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,
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:
Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Then He gives us the mindset which will never forget the Lord and who we are in the Lord. Here is the mind of Christ concerning how we are to think in order to “endure to the end”:

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
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.

‘Attained… apprehend and apprehended’ are all in the aorist tense and ‘being perfect [and] thus minded’ are in the present tense within the understanding that ‘perfection’ is a process that is taking place within the aorist tense. Perfection in the flesh was beyond even Christ’s abilities:

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 [being resurrected] I shall be perfected.

When we “stumble in [our] ways” we are being disobedient to His established Truth. To “cast up” a ‘way’ and a ‘path’ is to properly prepare that ‘path’ and that ‘way’ by building up what is right and proper and by removing every rebellious stumbling block which is not right or proper:

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;
Isa 57:14  And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
Isa 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity [‘inhabits the future’ (CLV)], 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.

‘Putting our trust in the Lord’ means that we love Him, and we fear to disobey or disappoint Him. Love is obedience:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

“Know[ing] that we love the children of God” comes only through being obedient to Him and His doctrines. We should not claim we know Christ if we will not be obedient to His commandments.

This is how Christ wants us to show that we love Him:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

“The high and holy place where the Lord dwells” (Isa 57:15) is in the heavens of our minds, which are at this very moment being purified and prepared for His habitation:

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

The “purify[ing] of [our] heavens” is the “daily… dying” (1Co 15:31) of our old man who is the subject of our next verses in the form of plural pronouns:

Jer 18:16  To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
Jer 18:17  I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

‘Their’ and ‘them’ is the rebellious, ignorant, carnal mind we are all born with, and which must be made “desolate… in the day of [our] calamity”, which is really the best day of our  lives.

Until that day arrives we are all just unrepentant, self-righteous, Job (Job 26:5-7 and the entire 29^th chapter), and this is what we do to those who attempt to expose our self-righteousness:

Jer 18:18  Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

Once again, the plural ‘they’ is hiding from the world the fact that this verse is addressed individually to every person who reads it. This is what we all say of those who bring Him and His Truth to us. Those who bring The Truth to us are simply those who came before us and who, like Job, came to realize just how “vile” they are:

Job 40:1  Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
Job 40:2  Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5  Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

The answer to the Lord’s rhetorical question… “Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” is, “Yes, that is exactly what we all do” before we come to see just how ‘vile’ we really are as verse 18 reveals when we maintain: “for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite [Jeremiah, as a type of “the Lord and His Christ”] with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”

We are “the souls under the altar” of the fifth seal:

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:

“The altar” signifies the cross upon which we all present our bodies as a “daily dying… living sacrifice” (1Co 15:31 and Rom 12:1).

As verse 18 demonstrates, it was Jeremiah’s ‘words’ “…the words of God and…  the testimony [he] held” which ‘they’ (you and I… our old man] hated so much.

Rev 6:10  And they [our new man] 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?

Let’s look at verse 18 once more:

Jer 18:18  Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

These words reflect the self-righteous spirit of Job before the Lord Himself came and confronted this most heinous self-righteous spirit, which is manifested in these words of Job:

Job 27:1  Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
Job 27:2  As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
Job 27:3  All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
Job 27:4  My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
Job 27:5  God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
Job 27:6  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
Job 27:7  Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

Job had not yet learned the wisdom of these inspired words:

Pro 27:2  Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

As we saw earlier in Job 40, Job was granted to see that his “enemy” was the Lord Himself, as the Lord ‘judged him out of his own mouth’ (Luk 19:22) for referring the Lord, who had “risen up against” Job “as the wicked… as the unrighteous”. That is no way to speak of the Lord, not even in ignorance.

We all at first think just that way of the Lord and His Christ, and the whole world agrees with us at that time, which causes our new man to cry out to the Lord:

Jer 18:19  Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
Jer 18:20  Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.

We all long for the day when we are given revenge over our old man and his vengeful ways. Again, it is always my own old man who is referred to with a plural pronoun:

Jer 18:21  Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
Jer 18:22  Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
Jer 18:23  Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

“The force of the sword” is the power of the Word of God:

Heb 4:12  For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of both soul and spirit, and of both the joints and the marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.

It is the Lord Himself who referred to “their men” as evil, lying ‘men’ when He said:

Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

The apostle Paul admonishes us:

Rom 3:4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Unless the name ‘Adam’ is qualified by the words “second man Adam” or “the last Adam”, Adam is always to be understood as “the natural man… the first man Adam… the man of sin” in all of us. So it is with the word ‘man’ or ‘men’. Unless otherwise qualified by phrases like “good man… (Mat 12:35) wise man… (Mat 7:24) new man… (Eph 2:15 and 4:24) or last man… (1Co 15:45)”, the word ‘man’ is always to be understood as “the first man, Adam… the man of sin… the beast… made to be taken and destroyed.”

It was the Lord Himself who told us that ‘men’ and ‘children’ both signify false doctrines:

Mat 13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Mat 13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

“Receiving seed” is “hearing the Word”. However, ‘the Word’ is also called “the children of the kingdom”:

Mat 13:36  Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
Mat 13:37  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
Mat 13:38  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

The ‘good seed’ are the children of the kingdom and the ‘tares’ are the children of the wicked one. When we read in Jeremiah:

Jer 18:21  Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

That is the desire of “the souls under the altar”. Those ‘souls’ are not intent upon seeing their physical enemies suffer excruciating revenge. Such a spirit will not be given to rule over others. What ‘the souls under the altar’ want to see is the death and destruction of the kingdom of their own old man as well as that same destruction of the “old man” in all men. “Their young men… their children… their wives (false churches), and their blood” are one and all the lies of the adversary within all men. I want my own “old man” to suffer the vengeance of God upon him and his kingdom. I want him and anything about him… everything that breaths (Deu 20:16)… to be completely destroyed “by the sword… of the Word… in battle”.

Jer 18:22  Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
Jer 18:23  Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

‘The troop which comes suddenly upon them’ signifies all the truths which expose the lies by which we have been snared and which we have been living under for so long. These two verses are the fulfilment of what the Lord said He would do in the first part of this same chapter. He does all this because of our stubbornness and our rebellion against Him:

Jer 18:11  Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
Jer 18:12  And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

‘Their… them… and they’ are plural pronouns which are designed to hide from the eyes of those who are not being judged at this time, the fact that all those pronouns refer to the kingdom and the economy of our old man who is the first to be judged in “this present time”:

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.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God [“this present time” (Rom 8:18)]: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

We are “the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem” who have insisted on ‘walking after our own devices and doing the imagination of our own evil heart’. The Lord is mercifully judging us in “this present time” however.

We have nothing to fear because nothing depends upon us. Everything depends only upon Him who is “working all things after the counsel of His own 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:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

And “all things [are being] worked together for good to them that love God and who are the called according to His purpose”:

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

So, we need not worry about the ship going down. If Christ is in the ship, it will not go down.

Here is that story. It is a story about each of us and the trying of our faith:

Mar 4:35  And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
Mar 4:36  And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
Mar 4:37  And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
Mar 4:38  And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
Mar 4:39  And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Mar 4:40  And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Mar 4:41  And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Both “the wind and the sea”, the spirit and the flesh “obey Him”, so we need not fear. It is He who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure:

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.

Which “good pleasure” is:

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

That is our study for today and these are the verses for our next study:

Jer 19:1  Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter’s earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;
Jer 19:2  And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee,
Jer 19:3  And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.
Jer 19:4  Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;
Jer 19:5  They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:
Jer 19:6  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.
Jer 19:7  And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.
Jer 19:8  And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.
Jer 19:9  And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.
Jer 19:10  Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,
Jer 19:11  And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.
Jer 19:12  Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:
Jer 19:13  And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.
Jer 19:14  Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD’S house; and said to all the people,
Jer 19:15  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-book-of-kings-1ki-35-15-behold-what-manner-of-love-the-father-hath-bestowed-upon-us/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-book-of-kings-1ki-35-15-behold-what-manner-of-love-the-father-hath-bestowed-upon-us Fri, 20 Aug 2021 02:39:33 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=24171 https://www.dropbox.com/s/ugtpz3g3ohcev48/Tony-1ki-3_5-15.mp3?raw=1

1Ki 3:5-15 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us”

[Study Aired August 19, 2021]

1Ki 3:5  In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
1Ki 3:6  And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
1Ki 3:7  And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8  And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
1Ki 3:9  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
1Ki 3:10  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
1Ki 3:11  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
1Ki 3:12  Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
1Ki 3:13  And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
1Ki 3:14  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
1Ki 3:15  And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

The love that God bestows upon us is revealed by calling us sons who are not known of the world, and is typically being  revealed to us via Solomon, a type of the elect whose father was David, a type of Christ (1Jn 3:1). God’s love is expressed through Christ, and this tells us that we, being as He is in this life, will be sent as Christ was sent (1Jn 4:17, Joh 20:21) to express this same love to the rest of the world (2Co 5:18, 1Co 8:6).

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

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.

Solomon at first was truly humble and “not known of the world”, but as we know, later in his walk he would be corrupted by the world and have his heart turned by those things which represent our own power and self-willed nature that, if God does not chasten and scourge out of us (Heb 12:6), will cause us to drift back into the world like Demas, Titus and Crescens (Deu 17:16, 1Ki 4:26, Psa 33:17-18, 1Ki 11:2-3, 2Ti 4:10).

Deu 17:16  But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way [negative – running with horses (Deu 17:16) and positive – expression of running with horses (Jer 12:5)].

1Ki 4:26  And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Psa 33:17  An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
Psa 33:18  Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy [Heb 5:7];

1Ki 11:2  Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
1Ki 11:3  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

This turning away of Solomon’s heart was simply because of a lack of fear and reverence toward God’s command that told him you “shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt” as well as his desire to cleave “unto these in love”. Love is obedience to God’s commands, which tells us to forsake the world and cleave unto him who is the author and finisher of our faith (1Jn 2:15, Jos 23:8-11)

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.

Jos 23:8  But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
Jos 23:9  For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
Jos 23:10  One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
Jos 23:11  Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.

In type and shadow, God was not bestowing upon Solomon the kind of correction that would have prevented him from getting all those horses that represent his own power, his own righteousness (Php 3:9), and God did not prevent him from having all those wives and concubines that add up to one thousand, which represents the same hidden desire that will continue to be in the heart of mankind throughout the thousand year reign until the sins of the Amorites come to their fullness expressed in the rebellion of Gog and Magog against the camp of the saints (Rev 20:8).

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:

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.

Solomon did not have any more power than anyone of us to walk in God’s commandments and keep His statutes, which if he would have had, he was promised God would “lengthen his days” of 1Kings 3:14. Yet for his father’s sake, who typifies Christ our olam/father, the whole kingdom would not be taken out of his hands despite himself: “Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes” (1Ki 11:34).

1Ki 3:5  In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

It is in “Gibeon” (“hill city”), which typifies where we are raised in heavenly places (Eph 2:6), that we learn of our high calling that is in the Lord (Php 3:14, Psa 121:1-2).

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

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

Psa 121:1  A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
Psa 121:2  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

It is “in a dream by night” that God comes to us and says “ask what I shall give thee“. The elect’s high calling in Christ is being typified at this express moment in Solomon’s life (Psa 2:8-10). The “dream by night” reminds us that light comes out of darkness and that the dream God gives us reveals the singleness that is in Christ (2Co 11:3), a dream that is one that brings us to conclude and be convinced that there is one body with many members (Gen 40:8, Gen 41:25, Rom 12:5).

Psa 2:8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession (Joh 11:22).
Psa 2:9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psa 2:10  Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Gen 40:8  And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

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

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity [singleness] that is in Christ.

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another [Joh 17:22]

1Ki 3:6  And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

This verse is central to our study as it shows us that David who was a type of Christ was shown “great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness”. The great kindness that God kept for Christ was the inheritance of the saints [his wife] typified by Solomon who was the son who would “sit on his throne [David’s], as it is this day” which is why the title of our study is what it is “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God [Rev 20:4, Mat 19:28]: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”(1Jn 3:1, Eph 1:18, Rom 8:17, Col 3:24, Col 1:12). Abraham, who also typifies Christ as David does, reminds us of this same inheritance that is in Christ and in the elect (Gen 17:4, 1Co 15:28).

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

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.

Col 1:12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Gen 17:4  As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

1Ki 3:7  And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8  And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

This was a good place where God had Solomon, being able to acknowledge his need on the Lord for everything with these words: “I am but a little child” (Mat 18:3-4) who needed constant direction from God to know how to “go out or come in“, which is a shadow of how we need the Lord to show us how to walk circumspectly in this life as we’re led by God’s holy spirit (Rom 8:14-16), conducting ourselves in a way that glorifies God when we come together in “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (Eph 5:15-17, 1Ti 3:15). Understanding the will of God is walking circumspectly, and that can only be done by being given power over all that is in the world through Christ, both within and outside ourselves (1Jn 2:16-17, 1Jn 5:4).

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

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.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Solomon was in the midst of so great a people who were chosen,  “which thou hast chosen“, a symbol of how we are in the midst of the few chosen, taken from “a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude“, but who will be redeemed in God’s appointed time (Mat 22:14, Rev 17:14, Rev 7:9-14).

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

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.

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.

1Ki 3:9  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
1Ki 3:10  And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

This was a most pleasing thing Solomon requested of God: “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad.” Again we see the humility being expressed in Solomon’s words who recognizes that the job at hand is one that can’t be accomplished without God’s mercy and kindness being shown to him by giving him a discerning  heart, “for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?“

In the new covenant we have these parallel verses which remind us of the desire God has put in the elect’s hearts to ask for the ability to prophecy (1Co 14:1-3). The way we come to be able to “discern between good and bad” is the lifetime goal to which God has called us, bringing us to that point of maturity where we can partake of strong meat that nourishes us in our life of much tribulation in the Lord (1Pe 5:10, Act 14:22). Strong meat is eaten when we rightly divide that meat, discerning good and evil and light and darkness, understanding the goodness and severity that is required in God’s plan in order to mature (Rom 11:22).

1Co 14:1  Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
1Co 14:2  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

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.

Solomon’s question, “For who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” is answered for us with these verses: (1Co 6:3, Oba 1:21), and as we read earlier it is those who have suffered and are being made perfect and being established and strengthened and settled that God is setting to judge in the church, as opposed to laying hands on those who are least, meaning they are yet carnal babes in Christ (1Co 6:4-5, 1Ti 5:22, 1Co 3:4).

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

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

1Co 6:4  If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

1Ti 5:22  Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

Our goal then is to all come to that point of being mature sons of God who share in a unity of mind (Eph 4:13, 2Co 11:3) that produces a speech pleasing to the Lord, reflected in this verse: “And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.”

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:

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity [singleness] that is in Christ.

1Ki 3:11  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

In type and shadow we are being told that Solomon did not ask amiss to consume these things upon his own lusts, by asking the things that we all would normally ask when we are trying to preserve our flesh from a carnal standpoint (Jas 4:3).

Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

In the negative sense, Adam seeks “Long Life” and “riches for thyself” and destruction of “thine enemies without, but in the positive sense, God has promised those who lose their life (“thine enemies” all that is within the world within us [1Jn 2:16]) by honouring Him and the workmanship of His hands, the church (Eph 2:10), will be given “Long Life” with ‘the first commandment with promise that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth’ in glorified bodies (Eph 6:2-3, Joh 17:3-5, Joh 17:22).

Eph 6:2  Honour thy father [Christ] and mother [Jerusalem above the mother of us all (Gal 4:26)]; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

To ask for “understanding to discern judgment” is not something that the first man Adam asks for, seeing there is only a way that seems right unto him that leads to death which prevents him from desiring a discerning spirit (Pro 14:12). The “riches for thyself” represent the self-righteous acts of our life, like the rich young ruler, who we all once were, not being able to discern the true riches found in Christ that can’t be compared with anything (Php 3:8). The true “riches for thyself” begin to be understood when we come to see that we have no riches at all without Christ in our life (Luk 18:21, Rev 3:17, Joh 6:44).

Php 3:8  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,

Luk 18:21  And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

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. [“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them” in earnest now and one day in the fullness.]

The truth of the matter is there are no greater riches than that which God gives to those who diligently seek him and acknowledge their own blindness and continual need for a physician in this life as we overcome by dying daily to the wantonness within our flesh. Therefore, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2Co 7:1).

1Ki 3:12  Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
1Ki 3:13  And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

Once again we are shown in type and shadow the outcome of those who are called and chosen and faithful to the end with these words: “I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee“; words that represent the exceeding great and precious promises (2Pe 1:4) God has promised to the elect, all foreshadowed in the life of king Solomon in this book of kings that was written for our sakes.

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

God pours out such incredible blessings upon Solomon as one who typifies those who will be blessed and holy to be in the first resurrection, having all our life given to God, represented by the tithe we bring into the storehouse (Rev 20:6, Mal 3:10).

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.

Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

All of this is a gift from God toward Solomon that he inherited through birth and anointing, just as God’s elect who are born again by the will of God (Joh 3:3, Joh 1:13). We are “a little child”, the weak of the world, the not-many-noble brethren (1Co 1:28-29) receive “riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days“. This last typical statement was confirmed by this statement of Christ in the new covenant (Luk 7:28).

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

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.

[What an amazingly rich and merciful gift God’s love is (Eph 2:4-6) toward Christ’s body and bride who is born again and has been chosen in this life to be kings and priests under him 1Jn 3:1]

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Luk 7:28  For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

1Ki 3:14  And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

The expression “lengthen thy days” is symbolic of receiving eternal life, and we understand that this is eternal life: to know God and Jesus Christ. As mentioned before, this is connected with the first commandment with promise for God’s kind of first fruits (Joh 17:3).  In the old covenant, ‘walking in my ways and keeping my statutes and my commandments as thy father David did walk’ is also typical of the new walk that we have in Christ Who makes it possible for us to bear each other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ, of which all these expressions are a shadow “walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments.” We walk “as thy father David did walk” who is a type of Christ, so we walk as Christ (1Jn 2:6) and not the physical man David, knowing that the least is greater than John, or David, or Abraham (Mat 11:11).

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1Jn 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked [Col 1:24, Rom 8:14-16, Heb 5:7].

1Ki 3:15  And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.

It’s true Solomon’s heart went after his many wives just as we went after many churches in Babylon, and his confidence was in his own flesh just as ours was or can be when we are convinced that we are rich and increased and have need of nothing like the rich young ruler spoken of in scripture. So, in the positive sense, Solomon’s life can be seen as a type of God’s elect who, despite himself and his eventual going after many wives and relying on his own power, was still promised in 1Kings 11:34, “Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes.” This tells us that it is because of Christ, who is typified by David, that if we are the elect of God, we are accepted despite ourselves, and the whole kingdom is not taken out of our hand (Eph 1:6, Luk 17:21).

“Solomon awoke” (Rom 13:11) is a spiritual statement revealing that when we are given eyes to see and ears to hear of all the blessings and promises God is going to bestow, it is done through “a dream” at night, which is the time when our flesh is most inactive and therefore better able to receive the instruction He has prepared for our good in our heavens (Job 33:15-18).

Rom 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Job 33:15  In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
Job 33:16  Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
Job 33:17  That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

What Solomon did when he awoke out of that dream: “And he came to Jerusalem (Gal 4:26), and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants“, symbolizes for us what we now do as God’s servants, offering our whole life to Him (Rom 12:1).

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.

Because of that dream, which we know is one in the Lord, we see ourselves as the beloved of God, one body of believers who have been chosen to be His servants in this age who go to Jerusalem above (Rom 12:5, Eph 2:6, Gal 4:26) to worship Him in spirit and in truth standing before our Father and Christ, symbolized by standing “before the ark of the covenant of the LORD” (Joh 14:20).

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you [Rom 12:4].

In the positive sense, it is at this ark that we will offer up “burnt offerings” in order to be accepted of God and “peace offerings“, with which if not present in our lives, we won’t see the Lord (Heb 12:14-15).

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Making “a feast to all his servants” (Luk 12:37) reminds us of the love we have for one another as fellowservants who are sharing in our “feasts of charity<supG26” together as one body (Rev 19:7-9, Rom 13:11-13, Jud 1:12). When we sacrifice our lives for each other, we truly are beholding “what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” and partaking of His life (1Co 10:16, Joh 6:54-55).

Luk 12:37  Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

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.
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted [Rom 3:27, 1Jn 5:4] that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Rom 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: [“Solomon awoke“] for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/study-of-the-book-of-judges-jdg-121-15-wherefore-thou-fight-against-the-children-of-ammon-and-didnt-call-us-to-go-with-thee/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-of-the-book-of-judges-jdg-121-15-wherefore-thou-fight-against-the-children-of-ammon-and-didnt-call-us-to-go-with-thee Mon, 21 Jun 2021 19:15:15 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=23769 https://www.dropbox.com/s/nbjo93oky3s8r5d/20210622-Study_AtoB-WhyNotCallUs.m4a?raw=1

Jdg 12:1-15 Wherefore…Thou Fight Against the Children of Ammon, and Didn’t Call us to go With Thee?

[Study Aired June 21, 2021]

Jdg 12:1  And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 
Jdg 12:2  And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 
Jdg 12:3  And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 
Jdg 12:4  Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. 
Jdg 12:5  And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 
Jdg 12:6  Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 
Jdg 12:7  And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. 
Jdg 12:8  And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 
Jdg 12:9  And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 
Jdg 12:10  Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. 
Jdg 12:11  And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 
Jdg 12:12  And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. 
Jdg 12:13  And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. 
Jdg 12:14  And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 
Jdg 12:15  And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites. 

The second section of Judges Chapter 11 concerns the vow that Jephthah made, and as a consequence he had to sacrifice his daughter to the Lord. We came to the understanding that as human beings, we are not to vow simply because we do not control our own destiny. It is the Lord who causes us both to will and do His pleasure and so it is only Him who has the capacity to make a vow. 

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

The whole story about Jephthah making a vow is for us to appreciate how our Lord has sworn by Himself to deliver us from our enemies within and to bless us. 

Heb 6:13  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Heb 6:14  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Heb 6:15  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Heb 6:16  For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Heb 6:17  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Jephthah’s daughter’s willingness to be sacrificed for the defeat of the Ammonites speaks of our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice for us when He died on the cross for our victory. 

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.
Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa 53:8  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
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.
Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Jephthah’s daughter’s request to go up and down the mountains to bewail her virginity for two months symbolizes our Lord Jesus stripping off His glory to take up His cross of suffering while here on earth bearing witness to the truth. 

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

As He is, so are we here on earth. We, too, like the daughter of Jephthah and our Lord Jesus Christ, must bewail our virginity for two months by taking up the cross and following our Lord Jesus in our lives here on earth as we bear witness to the truth.

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.

Today’s review is in two parts.  The first part is to bring to our attention one of the cardinal dangers we face as His elect as we walk with Christ. The second part deals with the various judges who judged Israel for various periods.

Jdg 12:1  And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 

As God’s elect, the biggest challenge we face is how to win this war against the flesh or the beast within as we walk with Christ here on earth. In other words, it is how to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh. 

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  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.
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Being led by the spirit is what wins the war.  It is when our eyes start seeing and our ears start hearing the word that we are being led by the spirit, and it is only in this way that we come out of the law – that is, overcome the flesh or the old man.

Another present danger we face as God’s elect is the heresies which rear their heads within the church of the first born. From verse 1 here, we see that the men of Ephraim were not happy that Jephthah did not consult them before going to war with the Ammonites. These men from Ephraim signify part of the commonwealth of God’s people who rise from within to confuse the people of God with heresies. They said to Jephthah that they will burn his house with fire. As we are aware, the positive application of fire is the word of God.  The negative application of fire is heresies. So what we are being told here is that within us will come men whose words are heresies which will destroy (burn down) the temple of God within us if not checked. 

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.

Paul warned us of this in his farewell speech to the elders of Ephesus when he visited them for the last time. 

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.
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.

What the men of Ephraim said to Jephthah is the same as what Korah and the two hundred and fifty princes of the people of Israel said to Moses. 

Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

“Ye take too much upon you” here in Numbers 16:3 is the same as saying, “Why go to war with the Ammonites without involving us?” The purpose for all these heresies among us is that God wants to make it clear to us who are the called according to His purpose.

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

In another spiritual perspective, the men of Ephraim can also signify Babylon. Our brothers in Babylon think they represent God here on earth and must be consulted on all spiritual matters here on earth. Babylon used to be our mother when we started our walk with Christ.

Jdg 12:2  And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 

This verse is to make it clear to us that this war with our flesh or old man must be fought individually. Our fellowshiping does provide us with the weapons to win this war, but this great strife against the Ammonites (our flesh) must be fought within by each of us alone. The statement “when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands” means that those who introduce heresies from within cannot help us to win the war with the flesh. It also means that when we were in Babylon, we thought that the church would help us to win this war, but rather, our servitude under the flesh became entrenched. 

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Jdg 12:3  And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 

It was when our Lord Jesus came to us that we realized we cannot be helped by these heretics from within or the church system of this world, and therefore we make this statement, “And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands.” This statement is another way of saying that we should work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Of course, on our own, we can do nothing, but it is only through the enabling power of our Lord Jesus Christ that we can become victors. 

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.

Jdg 12:4  Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

Gathering together all the men of Gilead is the same as making known to the saints issues of controversy or heresies introduced from within by members of the church, just as Paul and Barnabas brought the issue of circumcision to the attention of the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem. 

Act 15:1  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

The statement “Ye Gileadites are fugitives” signifies that we have escaped from these heretics, or from Babylon, as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers.  

Psa 124:6  Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Psa 124:7  Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Psa 124:8  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Jdg 12:5  And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

The whole war with the Ephraimites is based on the crossing of the river Jordan. In other words, the whole controversy with the Ephraimites is about the word of God. We, the Gileadites (the elect), must be able to take possession of the crossing of the Jordan. Taking possession of the crossing of the Jordan is being able to understand the whole counsel of the word of God. That is the only way we may be able to fight or separate ourselves from the Ephraimites or Korah and the two hundred and fifty elders.

Act 20:20  And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
Act 20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 20:27  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Jdg 12:6  Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

What we speak is what shows whether we are of Christ or not. Jesus said that by their fruits, we shall know them who are of the world. The fruits here are what comes out of a man, and it can be what we speak or what we do. That is how the “Ephraimites” among us are revealed – that is, by what they say. In this context, the Ephraimites are revealed by their inability to pronounce well the word “Sibboleth”. 

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
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.

1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Verse 6 of Hebrews 6 is a solemn warning to us of what happens if we end up introducing heresies among us after hearing the word of God. That is the same as bearing thorns and briars after receiving the rain which is the word of God.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

In the case of Korah and the two hundred and fifty elders who rose up against Moses, they were swallowed by the earth, and fire finally consumed them. To be swallowed by the earth means to become consumed by the Babylonian doctrines which result in spiritual death.  It is the same as being in outer darkness and awaiting the lake-of-fire judgment, which is the fire that will consume all that offends in all humanity.

Num 16:28  And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29  If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
Num 16:30  But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
Num 16:31  And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32  And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33  They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Num 16:34  And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Num 16:35  And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

Although we speak this way, we are assured by Paul that we have better things that accompany our salvation.

Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
Heb 6:10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Jdg 12:7  And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

Jephthah judging Israel for six years is to tell us that the rule of Jephthah was not according to the spirit but is fleshly, as the number six is the number of man. The fleshly rule is being governed by the law of sin and death which cannot save us but is an experience of evil to bring us to Christ. 

Joh 1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

As indicated in a previous review, the name Jephthah means “He will open”. So Jephthah represents our Lord Jesus. Jephthah’s judgment of Israel for six years therefore refers to our lives when we were under the law of sin and death before Christ came to us to open our eyes to see and ears to hear.

The rest of Chapter 12 of Judges deals with the rule of various judges which tells us of the various stages of our walk with Christ here on earth as follows:

Jdg 12:8  And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 
Jdg 12:9  And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 
Jdg 12:10  Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. 

The rule of Ibzan is to demonstrate to us the complete life (the number seven means complete) of an elect. According to Strong, the name Ibzan means ‘splendid’. Indeed the life of an elect is wonderful. The rule of Ibzan is therefore to tell us the splendid end of the elect.

Jas 5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Both Joseph and David became kings at the age of thirty. The number thirty therefore symbolizes the time that our new man starts to reign in our lives as our old man has commenced the dying process. So the fact that Ibzan had thirty sons and thirty daughters is to tell us that Christ has started His work in us to judge us first in this life by beginning the process of putting the old man to death for the birth of the new man who is to reign in our lives. Outwardly, the rule of Ibzan is to tell us that the elect will reign over the world when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

Gen 41:46  And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

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

Num 4:23  From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

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.

Jdg 12:11  And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 
Jdg 12:12  And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. 

After Ibzan came Elon who judged Israel for ten years. The number ten signifies the fullness of the flesh. What is significant here is that Elon was a Zebulonite. The blessing that Jacob pronounced to the Zebulonites is this:

Gen 49:13  “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.” (ESV)

What therefore the rule of Elon symbolizes is that we spend a certain period of our lives manifesting the fullness of the flesh, which is the same as dwelling at the shore of the sea. However, this experience of evil is not in vain.  It is when we are dwelling at the shore of the sea that we see the beast rise up within us. In other words, that is when we see ourselves as the greatest of sinners, which eventually leads to our salvation.

Rev 13:1  And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
Rev 13:2  And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.
Rev 13:3  One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.

Jdg 12:13  And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
Jdg 12:14  And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
Jdg 12:15  And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

The name Abdon, according to Strong, means “Servitude”. He judged Israel for a period of eight years. Abdon came from Pirathon which means ‘chieftaincy’, and the number eight, on a positive note, means new beginnings or the new man. So what we are being told in these verses is that after we come to see who we really are at the end of the reign of Elon, we then come to serve Christ under the reign of the new man after the image of Christ. This will ultimately result in our reign (Chieftaincy) with Christ when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

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

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-book-of-jeremiah-jer-39-19-part-2-only-acknowledge-thine-iniquity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-book-of-jeremiah-jer-39-19-part-2-only-acknowledge-thine-iniquity Sun, 07 Feb 2021 04:22:58 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=22048 Jer 3:9-17, Part 2 – Only Acknowledge Thine Iniquity

[Study Aired February 7, 2021]

We ended our last study explaining how the Lord has devised means by which His banished adulterous wife will not be expelled from Him. No one here, nor in scriptures, is saying that His rebellious, adulterous wife will remain in that state, but what scripture is saying is that the Lord has arranged that “through death” we can and will all be brought back to Him. His “bride” will be first, then His wife’s children, who are all the rest of mankind.

We will begin today by repeating the last couple of paragraphs from our last study:

“While it defiles the land to return to an adulterous wife, the Lord has provided a means to put us to death and raise us up as a new man who can return to our husband and not defile the land, the place of His abode, the place of His dwelling:

Rom 7:1  Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
Rom 7:2  For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
Rom 7:3  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
Rom 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh [alive “to the law”], the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in [the physically impossible] newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

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.

If we are “dead to the law through the body of Christ”, how then can we possibly fall away from such a wonderful and blessed position to become Aholibah, the younger sister whose whoredoms exceed that of her older sister, who is and was still under the law? We do so through that most insidious of sins, the sin of Job, which is the sin of self-righteous apostasy:” [End Quote]

Job 27:1  Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,
Job 27:2  As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
Job 27:3  All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
Job 27:4  My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
Job 27:5  God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
Job 27:6  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
Job 27:7  Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

As chapter 40 shows us, as well as chapters one and two, it was Christ Himself who had risen against Job, and it was God Himself with whom Job was contending, reproving and disannulling His judgment so Job could condemn God and make himself righteous:

Job 40:1  Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
Job 40:2  Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5  Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be righteous?

Job typifies each of us as first Ahola, and then as self-righteous, yet even more wicked, Aholibah, because, like Job, we turn the grace of God into lasciviousness:

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Ungodly  men, turning the grace of God  into lasciviousness” is typified in Ezekiel 23 as Aholibah within us, whose adulteries were worse than those committed by the New Testament church while it was yet under the law.

Eze 23:11  And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms

Not being under the law, we do not see ourselves as “lascivious”. We see ourselves as under God’s all-forgiving grace, and we have not yet been given eyes to see that grace does not nullify judgment, rather grace brings us into the Lord’s chastening and judgment:

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

True Godly righteousness is the fruit of the Lord’s judgments:

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

This is our spiritual attitude as Aholibah:

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

As Aholibah we have not been given eyes that see the need for being judged according to our works:

Ecc 11:9  Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
Ecc 11:10  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

In other words, ‘Grow up and quit acting like an immature fool’. That is the admonition of scripture.

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.

These “ungodly men [within us who] turn the grace of God into lasciviousness”, don’t believe they are denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”. This is what they believe:

Pro 30:20  Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

By giving us over to such self-righteous and foolish thoughts, the Lord has given Himself the occasion He is seeking to judge a blessed few in this present time, and judgment in the scriptures always comes out of the north:

Jer 3:12  Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.
Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

The Lord tells us, “I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity.” It simply is not in our flesh to acknowledge our own self-righteousness which is the most insidious of sins. This is a humanly impossible requisite which requires a supernatural solution.

The Lord simply does not grant many of mankind in this present time to “acknowledge [their] iniquity” and admit that they “transgressed against the Lord”. What He has given the vast majority of mankind is to do a lot of very good works in His name. He Himself deceives the masses of mankind by answering their prayers for healing and for direction, “according to the idols of their hearts”:

Eze 14:1  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Eze 14:5  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
Eze 14:6  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Eze 14:7  For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
Eze 14:8  And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
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.

As we already demonstrated, “He has devised means whereby His banished will not be expelled from Him”, and that ‘means’ is “through death”.

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

Rom 7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh [1Co 15:31, Eph 5:30] through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

When the Lord offers such a great honor, He gives that honor only to those whom He is preparing to be willing to die for Him and His doctrines. He does not give such honor to those whom He answers according to the idols of their hearts. He certainly does not  give it to those who do good works and think they do so of their own ‘free will’:

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have [we] cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

This is exactly what Job said to the Lord, and Job is a type of every man:

Job 27:2  As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
Job 27:3  All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
Job 27:4  My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
Job 27:5  God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.
Job 27:6  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
Job 27:7  Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

Job 40 makes clear that it was not Job’s comforters with whom he was contending. Just as with Joseph’s brothers (Gen 45:4-8), which we quote so often, it was actually God with whom Job was “contending… reproving… disannulling His judgment and condemning God to make himself righteous”:

Job 40:2  Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
Job 40:3  Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 40:4  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5  Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Job 40:6  Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7  Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8  Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

The honor of becoming “the bride, the Lamb’s wife… ruling with Him for a thousand years, and judging angels [in the] white throne judgment” is given to very few of the “many called”. They alone are given to acknowledge the vileness of their own self-righteousness and acknowledge they have actually condemned their own Creator to maintain their own righteousness. Lord willing, that is you and me. Only the Lord’s elect will remain faithful to the doctrines of Christ and be willing to withstand the pressures of this life, the “suffering of this present time… being hated of all men… and “endure… much tribulation… to the end”. This is how Christ explains His calling and His own sifting process:

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.
Jdg 7:3  Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.
Jdg 7:4  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.
Jdg 7:5  So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.
Jdg 7:6  And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.
Jdg 7:7  And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men 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.

Here is another of the Lord’s perspective of those who are ‘called but not chosen’ (Mat 22:14) to become saviors on Mount Zion (Oba 1:21):

Mat 22:1  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
Mat 22:2  The kingdom of heaven [within you] is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
Mat 22:3  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.
Mat 22:4  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
Mat 22:5  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:
Mat 22:6  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them [‘hated them’ (1Jo 3:15)].
Mat 22:7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
Mat 22:8  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
Mat 22:9  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Mat 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Mat 22:11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: [The humility of Job after he was judged]
Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14  For many are called, but  few are chosen.

What we fail to see is that the book of Job reveals the guests who finally came to the feast are typified by Job Himself. It was He who first refused his own judgment, and while he was being judged, he accused God of “taking away [his] judgment”:

Job 27:2  As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

Job typifies each of us. We are all first Ahola, the elder sister harlot, then we are Aholibah, the even more wicked younger sister whose name means:

H172
אָהֳלִיבָהּ    אָהֳלִיבָה
‘ohŏlı̂ybâh    ‘ohŏlı̂ybâhh
o”-hol-ee-baw’, o”-hol-e-baw’
(As with H170 the first form is in form a feminine of H168, but is in fact for the second form); from H168; my tent (is) in her; Oholibah, a symbolic name for Judah: – Aholibah.

Here in the Old Testament are those “few [who] are chosen” (Mat 22:14) to endure tribulation (Mat 10:22) and suffer with Christ for His body’s sake and die daily (1Co 15:31) with our Lord:

Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, [Aholah and Aholibah] saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family [“few chosen”], and I will bring you to Zion:

This is an important spiritual message for us as we struggle to be found pleasing to our own ‘husband, our Lord. “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God”. Do not think you or I can cleanse ourselves, because we cannot. Neither should we think we can defile our Lord, our Husband to whom we are married, because we cannot, and that is why He tells us:

Eze 23:36  The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;

2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

As Jacob, who stole his brother’s blessing, as King David, who stole another man’s wife, and as the weak apostles of our Lord who “all forsook Him”, we do not appear to this world to be any different from any other ordinary sinner. The Lord Himself appeared very ordinary to the world of His time. The chief priests and the elders had to pay Judas to point Christ out to them because He looked so very ordinary:

Mat 26:14  Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
Mat 26:15  And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Mat 26:16  And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Contrary to the doctrines of the great harlot, Christ or His elect did not have a visible halo over their heads. The Lord’s elect are always considered to be “ignorant and unlearned” by the leaders and peoples of this world:

Act 4:8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Act 4:9  If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
Act 4:10  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Act 4:11  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Act 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Act 4:14  And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

While the world cannot see or recognize the Lord’s elect or His doctrine, we certainly are aware that they hate His doctrine and anyone who lives by that doctrine. It is the Lord’s doctrines which are in the hearts and minds of His chosen few elect. It is by those doctrines we are “marked”. Israel of old was marked in their right hand and in their foreheads by the Lord’s doctrine in their minds and in their hearts.

Deu 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deu 6:6  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes [forehead].

We are unrecognized by this world, but we know each other as those who are spiritually ‘marked [in] our hands and in our foreheads’:

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

Being given eyes that can see this “mark” is just another way of saying  we  have been given “eyes that see and ears that hear” the voice of our Shepherd, Christ. It takes ‘Christ’ to know Christ, and to recognize His “voice”:

Jer 3:15  And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

The Lord has done just that for each of us, and we all “feed [the Lord’s] sheep with knowledge and understanding” if we are given to know His voice.

Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

If we know His ‘voice’, we are given to “sup with [Him]” on the words of His doctrines:

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

If we are given to know His “New Testament” doctrine, then we will never return to the old doctrine, because we will not be one of the many who say, “The old is better.” Instead, we will be one of the few who say ‘the new is better’:

Luk 5:36  And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
Luk 5:37  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
Luk 5:38  But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
Luk 5:39  No man also having drunk old wine [the Old Testament] straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

When we are given to see that the new is actually better than the old, then we will be given to understand how Aholah and Aholibah will now both be made “one new man, so making peace” and “the stick of Judah will be made one with the stick of Israel:

Eze 37:15  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Eze 37:16  Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
Eze 37:17  And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
Eze 37:18  And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
Eze 37:19  Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
Eze 37:20  And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
Eze 37:21  And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
Eze 37:22  And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
Eze 37:23  Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
Eze 37:24  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

Here is this exact same message in the New Testament:

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
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.

We are “builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit” was prophesied to come to pass here in Jeremiah 3:

Jer 3:16  And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

The physical ‘ark of the covenant’ with the two tablets of the ten commandments for the lawless and disobedient (1Ti 1:12), the golden pot which had manna and Aaron’s rod within it, was prophesied to become obsolete way in the prophecy of Jeremiah. In Christ we will never again return to our self-righteousness which we had while we were under the law.

Deu 6:24  And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
Deu 6:25  And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Luk 18:18  And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luk 18:19  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Luk 18:20  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
Luk 18:21  And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
Luk 18:22  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Luk 18:23  And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

This “ruler” was “rich” in two ways. He was both physically rich and rich in his own works. He was a type of Job, and Job typified this ruler and each of us.

In Christ we take credit for nothing and proclaim only that our righteousness is now of Christ and of Him alone:

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

The reference to “those days” in Jeremiah 3:16 have arrived within us in ‘earnest’ and in down-payment form because we have been made to see and acknowledge that we have indeed been Aholibah, the “chief of sinners” whose whoredoms have exceeded the sins we committed while living under the “carnal commandments” of the law of Moses and the law of the Gentiles, which are one and the same:

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

Heb 7:16  Who [“Christ in us” (Col 1:27)] is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment [the law of Moses], but after the power of an endless life.

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
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.
Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law [of the spirit] might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

We have all to a greater or lesser degree committed spiritual adultery exceeding Aholah, our older sister, by turning the precious gift of grace which brought us out of Aholah into self-righteous lasciviousness, and we have thereby exceeded her in her adulteries:

Jud 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude would not need to mention this to us if we were not guilty of doing this. If we “only acknowledge [our] iniquity, that we have transgressed against the Lord” more treacherously than our elder sister Aholah, then in spite of our gross sins and self-righteous iniquities, we will be His tent where He will dwell:

H172
אָהֳלִיבָהּ    אָהֳלִיבָה
‘ohŏlı̂ybâh    ‘ohŏlı̂ybâhh
o”-hol-ee-baw’, o”-hol-e-baw’
(As with H170 the first form is in form a feminine of H168, but is in fact for the second form); from H168; my tent (is) in her; Oholibah, a symbolic name for Judah: – Aholibah.

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

This sounds like a request, but when we put the sum of the Lord’s words together, we realize that these verses are a prophecy that our sovereign Lord, who “works all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11) is working within 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.
1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

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:

“The pride of life” is self-righteousness. That is the most insidious of sins, and that is the sin with which the entire book of Job concerns itself. It is the final of the three all-encompassing sins that are within every man:

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.

It is just naturally impossible for us to acknowledge our self-righteous iniquity. Only “Christ in us” can humble us and give us the grace and mercy needed to overcome that proud wild beast which we all are by nature, and which we all are “in the Potter’s hand” (Jer 18:4).

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

When we begin to overcome the pride of the great red dragon within us, then we will begin to be born into Jerusalem above, and we will begin to be  caught up to the throne of God to be seated with Him in the heavens:

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

“Even when we were dead in sins” reminds us of what we are when the Lord calls us:

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.

God is demonstrating through us that He does not need us. He is demonstrating this by using the foolish, weak, base, and despised and people who are not capable of being kings and priests, and He is making us a nation of kings and priests to rule with Him over the nations of this world:

Jer 3:17  At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

That is our “new name” which is known only to those that have it. That is where the Lord dwells, and ‘Jerusalem’ is where He sits upon His throne in His temple:

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

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Only Christ can be ‘Christ’. Only He knows His new name, and only He knows His ‘voice’, and only He knows to flee from the ‘voice’ of a stranger:

Joh 10:1  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3  To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

We are blessed to know Christ and to know others who “know His voice”. We are “one body” with “one mind”, and we speak with one voice, the voice of the True Shepherd, the Word of God:

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

That is our study for today, and here are our verses for our next study. Our next study will confirm the doctrine of being “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” which will bring Israel and Judah to be one again in Christ. We will see what that entails in our next study.

Jer 3:18  In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
Jer 3:19  But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
Jer 3:20  Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:21  A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.
Jer 3:22  Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.
Jer 3:23  Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
Jer 3:24  For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Jer 3:25  We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/what-is-the-distinction-between-the-bride-of-christ-and-the-body-of-christ/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-the-distinction-between-the-bride-of-christ-and-the-body-of-christ Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:51:46 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=20914 What Is the Distinction Between the Bride of Christ and the Body of Christ, and God’s Called, Chosen and Elect?​

Hello,

I have no idea how I found your website, but I believe it was the Lord leading me to read it. If the Lord wills, please can you explain this spiritual significance plainly because I am having severe trouble understanding it and believe it to be personal for my life. I have also been looking at the differentiation between the bride of christ and the body, which seems to be completely echoed here, too.

Summed up, is it as simple as Judah’s sin forfeits blessings and even entrance into heaven? ​I​s not salvation eternal and guaranteed, and do we have a choice between being called and chosen?

I am a child in Christ without much understanding and would appreciate any help.

The distinction between God’s, God’s chosen and God’s elect? Is this not only depend​e​nt on our maker but also on us?

Thanks, H____

Hi, H​____,

Thank you for your e-mail and your questions.

You ask:

[What is] The distinction between God’s called, God’s chosen and God’s elect?

I remember well learning with my Wigram’s Englishman’s Greek Concordance that the Greek word translated as ‘chosen’ is the exact same Greek word which is also translated as “elect” as in “the very elect”. Here is a cut and paste from my e-sword, which will demonstrate what I just told you:

G1588
ἐκλεκτός
eklektos
Total KJV Occurrences: 23
elect, 13
Mat_24:24, Mat_24:31, Mar_13:22, Mar_13:27, Luk_18:7, Rom_8:33, Col_3:12, 1Ti_5:21, Tit_1:1, 1Pe_1:2, 1Pe_2:6, 2Jo_1:1, 2Jo_1:13
chosen, 7
Mat_20:16, Mat_22:14, Luk_23:35, Rom_16:13, 1Pe_2:4, 1Pe_2:9, Rev_17:14
elect’s, 3
Mat_24:22, Mar_13:20, 2Ti_2:10

So God’s chosen and His elect are on​e​ and the same. His elect are chosen out of the many called, and that is why we are told, “Many are called but few are chosen [elect].”

Mat 22:14  For many are called,^G2822 but few are chosen.^G1588

Notice, that these two words are used here in this verse being contrasted with each other. Here is the definition of the Greek word translated as ‘called’:

G2822
κλητός
klētos
klay-tos’
From the same as G2821; invited, that is, appointed, or (specifically) a saint: – called.
Total KJV occurrences: 11

Here is where this word appears in the New Testament:

G2822
κλητός
klētos
Total KJV Occurrences: 11
called, 11
Mat_20:16, Mat_22:14, Rom_1:1, Rom_1:6-7 (2), Rom_8:28, 1Co_1:1-2 (2), 1Co_1:24, Jud_1:1, Rev_17:14

Now here is the definition of the Greek word translated as ‘chosen’ or ‘elect’:

G1588
ἐκλεκτός
eklektos
ek-lek-tos’
From G1586; select; by implication favorite: – chosen, elect.
Total KJV occurrences: 23

Here is where this word appears in the New Testament:

G1588
ἐκλεκτός
eklektos
Total KJV Occurrences: 23
elect, 13
Mat_24:24, Mat_24:31, Mar_13:22, Mar_13:27, Luk_18:7, Rom_8:33, Col_3:12, 1Ti_5:21, Tit_1:1, 1Pe_1:2, 1Pe_2:6, 2Jo_1:1, 2Jo_1:13
chosen, 7
Mat_20:16, Mat_22:14, Luk_23:35, Rom_16:13, 1Pe_2:4, 1Pe_2:9, Rev_17:14
elect’s, 3
Mat_24:22, Mar_13:20, 2Ti_2:10

I hope this all helps you to see that ‘klaytos’ means called, and that ‘out of’ , Greek, ‘ek’, the ‘klaytos’ few are ‘eklektos’, elected or chosen.

Your next question is:

“Is this not only depende​nt on our maker but also on us?”

I will again point you to:

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:

I am not going into this question in this e-mail. I have answered this question already in great depth in an article which is in the Essential Reading section on the home page. Here is a link to that article which answers this question in great Biblical detail:
After the Counsel of His Own Will

Read that article, and if you still have any questions on this subject then feel free to get back to me.

You are certainly correct in deducing that the Lord led you to the web site. As I just pointed out, He is the One who is “working all things after the counsel of His own 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:

I hope I demonstrated for you there is no difference between the body of Christ and His bride:

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

If we are Christ’s elect and if we are granted by Him to be faithful to the end of our lives, then we are Christ’s bride and His wife:

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.

Paul tells us clearly “the body” is the church, so this is not really a subject for debate if we take Paul’s words as the words of God.

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:

I pray I have answered your questions to your satisfaction. Let me know if I can be of further service to you in understanding the Lord’s mind on these questions.

YbiC, Mike

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/studies-in-psalms-psa-1481-5-praise-ye-the-lord-part-1/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=studies-in-psalms-psa-1481-5-praise-ye-the-lord-part-1 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 01:29:14 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=20553 Psa 148:1-5 “Praise ye the Lord” – Part 1

[Study Aired April 2, 2020]

Psa 148:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 
Psa 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 
Psa 148:3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 
Psa 148:4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 
Psa 148:5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 

Praising God is another way of saying we give glory to God, and glory is an ongoing is-was-and-will-be event in the lives of those with whom God is working as we go from “glory to glory” or obedience to obedience, glorifying God or praising Him more perfectly every day (Php 2:12-15, 2Pe 1:19, Mat 5:16) with all that we say and do. It is through Christ that we’re given to bring every thought into subjection (2Co 10:5-6), glorifying God through the process. Through Christ we are being set free (Joh 8:36) so that we can endure until the end through Him (Psa 148:1, 2Co 3:18, 1Co 10:31, Mat 24:13, Php 4:13).

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [Col 1:27]

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Psa 148:1  Praise^H1984 ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

H1984 BDB Definition:
1) to shine
1a) (Qal) to shine (figuratively of God’s favour)
1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
2) to praise, boast, be boastful
2a) (Qal)
2a1) to be boastful
2a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
2b) (Piel)
2b1) to praise
2b2) to boast, make a boast
2c) (Pual)
2c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise
2d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one’s boast
2e) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool
2f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman

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

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

God’s elect are those who are “counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” in this age (Mat 10:22) and are “having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled”. There is a spirit of rejoicing and giving praise to God for that knowledge of knowing we are being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, as these following verses demonstrate revealing the patience and faith of the saints which is glorifying God as we bear those stripes of rejection for the world’s sake: (1Pe 4:12-14, Act 5:41, 1Pe 4:13, 1Pe 5:10, Act 16:22-25, Rom 8:18, 1Pe 2:20)

It is the “Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word” (vs 8) that are governed by God and used to typify His power which judges God’s elect today (1Pe 4:17). He is working everything on the earth and in our heavens to that end, and so we are told “his glory is above the earth [the church] and heaven” (vs 13), meaning he is working it all — the “Fire, and hail [Isa 28:17]; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word” according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11) — and it is by God that all things consist, whether that part of His creation is being perfected in this life through judgment or not (Col 1:17, Rom 8:21-28).

Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God [each man in his order 1Co 15:23].
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. [Eph 1:12]
Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. [Luk 21:19]
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.
Rom 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [Rom 5:5]

God’s elect are not separate from His creation being in the world but not of it (Joh 17:15-16, Joh 15:19), and are spoken of in the last verse of this Psalm 148 as those who also give glory to God because he “exalteth the horn of his people“, giving us power to overcome and filling us with praise and thanks for the obedience He is working in our lives, blessing us (1Pe 3:9) to be “a people near unto him“, with the joy of that relationship expressed so well in this earlier Psalm (Psa 126:1-6):

Psa 126:1  A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Psa 126:2  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psa 126:3  The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
Psa 126:4  Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.
Psa 126:5  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. [Col 1:24]
Psa 126:6  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. [The sheaves explained in Leviticus as being Christ and His Christ mentioned in our last study (Lev 23:10-18)]

It is because of that close proximity, “a people near unto him” (vs 14), we have been blessed to have with God and His Son that we can worship them in spirit and in truth and go “from glory to glory”. It is also our communion in Christ found at the altar which is the cross where we are bound (Psa 118:27) where we will receive that power from on high, expressed as “He also exalteth the horn of his people“(Joh 17:3, Joh 4:23, Heb 10:22-25, Heb 4:16, Heb 10:20, Mat 27:51).

Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

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.

Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; [The new and living way is with the body of Christ his flesh Eph 5:30, Col 1:24].

God’s power changes and establishes us for “ever and ever” (vs 6). God spares nothing for His children (Rom 5:10), and so we see even those who don’t believe and who have been blinded by the god of this world are experiencing that for our sakes as well (2Co 4:4, 2Co 4:15-16). They are holy “the lump also” (Rom 11:16) meaning they are set apart for their specific role that is working together in our heavens for good because of God’s goodness being shown to us in this age (Rom 2:4, Rom 8:28).

Rom 11:16  For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

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?

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God declares the end from the beginning in this Psalm and uses the heavenly hosts as a type of the elect who praise God, or give glory to God. Just as the physical sun, moon and stars are coursing about in a predestined direction, so the life of God’s children are also being directed and guided by the One through whom all things consists “whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col 1:17-20, Isa 45:7).

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Isa 45:8  Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

As we look at these verses with the inward intent in which they were primarily to be understood, we can see God’s mighty hand throughout the entire process of our lives, and that is why we give praise and thanks to Him, because “great is thy faithfulness” to carry out all the decrees that have been written in the hearts and minds of His people. The figurative language of this Psalm helps us remember His greatness and love toward the body of Christ where all things are working for the good for those who love God and were called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

There is a “hope of glory” being explained throughout God’s word, and we come together often to remind each other of that glory, of that praise which is ongoing and unfolding in the lives of His people. It is in “the hope of the gospel…which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven” that we can “continue in the faith grounded and settled“, and as this section in Colossians goes on to declare, it will be through the suffering and affliction we endure together as a body of Christ which will enable us to “continue in the faith grounded and settled” (Col 1:24, 1Pe 5:10-11, Col 1:23-24, Col 1:27-28).

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:

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Col 1:23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; [2Pe 1:19]
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:

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Keeping under our own bodies results in our taking the lower seat and remaining entreatable, actions that in turn keep us under our own body, the body of Christ which we are (1Co 9:27). We need every joint that supplies in love (Eph 4:16) and the safety that is found in a multitude of counsellors, and by examining ourself as the starting point as to whether we’re in the faith or not (2Co 13:5) we have the right foundation that makes it possible for us to be subject unto the rest of the body as unto Christ (Rom 12:4-5, Eph 5:21, 1Jn 4:1, 2Co 10:5).

Psa 148:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 
Psa 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. 
Psa 148:3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. 

It is “the heavens” and “all his hosts” and “the sun and moon” and “the stars of light” that are praising God and working together for a good purpose that God has purposed within the body of Christ created to be the first fruits who first trusted Him and “praise him” in a spirit of truth and love.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things [“the heavens” and “all his hosts” and “the sun and moon” and “the stars of light“] work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

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:

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.

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

The reason we live is to worship God, our loving Father who has given us all things through Christ, the one through whom we are accepted and able to bring all those typical elements of the heavens into subjection unto him [“the heavens” and “all his hosts” and “the sun and moon” and “the stars of light“] being far above them all through Christ.

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

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [Psa 148:5]

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.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; [Psa 148:5]
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Psa 148:4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 
Psa 148:5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

These next verses speak to the order of God’s spiritual creation that is typified through the physical creation [What are the Three Heavens?]

It is the “heavens of heavens” and “ye waters that be above the heavens” that typify the elect of God who “praise him” for the witness of Christ in our lives, the spirit that bears witness that we are the children of God (Rom 8:16).

The “heavens of heavens” is a place reserved today for those who have God’s spirit in this earnest relation where we worship Him in spirit in truth being raised in heavenly places in the third heavens typified with these words “ye waters that be above the heavens“.

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

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Of that group of  true believers to whom God is giving the power to continue in the truth, we are told “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created“, reminding us that we are here today by the grace and faith of Christ and were created for this purpose to show forth praise unto God who are the first fruit workmanship of his hand that “were created” and  called to have this confidence that what God has started in us He will finish.

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.
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.

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:

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the last nine verses of our study which point to that hope filled message of what God is doing within His little remnant who are blessed today to continue to “Praise ye the Lord” for His wonderful works to the children of men.

Psa 148:6  He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
Psa 148:7  Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
Psa 148:8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
Psa 148:9  Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
Psa 148:10  Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
Psa 148:11  Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
Psa 148:12  Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
Psa 148:13  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
Psa 148:14  He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

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