Act 19:1-20  Jesus I Know, and Paul I Know, but Who are You?

[Study Aired July 9, 2023]

Act 19:1  And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
Act 19:2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Act 19:3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Act 19:4  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Act 19:5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Act 19:7  And all the men were about twelve.
Act 19:8  And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
Act 19:9  But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
Act 19:10  And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Act 19:11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
Act 19:12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
Act 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Act 19:17  And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Act 19:18  And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Act 19:19  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Act 19:20  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

The last words about Paul in the previous chapter tell us that he had ended his second missionary journey by going up to the church in Jerusalem, saluting the brothers there and returning to Antioch. He began his third journey when he left Antioch:

Act 18:22  And when he had [sailed from Ephesus he] landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church [at Jerusalem], he went down to Antioch.
Act 18:23  And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

Phrygia and Galatia are where Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch are located. In Lystra they met Timothy and took him with them on their journey.

Chapter 18 ended with our introduction to Apollos and his interactions with Aquilla and Priscilla and the church at Ephesus. From Ephesus, Apollos went to water the church Paul had established in Corinth:

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

Act 19:1  And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

Here is a map of this third journey which helps us to see that in this journey the holy spirit does not forbid Paul from preaching the gospel in Asia, so he goes straight from Antioch in Pisidia to Ephesus:

Timelines of Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

“The upper coasts” certainly included “all the countries of Galatia and Phrygia” mention in Acts 18:23. On this third journey, Paul goes straight from Antioch in Pisidia and returned to Ephesus, as he had promised he would if the Lord permitted it to be so:

Act 18:19  And he came to Ephesus, and left them there [Aquilla and Priscilla]: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
Act 18:20  When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
Act 18:21  But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

These “certain disciples” whom Paul met at Ephesus were like Apollos before he was instructed by Aquilla and Priscilla. They also knew only “the baptism of John.” What that means is that they knew John had proclaimed Christ to be the Messiah, but they were not familiar with the giving of the holy ghost on the day of Pentecost.

Act 19:2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Act 19:3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Act 19:4  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Act 19:5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Paul did not baptize them “in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy ghost”. He baptized them “in the name of Jesus” as the apostles had done on the day of Pentecost when the holy spirit was first given:

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that the formula of baptizing “in the name of the Father, the Son and the holy ghost” was added by the Catholic church and was not in the original Greek manuscripts. For any who are not familiar with this fact, be sure to read Is God A Trinity at this link:

Is God a Trinity?

Act 19:6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Act 19:7  And all the men were about twelve.

This is the third time the gift of speaking in other languages is mentioned in relation to receiving the holy spirit. This first occurred on the day of Pentecost when the spirit was given to the 120 people in the upper room. It next occurred at the home of Cornelius, the Roman centurion when Peter was the first apostle to take the gospel to the Gentiles, and it happened the third time here at Ephesus with these 12 disciples who are also given the gift of languages when they receive the holy spirit.

In the recounting of those three events were we told anywhere that the gift of tongues is always given to those who receive the holy spirit??? Were we told that if you do not speak with other languages, then you have not yet been given the gift of the holy spirit?

No, of course not! Nevertheless, that doctrine is taught to many “carnal… babes in Christ” (1Co 3”1-4), whose “zeal for godliness, but not according to knowledge” has led them to accept a very poor counterfeit for the real languages which were spoken, “every man in his own tongue” in Acts 2.

Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Act 2:6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Act 2:7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

These verses demonstrate the very purpose for the gift of speaking in their own language… “every man in our own tongue wherein we were born.”

Here is the purpose for which this gift of languages is given:

1Co 14:22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

There were people present of the day of Pentecost who were “them that believe not”, and this miraculous gift was a very powerful witness to them of the Truth of the gospel. Based upon the purpose for the gift of languages, it is not adding to the Word to say there were unbelievers present when these 12 men were also given the gift of languages at the same time they were given the gift of the holy spirit.

That is the exact opposite of the doctrinal statement of several Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations of men which state “the gift of unknown tongues is the initial evidence of the receiving of the holy ghost.” I, for one, agree with the inspired Word of God that the gift of languages is not given to prove the gift to other believers who have the holy spirit. Rather, the gift of the holy spirit is given to all who know the voice of the True Shepherd:

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The apostle Paul addresses this idea, that the holy spirit is not given unless one speaks in tongues, directly when he poses this series of questions:

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, [and last of all] diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29  Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

The answer to every one of those questions is a resounding, No! Not everyone is an apostle… not everyone has the gift of healing, and not everyone speaks with tongues. In many modern-day Pentecostal and Charismatic churches the “workers of miracles [and] gifts of healing” are far more important than being an apostle, prophet, or teacher.

The word ‘unknown’ is not in the Greek and was never intended to be understood as the unintelligible syllables which pass for ‘the gift of tongues’ in many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches today.

Concerning those “best gifts” Paul specifically contrasts the gift of speaking in languages with the much greater gift of prophesying in a language which everyone present understands:

1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

That is the holy spirit telling us that “he that speaks unto men to edification, and exhortation and comfort” is greater that “he that speaks with tongues.” If  the doctrine that ‘speaking with tongues is the initial evidence of the gift of the holy spirit’ were true, and ‘if we have not the spirit of Christ then we are none of His’, then anyone speaking to men to edification, and exhortation and comfort, would have to have the gift of tongues before he could prophesy and speak to men to edification and  exhortation and comfort, and yet Paul tells us that those who have these various gifts do not necessarily have the gift of tongues or languages. Let’s read those verses in 1 Corinthians 12 again:

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, [and last of all] diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29  Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

The answer to every question in those verses is an obvious and emphatic, “No!” The inference is that each member of “the body of Christ” has a different function, and it is obvious that not all possess all the gifts of the spirit, and yet they all do possess the gift of the holy spirit if anyone is Christ’s.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

For a more in-depth treatment of the false doctrine of speaking in unknown tongues read this article:

Speaking in Unknown Tongues

Paul spent a year and six months ministering in Corinth during his second journey:

Act 18:11  And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

He spent even more time ministering in Ephesus on His third journey beginning with three months preaching in the synagogue.

Act 19:8  And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

This “space of three months… [going] into the synagogue disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God” was just the beginning of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus. When different men “were hardened, and believed not”, Paul stopped preaching in the synagogue and started preaching daily “in the school of one Tyrannus”:

Act 19:9  But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
Act 19:10  And this [disputing daily in the school of… Tyrannus] continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia [including “the seven churches of Asia” (Rev 1:4)] heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

Besides the three months spent preaching in the synagogue, he spent “the space of two years” preaching there “daily in the school of one Tyrannus.”

In the next chapter, Paul informs us that in total he spent “three years… [in the area of Ephesus, Act 20:17] warning everyone night and day with tears” of a coming apostasy from the Truth of the gospel:

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.
Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Act 19:11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
Act 19:12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Inwardly and spiritually “special miracles” are still taking place as they were physically and outwardly here in this case with the apostle Paul. No one performed more ‘special miracles, healed more sick people or cast out more devils than Christ:

Joh 21:25  And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Yet Christ Himself revealed that not even His own apostles were converted while He was still here on earth in a body of flesh. Therefore, while Christ performed so many physical miracles and healings, He did not convert one single soul during His entire earthly ministry. Not even His own apostles. This is what He told Peter on the night He was apprehended by the Jews to be crucified:

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Luk 22:33  And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
Luk 22:34  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Christ performed so many miracles and healings that the world could not contain the books if they were all recorded for us to read, yet He had not converted one single soul at that time. The fact that He did not convert one single soul, and yet we do convert sinners from the errors of their ways (Jas 5:20), is what He meant when He told us this:

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

The “greater things” that we perform is the “saving of souls”:

Jas 5:20  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

The only thing any of the apostles did which was “greater works than” Jesus did was and still is the conversion of the souls of mankind. Physical miracles are wonderful, but they are temporal. Spiritual conversion brings “life eternal”, and that is defined by Christ Himself as you and I making Christ and His Father known to a dying world:

Joh 17:1  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
Joh 17:2  As thou [the Father] hast given him [Christ] power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Every time the Lord uses any of His saints to open the eyes and ears of another person, He is spiritually healing that person of their spiritual afflictions and spiritual diseases while also casting out the “evil spirits” which “many false prophets” have brought into the unsuspecting lives of “carnal… babes in Christ” who are not yet capable of “trying the spirits [to see] whether they are of God”:

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit [every doctrine], but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Job chapters one and two demonstrate that the devil’s ‘hand’ is nothing less than the Lord’s hand:

Job 1:11  But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Job 2:5  But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 2:6  And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

According to Job, the works of Satan are “the hand” of the Lord. It was the Lord Himself whose hand “formed the crooked serpent” for the very purpose of serving the Lord as His adversary. As such a tool in the Lord’s hand, that “crooked serpent” does nothing more or less than what the Lord sends him to perform… ‘take all he has “only upon himself put not forth thine hand… he is in thine hand; but save his life.”

Job 26:13  By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Here now is a story which demonstrates How the Lord uses ‘His hand’, the adversary, to make manifest who is His true servant and who are not His true servants:

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

The Greek word translated as ‘vagabond’ is:

G4022
περιέρχομαι
perierchomai
per-ee-er’-khom-ahee

From G4012 and G2064 (including its alternate); to come all around, that is, stroll, vacillate, veer: – fetch a compass, vagabond, wandering about.

This Greek word appears in the New Testament with both a positive and a negative application. This 13^th verse of Acts 19 is one example of its negative application. Another example of its negative application is:

1Ti 5:13  And withal they [young widows (1Ti 5:11)] learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house [G4022: perierchomai, stroll, to go about]; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

It is used in its positive application in ‘the faith chapter’, Hebrews 11, to refer to those who travel about serving the Lord and preaching the gospel, as the apostle Paul and those who traveled with him did:

Heb 11:36  And others [of faith] had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about [G4022: perierchomai] in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

These seven son of Sceva were traveling Jews, the sons of the “chief of the priests” who made a show of their exorcisms before those who followed them. There are those who do the same to this day glorifying themselves instead of the Lord.

Act 19:14  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

According to James Strong, the name ‘Sceva’ means ‘left-handed’. No offense is meant toward those whom the Lord has caused to be left-handed, my wife being one such person, but the negative, spiritual Biblical symbolism is to be on the wrong side of God in this age:

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

The positive spiritual symbolism of being left-handed is spot on accuracy in battling the enemies of God with His slings and arrows:

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

The symbolism of seven sons of a Jew who is “chief of the priests” signifies the complement, the completed apostasy, of the religious leaders who oppose Christ and His doctrine in this age.

Act 19:15  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

The question posed by this evil spirit is, “Who are we when we are still in Babylon, to think we can teach all the false doctrines of Babylon and still have the power of Christ and His Christ over the powers and principalities of this age?” Here is another way of asking this same question. This verse reveals the personal application of, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye?”

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

Act 19:16  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

This is a perfect description of what the Lord does to us while we continue to live as a part of Babylon in this world while claiming His name and His power. Like these seven sons of a Jewish chief of the priests, our arrows, our words, are cut in pieces and work against us:

Psa 58:7  Let them [the wicked] melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

That is what happens to all of us when we claim the Lord’s name and His power, but we refuse to do the things He tells us to do:

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

Using the Lord’s name while refusing to eat His bread and wear His apparel will place us with the seven sons of Sceva and the seven women of Isaiah 4 – on the Lord’s ‘left hand’.

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

Contrast this story of the seven sons of Sceva with the stories of Paul casting the spirit of divination out of the damsel in Philippi, or calling blindness down on Elymas, another Jewish false prophet, in Paphos…

Act 13:6  And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: [Greek: son of Jesus “another Jesus” (2Co 11:4)]
Act 13:7  Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
Act 13:8  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Act 13:9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
Act 13:10  And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Act 13:11  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Act 13:12  Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

…with the damsel at Philippi on Paul’s second journey:

Act 16:16  And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Act 16:17  The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
Act 16:18  And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit [of devination], I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

This evil spirit knew who Jesus was, and it knew who Paul was, but it was not at all subject to the false spirit in the seven sons of Sceva, and this event, like the blindness of Elymas, also made everyone who heard what happened to “be astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”

Act 19:17  And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Paul and his company gave all the credit for what was done to the Lord to whom all credit belongs.

Act 19:18  And [as a consequence of the 12 men being given the ability to speak in languages and as a consequence of this one demon possessed man overpowering the seven sons of Sceva, after acknowledging that it knew Jesus and Paul] many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

Confessing and showing their deeds are two ways of saying the same thing. They confessed their sins and demonstrated their repentance:

Mat 3:5  Then went out to him [John] Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
Mat 3:6  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Act 19:19  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Act 19:20  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

The word ‘pieces’ you will notice is in italics, signifying that it is not in the Greek. All the scholars agree that this verse refers to the most common silver coin in the Roman empire at that time, which was a ‘dinarius’. A ‘piece of silver’ was called a dinari, which was a day’s wages for a common laborer. The ‘penny’ given the laborers in the Lord’s vineyard was a dinari:

Mat 20:1  For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
Mat 20:2  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny [G1220: denarion] a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

Several commentaries agree that “fifty thousand” day’s wages in today’s money would be 5.5 million U.S. dollars. That book burning in Ephesus had to have been one of the most expensive deliberate book burnings of all time.

Spiritually it signifies the burning out of all the false doctrines in our heavens as we are given to repent of believing those lies while they are being burned out by the fiery words of God:

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.

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

The sooner the better!

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

Gospels In Harmony – The Final Appeal to Unbelievers – Part 1

Matt 26:1-2, Luke 21:37-38, John 12:22-50

[Study Aired September 28, 2021]

Mat 26:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,
Mat 26:2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Luk 21:37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.
Luk 21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Joh 12:20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
Joh 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Joh 12:22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
Joh 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Joh 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
Joh 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
Joh 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Joh 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Joh 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Joh 12:36a While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. 
Joh 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
Joh 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Joh 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
Joh 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Joh 12:41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Joh 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
Joh 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Joh 12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
Joh 12:45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh 12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Joh 12:36b These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

Our last several studies Christ spoke many parables to His disciples. The disciples could not understand them, though they thought they did at times, because they had not received the holy spirit. Every parable was spoken to hide the message of God, contrary to what is taught by the churches today, until the spirit is given to those Christ chooses to understand. In this study He tells His last parables before he is taken into custody.

Mat 13:10-17 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 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. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Luk 18:31-34 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Keep in mind Christ said this to all His disciples, including Judas, who we will see in future studies betrays Christ. So being a disciple is not enough to understand the parables. What else must you be in order to understand the parables?

Psa 31:23-24 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Luk 6:46-49 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 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. 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.

Joh 14:15-18 If ye love me, keep my commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 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. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Jas 1:19-27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Here are the first verses of today’s study.

Mat 26:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,
Mat 26:2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Luk 21:37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

Christ ends His discussion with the disciples by telling them, “The Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.” At this time they were still thinking Christ was there to conquer the world and begin the kingdom of God on earth. As we will see in future studies,this is not the case and all the disciples will betray and deny him. Here is Peter’s denial of Christ, but all the disciples denied him.

Mat 26:69-75 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Continuing with our verses.

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

Joh 12:20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
Joh 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Joh 12:22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

The people still are desiring to hear the teaching of Christ, and even those outside of the Jewish community want to hear and call for him. Christ answers them, once again, with parables.

Joh 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

The corn of wheat represents the mind of the old man. Through the death of the old man and his doctrines much fruit is brought forth. The death of the old man brings forth the fruit of the spirit. This is how the Son of man is glorified.

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 5:9-10 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Again Christ says the same thing in different sayings.

Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

By dying to the carnal mind we are given the ability to serve Christ and receive honor from the Father, Christ’s God and our God.

Joh 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Christ knew what was to come over the next few days, and His soul was troubled, but he would not deny the Father’s will as His disciples are being caused to do. This is the difference between Christ and us. Christ came in the sinful flesh but sinned not.

Heb 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The best we are given to do is to stop walking after the flesh and, as we all know, this is impossible for men to do, and it is Christ in us, Who is without sin, Who is causing us to have a new walk in the spirit.

Rom 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me [the elect] free from the law of sin and death. 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: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

We as His body are filling up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, which gives us the ability to understand the hidden mysteries of God.

Col 1:24-27 Who [Paul and the elect] now rejoice in my [our] sufferings for you [Christ and His Christ], and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ [our head and master] in my [our] flesh [old man] for his body’s sake, which is the church: Whereof I [we, the elect] am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me [us] for you [and all in the ages to come], to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles [the Greeks (Joh 12:20)]; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I [we] also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me [the elect] mightily.

Continuing our verses, He calls out to the Father.

Joh 12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
Joh 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

The Father has glorified His name through Christ and is doing it again through the elect, the body of Christ, the church. We hear this same saying in our heavens if you have ears to hear. Christ now explains the voice:

Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Joh 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Just as Christ is “lifted up from the earth” so must all men in order to enter into the kingdom, but every man in his proper order. We are told this from the very beginning, but only the elect understand this mystery.

Gen 2:17 Yet from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you are not to be eating from it, for in the day you eat from it, to die shall you be dying.

Mankind does not understand that in order to gain life, one must eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and die. Christ also did the same by entering into the flesh. The people ask Him the next question because of their lack of understanding, and we all ask this question.

Joh 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

Here is what is said in the law.

2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will sta- blish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

Psa 72:7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abun dance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

Psa 72:17-19 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Eze 37:24-25 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. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Mic 4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

That is what the disciples and all those that were seeking the coming of Christ expected to take place. Their problem is the eyes and ears they are using to discern the scriptures are seeing and hearing with carnal minds. Christ, on the other hand, is giving a message that can only be seen and heard by the spirit.

This ends part one of this study. Here are the verses for our next study.

Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Joh 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Joh 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
Joh 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Joh 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
Joh 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Joh 12:41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Joh 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
Joh 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Joh 12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
Joh 12:45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
Joh 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh 12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

Jdg 11:1-22 Jephthah … Was the Son of an Harlot

[Study Aired June 7, 2021]

Jdg 11:1  Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. 
Jdg 11:2  And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman. 
Jdg 11:3  Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. 
Jdg 11:4  And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 
Jdg 11:5  And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 
Jdg 11:6  And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon. 
Jdg 11:7  And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? 
Jdg 11:8  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 
Jdg 11:9  And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head? 
Jdg 11:10  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words. 
Jdg 11:11  Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. 
Jdg 11:12  And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? 
Jdg 11:13  And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably. 
Jdg 11:14  And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: 
Jdg 11:15  And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 
Jdg 11:16  But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 
Jdg 11:17  Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. 
Jdg 11:18  Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab. 
Jdg 11:19  And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. 
Jdg 11:20  But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 
Jdg 11:21  And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 
Jdg 11:22  And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 

Chapter 10 of Judges is about the judgment of God in our lives as we go astray and worship another Jesus as reflected in the Israelites worshiping seven different gods – Baalim, Ashtaroth, gods of Syria, Zidon, Moab, Ammon and Philistines. The number seven signifies completeness, so what this means is that these gods represent everything which engages our worship instead of our Lord Jesus.

God comes to judge us using His four sore judgments, which in this case is the use of the sword. God therefore gave the Israelites over to be oppressed by the Philistines and the Ammonites.

Eze 14:21  For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

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

Eze 38:21  And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.

The combination of the Philistines and the Ammonites oppressing Israel means that God gives our flesh (Ammonites) over to worship another Jesus. We therefore changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped the creature more than the creator when we were in the churches of this world (Babylon).

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

In our oppression, we come to our wits’ end, and we cry to the Lord for help, and He comes to our aid to start the process of deliverance.

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

Our review of the first part of Judges Chapter 11 today deals with the deliverance by the Lord through a man named Jephthah.

Jdg 11:1  Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. 
Jdg 11:2  And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

The name Jephthah means “He will Open” according to Strong. The question is what will our Lord open?  Our Lord Jesus is giving us the key to the house of David or the key to the kingdom of heaven, which is the opening of our hearts and minds to the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Jephthah, therefore, represents the elect.

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

What is also striking here is that Jephthah was the son of a harlot, and as a result, his brothers thrust him out from their father’s house with the reason that he was not part of his father’s inheritance. We need to note that even though we are the elect, we were not qualified to reign with Christ when we started our journey because we were sons and daughters of a harlot or the strange woman, which is the existing church system of the world.

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

Paul explains our situation as follows:

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 2:19  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;

Jdg 11:3  Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. 

The fleeing of Jephthah is our exit from the Babylonian system.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

When we leave Babylon, we end up with the New Jerusalem that God has prepared for us which in this context is called by the Lord as “vain men”. Our name is because of the following:

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.

These vain men are the same as David’s men who were with him when he fled from King Saul, who also represents Babylon.

1Sa 22:2  And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

The elect are therefore a bunch of people characterized by the following:

Being in distress because of God’s judgement in our lives.
Being the worst sinners whom God is saving, and therefore we are in great debt to God.
Being discontented with our sinful situation.

As indicated, we the “vain men”, are the New Jerusalem, the Assembly of God’s first born.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Jdg 11:4  And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 

As we said earlier, the Ammonites represent our flesh and when Christ comes to deliver us in our sinful situation, He comes with judgment. We come to realize that even though we want to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, we are not able to do so as we see our old man controlling us. The war between the Ammonites and Israelites therefore typifies our war with the flesh. Jesus told us about this war as follows:

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.

I am come to set a man at variance against his father, etc. means that Christ’s coming to us is initiated by a war within us against our flesh (father, mother, etc.).

Jdg 11:5  And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 
Jdg 11:6  And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.
Jdg 11:7  And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye are in distress? 
Jdg 11:8  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 

We cannot be called overcomers if we do not wage and win this war with the flesh. It is only when we overcome or reign over the beast within that we can reign over the earth with Christ outwardly.

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

Mat 5:5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Our inner victory will make us rulers of the earth for a “thousand years”. After that we shall help all humanity since Adam to also win this war within during the lake of fire age.  The Israelites beckoning Jephthah to come and be their captain so that they may fight the Ammonites is the same as saying that the elect will lead all humanity to win this war against the old man or the flesh.

Jdg 11:9  And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head? 
Jdg 11:10  And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words. 
Jdg 11:11  Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. 

These verses are to assure us again that if we overcome in this life, we are destined to reign over the earth. This reign will be initiated when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ just at the beginning of the millennial reign. This outwardly event will be heralded by the first resurrection. This resurrection is for those who did not worship the beast and his image which means those who are able to overcome the beast or the old man or the flesh within.

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

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Jdg 11:12  And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? 
Jdg 11:13  And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again peaceably. 

These verses are to let us know that this war against the flesh is for a lifetime.  The reason is that at every point in our walk with Christ, our flesh, if given the opportunity, will take back the areas in our lives that God has won for us. The flesh regards the new man within as a usurper and will therefore do everything possible to take back that which it has lost. The Ammonites posed a real threat to the Israelites throughout their history. They were able to take over some of the lands Israel had possessed after defeating some of the enemies in the Promised Land. For example, during the time of Jeremiah, the Ammonites were able to take back the land in Gad.

Jer 49:1 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?
Jer 49:2  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.

In our initial walk with Christ, the areas in which we had victories were quickly taken back by our old man as we went back to our vomit in Babylon when we paid heed to our leaders instead of Christ.

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
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 11:14  And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon: 
Jdg 11:15  And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 

What we are being told here is that the flesh or the old man, signified by Ammon and Moab, is meant to be taken and destroyed. The new man is not a usurper but is made to possess the land or inherit the earth which is our bodies.

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Jdg 11:16  But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 
Jdg 11:17  Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. 
Jdg 11:18  Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab. 

These verses are to remind us that when we start our journey with the Lord we are not to engage the Ammonites, the Edomites and the Moabites in battle to possess their land immediately. This was the directive our Lord Jesus gave to the Israelites when they left Egypt as follows:

Deu 2:17  That the LORD spake unto me, saying,
Deu 2:18  Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:
Deu 2:19  And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.
Deu 2:20  (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;

The Ammonites, the Edomites and the Moabites were all fleshly related to the Israelites. So what we are learning is that when we start our walk with Christ, He does not bring us immediately to war against all our fleshly desires. As indicated in Deuteronomy 2:20, the reason for this is that these Ammonites, Edomites and Moabites are giants in our land.  In other words, they pose a much higher level of opposition, and so our Lord takes time to train our hands to war (handling the sword or God’s words) before we can handle these opposition.

Psa 18:34  He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
Psa 18:35  Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Psa 18:36  Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

Later in the scriptures, our Lord told the Israelites to confront these enemies when they had possessed a significant portion of the land.

Jer 48:42  And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD.
Jer 48:43  Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD.

Jer 49:1  Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?
Jer 49:2  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.

Jer 49:14  I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.
Jer 49:15  For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men.
Jer 49:16  Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
Jer 49:17  Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

Jdg 11:19  And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. 
Jdg 11:20  But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 
Jdg 11:21  And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. 

King Sihon’s refusal to let the Israelites pass through their land resulted in a war in which the Israelites utterly defeated the Amorites. This battle was during the wilderness experience of the Israelites. This is to show us that even during our time in Babylon, God gave us victory over some of our fleshly desires, and as a result, we took possession of parts of our bodies or land. However, our Lord always leaves much tougher opposition for us to encounter later as He did to the Israelites.

Jdg 2:21  I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
Jdg 2:22  That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
Jdg 2:23  Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Jdg 3:1  Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
Jdg 3:2  Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

Jdg 11:22  And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. 

This verse is to let us know that our victory must be thorough before we can become overcomers. In other words, we must leave nothing that breathe or offend as we continue our journey with Christ.

Deu 20:16  But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
Deu 20:17  But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
Deu 20:18  That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.

Paul puts it this way:

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

[Study Aired February 25, 2021]

Heb 11:5  By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 
Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
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.
Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 
Heb 11:9  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 
Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 

God has made us to need each member of the body of Christ where we find safety in a multitude of counsellors and opportunity to grow together in the mind of our Lord as a many-membered church that is one body which “maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” [(1Co 14:26-27, 1Co 12:20-23, Eph 4:16 – After Christ shows Peter and the other disciples where our power comes from to feed each other in John 21:6, then Peter was instructed to “Feed my lambs…Feed my sheep…Feed my sheep”. Peter was still under the impression that he loved the others more, and yet the whole point of that fishing excursion was to teach the disciples that they need each other and that it is God’s love that must be shed abroad in our hearts if we ever to have any hope of  fulfilling these words “Feed my lambs…Feed my sheep…Feed my sheep” (Joh 21:15-17)].

1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying [1Co 14:3, 2Co 1:4].
1Co 14:27  If, with a tongue, one is speaking, let it be by two, or, at the most, three, — and by turns; and let one be translating; (REV) [‘We have to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ decently and in order or it won’t quicken us’ (1Co14:39-40)]

1Co 12:20  But now are they many members, yet but one body.
1Co 12:21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
1Co 12:22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
1Co 12:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

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.

We need someone to translate God’s Word to us properly, or we will eventually find ourselves leaning unto our own understanding (Pro 3:5-7). There are multiple ways we can take God’s Word and make an idol of it around our own hearts (Eze 14:3, Mat 6:21-23), and it’s only when we have the shared mind of Christ that those idols can be recognized and destroyed for the greater good of the Body (Joh 6:55-57, Act 8:30-31, Col 1:13, Joh 8:51). When we trust in the Lord with all our heart, we are trusting in and being persuaded of the structure that God has given us for our growth, so that we can all come to a fullness that is in Christ (‘that structure explained‘ – Eph 3:1-21, Eph 4:10-13)

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: [Php 3:9, 1Co 2:5] fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

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?

Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also [Mat 19:22].
Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

Act 8:30  So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Act 8:31  And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Col 1:13  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

When God’s Word, which is spirit, is rightly divided, it quickens us (1Co 2:13, Joh 6:63) and gives us the ability to be led by the spirit as we compare spirit with spirit using the physical (Joh 3:6).

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Joh 6:63  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

The spirit bears witness that we are being “transferred to the kingdom of his beloved Son“, which happens when we are led by the holy spirit (Rom 8:14-16) as God delivers us from the “domain of darkness” spoken of in Col0ssians 1:13.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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.
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

When we are raised in heavenly places, or taken up, we don’t see death, only life, which is what this ‘translation’ or ‘taking up’ of Enoch symbolized: “by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death” (Eph 2:4-6, Joh 8:51).

Eph 2:4  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
Eph 2:5  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved —
Eph 2:6  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [Joh 6:56, Col 1:27]

Joh 8:51  Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word [Rev 1:3], he will never see death.”

[We do not see death any more because all the promises in him  (Rom 14:8) are yea (2Co 1:20), and we know that all things are ours (1Co 3:21) and that all things, the light and darkness, the good and the evil (Isa 45:7) are all working out according to the counsel of God’s will whose purpose is being fulfilled in our heavens by having his love shed abroad in our hearts (Rom 8:28, Rom 5:5).]

[God’s counsel that is fulfilled in the world of those who live and move and have their being in Christ (Act 17:28) is also for our sakes (2Co 4:15), and so all these examples of those who died not having obtained the promise (Heb 11:13) are life-giving examples for the elect’s sake today who are being quickened by these very profitable stories which are filled with promises that “find their Yes in him” our hope of glory within (2Co 1:20 ESV, Col 1:27)].

Rom 14:8  For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

2Co 1:20  For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. (ESV)

1Co 3:21  So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

Isa 45:7  I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things.

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

Rom 5:5  and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

The word “translate” is normally translated as “interpret” (1Co 14:27), and of course is not the same word as translated in Hebrews 11:5, but there is a connection in the symbolic meaning of what the word translated [or taken up (Heb 11:5 ESV)] is showing us.

Heb 11:5  By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (ESV)

In this study we will look at these few verses (Heb 11:5-10) to further understand how it is “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God“.

Heb 11:5  By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Enoch’s ways were pleasing to God and as such he was translated^G3346. As discussed, that idea of being transported or carried over, or turned, or changing sides, are all events that typify what happens when we are led to repentance and become zealous for God and His purpose in our lives (Rom 2:4, 2Co 7:11). It pleases God when we become like children who have humble and contrite hearts that are entreatable (Mat 18:3-5, Jas 1:21). We “become as little children” when we “receive one such little child” which is symbolically telling us we receive Christ’s doctrine, His word: “And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”

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? [“God had translated him that he should not see death” (Rom 6:23)]

2Co 7:11  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

[“…and was not found, because God had translated him” -“Not being found” is typical language telling us that he was not found in his flesh, which is what it means to “not see death“. Enoch typifies the elect who are not found because we are hidden in Christ (Col 3:3, Rom 6:11)]

Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid [“and was not found“] with Christ in God.

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.
Mat 18:5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Jas 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

G3346 metatithēmi   
met-at-ith’-ay-mee
From G3326 and G5087; to transfer, that is, (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange, (reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively) pervert: – carry over, change, remove, translate, turn.

It is “before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” and it’s important to notice those words before a testimony. The life that Enoch lived by faith pleased God as it was a type and shadow of how we must continue to be diligent in our labouring for the meat which does not perish as we press toward “the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Php 3:14)

God sets that prize before those who are granted to lay up a “testimony” in this life, an increase (1Co 3:6) that is given from God to those who are given eyes to see and ears to hear “before” the rest of humanity. It is because of that spiritual vision we are separated from the world and hated by all men for His name’s sake (Mat 10:22). If we endure that rejection as Christ did for us, and we can, through the power that God gives us through Christ (Php 4:13), then we will as a result be made ready to rule under our Lord (2Ti 2:12).

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end (Php 4:13) shall be saved.

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

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself (Php 4:13).

All the workmanship (Eph 2:10) within the body of Christ which precedes any increase that comes from God can be thought of as “I have planted, Apollos watered”, and is typified by the statement  “before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God”. Enoch’s pleasing God prior to being translated typifies our entire life being presented to God a living sacrifice, which is our reasonable service that prepares us for the ultimate translation in the first resurrection (Rev 20:6). In other words our steadily maturing day by day as we die daily pleases God and is the reason a “testimony” from God can be laid up in us through Christ (Rom 12:1, 1Co 15:52, Mat 6:21).

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

This verse, with which we are all very familiar, comes right after talking about Enoch being translated by God who pleased God “for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God“.

Enoch’s ‘pleasing God’ is being used to typify for us how we need to “diligently seek him” knowing that in that conquest God must permit us the tried faith (Heb 6:1-3, 1Pe 1:7) which is being produced in those who “believe that he is” (Joh 6:28-29). With that faith we know our labours are not in vain (1Co 15:56-58), or said another way, “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.“

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,
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

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.

1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (Rev 12:5, Isa 26:17, Isa 66:9, Luk 10:20, Rev 19:7).

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.

We don’t know what is coming tomorrow, and neither should we be taking anxious thought about anything. However, we have been “warned of God of things not seen as yet” whether they be applied inwardly or outwardly in a dispensational way (Mat 6:34, Mat 24:4-13). It’s easy enough to say ‘don’t take any anxious thought’, but let’s continue to realize that, just like Noah, it will be by the faith God gives us as the body of Christ that we will be able to endure until the end, trimming our lamps which will need that extra oil so those trials through which we are taken will produce (Mat 25:7-9, Php 2:12-13). This ability to overcome through Christ is all being expressed with this typical statement, so “being warned of God of things not seen as yet“, Noah, who typifies the bride, the church, “moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.“

Not seeing the gates of hell prevail against Christ’s body (Mat 16:18) is what “the saving of his house” typifies and was made possible by the ark being prepared. Each one of us is a joint that supplies in love to the building up of the ark which represents the body of Christ (Eph 4:16). We are, in that sense, in lock-step with Noah who “condemned the world” and “became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” when we look to the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ, and are not conformed to this world (Heb 12:1-2, Rom 12:1-2).

Christ’s faith within us makes it possible for us to be joint heirs with Him. This following section of Romans 8 shows us the connection of movement with fear with becoming joint heirs with Christ, typified by Noah, who “became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Rom 8:14-17). There is a bondage “again to fear” when we don’t move with fear to be diligently about our Father’s business as Christ was (Luk 2:49). It is through judgment now that we will, Lord willing, keep moving with fear as His righteousness is produced by grace through faith (Heb 10:26-28, Eph 2:8-9)

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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 [Heb 5:7].

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

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
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.

Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

“Not of works, lest any man should boast”, meaning Noah couldn’t boast about building an ark, and Enoch couldn’t boast in his being translated and being pleasing to God, nor can God’s children boast of anything when we “understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God” within us, as His workmanship (Rom 3:27, Eph 2:10).

Rom 3:27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

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.

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 
Heb 11:9  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 
Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Christ is typified by Abraham here, “by faith” (Gal 3:2-9, Jas 1:17-20, Joh 6:37-38, Joh 5:30) “when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance”  (Eph 1:11-12, Eph 1:18) and “obeyed” (Joh 8:28-29, Act 5:32).

Gal 3:2  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Rom 10:17)
Gal 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Gal 3:4  Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain (Php 3:9).
Gal 3:5  He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Rom 10:17)
Gal 3:6  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:7  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Gal 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify  the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9  So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

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.

Joh 8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man (Eph 2:6), then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
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. (Rom 8:14-17, Joh 5:30, Joh 15:5, 1Jn 4:17).

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

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

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 (Heb 5:7).
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
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.

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear(Rom 10:17), I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (Rom 10:17, 1Jn 4:6).

Abraham’s physical “inheritance” of the nations “as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which  is upon the sea shore” (Gen 22:17, Gen 32:12) is typical of the salvation of all which will be obtained through Jesus Christ, the true father of the faithful and author and finisher of our faith; His faith by which we live (1Co 15:22, 1Jn 2:2, 2Ti 2:10, Joh 8:37-39, Heb 12:2, Gal 2:20).

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Joh 8:37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

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.

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

The fruit of Christ’s obedience was expressed in “the form of a servant” who “was made in the likeness of men” (Php 2:7). The counsel of God’s will was predestined for Christ, and it involved Him learning obedience by the things He suffered (Heb 5:8) so He could be “made perfect” and become “the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”. The mystery that is hidden from the world is that Abraham’s obedience and suffering was done in an unconverted life and only typified the obedience and righteousness of Christ and His body. This type and shadow experience is a bright example of how the whole world groans, but not only they but we also who have God’s spirit and were called to be first fruits do groan (Heb 5:9, Luk 13:32-33, Rom 9:6-8, Rom 8:22-23).

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

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

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Luk 13:33  Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

Christ, like Abraham, “went out, not knowing whither he went“, meaning although all of Christ’s days were numbered, He saw through a glass darkly just as we all do (1Co 13:12, 1Jn 4:17) in this temporal earthly form. He was also completely dependent on our Father’s guiding and leading Him (Rom 8:14-15, Heb 5:7) through this life with whatever measure of faith He needed to meet every affliction, persecution, or trial which He endured for our sakes so we can do the same through Him (Luk 2:52, Rom 10:17, 2Pe 3:18, 1Jn 4:17, Heb 4:15, 2Co 1:4, Rom 5:10).

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

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.

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

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears [whereby he cried Father “glorify thy name“, not ‘deliver me’ “from this hour“(Joh 12:27-28)] unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

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

We’ll end this section of our study in Hebrews looking at the word “inheritance” and see that there was a typical inheritance that was promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob which foreshadows the inheritance of the saints in Christ.

Likewise, Christ, “by faith sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country”. The land of promise in Christ’s case was not a physical land as it was for Abraham but rather was represented by his life where all the promises in Him are “yes” (2Co 1:20, Luk 17:21) even as he abided “as in a strange country“, that country being this world and his flesh (1Co 15:50),  that the kingdom of God within Christ had him here as an ambassador just as we should be (Joh 18:36, Luk 17:21, 2Co 5:20). “Dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise” is typical language of “the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” (Eph 1:14), showing us that the body of Christ must go through a process of spiritual completion, through judgment in order to obtain that inheritance (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

Abraham, who “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God“, is indeed speaking of the hope that Abraham had that one day he would see God in the next life just as Job had hoped (Job 19:25-27). It is “through faith” that these patriarchs of old understood “that the worlds were framed by the word of God”, but they did not understand their life was framed, their world, their heavens, for our sakes (2Co 4:15) so that we could be given hope “of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” as we look back at those whose lives “obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Eph 1:18, Heb 11:39).

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

The promise of being heirs with Christ and being given the honour and privilege of being that new city, new Jerusalem, “coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2) is speaking of the church the bride of Christ “which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” and it is “marvellous in our eyes” (Psa 118:22-23).

Psa 118:22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psa 118:23  This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Heb 10:19-29 “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” – Part 3

[Study Aired January 21, 2021]

Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21  And having an high priest over the house of God;
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 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

This section of Hebrews 10 can be summarized with this section of God’s word in Romans 6:10-11 which states, “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In other words, it is through Christ alone that we can with “boldness…enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus”.

The fruit which God is working in the lives of those who have been called and chosen to live “by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20-21) is unfolding at the altar of God where God’s workmanship is bound to that altar (Rom 12:1, Psa 118:27). We are learning to trust Him as we put off our flesh and learn of His power and might which works within each member, each joint, that God uses to “maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph 1:12-14, Eph 4:16). If Christ is living in us, we will be learning to trust in him, and we will together be “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life”(Jud 1:20-21, Jer 29:13).

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Jud 1:20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

There is a strong emphasis in these verses we’re looking at (Heb 10:19-29) that speak of where the boldness we need to serve the living God comes from (Heb 4:16, Eph 6:19, Col 4:3-6) “in the house of God”, and how it is formed through holding “fast the profession of our faith without wavering”(Joh 8:31-32).

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.

Eph 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Eph 6:20  For which I am an ambassador in bonds [Psa 118:27]: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Col 4:3  Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Col 4:4  That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Col 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (Heb 10:23)] then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

None of us are exempt from doing our part that brings us into this “new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh“(Heb 10:20) because we are his flesh and bones (Eph 5:30), and so the urgent plea goes out in verses 24 and 25 to “let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some”.

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

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

As well, the new and living way will be of no consequence if we don’t consider ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ, and so we’re reminded that when we do come together, it is to partake of this new and living way in each other that is the communion we have with the body and blood of Christ (1Co 10:16). It is “in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God” unfolding within us, that we can do the same thing with Christ in us as our hope of glory has done before us (Rom 6:10-12, 1Jn 4:17).

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?

Rom 6:10  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

It is in God’s holy house that we are where we don’t forsake our assembling in Him and where His workmanship is being accomplished (Eph 2:10). It is because of the Godly fear we are given that we can overcome and work together, moving with fear to the saving of our house (Heb 11:7), the house of God that we don’t forsake (Heb 10:25) as a many membered body that Christ is building (Psa 127:1, Psa 133:1).

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.

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.

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

Psa 133:1  A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

God’s elect will be instrumental in helping each other endure to the end as we bear each other’s burdens (Gal 6:2) and wash each other’s feet (Joh 13:14), and in so doing fulfill the “law of Christ” in our members who are witnessing to the world that we are His disciples indeed. He has separated us for the world’s sake and for each other today, giving us that extra oil for our lamps (Mat 25:7-9) because we have been blessed to receive the counsel from his word that tells us to “buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see”, the very thing we need in order to have that extra oil to help us endure to the end in order to be saved (Rom 12:1, Rev 3:18, Rom 11:15-20, Mat 24:13). God is in the process of burning out any highmindedness (Rom 11:20, Luk 17:10) that when overcome, gives us to see clearly that we are who we are in God’s master plan only because of the root, Jesus Christ, Who is holding us up and delivering us from ourselves for the sake of the rest of His creation (Oba 1:21). Knowing these things is what we look to and remind ourselves of, being established in these present truths as we keep “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life”.

Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
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 gives us power to enter “into the holiest” and that is done by the “blood of Jesus“. We have read what is in the holiest also called the “Holiest of all” (Heb 9:4). In order for us to be there, we must enter in “by the blood of Jesus“. It takes the blood of Jesus which represents His words, His spirit within us (Rom 9:8, 2Ti 1:7), as it cleanses our conscience to be able to boldly continue to come before God without wavering (Heb 4:16, Heb 3:13-14, Rom 4:18-20).

The “holiest” as we’ve seen is referring to that section in the tabernacle called “the Holiest of all”, and it is there that the “cherubims of glory”, who represent the elect who have gone onto perfection and are accompanied with “the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant” reside (Heb 9:4). We reside there today in earnest, being raised together into that holiest of places (Eph 2:6), as we go through a lifetime of judgment so we can be made ready to do the work of God, which work involves going out and healing the world with His judgments in the earth (Isa 26:9), His words, that are all represented by those purified items in “the Holiest of all”. All of this judgment is now currently upon the house of God, and the present suffering this judgment brings upon us is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed when we go onto perfection on the third day (Rom 8:18).

Christ and His words as our hope of glory within (Col 1:27) is the “new and living way” (Joh 14:6) which Christ, by the power of God’s holy spirit, “consecrated^G1457 for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.” That was true for Christ’s flesh that was dedicated for the sins of the world (Heb 9:18), and as he is so are we (1Jn 4:17), being judged in our flesh, and filling up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake “which is the church” (Col 1:24, Eph 5:30).

Heb 9:18  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated^G1457 without blood.

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:

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

Heb 10:21  And having an high priest over the house of God;
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.

The very first chapter of Hebrews explains how great “an high priest over the house of God” our Father has given us (Heb 1:1-7), so we can “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” seeing it is the faith of Christ that makes this possible (Rom 3:27, Gal 2:20, Luk 22:32).

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Heb 1:5  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Heb 1:6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Heb 1:7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Rom 3:27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me [1Jn 4:17]: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee [1Jn 4:17, 1Jn 5:4], that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

When we draw near, we can be assured that our advocate (1Jn 2:1-2) will sprinkle our hearts from an evil conscience with blood on the altar (Heb 9:21) which represents His word that washes us, “our bodies washed with pure water” (Eph 5:25-27).

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

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.

It doesn’t say “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” because we are faithful. No! What it does say is that it is because “he is faithful that promised“. Christ is the faithful author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2-3) to whom we look, to whom we hold fast and wrestle with through the night not letting any man take our crown (Gen 32:24-26, Rev 3:11-12).

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.
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Gen 32:24  And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
Gen 32:25  And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
Gen 32:26  And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

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

This section of scripture is talking about running the race with the confidence that God has called us to have in Christ to know that we can win with him as the author and finisher of our faith (Php 1:6). Then the scriptures go on to show us that we are not winning this race for ourselves or to our own glory, but we are running to obtain an incorruptible crown together. God says the way we are to run this race is to wash each other’s feet (Joh 13:14), being each other’s servant (Mat 20:25-28), or said another way, “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” as Christ did and does for us.

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

Joh 13:14  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

We’re not all given the privilege to be assembled together often, but if we can, we should, and for those who can’t physically come together, we are gifted in this age with internet and email, phones and texts, Zoom recordings and yes, even ‘snail mail’. We pray for each other always with a love that binds us right ‘here’ in spirit (Col 2:5, 1Co 5:3).

Col 2:5  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
Col 2:6  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

1Co 5:3  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,

To not forsake the “assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is” is a matter of where our hearts are, so when we come together we are told that it should be for the express purpose of “exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching“.

I’m writing these notes while listening in on the fellowship call with Gale beside me, and I keep hearing that spirit of exhorting and carrying and provoking unto love and good works which is our reasonable service, and a witness of Christ’s discipleship being formed within us (Rom 12:1, Heb 10:25, Joh 13:35) as we come together with a psalm, a doctrine, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation, unto the edifying of itself in love (1Co 14:26, Eph 4:16).

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.

1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

We are a living sacrifice in Christ for each other, but if we forsake one another in spirit and do not partake of that living sacrifice we receive in the communion God has given us, that would be an example of sinning “wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth“.

There “remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” if we have lost that desire to be with our body which is a living sacrifice, so we need to keep provoking one another to love and good works as we keep coming together often and so much the more as we see the day approaching (Heb 10:25, Mal 3:16).

Christ does not pull any punches but simply tells us that if we forsake the assembling of ourselves and exhorting each other when we come together or from a distance, “a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries” awaits us. The adversary needs to be destroyed now, and he needs to fall from our heavens like lightning now. If our names are written in heaven and we are Jesus Christ’s body that is precisely what is going to happen (Luk 10:18-20).

Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
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.

Coming together and caring for one another with much exhortation (Act 20:2, 1Co 14:3, 1Ti 4:13, Heb 13:22) testifies to the fact that we are His witnesses, and so the very fitting verses that end this section of our study declare what the two witnesses in Revelation 11 show us in type and shadow (Rev 11:3-6, Rev 11:11-13).

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.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6  These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

Rev 11:11  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12  And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Those who “despised Moses’ law” typify those who forsake the assembling of the brethren in this manner, not buying that oil needed to trim the lamp, not stirring each other up putting each other in remembrance to continue to be established in the present truth (2Pe 1:1-14), and they “died without mercy under two or three witnesses“, physically, which typifies the second death they will experience, the much sorer judgement to condemnation that will occur in the lake of fire to those who are not judged in this life.

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
2Pe 1:10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
2Pe 1:11  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:12  Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
2Pe 1:13  Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

Let us as therefore as the body of Christ continue to look “for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life“.

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

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

Everything is already manifest and “opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” and our high priest Jesus Christ who has passed into our heavens (Col 1:27) is there for the express purpose of helping us identify the nakedness or sinfulness of our nature that can be overcome by obtaining mercy, and finding “grace to help in time of need“.

The who, what, where, when and why of what God has provided for the elect is what we will be looking at in this verse tonight.

Let’s just briefly answer these five questions as we consider how great a high priest we really have in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Who was He, or who is He?

These verses in Hebrews 1:1-8 describe part of who Christ is for us today and how He will use the “sceptre of righteousness…the sceptre of thy kingdom” to purify a people to himself (Tit 2:11-15).

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
Heb 1:5  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Heb 1:6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Heb 1:7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
Heb 1:8  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

[with “a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom”]

Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

What is Christ’s function for God’s elect today?

We just read that the primary function given to Christ of our Father is to have a “a sceptre of righteousness…the sceptre of thy kingdom”, and we know He is using that sceptre today upon the body of Christ which is being judged (1Pe 4:17) as He “redeem[s] us from all iniquity, and purify[s] unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” through a process of sanctification (Joh 17:17).

It is the man Jesus Christ (1Ti 2:5) who started this process of sowing the seed of God’s word, and it is Satan who is the enemy that comes and sows tares while men sleep. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man (1Ti 2:5) which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way'” (Mat 13:24-25).

What Christ did was sow those seeds prior to the conversion of His disciples, speaking the word to them in parables knowing that those words would not return void (Isa 55:11), and that in time the expediency about which Christ spoke to them regarding his departure (Joh 16:7) would be explained by the comforter (Joh 16:13) which would lead them into all truth (Joh 16:4, 2Th 2:5) into the words of eternal life God’s elect are blessed to continue in today in order to become disciples indeed (Joh 8:31).

Joh 16:4  But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

Where is Christ now?

There is no mystery to those who have had their eyes open as to where Christ is today, and “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens…let us hold fast our profession“. Our profession is not to strive for the temporal earthly achievements that Paul likened to dung after his eyes were open (Php 3:8), but rather our profession is to “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Php 3:14) having “respect unto the recompence of the reward”, “esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt” as Moses did in type and shadow (Heb 11:26). Christ is where He is in our lives for that express purpose of helping us to continue to have that respect for the recompence of the reward as we are granted the faith required (1Jn 5:4), along with the fiery trials (1Pe 4:12) which are essential in order to stablish, strengthen and settle us (1Pe 5:10) in tried faith (1Pe 1:7) that we have as a gift from God (Eph 2:8).

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

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 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 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

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

When will we see Christ?

When we “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” we will “see Christ” (Jer 29:13, Jas 4:7). We are blessed when we are led by the spirit of God and dragged to Christ (Joh 6:44) so that by abiding in that light we can have our spiritual eyes open and see Him (Rom 8:14-16, Joh 20:29, 1Jn 3:3). Seeing is connected with the “throne of grace“, and therefore it is our blessing to be chastened and scourged by the Lord in this age so we cease from sinning as we are guided and taught by His hand to come out of darkness (Tit 2:12) and into the glorious light of the gospel of the kingdom of God, which is now within us (2Co 4:7, Luk 17:20-21).

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

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

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.

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

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. [“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.”]

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Why we have a high priest.

What we have and why we have Christ as our high priest is explained for us this way: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,” By explaining it this way, we can rest assured that our head understands what His body is going through the church (Col 1:24, Eph 5:30, Col 1:27).

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:

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

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:

Christ is training us up and maturing us so that we can in turn be sent to do what He has done for us for others (Joh 20:21). He is a “a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” and knowing that and believing that is what we look stedfastly to so that we can “hold fast our profession” of faith through our high priest who is the author and finisher of that faith (Heb 12:2-4, 1Pe 5:8-10).

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.
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
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.

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature^G2937 that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked^G1131 and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Specifically, when God says “neither is there any creature^G2937 that is not manifest in his sight”, he is speaking of all mankind, and yet it is not limited to mankind as God knows the course of all of His creation. His knowing and controlling of all the circuit of life (Psa 19:1-8, Pro 8:17-35) demonstrates He is sovereign over all of His spiritual creation that will one day be part of the all in all (Eph 1:11, Eph 4:6, 1Co 15:28). He is sovereign over all spirits which were created to minister to us as angels do (Heb 1:14), and all of mankind, whose experience God is directing, is for our sakes (2Co 4:15, Rom 8:28), and we know that each man in his own order will become a new creation in Christ (2Co 5:17) and learn of His sovereign hand which is in every detail of His creation (1Co 15:39-45). The new creation we are becoming through Christ, who created all things, is all being done to the glory of God and is also typified for us in the creation week found in Genesis 1:20-26.

G2937 Creature: ktisis ktis’-is  From G2936; original formation (properly the act; by implication the thing, literally or figuratively): – building, creation, creature, ordinance.

Original: κu964 ιu769 σu953 ςpar – Transliteration: Ktisis
– Phonetic: ktis’-is
– Definition:
1. the act of founding, establishing, building, etc.

a. the act of creating, creation
b. creation i.e. thing created

1. of individual things, beings, a creature, a creation 1b

c. anything created 1b
d. after a rabbinical usage (by which a man converted from idolatry to Judaism was called) 1b
e. the sum or aggregate of things created
f. institution, ordinance

– Origin: from G2936
– TDNT entry: 19:40,5
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Feminine
– Strong’s: From G2936; original formation (properly the act; by implication the thing literally or figuratively): – building creation creature ordinance.

Total KJV Occurrences: 15
•  building, 1
Heb_9:11
•  creation, 3
Rom_1:20; Rom_8:22; 2Pe_3:4
•  creature, 10
Rom_1:25; Rom_8:19; Rom_8:20; Rom_8:21; Rom_8:39; 2Co_5:17; Gal_6:15; Col_1:15; Col_1:23; Heb_4:13

•  ordinance, 1
1Pe_2:13

Gen 1:20  And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Gen 1:21  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:22  And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
Gen 1:23  And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Gen 1:24  And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Gen 1:25  And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

The Strong’s number for the word “naked”G1131 in this section of scripture (“but all things are naked^G1131 and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do”) is also found in 1 Corinthians 15:37), and the context surrounding the word “bare”^G1131 in this verse reveals what part of God’s creation is now the apple of His eye (Zec 2:8, Psa 17:8).

G1131 Naked: gumnos goom-nos’  Of uncertain affinity; nude (absolutely or relatively, literally or figuratively): – naked.

– Original: γu965 μu957 οu769 ςpar – Transliteration: Gumnos
– Phonetic: goom-nos’
– Definition:
1. properly

a. unclad, without clothing, the naked body
b. ill clad
c. clad in undergarments only (the outer garments or cloak being laid aside)
d. of the soul, whose garment is the body, stripped of the body, without a body

2. metaph.

a. naked, i.e. open, lay bare
b. only, mere, bare, i.e. mere grain not the plant itself

– Origin: of uncertain affinity
– TDNT entry: 13:53, 1
– Part(s) of speech: Adjective

Strong’s: Of uncertain affinity; nude (absolutely or relatively literally or figuratively): – naked.

Total KJV Occurrences: 9
•   bare, 1
1Co_15:37
•   naked, 8
Mar_14:51; Mar_14:52; Joh_21:7; Act_19:16; 2Co_5:3; Heb_4:13; Jam_2:15; Rev_17:16

Not knowing the order of God’s creation and listening to the lie of Satan that there is no order to the resurrections is the evil communication that deceives those who believe the lie (1Co 15:31-33), and these verses precede the truth of what God is doing with all of His creation that is manifest to Him, and declare that in time all will be saved. God’s elect are dying daily today, and Paul expresses why we should be overcoming those beasts within and without ourselves if there is no first resurrection, let’s just “eat and drink; for to morrow we die” that death being in the second resurrection, or lake of fire, also called the great white throne judgment (1Co 15:31, Luk 12:19). Right after that point Paul says “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners“. God’s elect see through this evil communication which says there is one resurrection saying “for to morrow we die” and instead we by grace and faith of Christ say we must “die daily” which is how we “awake to righteousness” as we die daily and are raised together in heavenly places to overcome in this life through Christ (Eph 2:6).

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32  If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
1Co 15:33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

When we “awake to righteousness” we see the order in God’s creation that is then explained in great detail in the rest of the verses (1Co 15:34-58).

1Co 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
1Co 15:35  But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1Co 15:36  Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: [“I die daily” of 1 Corinthians 15:31]
1Co 15:37  And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare^G1131 grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
1Co 15:38  But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body [Mat 22:14, 1Pe 2:9, Jas 1:18]
1Co 15:39  All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
1Co 15:40  There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1Co 15:42  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43  It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; [1Co 15:39] the last Adam was made a quickening spirit [1Co 15:41].
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

[Those who are not resurrected in the first resurrection are still under the law: “The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law”. We must put on incorruption in earnest today as we die daily, and then we can be raised in a moment and in a twinkling of an eye. It is those who are dead to sin and alive in Christ who will be raised first “and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”. The rest are raised in the lake of fire or great white throne judgment or second resurrection.]

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Clearly ‘nakedness’ to God is when we try to do our own works independent of Him, not acknowledging His sovereignty in all things as typified by Adam and Eve in the garden wearing their designer fig leaf “and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Gen 3:7).

Gen 3:7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Where are you Adam? is the question we must ask ourselves every day as we examine ourselves in the Lord and die daily so we can be clothed with the sacrifice of Christ, being baptized into His death (2Co 13:5, Gen 3:7-10, Gen 3:21, Rom 6:3). We know where Christ is so “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” as Adam and Eve did by putting the blame for their sinful actions on everyone else but the person on whom the blame should have squarely fallen (Gen 3:12-13, 2Sa 12:7).

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?

Gen 3:7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Gen 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
Gen 3:9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Gen 3:10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Gen 3:21  Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Gen 3:12  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Gen 3:13  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

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

2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

Isa 40:1-10 The Glory of the LORD Shall be Revealed, and All Flesh Shall See it Together - Discussion

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Isa 40:1-10 The Glory of The LORD Shall Be Revealed, and All Flesh Shall See It Together:

Isa 40:1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Isa 40:2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.
Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Isa 40:6  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
Isa 40:7  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
Isa 40:8  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Isa 40:9  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

We are all aware that the scriptures are addressed only to those who have been given ears that hear and eyes that see the mysteries of the kingdom of God. They were never intended to be understood by the multitudes who claim the name of Christ and who gather every week in His name:

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them [The “multitudes… gathered unto Him”, vs 2] in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

We are also aware that whatever the Lord desires is what He does and that none of us, and no man, can thwart His will:

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

If indeed the Lord does what He desires, then this is what He desires, and this is what He is doing:

Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

If we are those “who first trusted in Christ [then] we have obtained an inheritance [for the very  purpose of] be[ing] to the praise of His glory” as “firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb” and as judges who will be in the first resurrection and will rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years preparatory to judging angels in the lake of fire, which is the second death, as these verses make abundantly clear:

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

When will the saints judge “the world” in the outward sense referred to by the apostle Paul in the context of these two verses, which includes the judging of angels? The phrase “the world” tells us that Paul is speaking of outward judgment. This is when that outward judging of the kingdoms of this world will begin:

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel trumpeted. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world became our Lord's, even of His Christ; and He shall reign to the ages of the ages.

This is a very general statement which tells us that our reign with Christ will begin at the “seventh” trump of the seventh angel. But Christ wants us to know all that His Father has revealed to Him. Not just the fact that the saints shall judge the world:

Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
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.

Christ is revealing to us “all things that He has heard of [His] Father”. Do we believe that? Or do we believe that we are nothing special to our Lord? Is a “friend” more special than a ‘servant’ who is not made privy to the activities of his Lord?

It is manifestly evident that the Lord is telling us that we are “special to Him above every nation on the earth”:

Deu 14:2  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar [Hebrew: special] people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

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.
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
Gal 4:31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

While the vast majority of the Word of God is dedicated to the judgment of the inward kingdom of our old man and the judgment of the outward kingdoms of this world, this section of Isaiah centers around the blessings promised to those who are made to overcome this world and are given “place for repentance”.

Isa 40:1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Isa 40:2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

What wonderful words of comfort are these to ‘the chief of sinners’ who is also ‘the man’ who has done as bad or worse than those who are not yet being judged. Yes, it is we, whom the Lord has chosen, who are the least worthy to be chosen and who are typified by the lowly tax collector in the parable of the two men who go to the temple of the Lord:

Luk 18:9  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

This tax collector is not simply a humble man. He is ‘the man’ spoken of by the prophet, Nathan (2Sa 12:1-14). He sees himself as “the basest of men” whom God has placed over the kingdoms of this world (Dan 4:17). This tax collector typifies those who have already come to see themselves as this self-righteous Pharisee, and he counts himself as chief… of sinners” (1Ti 1:15). He has “received of the LORD'S hand double for all (his) sins”, and he is now “at his wits’ end”, crying out for the Lord’s mercy, and the Lord is in the process of comforting him because he has been humbled and given a “place for repentance”.

These words are all about this publican who sees his flesh for what it is, and is not focused on the sins of anyone but himself:

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Look at what we have just read: “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord… Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”.

Contrast these words with the words of Christ with the words of Christ concerning those who do not “die in the Lord… while in [their] flesh”:

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Christ made it clear that this publican had already come to see himself as this self-righteous Pharisee and had repented and had come to see himself as a sinner.

Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Such humility comes only after being humbled by the Lord to the extent of being hated of all men:

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.

Only from this “hated of all men” position can we become the bearers of the Lord’s words to this lost earth:

Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

This is the prophecy John saw as referring to his position of announcing to this world the coming of the Lord:

Joh 1:19  And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
Joh 1:20  And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
Joh 1:21  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
Joh 1:22  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
Joh 1:23  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
Joh 1:24  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

John the Baptist did not realize that he really was a type of the prophesied “prophet Elijah”, but Christ tells us he was:

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

Mat 17:9  And as they [Christ, Peter, James, and John - vs. 1] came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
Mat 17:10  And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mat 17:12  But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
Mat 17:13  Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Three men - Peter, James, and John - saw a vision of the transfigured Christ, but the day is coming in which ‘the glory of the Lord’ will be revealed to all flesh, and all flesh will ‘wither and fade because the spirit of the Lord blows upon it’.

Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

“All flesh shall see… the glory of the Lord] together”, but seeing the glory of the Lord requires the death of the flesh, and that is a process which “begins at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17). It is this process of judgment and the dying to this world to which Isaiah refers with these words:

Isa 40:6  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
Isa 40:7  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
Isa 40:8  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

“The grass withers… because the spirit of the Lord blows upon it”, and that “spirit [is what] gives life, [and that spirit is] the words which [Christ] has spoken to [us]:

Isaiah’s words were inspired by Christ Himself, so of course they accord with Christ’s own words which also tell us “the flesh profits nothing”:

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

It is the flesh which withers and fades, “but the word of our God stands for ever”. Christ amplified these words and expounded on them when He told us:

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

When we read that ‘all these things are near, even at the door’ and ‘this generation shall not pass, till all these things shall be fulfilled’, it becomes evident to all who have eyes that see and ears that hear, that “the abomination of desolation” of verse 15, the “great tribulation” of verse 21, and “the coming of the Son of Man” of verse 27, must “all… be fulfilled [in] “this generation” of verse 34, meaning the generation of “whosoever readeth [and] understands” in verse 15. These “words are spirit” (Joh 6:63) which therefore “shall not pass away” in any generation since the death and resurrection of Christ, Who is the first of the firstfruits.

That the “all things” of Mat 24:32-35 apply to us as God’s elect there can be no doubt, simply because we are plainly told:

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

The “Zion” of our next verse symbolizes both “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb” of Revelation 14:4 and the “saviors” of Obadiah 21:

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.

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

These 144,000 are “redeemed from the earth” and are “the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb”. These are what Paul calls “those who first trusted in Christ” and have been “blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavens”. Look at all the Lord has revealed to us through the apostle Paul which we can add to our knowledge of what has been given to this most blessed group of men. Let us all “Have respect to the recompense of the reward” (Heb 11:26):

Eph 1:3  Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly things in Christ.
Eph 1:4  Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, for us to be holy and unblemished before him in love.
Eph 1:5  Who predestined us for sonship through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the desire of his will,
Eph 1:6  for appreciation of the glory of his grace, by which he blessed us in him who is beloved.
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, according to the wealth of his grace,
Eph 1:8  which he abounded for us in all wisdom and intelligence.
Eph 1:9 Having made known to us the mystery of his will according to his desire, which he purposed within himself
Eph 1:10  for an administration of the fullness of the times. To gather together all things in the Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth,
Eph 1:11 in him in whom also we obtained an inheritance. Having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the deliberation of his will.
Eph 1:12. For us to be for appreciation of his glory, men who have first hoped in the Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the good-news of your salvation, in whom also having believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise,
Eph 1:14  which is a pledge of our inheritance for the redemption of the acquired possession, for appreciation of his glory.

Why does the holy spirit use all these personal pronouns if all men are “the first to have trusted in Christ”? Why are we told that we are “to be for the appreciation of His glory” if this blessing is granted to all men at this time? Why are we told that the holy spirit is “a pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” if there is no order in which mankind is being saved?

The Truth is that all these personal pronouns are used because the holy spirit want us to have “respect unto the recompence of the reward” Christ has in store of His chosen few.

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:
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.

The fact is that we are called “the first to have trusted in Christ” because we are “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb… the first to appreciate His glory”, and we have been given the holy spirit as a pledge of our inheritance of “the resurrection of life”, having been judged “at this present time” (Rom 8:18) and not to take part in the resurrection to judgment, which is “the second death… prepared for the devil and his angels” as well as all “the rest of the dead”, whose names are not in the book of life at the “blessed and holy… first resurrection”:

In Matthew 25 we are told that Gehenna is prepared for the devil and His angels, but in the book of Revelation we learn that “the rest of the dead are also there with the devil and his angels:

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

What a blessing it is to be chosen by Christ to be His friend and to be made to know all His Father has made known to Him!

Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
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.

If we are the chosen of Christ to endure to the end, then the good news is that nothing can keep that from happening:

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 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Being the “firstfruits unto God and the Lamb” (Rev 14:4) is for the purpose of “be[ing] the firstborn among many brothers” who will be “born of God” via the work of the firstborn as the judges of both the nations of this world during the thousand year reign and as the judges of angels in the lake of fire (Isa 33:14-15 and 1Co 6:2-3).

Getting back to the good news of our calling, Paul continues here in Romans 8:

Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate [to “be the firstborn among many brothers”], them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Just what is the significance of all of that? This is how significant that is:

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?

It is hard for us to accept just how special we are to Christ. We are so special that we are told this about how much He identifies with us:

Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Even these words are about those who being judged at this time:

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.

“In this world” refers to “the day of judgment” which is now on the house of God (1Pe 4:17). It is only “in the days of [our] flesh” that we are “as He is… in this world”, and that is the “day of judgment to which the words “in this world” refers.

The point being made is that these words have no application to those who are destined to be judged in the everlasting burnings of the lake of fire/second death. It is we who are given boldness in the day of judgment… in this world” for the express purpose of judging angels in the everlasting burnings and the devouring fires of the lake of fire:

Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly [“in this world”, this age, “in the days of his flesh” - Heb 5:7]; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

It is we who “first trusted in Christ” who “walk righteously and speak uprightly… in the days of [our] flesh” who “are like Christ in this world” and who are given to “dwell with the devouring fire [and] everlasting burnings”.

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

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.

Let’s return to the blessings of being Zion upon whom Saviors come.  Let’s continue to see just how special to Christ the Lord’s elect are who are given to be in “the blessed and holy first resurrection”:

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.

“Life… death… things present and things to come… are all ours [but they] shall [not] be able to separate us from the love of God” if we are His “in this present time” (verse 18).

We are the “Zion” who brings good tidings both to our “fellow servant[s] who keep the saying of the prophecies of this book”, and we are told to be bold in proclaiming our calling “to be to the praise of His glory” (Eph 1:12):

Isa 40:9  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

This is just another way of telling us the same thing we are told to do in this verse:

Psa 107:2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

This and nothing else is what makes all those wonderful words of Isaiah 33, and Romans 8 so very certain:

Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

His work is before Him, and “we are His workmanship”:

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:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Next week we will see even more of just how special we are to “Him that has called us to glory and virtue”:

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.

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Here are some of the glorious things to which we are called as the Lord will show us in our next study:

Isa 40:11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Isa 40:12  Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Isa 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isa 40:14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Isa 40:15  Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Isa 40:16  And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
Isa 40:17  All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
Isa 40:18  To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Isa 40:19  The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
Isa 40:20  He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

The Blessing of Pain - Discussion

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The Blessings of Pain

I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support for Sandi and for me through this trial we have just endured. Your prayers and your e-mails have meant more to us than I can express to you. I have tried to respond to every single e-mail I received, so if I have overlooked your e-mail, please forgive me and accept, at this time, my words of sincere gratitude for every compassionate and supportive e-mail and every sweet smelling prayer that has "ascended up before God" on our behalf.

I am very grateful to Jim and Tanya for coming to the hospital and staying there with Sandi and me through the entire ordeal. What a blessing it was to see them that morning, and the next day Lexy, Garrett and Brody with them. Just being there meant a lot to me! Thank you, Jim and Tanya and all the kids.

Sandi and I had a wonderful visit with my brother Lonnie and his wife Sandy. Lonnie has been a champion of our beliefs from the beginning. I am grateful to them both for coming to the hospital.

It was a great blessing also to see my son Dallas and Susie, his wife, and all four of their children, my grandchildren.

I want to thank John McDowell for coming to the hospital and helping me to make contact with all of you over the internet. Thank you so much, John!

This is how the scriptures portray how the Lord receives your prayers for Sandi and me and for yourselves and for each other:

Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

My severe trial, just like all of your trials, was not a happenstance event, because there is nothing that happens outside the parameters of these verses:

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

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 Lord created some severe 'evil' in my life July the 31st and August 1st, and for several days thereafter.

1) Our pain should make us introspective

I tell all of you, and I  have been doing so for many years now, when you are given a trial, any trial, you should ask yourself what the Lord is saying to you. Believe me I was trying to figure what the Lord was telling me in the midst of my misery. I actually prayed, 'Lord, I'll do anything, just give me some relief." That is what any of us should do. We should all be introspective and seek to see what the Lord is telling us through our pain.

2) We should realize that our pain is not just for us alone. Our pain makes the work of God manifested to His body, and in time, to the world

But don't be a "miserable comforter" to your brother who is in pain and wag your finger at a brother enduring a trial or an affliction, because all of our afflictions are given to us to benefit more than just the person being afflicted, as we learned when we went through the book of Job, and as we learn also in the story of the healing of the man who was born blind:

Joh 9:1  And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2  And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

"...But that the works of God should be made manifest in him" is just as true for all of our afflictions as it is for the affliction of this blind man, who actually typifies the spiritual condition into which we are all born:

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

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

So "the works of God [must] be made manifest" in every one of us, just as they had to be "made manifest" in that blind man:

1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested [Greek: aorist tense], and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested [Greek: aorist tense] unto us;)

Do you understand what we are being told here? This is just how spiritually blind we all are:

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Neither Thomas nor Phillip could see or hear Christ at this time. They both say so. These words are Christ speaking of those things that be not as though they were:

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

And that is the meaning of:

1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

If Christ is living His life within us, then we, too, are showing that eternal life which was with the Father and is being manifested unto others. But 'knowing that way [and] seeing the Father' comes only through extremely painful fiery trials which give us spiritual eyesight and spiritual ears and wisdom which are not available to those who do not see either Christ or His Father.

3) Spiritual vision comes only through the pain of seeing just how deceived we have been

Spiritual eyes and spiritual ears are just a couple of the blessings of the fiery pain, which is what the Lord's words are to the spiritual "wood, hay and stubble" substance of the kingdom of our old man:

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.

Job actually had his own pain-filled fiery trials, and they were written down and recorded for our admonition.

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

Now look at the very next verse:

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

It is important to notice the purpose for "the way  to escape" is "that you may be able to bear it". The 'unbearable' pain is borne until the Lord provided "a way to escape" by means of pain killers, surgery or whatever the Lord ordains.

This particular trial has subsided, but I have no illusions about having no more fiery trials in this age. We are all told to expect fiery trials as long as we are in these vessels of clay.

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

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?

4) Pain prepares us for the certainty of being rejected and hated of all men

Our hearts should be prepared by these words and not be shocked or disappointed when the pain of undeserved hatred and rejection is cast upon us. We are warned, "You shall be hated of all men."

Notice what the spirit teaches us we must expect from our families and friends in spiritual Babylon:

Act 14:19  And there came [to Lystra] certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
Act 14:20  Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Act 14:21  And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
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.

"Much tribulation" means 'much pain'. So if you want to avoid pain, then do not seek to follow Christ. We just read what He promises to all who will follow Him.... "You shall be hated of all men..." He does promise to help bear our yoke, but He nowhere even once promises to take away that yoke.

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

"Easy... light" compared to what?

There is no contradiction between this promise in Matthew 11 and these verses in 1 Peter:

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

"Partaking of Christ's suffering... being reproached for the name of Christ, [and] suffering as a Christian", are not just a matter of being hated of all men and being evil spoken of in this age. Suffering as a Christian, can and does include both physical and mental pain, "as a Christian". But the fruit, the blessing, of that pain in a true Christian is always the same:

5) Our pain is part of our judgment, and it always 'teaches us righteousness'

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

Christ's 'light burden' and His 'easy yoke' are 'light' and 'easy' only in comparison to the lake of fire of the later judgment which the Lord uses to drive and drag mankind to Himself. "Fiery trials" are fiery judgments, and we are blessed to be judged in this age. Without the pain of judgment in any age we have no hope of being delivered from "the body of this death" (Rom 7:25).

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.

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

"The body of this death" is a proud, lofty, puffed up, dying old man who is not aware of being in that sad position.

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.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten [inflict pain]: be zealous therefore, and repent.

After chastening King David for attempting to hide his adultery with Uriah's wife with his murder of Uriah, this is what the Lord told King David via the prophet Nathan:

6) The pain of His fiery word, is what the Lord uses to keep us humble and ever vigilant

2Sa 12:10  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

Surely the words, "...because you have despised me... Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house" is not speaking to or of you and me, is it? You and I have been given dominion over sin in our lives and we have had that dominion for many years. Have we at long last come to the point that we no longer need the Lord's painful, fiery judgments, His fiery words, in our lives?

Well, if it is possible to get to that point in this life, then to whom do those words apply? Do they apply only to someone else's old man, but not to you or me? Do the words "the sword shall never depart from your house" apply only to "carnal... babes in Christ"? Is that what you think? Let me warn you, that is what we all tend to think, but that is not the case, my brothers and my sisters. That 'sword' is the Word of God, and that sword, for a time, had left King David's house. This event took place many years after King David had been ruling. He had already reigned 7 and a half years in Hebron before he even took Jerusalem for his capital. This sad story took place years after King David had begun ruling in Jerusalem, as we learned back in chapters 7 and 8:

2Sa 7:8  Now therefore so shalt thou [the prophet, Nathan] say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
2Sa 7:9  And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
2Sa 7:10  Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
2Sa 7:11  And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
2Sa 7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
2Sa 7:15  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
2Sa 7:16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2Sa 7:17  According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

We now know that "the tabernacle of David" is to be understood as the New Testament church (Act 15:16), but that certainly was not how King David understood this promise. He took it literally, as many do to this very day, and in the next chapter we are made aware of just how secure David felt in this promise:

2Sa 8:1  And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2Sa 8:2  And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
2Sa 8:3  David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.
2Sa 8:4  And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.
2Sa 8:5  And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
2Sa 8:6  Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

King David is a type of each of us as kings and priests in Christ. It was as a conquering king that King David became comfortable and lax because of the many victories he had just been given.

2Sa 7:1  And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2Sa 7:2  That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

What we need to know is that King David's sin in the matter of Bathsheba was many years after he had been made king over all Israel. It was after he had conquered all of his enemies and had been "given... rest" that he had failed this most important trial.

So now we see that another of the blessings of pain is that God's fiery, chastening love keeps us humble and always aware of our need for Him! We bring nothing to His table. He needs nothing from us as we are plainly told:

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.

The first 11 chapters of 2 Samuel relate how the Lord had destroyed the house of King Saul and had given it to King David, just as He does for you and for me when He brings us out of Babylon and gives us an "abundance of revelations". When He does that for us, He also provides the means of keeping us humbled "in His presence".

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

When we become "exalted" that is another way of saying the sword of the Lord has left our house, and because that fiery, two-edged sword is no longer there, like King David, we become exalted and forget that God sees everything, all the time, and that He has already determined "that no flesh should glory in His presence". I will repeat what we are told about the requirements of all who are being called to be kings and priests:

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:

Now you know why the Lord has chosen me to follow Him, and now I know why He chose you. And this is why these humiliating qualities are the very qualifications of the Lord's elect:

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.
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.

I am coming to you today with some very good news for all of us, and that good news is that the sword will never depart from our house. Even after our old man attempts to reassert himself, and after we are granted to see him for just how proud and how self-confident he is, if we are the Lord's elect, then we will be given the means of keeping that old man subdued. It is a tool by which our flesh is constantly disquieted until the day we draw our last breath. That is why it is called "a thorn in the flesh". It can be a physical affliction, but it is still a part of the "words that proceed out of the mouth of God" by which we all must live (Mat 4:4). In that sense, anything the Lord uses to keep us humbled becomes the "sword [of the Lord]" to "never leave [our] house" and to "daily" destroy our corruptible old man. The "sword" which we should all want to have in our spiritual house is His fiery words within us, judging us every day, increasing our new man while simultaneously decreasing our old man, as John the Baptist explained it to us:

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

7) Pain helps us to want to comfort each other and to bear each other's burdens

In Galatians 6 we are instructed:

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Verse 5 gives us the exact opposite instruction, but when we read the context we see clearly why these verse appear to contradict each other, when in reality they are speaking of a matter of proper timing:

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.

No one can do anything of himself, but:

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

The message of these verses in Galatians 6 is the same as the message given in much greater detail in Romans 14 and 15... receive weaker brothers, but with a view to bringing them to maturity while not permitting "doubtful disputations" about already firmly discerned doctrine:

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Enduring pain makes us realize that we, too, are super weak in our own way, and it vastly increases our love for our less mature brothers and sisters, who are exactly where the Lord would have them to be at this moment.

Christ is who we are as His body, and in that capacity we take each other's pains upon ourselves, and in the same sense Christ also takes the pains of His body upon Himself:

Isa 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

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.

Paul tells us what compassion our trials produce within any in whom Christ dwells:

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Co 1:5  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7  And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
2Co 1:8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2Co 1:10  Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
2Co 1:11  Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

8) It is through pain that we learn to be patient, as we are being brought to perfection

Pain tries our faith, as all who experience pain know, and this is what our painful trials produce:

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Christ Himself "learned by the things He suffered", and He tells us that He Himself could not be perfected until He had endured His own death and resurrection:

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Christ was acquainted with pain, suffering and grief for the express purpose of being able to identify with His children:

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

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.

Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

9) Our pain brings us to give God all the glory for all things

In the book of Psalms we are told:

Psa 107:21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

We simply do not cry unto the Lord until our troubles and our pain brings us to "[our] wits' end". Then we cry to the Lord... then we are glad because we are delivered. It is our pain which brings us to "exalt Him... in the congregation of the people".

To review:

1) Our painful trials should make us introspective
2) We should realize that our pain is not just for us. Our pain makes the work of God manifested to His body, and in time, to the world,
3) Spiritual vision comes only through the pain of seeing just how deceived we have been,
4) Pain prepares us for the certainty of being rejected and hated of all men,
5) Our pain is part of our judgment and it always 'teaches us righteousness,
6) The pain of His fiery word is what the Lord uses to keep us vigilant. It disquiets us like "a thorn in the flesh".
7) Pain draws the body of Christ to care for its members, and pain helps us to want to bear each other's burdens,
8) It is through pain that we learn to be patient, as we are being brought to perfection and finally,
9) Our pain brings us to give God all the glory for all things.

God has openly shown his salvation to us [all flesh which is heathen or gentile unto God (Eph 2:11-12)], but that does not predicate that there will be spiritual understanding coupled with that which He shows mankind unless what He shows us is mixed with faith.

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

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.

Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Our calling in Christ is understood through the history of humanity that has served the elect in their unbelief (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11), which unbelief is defined in some cases as having the gospel preached to you, but not having it mixed with faith, therefore not giving them (and us in our time) the ability to see the spirit behind the letter, which spirit can be seen when the veil is ripped (Mar 15:38, Heb 10:20).

The veil is the flesh that has to be put off, and is the reason Christ said to those disciples who believed on him (Joh 8:31) that they must eat his body (the veil Joh 6:53-55) and drink his blood (1Co 10:16). To put off the physical flesh of Christ’s relationship, as the disciples understood him in the natural at first, is to understand the words and works that Christ did as being parables, with a spiritual message that can quicken us (Joh 6:63).

Physical food physically quickens us, and if we see the spiritual meaning behind the parable and eat the flesh and blood of Christ (His words) we will be spiritually quickened by it (Joh 6:63). Without the comforter coming within us (Joh 16:13), however, those parables will continue to blind the masses as God intended them to do and not be spiritually digested so to speak (Mat 13:13).

When we see the Word in the letter, it is reserving us to judgment. However, when we see the word of God in the spirit, it is preserving us through judgment today. God’s word, which is spirit, is the power of God that quickens us and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness as we are being saved by grace through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (1Co 2:5, 2Ti 3:16, Eph 2:8-9).

We must abide in Christ for a long period of time (our whole life), to come out of the “earth, earth, earth” (Jer 22:29) that is hearing and seeing in part (1Co 13:9, 1Co 13:12) or progressively hearing the words of Christ and seeing the works of our Lord more and more as we are being led to the perfection that will occur on the third day (Rom 8:14, Luk 13:32). Our communion and cup in Christ is revealed to be our suffering, which suffering we endure through Christ and His body as we fill up what is behind of his afflictions (1Co 10:16, Col 1:24), experiencing what He experienced in the flesh as we overcome and, God willing, endure until the end (Mat 24:13). It is that suffering which we endure together that God uses to build up the body of Christ, and the altar [the cross] is a place of suffering, but also a place of freedom and liberty in Christ (1Co 10:16, 2Co 3:17, Gal 2:20, Mat 16:24).

Today with Christ’s inspiration and help, we are putting off the fleshly types and shadows of the old covenant to reveal the spiritual life of Christ in all those stories that were preserved for those who have been blessed to be given eyes to see and ears to hear those parables today (Mat 13:16). We are called to believe on the words and the works being done in Christ’s life and His body (Joh 14:11) and to know that His flesh and our flesh are only the means to the end, the veil that has to be circumcised or put off so we can become a new creation in Him (1Co 15:46, 2Co 5:16, Gal 6:15).

Having faith to understand all mysteries and to move all the obstacles of this life in our heavens is not necessarily an indication of someone to whom God is “making known his salvation” (1Co 13:2), which salvation we have in earnest as we strive for the mark of the prize of the high calling by fighting a good fight of faith as we labor for the meat which does not perish (Php 3:14, 1Ti 6:12, Joh 6:27).

We must also be given His love which is shed abroad in our hearts and working with that gift of faith as we are led of the spirit to bear each other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Rom 5:5, Gal 6:2). Through the exercise of laying down our lives for one another, faith is tried and we are counted worthy to reign with Christ because of that suffering, that joyful burden (Rom 8:18) which we are blessed to endure together until the end of our life, by and through Christ who strengthens us and makes this possible both to will and to do (2Ti 2:12, Php 2:13). This is how God shows his salvation to us in this age, through giving us the ability to see our Saviour in each other and our Father, which is leading to eternal life.

Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

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 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

“The LORD hath made known his salvation” through those type and shadow sacrifices of the law and the offerings which we are offering today through Christ with each other. Each offering gives us nourishment and strength (each joint supplies – Eph 4:16) to continue to abide in the Lord (1Ti 4:13-16). The message is always the same, lose your life, make the sacrifice and you will be nourished and find life in Christ, deny the life of carrying your cross and mortifying the deeds of the flesh and His love will wax cold (Luk 9:24). Thanks be to God if we are His, for He is making known His salvation unto us today, if that’s the case, and that should give us great reason to rejoice, and again I say rejoice, because we know that Christ will not lose any whom the Father has put in His hands, and that although we must deny Christ at first, if we are His, Christ will not deny Himself even after we feel like Peter at some point in our walk having denied our Lord with bitter tears.

1Ti 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Ti 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
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.

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

Mat 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice [oh earth, earth, earth – Jer 22:29].

Our life in Christ must be completely given over to His purposes alone (Luk 22:42, Mat 26:44) as we learn what the true riches are in Him and how they are given to very few in this age (Mat 22:14). The rich young ruler represents our time in the law when we were being reserved for judgment but not yet able to see the true riches in Christ (2Co 3:13-16). The rich young ruler was called and chosen, and when asked to give up those perceived riches for something far greater (as the sun outshines the moon), he could not give up the glory of the moon at that time as he was connected to his fleshly heavens and could not see the Lord was making known his salvation unto him. The Lord loved him and knew at this time he would reject it (Mat 19:17-26).

This rejection of the gospel is all to the glory of God (Rom 11:11-12) as he causes all these different lives to unfold according to the counsel of his own will (Eph 1:11), including the disciples who were “exceedingly amazed” at this message at this time before they were converted because they could not understand that without the holy spirit within how this veil, this fleshly situation could be ripped, to which Christ replied in regard to the rich young ruler, who we all are in our appointed time, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Gal 5:6, Jas 2:14-16, 2Ti 2:12).

Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Mat 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time [oh earth, earth, earth Jer 22:29], saying the same words.

So we see it is only through Christ in us that we will be able to “come out of her my people” (Rev 8:4) by the power of His might which is working mightily in each of us. God reassures us as His children that if we were reconciled by His death, how much more will we be saved by his life which is in us.

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

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?

In our last study, we talked about the elect being preserved (Pro 2:8, Pro 16:17) by God through judgment, which is on the house of God, and the rest of humanity being reserved unto judgment (2Pe 3:7) in the second resurrection. God gives us different measures of faith in the body of Christ so we can see that we are joined as one body with many members (1Co 14:26), who are growing at different paces of faith, and given to share our gifts while we operate with the same spirit (Rom 12:3, 6, 1Co 12:1-16). Faith without works is dead so we must be careful to maintain good works (Tit 3:8) together as one body (Jas 2:14, Joh 14:15, Jas 1:22, Php 2:2, Jas 1:27, Joh 15:13, 1Co 13:3). Those works will destroy, little by little, the reserved state in which we all found ourselves under the law, making us not only hearers of the word but doers as well (2Co 3:18, Rom 5:5, Jas 1:22, Jas 1:27). It is in the ‘doing’ that we are being preserved unto salvation, a salvation “The Lord has made known” unto us in this age (1Ti 6:18).

Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth^H8104 the way of his saints.

Pro 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth^H8104 his soul.

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Without Christ in us we will never be able to compare spirit with spirit using the physical as a type as we should (1Co 2:13). The Christian mainstream says they believe that we are saved by grace and faith, and yet grace is no longer grace because grace is connected to works (Rom 11:5-9). Like it says in verse nine of Romans 11, God purposed mankind to be trapped in the letter, in the law, like the rich young ruler who had kept all the things that pertained to the law from his youth up. The word of the Lord to him “was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken” (Isa 28:13).

There’s nothing wrong with precept upon precept, line upon line, but if we are only seeing the letter and not comparing spirit to spirit using the physical, then we will “fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken”. We know the Lord is merciful to let us fall completely seven times so that we can eventually having done all stand (Pro 24:16, Eph 6:13)

We are blessed to receive the gospel which is preached to us today, and God gives His children the ability to go through the fire so that the faith that He gives us can be tried and tested to His glory. Without those trials we will remain an outward Jew or outward gentile who are a law unto themselves (Rom 2:14), but with those trials we will become a Jew who is one inwardly as a result of that fiery circumcision called judgement that all men will in time experience (1Pe 4:17, Psa 98:9). This is how God shows us his salvation today!

One of the main differences that God is showing His elect which differs from those who have another Jesus that scripture says is not another gospel but a perversion of the true (Gal 1:6-10), is that the gospel which they receive without faith keeps them bound to a gospel that has to be, by necessity, bound to the letter (only) of the law, which is to know Christ after the flesh (Rom 3:19). The more the Lord cleanses our heavens and sanctifies us with his word, which is spirit (Joh 6:63), the more we can distinguish between these two ways in which the gospel is received, as we prove all things and hold fast to what is true (1Th 5:21).

With all of this background and the reminder of how impossible it is for the flesh to have faith, we will now look at the marvelous victory that His right hand is accomplishing for His people. With gratitude and thanksgiving we are called to this singing unto the LORD a new song, a song that is in the heavens and not bound in the earth or in the letter, which is the wisdom of men.

1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Psa 98:1 A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
Psa 98:2 The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

Psa 98:1 A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

The “new song” represents the new life in Christ, not the old song in the letter. The song of Moses was a type and shadow song of Christ’s life in us. The new spiritual life in Christ sings praises to God on high for the marvellous things his right hand has done and is doing and will be doing through us all.

Exo 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Rev 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

The right hand represents His power, and His holy arm reminds us that His purposes are extended out through the body of Christ, which will ultimately be used to do marvellous things and even greater works than those things which Christ did on earth.

Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

God’s right hand and His holy arm have gotten Christ the victory just as surely as Christ’s right hand and holy arm are gaining us the victory today as we are used to be fishers of men, healing spiritually the eyes and ears of those who are drawn unto Christ in us.

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.

Psa 98:2 The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

In the opening to our study we discussed how the Lord has made known his salvation to all the world, “his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen” even his eternal power and Godhead through the physical things that reveal the spiritual reality of His greatness and power so that they are without excuse, as it says in Romans (Rom 1:20, Mar 10:6-9). We also saw that how we perceive what God reveals depends entirely on whether or not God is opening our eyes to see and our ears to hear the truth of his word (Mat 13:16).

God has joined the body of Christ together and no man can put it asunder, and it was determined to be so from the beginning. These verses in Mark 10:6-9 show us the type and shadow relationship with a man and a woman which reminds us that we [God’s elect], who are initially twain, are becoming one body (Eph 5:30), one bread (1Co 10:17), as He breaks down that middle wall of partition for His wife the church.

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. [let not man put asunder]

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.

Mar 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
Mar 10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
Mar 10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
Mar 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

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:

By joining us unto Christ “no more twain, but one flesh” this is how “The LORD hath made known his salvation”, or rather is making known, His salvation to us today as He breaks down the old man in us and washes us with His word so we can become a bride without spot or blemish.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Mark 10:6-9 and James 1:27 tell us in type and shadow what God is doing with the bride of Christ, who has been called and chosen to become one with our Lord, as we do good works unto all men but especially unto the household of faith. We are no longer of our father the devil, so we are fatherless in that sense, and spiritually we are widowed from our first relationship with Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, out of whom we come. Now we practice pure religion by visiting each other and by not forsaking the assembling of ourselves in the Lord.

Mar 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
Mar 10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
Mar 10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
Mar 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

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

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

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.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at Part 2 of our study entitled “The LORD hath made known his salvation” where we will be reminded once again how all these old testament prophesies were written for God’s elect today to give us hope as we remember “his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel” who we represent as the “Israel of God” (Gal 6:16, Rom 2:28).

God is leading us to a place of rejoicing and of singing unto the Lord with the harp, and He uses all sorts of imagery to help us understand the joy that will be ours and is ours. This is our praise toward Him today, for His wonderful works to the children of men (Psa 107:31).

A verse that was recently brought to my attention speaks volumes of this joy which God is forming in our lives today found in these two verses in Isaiah.

Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Isa 49:13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Psa 98:3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Psa 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Psa 98:5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
Psa 98:6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
Psa 98:7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Psa 98:8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Could you tell me who Jacob is? I know the family has a history of deception and trickery.  Isaac tricked, Jacob tricks his brother, Jacob is tricked by the father-in-law, Jacob tricks the father-in-law, the brothers trick Joseph into slavery, Joseph tricks his brothers to bring their younger brother back.

Is Jacob a type of Christ and his elect?

B____​

Hi B____​

Thank you for your question concerning the Lord’s choice of Jacob as a type of Christ and His elect.

While all the deceit and trickery of Jacob and his mother against Esau and Isaac have no resemblance to our Head (Christ), it certainly does reflect us as His body. We need to know Christ did not consider His personal flesh and blood to be fit for the kingdom of heaven any more than our sinful flesh is. He challenged the man who called Him ‘good master’, and He informed us that He was not yet perfected while in this earthen vessel:

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

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 [at His resurrection] I shall be perfected.

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood [Including the flesh and blood of Christ] cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

So while the flesh and blood of our head, Christ, was the same as ours yet because He was conceived in HIs mother’s womb of the holy spirit of His Father, and because He was not given that spirit “by measure”, He was kept from ever sinning, even as He walked about on this earth in a body of corruptible flesh and blood:

Mat 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. [This is not true of any of us. Both of our parents are completely “in Adam”, 1Co 15:22.]

Joh 3:34  For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. [This is not true of any of us. We have all been given “the measure of faith”, Rom 12:3.]

We, “His body… the church”, on the other hand are ​eminently qualified and demonstrated to be just as guilty and deceitful as any of the Old Testament types of Christ. As you noticed, Jacob took advantage of his brother’s hunger to take Esau’s birthright away from him. He conspired with his mother to lie to and to deceive Isaac into blessing Jacob instead of Esau.

Many years later another type of God’s elect, King David, committed adultery with the wife of one of his own captains, a man named, Uriah, and then he had Uriah to be murdered by the Ammonites to cover up his sin.

So now we have every reason to say of ourselves, as the Lord’s elect, “God be merciful to me a sinner”, and to acknowledge that from my own perspective “Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief”.

Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

This is what qualifies anyone to be a follower of Christ:

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:

The stories of Jacob and King David are both stories of base men, acting very foolishly in the weakness of their flesh, doing things we all despise, and He chose those men to typify us as His perfected saints because that is something which is not yet completed and yet we are declared to be “the sons of God”:

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 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The next verse of 1Corinthians 1 tells us why God has chosen the base, weak and despised things “which are not” yet perfected to be His elect sons:

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

I hope this helps you to see why the story of Jacob, a man who was willing to lie, cheat and steal, is used as a type of the spiritual children of God:

Luk 16:8  And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

Christ was not justifying the theft of the unjust steward. He even went on to say:

Luk 16:10  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luk 16:12  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

Nevertheless, He does use that thief and Jacob as examples of how resourceful and desirous we should be to obtain our birthright:

I hope this helps you to see that Jacob really is a very good type and shadow of the Lord’s elect who, in their own estimation, have been so sinful that they cannot so much as raise their heads before God because they perceive themselves as the despised, weak and base men of this age.

Your brother in Christ, Mike