“But godliness with contentment is great gain” Part 1

(Pro 17:1-7)

Pro 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
Pro 17:2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
Pro 17:3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.
Pro 17:4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
Pro 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
Pro 17:6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
Pro 17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince. 

In this section of proverbs the focus will be on the subject of “godliness with contentment” and how that can be obtained by heeding the admonitions that God gives us in His word (Eph 5:14-16, Col 4:5).

Eph 5:14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

The verses that precede the phrase “but godliness with contentment is great gain” are these, (1Ti 6:1-5), and they help set the stage for the verses we will be looking at today to help us see what we can do through Christ to grow in a mind of thankfulness and gratitude, being content whether we have a little or a lot (Php 4:11-13).

1Ti 6:1  Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. [amongst the gentiles 1Pe 2:12]
1Ti 6:2  And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
1Ti 6:3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;(1Co 4:6)
1Ti 6:4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

Pro 17:1  Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.

This verse reminds us that it’s not what you have that matters (Luk 12:15), rather how you possess your souls, and that is a matter of being in a right relationship with our Father and the world around us (Deu 13:3, Mat 22:37-40, Mat 19:19).

Maybe a dry morsel doesn’t sound very appetizing to us, but when we parallel this proverb with these verses,  (Mar 7:25-29), it becomes clear that this “dry morsel” with the sound mind of Christ will bring quietness and peace to our souls.

Mar 7:25  For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
Mar 7:26  The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
Mar 7:27  But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
Mar 7:28  And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. [“Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith”]
Mar 7:29  And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

The house “full of sacrifices” represents the many sacrifices being accomplished in the court, which represents the churches of this world, but there is strife there because these sacrifices do not cleanse our conscience (Heb 9:9, Heb 9:14, Heb 10:22) which is only possible by the blood of Christ and the washing of the word (Heb 9:23, 1Sa 15:22). It takes but a little faith of Christ, “a dry morsel”, “faith as a grain of mustard seed”, to remove the mountains in our life (Mat 17:20), as opposed to those days when we were spiritually blind and ever searching and not able to come to the knowledge of the truth even when we were “full of sacrifices”.

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. [“Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith”] (Pro 15:16, Pro 16:8)

1Sa 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices [“full of sacrifices”], as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Pro 17:2  A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

Christ is our wisdom (1Co 1:29-31) and the one who can give us the power to rule over “a son that causeth shame”. The “son that causeth shame” typifies the false doctrines of Babylon that by God’s grace we are rooting out of our heavens in the hope that we “shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren” as we “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Php 3:9-15).

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness [“rule over a son that causeth shame”] which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

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

Pro 17:3  The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

The “fining pot^H4715” and “the furnace^H3564” are environments that are used to refine precious metals, and are analogous of our bodies, these “earthen vessels”  in “a crucible to remove the impurities and pour into a mold” (the definition of fining pot H4715), or a “smelting furnace” (the definition of furnace H3564), where the pearl of great price is formed within us (Mat 13:46, Col 1:27), our great treasure, Christ, who is hidden in these earthen vessels that we are (2Co 4:7-10).

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. [“but the LORD trieth the hearts”]
2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Pro 17:4  A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

The wickedness of man’s heart was on display when Christ was being falsely accused by the counsels of his day (Mat 26:59-61), and we are warned by our Lord that we will go through the same thing for standing on God’s word (Luk 12:11-12).

Mat 26:59  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Mat 26:60  But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
Mat 26:61  And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Luk 12:11  And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
Luk 12:12  For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. [Joh 16:13]

Our goal then is to overcome the “wicked doer” within us and any “false lips”, and to not give ear to gossip or “a naughty tongue”. All these admonitions are expounded on, in these verses in the book of Titus (Tit 2:1-10).

Tit 2:1  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Tit 2:2  That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
Tit 2:3  The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Tit 2:4  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Tit 2:6  Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
Tit 2:7  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Tit 2:8  Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Tit 2:9  Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
Tit 2:10  Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

How the conditions are going to be created in our hearts and minds to take on these Godly qualities spoken of in (Tit 2:1-10) is revealed in the very next verses we are so familiar with (Tit 2:11-13, Heb 12:6)

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching [paideuō] 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 (We are being corrected so that we continue to look unto the author and finisher of our faith with hope in our hearts Heb 12:2, Col 1:27, Rom 12:1-2), and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth [paideuō], and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Pro 17:5   Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.

We all in our appointed time ‘mock the poor’, and in our ignorance we ‘reproach our Maker’ (Pro 14:31), who identifies with those who are “poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isa 66:2).

Pro 14:31  He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

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

It is Christ who was oppressed and mocked by His accusers for our sakes (2Co 4:15-16) so that we can  receive the comfort that our Father gave him (2Co 1:4, Heb 4:15-16) under those most humiliating circumstances (Mat 26:65-70,  Rom 8:28)

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes (Heb 4:15-16), that the abundant grace (Rom 5:10) might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

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

Mat 26:65  Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
Mat 26:66  What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
Mat 26:67  Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
Mat 26:68  Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? (Rom 5:10)
Mat 26:69  Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
Mat 26:70  But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

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. [Christ’s experience of evil was for the sake of His own body (Rom 5:10), the church, who are now filling up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ, and able to be comforted by the author and finisher of our faith unto salvation (Col 1:24)]

It is Christ who we are all naturally against at first, and the spirit of God that is within him and his body (Act 26:14), until we become God’s witnesses of these things, of his power that makes us more than conquerors through Him (Luk 24:48, Rev 11:3). Prior to that we are naturally against Christ and his Christ, and glad at the calamity of Christ lying dead in the streets of Jerusalem (Act 4:26-27, Rev 11:9-10).

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

Rev 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; [“he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished”] because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

Pro 17:6  Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

God’s word is unsearchable and the “old men” in this verse is the positive use of ‘old man’, meaning someone who is mature in the Lord and has many scriptures laid up in his or her heavens, which storing up is likened unto “children’s children” and is a crown of honour to the mature man that typifies the crown of glory that God will give to those who are in that blessed and holy first resurrection (1Pe 5:4). We glory in God in all things, and we will especially do so one day Lord willing, when see Him face to face (1Co 13:12) acknowledging all the works that He has accomplished through the weak of the world (Rev 4:10-11).

1Pe 5:4  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

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

Pro 17:7  Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

This last verse we will look at is a reminder to try the spirits of all men, look at the fruit of their life, and if their actions don’t add up with their words then you know that this man’s religion is in vain (Jas 1:26-27).

Jas 1:26  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.
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.

The other side of this coin is to pray that our conduct and our behaviour and our speech is seasoned with salt (Col 4:6), glorifying God so that our accusers cannot find fault in finding us as princes who lips that are lying (1Pe 2:12).

Col 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt (Mar 9:49), that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

When we live a Godly and contented life, God is being glorified as great gain, or treasure is laid up in heaven for us, which He has ordained to be there from the foundation of the world (Mat 25:34, Eph 1:4, Rev 17:8, Eph 2:8-10).

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.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand” Part III (Pro 14:21-26)

(Aired on June 12, 2025)

Pro 14:21  He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
Pro 14:22  Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
Pro 14:23  In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
Pro 14:24  The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.
Pro 14:25  A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
Pro 14:26  In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

In this third part of chapter fourteen we will look at how we can protect that which God has given the elect to preserve in this life. The only way we can become a stronger undivided house is by keeping the commandments of God, doing what he tells us to do (Mat 7:22-27).

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [strong delusion = prophesying in God’s name, casting out devils, casting out false doctrines, and yet still not converted (Heb 6:1-3)]
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (Rev 1:3)
Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. (Mat 16:18)

What is always at the heart of our dying daily struggles is self-righteousness described as “ye that work iniquity” (Eze 33:18, Php 3:9, Eze 18:24) that wants to rule over our heavens and declare to God, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?”(Rom 3:27, Luk 14:27, Gal 2:20, 1Jn 5:4).

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

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

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross (Gal 2:20), and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

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.

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

Paul told the body of Christ that he did not consider himself to have obtained (Php 3:12), and cautioned the church to always remember that our dying daily victory must be understood as something that is granted to us by God through Christ, and therefore we must always examine our hearts and not be high-minded thinking we are anything of ourselves, when our sufficiency is solely in Christ whose faith we are given in order to be saved (Php 3:12-15, 2Co 3:5, Joh 3:27, Gal 6:3-5, 1Co 8:2).

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [overcoming self-righteousness by looking to the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:1-2)]
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

2Co 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

1Co 8:2  And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. [“but our sufficiency is of God”]

We are blessed when we are brought into remembrance how poor we are spiritually unless the Lord gives us eyes to see and ears to hear (Rev 3:17-18). It is because of the promises of God’s mercy in our lives that we will be apprehended of the Lord and given great hope by which we will be saved (Rom 8:24-25).

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: [Rom 7:24]
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.

Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Heb 11:1)
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not [hoping that we will be as Christ praying for each other to have the faith of Christ so that we are not sifted by Satan (1Jn 4:17, Luk 22:32)], then do we with patience wait for it.

Despite our marred-in-the hand-of-the Potter condition, despite our wretched state in sinful flesh, despite ourselves, we can become more than conquerors through Jesus Christ who loves us, and hold each other up through the storms of this life, as we commit our lives unto God for each other in prayer and fasting often. We are familiar with these following verses but as a reminder of our need for continual prayer I’ll read them before we begin the main part of our study (2Pe 1:12).

1Ti 2:1  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

1Ti 5:5  Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

2Ti 1:3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

Phm 1:4  I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

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;(Eph 5:30)

1Pe 3:7  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Pro 14:21  He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.

Who is poor? We are all poor spiritually as scripture declares, even Christ was poor in that sense because He was in a marred vessel of clay and told his disciples ‘don’t call any man good, there is one who is good, and that is God’ (Mar 10:18).

Mar 10:18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

When we despise the poor we are showing God by those actions that we think we’re better than them. When we show mercy to the poor we will be blessed with the joy that comes to those who give and expect nothing back (Gal 6:10, Joh 12:3-7), demonstrating what it is to be a true neighbour (Luk 10:36, Act 20:35, Luk 6:35, Mat 10:42).

When we see that we are guilty of all, represented by the beam in our own eye, then we can only ever want to have mercy and compassion upon all of mankind as Christ declared from the cross. The cross is most effective when it is seen as the beam in our own eyes, the potential for all the sin of the world within us, which Christ understood was true of His own flesh, and yet never sinned as our spotless saviour (Mat 7:5, Luk 22:34).

Pro 14:22  Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

If we are not about our Father’s business as Christ who was always devising good (Luk 2:49, 1Jn 4:17), then that void of service will be filled with evil devices. ‘An idle mind is the workshop of the devil’ is not a bad adage.

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

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. [not idle but about our Father’s business]

It does take a miracle of faith (Rom 3:27) in our lives to remain stedfast in our service toward Him (Joh 6:44). We are striving toward that goal of being stedfast, and if in any way we come short of this, our Lord has promised to cleanse us of our sins and bring us to a point where we can more readily and continually bringing every thought into subjection unto God as we are led by God’s spirit. God’s spirit bears witness that we are His sons and daughters who are in this dragging process (Joh 6:44), which has us apprehended of the Lord (Php 3:14-16, 2Co 10:5, Rom 8:14-16).

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Php 3:16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Pro 14:23  In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

We will find God if we are granted to search for Him with a diligent heart, and so our labour will not be in vain, but profitable “In all labour there is profit” (1Co 15:57-58, Heb 11:6, Pro 8:17).

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.[“In all labour there is profit”]

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.

Pro 8:17  I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

On the other hand if we are not doers of the word and only hearers, we will deceive our own selves and end up being spiritually poor, lacking and impoverished, “but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penuryH4270” (Jas 1:22-25).

Jas 1:23  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:
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25  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.

H4270 Penury machsôr  machsôr  makh-sore’, makh-sore’
From H2637; deficiency; hence impoverishment: – lack, need, penury, poor, poverty, want.

Pro 14:24  The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.

Christ is our wisdom, and He is the one who holds all the “riches”, the words of eternal life. Christ’s righteousness in us is likened unto a crown, and it is the elect who are given a crown of life that is cast back to Christ (Rev 4:10-11) who took the once foolish souls we were in our folly thinking we were rich as the rich young ruler, in our own righteousness (Eph 2:2-3), and makes us wise in Him (1Co 1:27, Psa 19:7).

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

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;

Psa 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Pro 14:25  A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

Christ is the true witness, and if His life is in us we will be discerning the words of eternal life and God willing continuing in them so that we can be set free or delivered by them (Joh 8:31-32, 1Ti 4:16).

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

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 (Joh 8:31-32): for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

It is through that deliverance, that the mercy shown to us in this age will prepare us to be “A true witness [that] delivereth souls” (Rom 11:30-31)

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

The deceitful heart of mankind within and without, “a deceitful witness speaketh lies”, has to be conquered through Christ in order to overcome the lies of the devil, and only Christ can make war with that beast that gets his power from the dragon (Rev 13:4).

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?

Pro 14:26  In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

When we fear God our prayers are heard (Heb 5:7, 1Jn 4:17), and it is when our prayers our heard that we gain strong confidence in the one in whom we are committing our lives unto through those prayers (1Pe 4:19). Our refuge and strong tower is in the Lord and found in fervent prayer that avails much, and reassures us in our time of need (Pro 18:10).

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.

Pro 18:10  The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

We are to pray always and not lose heart (Luk 18:1), as this is our time of need in these earthen vessels that are in constant need of our Lord’s protection and leading. He is our refuge and stronghold in this life who keeps us from being a house divided (Psa 91:2).

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Psa 91:2  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Video Links

Audio Download

Rev 4:6-7 – Part 4, Fourteen Characteristics Which Chapters 1 and 10 of Ezekiel Have In Common

Updated Feb 16, 2024

Introduction

Our study today will cover the spiritual significance of only the first three characteristics of the patterns of the things of the heavens, which are common to chapters one and ten of Ezekiel.

The significance of understanding the message of Hebrews 9 and many other verses of God’s word concerning the meaning of the words “the heavens” cannot be overestimated. The heavens are where God dwells, and God dwells in the hearts and minds of His elect. God’s elect are “the heavens themselves”, and it is this bit of understanding that is missing in virtually all the commentaries on the scriptures.

Heb 9:23 [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

These verses reveal to us where Christ is:

Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
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:

What we saw last week is that the word ‘patterns’ in the plural is used for a very good reason; that reason being that there are many functions which are being performed in the heavens, and each function needs a separate pattern to describe for us the things which cannot be seen, but which are within us and which must be accomplished within “the heavens themselves.”

For example, we have seen that Christ within us has to have a pattern for this part of the things of the heavens. The pattern of “Christ in us” is given to us as “a wheel within a wheel.” It typifies the last Adam living within the first Adam and becoming the very means for the transportation of the omnipresent God.

We also need a pattern of the things of the heavens which communicates to us that the last Adam also comes “out of the ground” and comes through the death of the first Adam.

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

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

That pattern has to show us that the first Adam, from whence we all originate, is but a beast. That pattern also has to demonstrate that God is dealing with all who are in Adam. So the pattern for “all in Adam” is four living creatures, or beasts, who are now “a new creature.”

The Significance of the Number Four

The pattern which tells us that we are to “rule with Him” is the presence of these four living creatures “in the middle of and round about” the very throne of God.

Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

The heavenly pattern of the fact that the first Adam is being judged at this time in those who are His elect is given to us by showing that this whole vision comes “out of the north” and also in the fire within and from between these four living creatures.

Since we not only judge ourselves and the world, but we are to judge the angels also, we are given the pattern of a man dressed in linen, who first slaughters the old man, and then casts coals of fire from between the cherubims, over all of Jerusalem.

Eze 9:6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

There is another judgment for those without the sanctuary in which the same “man with a white robe casts coals of fire from between the cherubims, over all of Jerusalem.

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?

What we have seen is that all these patterns are of “the things of the heavens themselves”, and that it was into the heavens themselves where Christ ascended out of the sight of His “yet carnal” disciples. While there was not one converted person into whom He could yet ascend, He ascended to His Father, knowing that in just a few days there would be 120 temples into which He could ascend and dwell in “the heavens themselves.”

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

Act 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

God does not need us to have His own dwelling place, but we do need Him, and He has decreed that He has chosen us as His temple and His house.

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

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

As noted earlier, Hebrews 9 is used by God to teach us the meaning of what are the true heavens into which Christ was received and to which these verses in Acts refer.

Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these [“the blood of calves and goats”]; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

We covered the five points made in chapter 1 of Ezekiel concerning these four living creatures, which are not mentioned in chapter 10. Then we covered the four points covered in chapter 10, which are not mentioned in chapter 1. In this study we will cover the spiritual significance of three of the fourteen characteristics of this heavenly vision which the first and tenth chapters of Ezekiel have in common.

1) The cloud:

Both chapters mention the cloud.

Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Eze 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Eze 10:3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
Eze 10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory.

Both chapters mention “the cloud,” and verse 1 of Ezekiel calls it “a great cloud.” What is this “great cloud” which is also called “the cloud?”  Once again we find that the scriptures are centered around Christ and His Christ:

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

We have just seen that Christ is “in you” and was “received into a cloud.”

Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Christ dwells in and rides upon His elect, that “great cloud of witnesses.”

Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

2) Four living creatures:

Both chapters mention that there are four living creatures. There were just two creatures in the tabernacle of Moses, which tells us they encompass God’s two witnesses. Now they are four, adding to our knowledge of who these four creatures represent, and telling us that they are the whole of God’s elect, by which the whole of mankind will be brought to God. The fact that each animal has all four faces is to be remembered and put together with the fact that the four separate creatures of the same kind, in the book of Revelation, are also called “four and twenty elders.” We are constantly looking for “the sum of thy Word.”

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

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

Eze 1:5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

Eze 10:12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

The spiritual significance of the number ‘four’ is ‘the whole.’ As ‘the whole’ relates to these four creatures, they are the pattern of the heavenly things themselves, which are the whole of Christ’s Christ, and they are the vehicle by which God will bring the whole of mankind to Himself, and by which God will be made to become “all in all.”

Isa 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Jer 49:36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.

“Four winds from the four quarters of heaven” leaves out nothing. Elam is to be scattered throughout the whole earth, and these four living creatures are the whole of God’s elect, by which He will bring to Himself the whole of mankind, even scattered Elam.

Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

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

Eze 1:5 Also out of the midst thereof [came] the likeness of four living creatures. And this [was] their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

3) Four faces:

Both chapters mention that each living creature has four faces. In Ezekiel all four faces are on each creature. In Revelation each ‘face’ is a distinct creature, but as always this is a matter of “the sum of Thy Word.” The scriptures do not deal with or consider ‘the remainder of Thy Word.’ ‘The remainder of Thy Word’ is not a Biblical concept and no way to arrive at the revelation of Jesus Christ. In the sum of God’s Word, each “face” is part of that Revelation. That is why we have been given four gospels. Each gospel gives Christ a different “face’, and each of those four faces is one of the four faces of these four living creatures which typify all mankind and the whole of Adam.

Matthew is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah”

Matthew’s gospel presents Christ with the face of the “lion of the tribe of Judah” as the king of Israel. The genealogy proves Him to be the Son of King David as well as the Son of God.

Mat 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

The sign of the tribe of Judah, from which tribe sprang both King David and Christ, was a lion:

Gen 49:9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the gathering of the people be.

The King’s throne was flanked by lions.

1Ki 10:19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne [was] round behind: and [there were] stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.
1Ki 10:20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

Matthew is the lion.

Mark is the powerful ox. Mark presents Christ as the tireless “ox, by whose strength is much wealth.”

Pro 14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

This gospel is characterized by phrases like “and straightway… and immediately” as if Christ went from one task to the next without a break.

Mar 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

Mar 1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

Mar 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

It is in this gospel that Christ’s tireless compassion for mankind shines through, as in this statement, found only in Mark, concerning the rich young ruler who was so close and yet so far away from our Lord.

Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Mark shows us Christ as the powerful, tireless ox.

3) Luke is the man

In Luke Christ is given the face of a man, and it is in this gospel only that Christ’s genealogy is traced all the way back to “Adam, the son of God.” Yet the phrase that most characterizes Luke, is a phrase that is also common to this book of Ezekiel, where we also read so much about these “four living creatures.” That phrase which is common to and typical of both Ezekiel and Luke is “the son of man.”

It is here in Luke that Christ most often refers to Himself with the same name as Ezekiel refers to himself. Both call themselves “the son of man.”

Eze 2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

Luk 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man‘s sake.

This phrase “son of man” is found over 90 times in the book of Ezekiel, and it is the exact same phrase that is found so often in both Matthew and Luke. It actually occurs 32 times in Matthew and 26 times in Luke, yet it is Luke who is the one non-Jewish author of one of the gospels, and it is Luke alone who traces Christ’s genealogy all the way back to Adam.

In the New Testament the phrase “son of man” occurs 86 times. The phrase “son of God” occurs 46 times. Both give us the sum of God’s Word, but the overwhelming emphasis is that Christ was our fellow human being who struggled against the same weak flesh and blood with which the children of Abraham struggled.

The word ‘man’ here in Ezekiel is the Hebrew word ‘adam.’ The Greek translation of ‘Adam’ is ‘anthropos.’ Every time Christ tells us He is “the Son of Man”, He is telling us that He is the son of Adam, just as we all are. This is a concept which is blasphemous to a world which wants desperately to separate Christ from Adam, but Christ Himself is not ashamed to call us His brothers in Adam:

Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom [are] all things, and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

It is Luke who shows us Christ as “the Son of Man.”

John is the eagle:

It is the gospel of John that gives us Christ in “the face of a flying eagle.” Only in the gospel of John do we see the whole world from an eagle’s heavenly perspective. John is not even a synoptic gospel, and its very beginning typifies its whole:

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

The gospel of John is the face of a flying eagle and approaches the revelation of Jesus Christ from that perspective. There is not even the thought of His physical genealogy, either from King David or from Adam. The entire perspective is from a much higher plane. It is the perspective of “a flying eagle.”

We have to have all four faces to know who is Christ and who is His Christ. So we are given the four faces of the four living creatures who make up the whole Christ and the whole of those who are Him and who are His body. That is Christ’s own perspective, and He made that clear, both in the gospels and in this statement to Saul of Tarsus.

Act 26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

Christ told Saul of Tarsus that when Saul was persecuting His disciples he was persecuting Jesus Christ Himself. What pray tell, does that make the body of Jesus Christ? What does that make these four creatures who have His spirit in them and who tell us that they are those who have been redeemed to God out of every nation?

Eze 1:6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

Eze 10:14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

These four faces are “patterns of the heavenly things themselves.” They are the patterns of “our Lord and His Christ.”

Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

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

Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Does any of this lend itself to believing that these four creatures are nothing more than what they tell us they are; the firstfruits who are redeemed to God out of every nation who will reign with Christ a thousand years?

Summary

The spiritual significance of the first pattern we saw today was the cloud on which Christ sits. We saw that this cloud is both a cloud of witnesses and the throne on which Christ sits. Since the four beasts are also in the throne on which Christ sits, these four living creatures are also the very clouds in which they are “enfolded.”

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Christ is seated on his white cloud wearing his “golden crown” because that white cloud is also the “great cloud of witnesses” who are also the four beasts who are in the throne on which He also sits.

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

The second thing we saw was that there are four living creatures for the purpose of telling us that these four creatures are the patterns of the whole of Christ’s elect body and that it is through these four creatures that the whole of mankind will be brought to their Creator and to our Lord in their time. Four is the spiritual pattern of and the spiritual figure of the whole.

Finally, the third thing we saw was that the four faces of these four living creatures show us who is Christ as He is presented to us in the four gospels. Matthew presents Christ as “the lion of the tribe of Judah.” Matthew traces Christ’s linage only to Abraham, with the emphasis being on the fact that Christ came out of Judah, and is “the son of David.” As such Matthew shows us Jesus as “the lion.”

Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Mark presents Christ to us as the tireless, powerful, wealth-building ox. This gospel is typified by the use of the phrases “and immediately… and straightway.” Mark is the ox.

Luke, the only gospel writer who is not a physical Jew, presents Christ to us as “the Son of Man.” It is Luke who traces Christ’s genealogy all the way back to the very first man, Adam. The phrase “the Son of Man” is in this gospel many more times than the phrase the Son of God. Luke is the man.

The gospel of John gives us the view of Christ from the heavens. John is not a synoptic gospel and concerns itself entirely with spiritual principles and spiritual realities. John is the eagle.

Next week, Lord willing, we will continue to cover the spiritual meaning of the remaining eleven patterns of the things of the heavens which are given us in Ezekiel, chapters one and ten.

Video Links

Audio Download

Rev 4:4-6 The Twenty Four Elders Around God’s Throne

Updated January 5, 2024

Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Rev 4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Introduction

The number “four and twenty” is simply a multiple of the number twelve. As such it is but a higher and more mature picture of the spiritual significance of the number twelve, which significance, as is demonstrated throughout scripture, is foundational and governmental. For example, Ishmael had twelve sons who formed the foundation of his kingdom.

Gen 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

Jacob had twelve sons who became the founding fathers of the nation of Israel. Christ had twelve apostles of whom He made this statement:

Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Twenty four is a multiple of twelve and is a higher revelation of the foundations of the government of God in these ‘four and twenty elders, clothed in white raiment wearing crowns of gold.’

The only way to understand the significance of all the symbols of this heavenly scene, or any of the following signs and symbols of the book of Revelation, is to know what and where is heaven. If we know where heaven is, then we know what is the subject of these verses. Once we know and have established in our minds that “the kingdom of God is within you”, we can then understand where the throne of God is in that kingdom and where all of this heavenly vision concerning that throne is taking place.

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.

Last week we established that “the kingdom of God is within you” if you are God’s elect and if Christ is sitting on His rightful, heavenly throne within you and in your heart and in your mind. What we might not have made clear last week is that the scriptures teach us clearly that both the throne of God and the temple of God are situated “within you.”  This is made clear by the scriptures which state that “the kingdom of God is within you” and that God’s throne is in the heavens.”

Where is This Throne of God?

Mat 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

Mat 23:21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Mat 23:22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

If God’s throne is where He dwells, and if He dwells in His temple, then His throne is in His temple, “which temple you are” (1Co 3:16-17), and you are seated with Christ (Eph 2:6) in heaven where “He sits thereon.”

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

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

If the kingdom of heaven is within us and if the heavens are God’s throne and if God dwells in His temple and if we are that temple, then it stands to reason that the heavens and the temple and the throne of God are all a spiritual realm which we are told is “within you.” It is not just innately within mankind, but God comes into our hearts and  places His kingdom within us, and He calls  it forth out of the darkness which is innately within mankind.

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

This is all by God’s design to bring us to this point:

Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God t hrough Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

That is our flesh until Christ dethrones the beast within our hearts and minds and sits upon His rightful throne, which He has designed to be called out of darkness and to bring to life through death.

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

The way we defile the temple of God is by having “the man of sin” sitting on the throne of God which ‘throne’ is within His temple “which temple ye are” (1Co 3:16-17).

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

God’s throne is within His temple because we are told He dwells in His temple, and we are also told He dwells in the heavens, which we are told is His throne.

Satan Usurps Christ’s Throne Within Us

We have just covered this situation when we studied the sad situation of the angel of the church of Pergamos:

Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Rev 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat [Greek: thronos, throne] is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas [was] my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

It is a very revealing fact that we can be praised by the spirit for “holding fast Christ’s name, and not denying His faith” and in the same breath be told:

Rev 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them [the Nicolaitans] with the sword of my mouth.

That is the subtlety which is an Adversary who “appears as an angel of light.” So much of what he says sounds so very true, but then you realize there is a very subtle twist to every word he speaks. This is the same condition in which the church at Corinth was found:

1Co 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes [our] brother,
1Co 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

What more can be said about a child of God? Well, we could add these words:

1Co 1:5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and [in] all knowledge;
1Co 1:6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
1Co 1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

With the same breath, we are told this of these same Corinthian saints:

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

As it is to this very day, these Corinthian “babes in Christ” wanted to be bottle-fed milk by Paul and Apollos and did not want to “go on unto perfection” and “search the scriptures daily to see whether these things are so.” Staying on milk when you should be on meat is the same as having Satan himself sitting on the throne of your heart. Let it not be so with you.

Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Who are the Four and Twenty Elders, Clothed in White Ramiment – Who is Wearing a Golden Crown?

Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Now we know what and where ‘heaven’ is, what heaven does, and that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are one and the same and they are “within you”:

Psa 19:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psa 19:2  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
Psa 19:3  There is no speech nor language, where their voice [the heavens] is not heard.
Psa 19:4  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun [“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27)]
Psa 19:5  Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber [the sun], and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
Psa 19:6  His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

If God’s spirit opens your eyes to see these truths, then you will know that these four and twenty elders are exactly who they say they are:

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

This is all taking place “in the heavens” where God dwells and sits on His throne and rules His kingdom. Where is that kingdom?

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.

What is white raiment?

‘White’ is “the righteousness of the saints.”

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

The Lamb’s wife is the group of saints in whom the Lamb dwells. It is God’s elect who are “clothed in white linen.” An Old Testament type of God’s elect is Mordecai who was condemned to death just before the man who accused Mordecai was put to death on the same gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Look at the raiment Mordecai is wearing:

Est 8:15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

First and foremost, “white raiment” symbolizes the righteousness of God’s elect. That is the spiritual significance of ‘white raiment.’ Who in this prophecy is clothed in white raiment? We need not speculate about this:

Rev 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev 19:14 And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Those who “have not defiled their garments… He that overcomes, and the armies in heaven” are all symbolic of God’s elect.. “The “white raiment” is just one of the symbols which reveal to us that these “four and twenty elders”, as well as the four beasts, are heavenly symbols of God’s elect, sitting with Christ on thrones at the right hand of His Father “clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”

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

And they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Crowns are worn by kings and rulers. Who is promised to become kings and priests? Who alone is promised rule with Christ in His throne?

Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

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

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

As we pointed out in our study of Revelation 1:5, part 2, the words “unto him that loved us” has but one Greek word behind it. That Greek word is ‘agapao‘ and would better read “who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

There is a great theological debate over whether these four beasts and these four and twenty elders are “simply heavenly creatures in charge of  heavenly praise” as E. W. Bullinger asserts in his book Numbers in Scripture, under his comments on the spiritual significance of the number 24. It is interesting that Bullinger sees the significance of this number dealing with “heavenly government and worship” and in the same breath denies that government has any application to this case here in Revelation 4:6. Apparently in Mr. Bullinger’s eyes, there is a great difference between government and worship. He certainly does not see that the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are within you. If he did, then he would understand that these twenty four elders signify those who have overcome in this present time and are granted to be the foundational rulers with Christ in His kingdom on this earth for a thousand years (Rev 11:15)

(Page 264) “Those who regard them as representing the redeemed have done so on the supposed authority of Rev 5:9; but they have been misled by some scribe who, in copying Rev 5:9, altered certain words either to make the passage conform to Rev 1:5, 6 (which is somewhat similar), or to support this very view.  Thus it has been handed down that these twenty- four elders were redeemed, and are therefore glorified human beings.”

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.

Christ gives the revelation of His Father to whomever He wills, and only those He wants to understand will be given that understanding. Those who understand God’s Word do not manipulate the Word to make it fit their doctrines. If 24 is the number of government, then that will be its significance in every case, be it positive or negative government.

Rev 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

This is exactly what Israel experienced at Mount Sinai when they were given the “law for the lawless.” This is how the judgment of the flesh is introduced.

Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw [ it], they removed, and stood afar off.

Psa 77:18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

It was all used to introduce forty years of trials and judgment of the flesh, culminating in the death of the old man and the entering of the new man into the land of promise:

Num 32:11  Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:

1Co 10:5  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Heb 3:17  But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

The significance of the thunder and the lightning is to tell us that our old man cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven:

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

That is the same significance the thunder and lightning have throughout this book of symbols. It all foreshadows and forebodes the judgment and death of our old man and the dying daily of the flesh as the new man increases within.

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

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

Rev 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

The “fire, great hail, and… a great earthquake” are all symbols of great destruction, the destruction of the flesh and the destruction of our old man within.

And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

We covered the seven spirits of God in our study of verse 4 of Revelation 1.

Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

We must never lose sight of the meaning of these seven spirits. As we said in our study of Revelation 1:4, the number seven means spiritual completeness. So the seven spirits of God are the complete spirit of God’s one spirit:

1Co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Eph 2:18 For through him we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:4  [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6  One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.

Php 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

To read and to suggest such unity of spirit today will get you labeled a fanatic and an unloving, elitist cult member. Nevertheless, let God be true and every man a liar. There is no trinity, no trinity of the trinity, and the seven spirits are merely the one complete spirit of God. In our next chapter these same seven spirits, here called seven lamps of fire, are there called “seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth:”

Rev 5:6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

What is that spirit which is sent forth into all the earth? Here is what that spirit is:

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

It is God’s Words which are His spirit, and it is God’s Words which are “seven lamps” making up that “one spirit.”

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psa 119:106  I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

It is God’s Words which are “righteous judgments” and which are “fire from the altar” as quoted above.

Pro 6:23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

It is the spirit of righteous judgments, which serves as a lamp to our feet and which are “reproofs of instruction… the way of life.

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

God’s Word is love, a lamp; it is seven horns and seven eyes; it is spirit, and it is life. That is the seven spirits of the one spirit of God. That is the spirit God has given to Christ.

Summary

Rev 4:4  And round about the throne [were] four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Rev 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

We have seen that all of this heavenly scene are symbols of the invisible things of the true heavens wherein resides the kingdom of God.

Exo 25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Exo 26:30  And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle a ccording to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these [You and I must be purified with better sacrifices than the blood of calves and goats].

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.

We have seen the spiritual significance of the number 24, and we saw that 24 is a multiple of twelve, and that wherever we see this number twelve in scripture, it will always concern foundational government and rulership. We saw the examples of the foundations of the nations of Ishmael, the foundations of Israel, and the foundations of the church itself upon Christ and His twelve apostles. Twenty-four, being a multiple of twelve, is just a more mature meaning of twelve. It is, in this case, the number of the foundational first fruits of God and of the Lamb, redeemed to God out of every nation of men.

We saw that these twenty-four elders proclaim themselves and the four beasts to be the heavenly symbols of those who are redeemed to God out of every nation, tongue and people.

Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

We have seen that white raiment is the righteousness of God’s elect who also are made kings and priest and who also wear crowns of gold.

Finally, we saw that the lightnings and thunderings of this heavenly scene, are the judgments of our old man and our flesh, which judgment is the Words of God, symbolized by the seven lamps of fire which are the seven spirits of God, which we have seen is simply the symbol of that “one spirit.”

Next week, Lord willing, we will examine the ‘sea of glass’:

Rev 4:6  And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

Video Links

Audio Download

Revelation 3:10-13 – Philadelphia, Part 2

Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
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 him] my new name.
Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Introduction

In our last study we saw that when the scriptures say that we have “not defiled our garments… will not have our name blotted out of the book of life… have not denied Christ’s faith… have not known the depths of Satan as we speak… will not be judged… will never die” etc., that the spirit is always speaking in spiritual terms and always means that if we endure these words while in these vessels of clay then we will not have to endure these words as resurrected spirit in the lake of fire.

Is there anyone who is never judged? Of course not. “If we will judge ourselves, we will not be judged.” However, “every man” must live out his own ‘fiery’ judgment.

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.

Has anyone who has ever lived avoided death? Of course not. “He who lives and believes on me shall never die… 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.”

It should be obvious that we must ‘live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God and keep every word of the prophecy of this book’ before any of the positive promises will be realized in that blessed and holy first resurrection. In other words, all our positive accomplishments must be of Christ and of His spirit within us, accomplished within us only after we have first failed to obey God and have first been made aware that we are capable of spiritually living out all the prohibitions of scripture. Another way of saying all of this is that these words are always spiritual words, speaking of spiritual realities:

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

The fact that all men have defiled their garments, have had their names blotted out of the book of life, have denied Christ’s faith, have known the depths of Satan as we teach the blasphemous doctrines of Jezebel and Balaam, have the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, are being judged and are dying, is all treated as if it had never happened.

In other words, if we endure all these things and we are judged while we are in the flesh, then when we come to the time of the first resurrection, at the beginning of the thousand-year reign, we will be counted as never having had defiled garments, our names will not be blotted out of the book of life, we will have not denied Christ’s faith, not known the depths of Satan as we teach, not be judged and we will never die. We will be treated as if we had never had the mark of the beast. It matters not that we actually do live out all the negative words of scripture which are assigned to us because being in Babylon is part of being in Adam, and being in Adam necessitates that man must live by every word, both the good and the evil, which proceeds out of the mouth of God. This is how we are seen in the eyes of our judge, Jesus Christ:

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.

The Truth is that every man “rich and poor, free and bond, small and great” is made to receive the mark, number, and name of the beast:

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The sum of the Lord’s words are the Truth, and this is part of that ‘sum’:

Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

That is how we are also to understand this verse.

Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

In other words, if we judge  ourselves in this present time, in this life, then we will not be judged when all them that dwell upon the earth are judged:

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

What is “the word of my patience which we keep and which keeps us from ‘the hour of temptation which comes upon all the world?” Are we given to receive and keep the revelation of Jesus Christ? If we are given to do so then here is what we are told is “keeping the word of my patience:”

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

“Keeping the word of [Christ’s] patience” is the same as “keeping the things written therein [in the revelation of Jesus Christ within us].”

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

It is through acknowledging that all four of Daniel’s beasts are within us; that we are THE beast.

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Ecc 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Ecc 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

We have blasphemed his name and made war with and overcame His saints. “Here is the patience and faith of the saints.” Here, too, is the word of Christ’s faith. If we miss this point here is chapter 13 there is also this in the very next chapter:

Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen [the great harlot and all of her daughters and all of their false, damnable doctrines], 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.

Here it all is. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” Here are those who have kept the word of Christ’s patience, and who will be kept from the hour of temptation.” It is those who have come out of Babylon, have drunk of the wine of her fornication, have worshiped the beast and his image and received the mark of his name, and it is those who have endured the wrath and God and whose smoke of their torment has gone up for ever and ever and who had no rest day or night while they worshiped the beast: Those are they who have “the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

For any who still do not believe that the Lord’s elect do not endure the seven last plagues which fill up the wrath of God, the very next chapter, for the third time confirms that we must do so in this present time:

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. [In the lives of “every man” (1Co 3:13)]

It should be obvious that the only way we can understand this promise to be kept from the hour of temptation, is in the same way we are meant to understand the promise that we “will not be judged” (1Co 11:31) and we “will never die” (Joh 11:26) and “we are not appointed to wrath” (1Th 5:9). Those things are all true only if we are given to “judge ourselves… in this present time”; ‘be crucified with and die daily’ in “this present time”, and have ‘the seven plagues of the seven angels’ poured out upon our ungodliness in “this present time”. Only then will we be glorified with Christ as “the manifest sons of God”:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

The fact that all the apostles who were living and who believed on Christ are now dead proves that the words ‘liveth’ and the word ‘die’ are neither speaking of physical life or physical death, but are both speaking of the temptations endured in Gehenna, the symbolic lake of fire by “all them that dwell upon the earth.” Those who “shall never die”, are also those who will also be kept from the hour of temptation. Just as those who “shall never die” are now “crucified with Christ but nevertheless are living,” even so are they are also now enduring the trial of their faith, so as to avoid “the hour of temptation” in “the lake of fire.” It is very instructive to know that the word ‘trial’ in Hebrews 11:36, and the word ‘temptation,’ in 1 Peter 1:6, are both translated from the single Greek word ‘piera’ and its verb form ‘pierazo.’

Heb 11:36 And others had trial [Greek: piera] of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

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

“The appearing of Jesus Christ” will be at the beginning of the thousand-year reign. The test of our faith is through manifold adverse experiences in “this present time” (Rom 8:18). It is not a test to show God anything. He already “knows our frame,” and He knows we cannot, of ourselves, pass any test. We are to ones who learn by the things we suffer. It is we who fail to see our own weaknesses and faults which are in need of being burned out of our lives.

Psa 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Psa 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

‘Dust’ is a word that is associated with corruption, and God knows that it was He who made us, not of spirit, but of dust. We are not spirits having a physical experience as many false prophets teach. Rather we are dust having a spiritual experience:

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Babylon wants you to believe that there is no possible way to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Let no one ever convince you that you cannot “know the truth” and prove God’s will. That is a lie.

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The fact that we are even now being judged through fiery trials proves that it is only in the lake of fire that we “will not be judged:”

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

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

The answer to Peter’s rhetorical question is, “The end of those who obey not the gospel of God, is to be judged at a later, less desirable judgment, called the great white throne judgment, and to be cast into “the lake of fire”, which “is the second death,” where mankind will have all the doctrines of Babylon burned out of them.” It is to this death, “the second death”, that Christ is referring when He tells Martha, “He that lives and believes on me will never die.”

So it is also with “keeping the word of Christ’s patience, and being kept from the hour of temptation.” If we are judged now for the fact that we have, in time past, all failed to “keep the word of Christ’s patience,” and if we “repent and do the first works”, then with our Savior, we will endure our “judgment [now] on the house of God” first and will be kept from the hour of temptation in the symbolic “lake of fire,” in the same manner that we judge ourselves and are therefore not judged and in the same manner that we fall into the ground and die, so that we “will never see death.” As always, the words of the spirit are counterintuitive to the natural man, and “He that hath and ear” will always be accused of foolishly contradicting himself.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

What is it that is “freely given to us of God?” The ministers of Babylon see only physical blessings, but the mind of the spirit sees only the words of God’s Word, and those words ”are spirit, and they are life”:

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

Here is one of the greatest blessings we are given in those words which are spirit. It is “a token of our salvation.”

Php 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Because you have kept the word of My patience…

Does “Because you have kept the word of My patience,” mean that we have never denied Christ and have always “kept the word of His patience?” As always this, too, is counterintuitive to the natural man. Here is another demonstration of how we are meant to understand every promise made to the angels of the seven churches:

Christ told all His disciples:

Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Is this a true statement? Will Christ deny before His Father, those who deny Him? Yes, indeed it is a true statement, and Christ will certainly deny before His Father all who deny Him before men. Don’t all men deny Christ first, before they profess Christ in earnest? The answer is, yes, we all deny Christ before men long before we profess Him before men and long before we are willing to die for Christ and His word and His doctrines.

It was very shortly after those words “proceeded out of the mouth of” Christ from His Father, that this happened to the apostle Peter:

Mat 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
Mat 26:70 But he denied [Christ] before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
Mat 26:71 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.
Mat 26:72 And again he denied [Christ] with an oath, I do not know the man.
Mat 26:73 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.
Mat 26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Mat 26:75 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.

This is the old Peter, who was not “keeping the word of Christ’s patience and who was enduring ‘judgment [now] on the house of God’ so he “would not be judged” with those who obey not the gospel of God” in this present time”.  Peter and all of the disciples had denied Christ when “they all fled,” leaving Christ to His fate, to die alone upon the cross.

Mat 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

Mat 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

We are “all the disciples [who] forsake Him and flee,” when we first are confronted with the prospect of actually dying with Him, and for Him. We may later repent and “weep bitterly,” but we must all “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Mat 4:4, Luk 4:4).

What this all means is that we first deny Christ and deny the word of His patience, before we follow in His steps and become willing to die for “the word of His patience.” What this all means is that we must first endure our own judgment, which is now on the house of God, and fail to be faithful before we can “Keep the word of our Lord’s patience and be kept from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

“All the world,” certainly all men before Christ and it includes all men after Christ except for those few who are judged in this present time. Like Peter and all of Christ’s disciples, we deny Christ first before we “have not denied His name”:

Rev 2:13  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

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

How quick is “I come quickly?” If judgment begins with the house of God as Peter informs us, and if Christ has come, as He tells us “for judgment,” then His coming is the very day that He begins that judgment in our lives. Here again is the scripture which tells us when He is come to His elect:

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?

“I come quickly” and “the time is at hand” are one and the same. Notice how this same phrase is repeatedly emphasized in the last chapter of this book of Revelation: These two phrases are always used in conjunction with impending judgment, which “must begin at the house of God.”

Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Now look at the use of the phrase “the time is at hand:”

Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Rev 1:3 Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

The reason “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” is that the King of that kingdom is here with us now, as these verses declare:

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.

Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Christ in us is the goal of all God is doing. When Christ is in us, His Father is in us. In the end, God will be “all in all” so we are told:

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

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
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:

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

“The kingdom of God is within you… Christ is at hand… the Lord is at hand… the time is at hand… and the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” are one and all spiritual, is, was, and will be, words of spirit which will “never pass away.” They are all telling us that Christ is here with us, and in us now, at this time, and therefore “the end of all things is at hand” for all in whom Christ now dwells in these vessels of clay.

… Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

There are literally millions of false doctrines which will be used by God’s Adversary to cause us to doubt the words of scripture. It is given to only a  few to remain faithful to God’s Word in the face of all the “oppositions of science falsely so called,” and in the face of all the efforts of God’s Adversary to mold God’s word around our hearts’ idols. In Revelation 9 we are told that the locusts that come out of the bottomless pit are so numerous as to “darken the sun and the air.”

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

We are plainly told that “the tail is the false prophet”, and we are told that the “false prophet teaches lies.”

Isa 9:15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
Isa 9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

Now notice the number of the tails of the symbolic horses of this ninth chapter of Revelation:

Rev 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Rev 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev 9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

It is “the false prophets who teach lies” who will “take our crown,” because our crowns are “golden crowns” which gold is God’s rare, precious, purified and valuable doctrines and His words. When God causes His Adversary to darken the light of His Sun in our lives, it is then that some “man has taken our crown.” “… 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 him my new name.

Let us look to the scriptures to understand what is meant by “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:”

Here are the pillars we are discussing:

Exo 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. [At the door to the holy of holies]

Exo 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them. [At the door of the tabernacle… “the holy place”]

The four pillars of verse 32, are the pillars which hold the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies. The five pillars of verse 37 are the pillars at the door of the tabernacle. It is through these pillars we must all pass as we seek to come to God. There is no other way to get into the presence of God except through these pillars. So when the overcomers are promised “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out,” what we are being told is the message we are given in Romans 11:31:

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

It is only through these five pillars at the door of the tabernacle and through the four pillars at the door of the holy of holies that any man will receive God’s mercy and come into the presence of God. Together they are nine pillars, and nine is the number in scripture which signifies judgment which is given through the Lord’s judges. Significance of the Number Nine

There can be no higher honor than to be “a pillar in the temple of my God, and go no more out.” We will “go no more out” because we are destined to receive the redemption of the purchased possession… that blessed and holy first resurrection.” That is the meaning of “go no more out.”

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.

For more on the meaning of the four pillars between the holy of holies and the five pillars at the door of the tabernacle, be sure to read the study on The Spiritual Significance of the Color Blue on iswasandwillbe at this link: Significance of the Color Blue, Part 1

“The name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name”.

There are those who make a virtual religion out of pronouncing the tetragrammaton exactly right. The ‘tetragrammaton’ is a name which scholars have given to the four Hebrew consonants which are said to be the “true name of God. Those four consonants are YHWH. While Yahweh, seems to be the most widely accepted form of arranging the vowels in that name, the fact of the matter is that there is no way to know for certain which vowels to place where when we attempt to pronounce the tetragrammaton, because the Jews were forbidden to use God’s name and so they made a religion out of never saying God’s name and never supplying the vowels in transcribing the tetragrammaton:

Jer 44:26 Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.

The proper spelling of or the pronunciation of the tetragrammaton is NOT what God was talking about in Jeremiah 44:26, and it certainly is not what He is speaking of in this verse:

Isa 52:5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

God’s name is not a word, but a reputation. He says so himself:

Pro 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Ecc 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

Neither “a good name” nor God’s name has anything whatsoever to do with the vocalization of a literal name. God’s name, like any “good name,” is a matter of reputation. Does anyone in their right mind think Paul is referring to the proper pronunciation of the tetragrammaton in these verses?

Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

It is our sins, rebellions and through breaking the law of the spirit, that we dishonor God and blaspheme His name among the Gentiles. It has nothing to do with how we vocalize the so-called tetragrammaton.

Likewise, “The name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, and my new name” have nothing at all to do with properly pronouncing and properly vocalizing or properly spelling a literal name. Again, they who are Christ’s have the name of being Christ’s by the way they lead their lives, and by how much their ways reflect His ways. That is how we attain “the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, and my new name.” As always, the scriptures are Christ-centric, and any way you say it, it will aways come out to be Jesus Christ. When we honor Christ, we are honoring His Father.

Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

It is the name of Jesus which is above every name that is named, and it is His name that is our “new name.”

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

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.

Rev 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Conclusion

We have seen that the way we “keep the word of Christ’s patience” is to “keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” We have seen that it is only those who have endured God’s wrath being poured out upon all their ungodliness and unrighteousness, who have “kept the word of Christ’s faith.”

We have seen that we are “kept from the hour of temptation” in the exact same way we are kept from judgment and will never die. The way we will never die is to die now, the way we will not be judged is to judge ourselves now, and the only way we make make certain that we will be kept from the hour of temptation is to be tried and tempted now, while yet in these vessels of clay, better known as sinful flesh and blood.

We have seen that Christ comes quickly to every generation of mankind since His death and resurrection, and that the time is always ‘at hand’, to repent and to ‘keep the things which are written in the prophecy of this book’.

We saw the scriptures which demonstrated that it is the false prophets who prophecy lies who are used as God’s Adversaries to “take our crown” from us. We have seen that being made a pillar in the temple of God is the same as being made the door or the channel through which all men will be brought to God, and that there can be no higher blessing bestowed upon any man.

Finally we saw that the blaspheming of the name of God is the result of our hypocrisy. It is not a matter of improperly mouthing four letters with the proper vowels, but is rather a way of life which dishonors God while claiming to be His children. Contrariwise, having His name written upon us is also a matter only of having Christ within us as our spiritual Father, and as the king on the throne of our hearts and minds.

Next week, Lord willing, we will begin to see what the spirit has to say to the angel of the church in Laodicea:

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
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: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.