1Ki 6:4-7 “Shew the house to the house of Israel”

[Study Aired September 30, 2021]

1Ki 6:4  And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.
1Ki 6:5  And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
1Ki 6:6  The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
1Ki 6:7  And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Last week’s study was about recognizing the temple which we are (1Co 3:16) that is being built “in a fitting and orderly way”. There are no more foundational words that describe where the foundation of our temple is to be built in a fitting and orderly way than the words of our Lord to Peter in Matthew 16:18.

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

Our Father and Christ are one in mind and purpose (Joh 10:29-30) and we are being built upon Christ and are as He is in this world, with one mind and purpose “which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (1Jn 4:17 1Co 2:16, 2Ti 1:7-9). God is love (1Jn 4:16), therefore we are being built up together as a holy temple so that through Christ, where we abide and are accepted (Joh 15:4-5 Eph 1:6), we can now reflect the love of God and worship our Father in spirit and truth as He gives us that increase which makes this possible (Joh 4:23, 1Co 3:6, Rom 5:5).

Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one.

1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

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

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

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The cleansing of our heavens is a process we are going through when we are blessed to believe the words Christ speaks to us (Joh 6:28-29), and this is how the foundation is laid in our lives so we can then abide in Christ and bring forth much fruit (Joh 15:8-9). The fruit in our life is symbolized by the temple that is built upon the foundation of Christ, who is the chief cornerstone of the temple who stabilizes and bears the burden of all the temple through each joint that supplies (Mat 21:42, Eph 2:19-22, Gal 6:2).

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ [Col 1:24,27]

Only when we are given to become a hearer and a doer of the words of Christ are we being given the keys to the kingdom (Mat 16:19) to now grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Christ the rest of our lives (2Pe 3:18). We have that confidence through Him that what He has started in us as His body will be finished as we fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake which is the church (Col 1:24). This section of the book of Kings will give us more insight through the type and shadows within the temple of what God’s workmanship can accomplish within us as we are built upon the foundation of Christ.

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.

The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven – Part 1

Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

God has called us to have confidence in what He has promised that He will start and finish in our lives through Christ, who is the author and the finisher of our faith (Php 1:6, Heb 10:35). With that faith being tried and tested, we can then bring forth the fruit of love that is described for us in these verses in 1Corinthians 13:3-10. We are the workmanship of God’s hand, and that love has been growing and maturing in each one of His children to His glory so that we can all come into the unity of the faith “and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (1Jn 5:4, Eph 4:13). That fullness of Christ is accomplished in the church, which is Christ’s body, as we learn together as one body that all things really do “work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” which is how the bride is going to be made ready (Rom 8:28, Rev 19:7-9, Php 4:4-7).

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

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.

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.

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

With all these foundational verses in mind let’s now look at what God is building upon the foundation of our loving Saviour (Mat 16:18) and see how it applies to each and every one of our own day-to-day dying daily walks in the Lord which is being refined or sanctified so that we can one day, Lord willing, be raised in the first resurrection and judge the mount of Esau, which is what we will be doing when we “shew the house to the house of  Israel” and are given to “measure the pattern” today (Eze 43:10, 1Co 15:31, 1Jn 1:5-7).

1Jn 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Eze 43:10  Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

1Ki 6:4  And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

After the foundation of any building is laid, which consequently is the part that takes the longest, then things begin to happen rapidly. Christ is that foundation and the rock upon which Peter, who represents all of God’s elect, is going to be built. All the prophesies in God’s word point back to our Saviour and how each man in his order will be dragged to Him of our Father (Joh 6:44) in order to become a new creation through Him (1Co 8:6, Col 1:15-17, Php 4:13). If we are as Christ (1Jn 4:17), then Christ must have had a typical event of being in Babylon or Egypt and then been called out of it, just as we have our time in Babylon which is represented by this later verse we will look at later (1Ki 6:7) which tells us there is a place where preparatory work is being done in the life of the elect, before the temple of God is-was-will be, built without hands (Hos 11:1).

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Hos 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

This first verse, “And for the house he made windows of narrow lights“, tells us something about our perception of our Father and Christ while we are in this fleshly temple that looks through a glass darkly (1Co 13:12).

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

The light enters in through “windows of narrow lights” because today we have this relationship with our Father and Christ in earnest and not in the fullness, and have been told by Christ that broad is the path which represents our flesh that leads to destruction and cannot inherit the kingdom of God, but narrow is the way that leads to life (Mat 7:13-14).

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it [Mat 22:14].

Christ is the one who makes it possible for us to endure through this life seeing he is the one who gives us light and life (Joh 14:6) through God’s holy spirit that makes it possible for us to see and understand what is going on in the temple of God (1Co 2:10) that we are so blessed to be part of today (Eph 1:14, Psa 119:105).

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

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

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

This word narrow^H331 [aw-tam’], which means ‘to shut’ or ‘to stop’, is used in a few other areas of the temple’s construction and elsewhere in the bible…

“Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth^H331 his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Pro 17:28)

…is one such verse that reminds us that as the temple of God we must be very discreet ambassadors in this life who are learning to let our speech be seasoned with salt (Col 4:6), and, Lord willing, we will be given that bridle on our tongue that we need in this world which vexes us with its filthy communication, knowing how to answer those who opppose and resist the truth (2Ti 4:14-16), and knowing when we should not answer others even to their being marvelled at our conduct in doing so (Joh 19:11, Psa 141:3-4, 2Pe 2:7, Mar 15:5). Also, we must know when enough is enough, and no further witness is needed (Tit 3:10). As God’s ambassadors we are always to be striving for the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ (Php 3:13-14) which is found by staying above the fray of this society.

•narrow, 4 1Ki_6:4; Eze_40:16; Eze_41:16; Eze_41:26
•shutteth, 1
Pro_17:28
•stoppeth, 3
Psa_58:4; Pro_21:13; Isa_33:15

– Original: אu1496 םpar – Transliteration: ‘atam
– Phonetic: aw-tam’
– Definition:
1. to shut, shut up, close
a. (Qal) to shut, stop (of lips)
b. (Hiphil) of the wicked stopping their ears (fig.)

– Origin: a primitive root
– TWOT entry: 73
– Part(s) of speech: Verb
– Strong’s: A primitive root; to close (the lips or ears); by analogy to contract (a window by bevelled jambs): – narrow shut stop.

1Ki 6:5  And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
1Ki 6:6  The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.

These chambers^H3326 that are spoken of in this section of the book of Kings represent the rest into which we labor to enter (Heb 4:11, Joh 6:27). That rest is “against the wall” meaning that when we have done all we can, stand, and others can then rest on us as we become walls, or pillars, where that rest can be found (Eph 6:13, Mat 11:28). The chamber is a couch or bed, and they were systematically placed throughout the temple “round about“, and symbolize the continual rest that can be found in God which He gives us in the Lord as we sojourn unto perfection on the third day as He prepares our hearts for each and every trial and restores us as at these resting points or chambers as we go further toward Christ who is in the oracle^H1687 which is the holy of holies.

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

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

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

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

It is when we look back that we see God’s mercy (Rev 1:10) that has taken us along the way and held us up throughout our walk that He guided as a shepherd of His little flock whom He led by still waters to restore our souls, never to try us beyond the measure we can endure (1Co 10:13) and always making a way where their often seems to be none.

(Psa 23:1-3, Psa 1:1-3, Luk 12:32 – ‘couches’ and ‘beds’ symbolize the mercy and rest we find in the Lord – Isa 43:19, Joh 5:8 – and picking up our bed is working out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God who is working in us both to will and do of His good pleasure Php 2:12-13.)

Psa 23:1  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

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

Psa 1:1  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psa 23:2, Joh 15:16)

“The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad“: the five cubits like the five pillars at the entry into the temple symbolize how we enter into God’s rest by putting off our flesh by the grace and faith of Christ which causes us to be abased, or found in the nethermost chamber which is where we should always want to abide (Luk 14:8, Mat 23:12, Php 2:7, Luk 18:13-14, Isa 66:2).

Luk 14:8  When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

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

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, [Mar 10:18] and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross [Gal 2:20].

Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted [1Jn 1:9].

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.

The “middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad” reminds us that God knows our form that originally is without form (Gen 1:2) as beasts, symbolized by six cubits who need rest that is found by casting all our cares upon the Lord (1Pe 5:7), as we labour in the word and pick up our bed (Joh 5:8) and go onto completion or perfection which the third area of couches represents being “seven cubits broad“.

Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

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

Joh 5:8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

We are told that “for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house”. They are not fastened to the temple because they represent those who are joined unto us like Levi and who God extends his mercy toward by giving them their good things (Luk 15:31) just as we should do good unto all men as the temple of God that we are, but especially unto the household of God (Gal 6:10, Mat 5:44-48).

Luk 15:31  And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith [narrowed rests round about on the outside and couches on the inside of the temple].

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

1Ki 6:7  And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

The Lord wants us to know this critical point:

“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither:  so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building“

…which admonition is stated this way in the book of Psalms:

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

Unless the Lord has been the author and finisher of our faith from start to finish, or in other words unless we went into Babylon and were dragged out, we cannot be a stone that has been prepared by God and made meet for the master’s use in His temple that we are (2Ti 2:19-21).

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

[depart from a mindset of taking glory unto yourself and believe that God is working all things, the light and darkness, the peace and the evil (Isa 45:7); if we are Christ’s, all such self-righteousness will be burnt out and the bride will be made ready]

2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these [Joh 8:36], he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

God must grant us to hear the voice of the true Shepherd in each other so we can follow each other as we follow Christ (1Co 11:1) bearing each other’s infirmities in hope that we will hear less and less the “hammer” or the “axe” or the “tool of iron“, all symbols of our fleshly opinion and not the voice of the true Shepherd that we are learning to discern: “And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (Joh 10:27-28).

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

There are stages to the building of God’s temple which we are (1Co 3:16, Rom 8:9), and this seventh verse in type and shadow tells us that every part of the elects’ life from the first breath we draw until the last in this Adamic flesh was purposed by God to accomplish His work within us as was typified by Jeremiah (Jer 1:5, Gal 6:16, Rom 15:13).

Jer 1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

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

Rom 15:13  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

It is a true saying that the marriage of the Lamb is for a blessed few who are called unto this ‘arranged marriage’ (Rev 19:9) from the foundation of the world where God had willed that Christ’s bride would be born again and as such, all things would work out in our lives according to the counsel of God’s will for this good purpose of election (Joh 1:13, Rom 8:29-33). Part of God’s good purpose was to prepare the stones that we represent, off-site, only to later gather His elect from the four corners of the earth (Mat 24:31) to build His temple that we are (1Pe 2:9, Eph 2:20-22).

Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

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

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren [1Jn 4:17].
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

Mat 24:31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (Rom 2:28-29):

We are being judged in this life so that all things can work together for good, which includes our being given to endure until the end and be found in that blessed and holy first resurrection (Rev 19:7, Rev 20:6, Mat 24:13). Being born of the will of God in this life is the same as saying we are born again (Joh 3:3), and we truly know that we cannot understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God unless Christ our hope of glory is born within us as our wisdom who reveals the very parables that God uses to blind the world (Eph 1:11, Rom 8:28, Mat 13:13, 2Co 5:17).

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

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

There always has to be a sense of urgency in regard to the work that God is doing within us (Luk 21:36, Psa 127:1) and all of the scriptures are ‘yes’ for us (2Co 1:20) and are filled with the exceeding great and precious promises that all point to the truth that we are more than conquerors through Christ. These promises are given to encourage us to not give up the good fight of faith as we “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”, forgetting those things that are behind and urgently pressing as Noah did in the building of the ark which represents the church, the body of Christ (2Pe 1:4, Rom 8:35-37, Joh 8:36, Php 3:14, Heb 11:7).

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

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

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

We are seeing with our own blessed eyes and hearing with our own blessed spiritual ears, which is a gift of God (Mat 13:16), the building of the temple of God made without hands and so we do give all glory and honour to the One who is doing this work within us both to will and to do knowing that we, like Christ, must labor to enter into that rest being doers of the word (Jas 1:22). There must be a diligence that is formed in us through our trials and suffering in this life, and God can and will keep us motivated together as the body of Christ (Php 2:12-13).

As God gives us increase through the labour to which He has called us in His vineyard, the certainty of what Christ has started and will finish has already been declared (Php 1:6), and our job now is to be about our Father’s business (Luk 2:49, 1Jn 4:17) showing the house to the house to each other by staying unspotted from the world and coming together often “and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction (Heb 10:25, Jas 1:27).

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

Gospels In Harmony – The Final Judgment

Mat 25:31-46

[Study Aired September 21, 2021]

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Today’s study Christ shares the process of mankind’s judgment with his disciples.

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Our first verse tells us the timing of when Christ enters our heavens and sits upon His throne of glory. It is the combination of Christ and His angels, the messengers with His word in them, sharing the truth with us. Sitting upon the throne represents our time of judgment. The religions of the world believe this is not directed toward the elect of God but a future group of people, and they are partly right. What they don’t understand is that we are all given life in a particular order, and we are all judged.

Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with right eousness, and the people with his truth.

Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

Act 17:30-31 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

1Co 15:22-24 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

1Pe 4:17-18 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? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Rev 20:11-12 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Our next verses tell us there is a process of judgment and what takes place.

Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

“All nations” in these scriptures represent everyone’s doctrines, the understanding of those doctrines, and each person’s way of life.

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

In the Revelation study on the website, this verse is explained to show us how the nations are our way of life and our doctrines. Here is an excerpt of that study and the link to the full study.

Rev 17:12-18

“Again, “the dream is one”, and the symbols of this vision are one. These waters are the “people, and multitude, and nations, and tongues of the “two hundred thousand, thousand” false doctrines which ascend up out of the bottomless pit within us to darken our Sun and our air, and keep us in the darkness which is our false Babylonian doctrines. These waters are this beast on which the woman sits, and over whom she rules with “the bondage of the elements of this world.” These waters and these peoples are all within us submitting to the teachings and doctrines of this great harlot until the appointed time when the beasts we are will rebel against the strength and influence of this harlot. Whenever this woman within us comes into conflict with this beast within us, the brute beast we are will always win that battle, and will hate the hypocrisy of the harlot we also are.”

The division of the sheep and goats represents the truths of Christ being separated from the lies of Satan in our minds. The sheep are the righteous ways of Christ in us, and the goats are the ways of Satan, our unrighteousnesses, which are the merchandise we receive either by Christ and His holy angels or of our father the devil and his angels.

Rev 18:12-14 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

The right and left hands represent the power these doctrines have in our lives.

Exo 15:6-7 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

Ecc 10:2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.

Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Mar 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Luk 22:67-69 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Here is what happens with those on His right hand.

Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

In the beginning of everyone’s walk with Christ it is questioned what is happening. Also, this in not a one-time event but a continual happening until God is all in all – the elect first and then to all mankind.

Mat 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Everyone is first a carnal babe in Christ and cannot understand the doctrines of Christ and must grow into understanding.

1Co 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 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. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

We ask the questions because we are not able to bear the spiritual understanding of Christ’s doctrines. Here is Christ’s answer.

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Now here is what is happening to doctrines of the world within each of us.

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

Christ once again is telling us the same thing He has told us in earlier parables: “One shall be taken, and the other left.”

Luk 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

These parables are all about the kingdom of heaven, and as you all know and understand, this kingdom is within us and must be cleansed of all filth. This is done through “everlasting (age-abiding) punishment”. Our mind must be renewed from having the mind of Satan and changed to having the mind of Christ.

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

The doctrines within everyone are judged by fire and every doctrine is judged in the order ordained by God. We first are given the way of the world, and by the renewing of our minds, we are given the way of Christ. This continues until our mind is completely changed. I will end our study with Proverbs 2.

The Value of Wisdom

Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life. That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

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

[Study Aired August 19, 2021]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11  And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 7:12  Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 7:13  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. [“And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them” in earnest now and one day in the fullness.]

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

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

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

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

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

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

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

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

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

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

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted [Rom 3:27, 1Jn 5:4] that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

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

Psa 135:13  Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. 
Psa 135:14  For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants. 
Psa 135:15  The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 
Psa 135:16  They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 
Psa 135:17  They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 
Psa 135:18  They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them. 
Psa 135:19  Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron: 
Psa 135:20  Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD. 
Psa 135:21  Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD. 

The first verse of this second part of our study with Psalm 135 sets the stage for the rest of the verses we will be looking at which tell us why we ought to “Praise ye the Lord” for these wonderful works He is doing to the children of men. Christ is only truly being exalted “in the congregation of the people” and in “the assembly of the elders” where His spirit is given to those who are blessed to have been dragged to Christ to worship our Father in spirit and in truth.

Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 
Psa 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 

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

We are told in verse 13 “Thy name, O LORD, for ever^H5769; thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations“, reminding us that God’s purpose for mankind is an age-abiding one that will save all men (1Co 15:22), and His purpose being fulfilled within His children, and all of His creation has stages or degrees, starting with His kind of first fruits who ultimately resolves in saving all those other generations which will be part of “thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations“.

Psa 135:13  O Yahweh! thy Name, is age-abiding,—O Yahweh! thy memorial, is to generation after generation. (Rotherham)

H5769   o-lawm’, o-lawm’
From H5956; properly concealed, that is, the vanishing point; generally time out of mind (past or future), that is, (practically) eternity; frequentative adverbially (especially with prepositional prefix) always: – always (-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, [n-]) ever (-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world (+ without end). 

Compare H5331, H5703.

H5331 neh’-tsakh, nay’-tsakh
From H5329; properly a goal, that is, the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or (objectively) confidence; but usually (adverbially), continually (that is, to the most distant point of view): – alway (-s), constantly, end, (+ n-) ever (more), perpetual, strength, victory.

H5703  ad
From H5710; properly a (peremptory) terminus, that is, (by implication) duration, in the sense of perpetuity (substantially as a noun, either with or without a preposition): – eternity, ever (-lasting, -more), old, perpetually, + world without end.

For more on why we understand H447774 to be better translated “age-abiding”, please see the study at IWWB of which I have taken the following excerpt:  http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/prophecy-of-isaiah-isa-4514-25-part-2-every-knee-shall-bow-and-every-tongue-confess/ 

“When we acknowledge that the Hebrew words ‘olam’ and ‘ad’ are the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek word ‘aion’ (the English word eon), which means simply a ‘period of time with a definite beginning and a definite ending’, then we must acknowledge that the Lord was indeed very longsuffering in keeping His promise to preserve King David’s physical throne for a very long ‘period of time’. Nevertheless, that period of time had a definite beginning when David was anointed king over all of Israel, and it had a definite ending when Zedekiah was taken off that throne to die in Babylon 586 years before Christ. The next king to sit on David’s throne would be Christ, who will give the kingdom to His Christ.

Luk 22:29  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;” [End Quote]

It is for “mine own sake” or “for his great name sake” as we recently saw in the book of Isaiah (Isa 43:25) and these other verses (Sa 12:22, Psa 25:11, Psa 79:9) which remind us of God’s sovereignty that is making His memorial “throughout all generations” starting with that generation who are blessed to read, hear and keep the sayings of the prophecy and are blessed to receive that “age-abiding” reward that God has predestined from the foundation of the world for the elect first (Rev 1:3, Mat 24:34, Eph 1:5-6).

This truth that many are called and few are chosen (Mat 22:14) to be in that blessed and holy first resurrection (Rev 20:6) is hidden or concealed from the world (H5956), and when there is no stay of bread or water as we will see in verses (Psa 135:15-18), there is no judgment, and when there is no judgment in our heavens, the Lord has created the perfect breeding ground for the idols of our hearts that can only be destroyed through the life-giving words that are read, and heard and kept by God’s people first (Rev 1:3). As a result of God’s judgment, we are able to put off our flesh and be amongst those who are the first to trust in the living God and to be obedient to his every command, resulting in true worship and praise of our Creator from hearts that have no guile because of what He has done within our heavens through Christ. 

H5956  aw-lam’  A primitive root; to veil from sight, that is, conceal (literally or figuratively): –  X any ways, blind, dissembler, hide (self), secret (thing).

Joh 6:25  And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 
Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 
Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 
Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 

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; [Mat 10:22]

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

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 

Joh 1:47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 

Psa 135:13  Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. 
Psa 135:14  For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants. 

God’s name, or his Word, which He sends to heal us first (Psa 107:20), is an “age-abiding” word, and so it is written “Thy name, O LORD, for ever [age-abiding]; thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations“. That memorial or testimony is demonstrated or witnessed through the judgment which first comes upon “his people,” and” he will repentH5162 himself concerning his servants” does not mean ‘repent’ as we initially think of that word. The three words that make up this definition [he will repentH5162] means that God will take vengeance on our man of sin within and redeem us through Christ by destroying the first man Adam with a “strong breath”, which is comforting to know because it is the Comforter or the spirit of God that is leading us into all truth and making this possible (Joh 16:13). 

H5162  nâcham  naw-kham’

A primitive root; properly to sigh, that is, breathe strongly; by implication to be sorry, that is, (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself): – comfort (self), ease [one’s self], repent (-er, -ing, self).

Here’s an excerpt from an FAQ on IWWB to further expound on this Strong’s number H5162 :

It is very revealing to see that the same word used to translate “repent” is also translated as “comfort”. Additionally, seeing the spirit behind the letter shows us that it is through the Lord’s “repentance”, grief with, or vengeance towards the old world (the shadow of our old carnal nature) that he delivers the comforter, Noah (the shadow of the new man, Christ in us). It is the double-edged sword of God’s word that both destroys the old man, and gives life to the new man.  http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/does-i-change-not-contradict-it-repented-the-lord/ 

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

It is comforting to know that God is judging us, and we are being worked with now, because we know that what God has started in any one of us He will finish (Php 1:6), and He will show pity to us along the way, sparing us “as a man spareth his own son that serveth him” (Mal 3:16-17).

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

Mal 3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 
Mal 3:17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 
Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. 

Psa 135:15  The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 
Psa 135:16  They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 
Psa 135:17  They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 
Psa 135:18  They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them. 

These next verses show us what is being destroyed by the brightness of His coming into our heavens. God is destroying the idols of our hearts, the “silver and gold“, the “work of men’s hands,” the things in which we initially trust and don’t see as our own righteousnesses (Isa 64:6, Mat 19:21, Luk 12:32).

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 

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

If we are not chastened and scourged of the Lord, we will continue to trust in the idols of our hearts, in the flesh, and believe that we have something to do with our own salvation which we don’t. If God is working with us in this age, then those idols are going to be destroyed by dragging us to the altar where our flesh is put off so that we can receive the blessing of being able to worship God in spirit and in truth as we are given the power to overcome in this life.

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 

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

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 

Rev 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. [Mal 3:17-18] 

I cut and pasted this section from a previous Psalm study which discusses what it means for us to have mouths that don’t speak, and eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear:

“Psa 115:5  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 

As discussed earlier, the beast that represents our yet carnal relationship speaks and has influence over others and these following verses  (Rev 13:15-16, Mat 24:24, 2Co 11:13-15) demonstrate the ultimate example of a Nicolaitan spirit that rules over the unsuspecting laity. These false prophets and apostles “have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not“.

Rev 13:15   And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  [This is where we want to be amongst those who “should be killed” Rev 11:8, Rom 6:11]

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:  

Mat 24:24   For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  

2Co 11:13   For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  
2Co 11:14   And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  
2Co 11:15   Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.  

Psa 115:6  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 

By now it should be very apparent to us that the idols that are being spoken of here in this Psalm are not specifically physical idols like a statue of Jesus or Buddha but rather it is a parable discussing the idols that are naturally attached to the heart of every man who does not yet know “THE UNKNOWN GOD” as Paul expressed to a group of men in Athens (Act 17:22-23). These men really did have physical idols and altars that were devotions to various gods, and they were outward expressions of their inward deception, and longing but were ever learning and not able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2Ti 3:7).

2Ti 3:7   Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  

When the scripture says “They have ears, but they hear not” or “noses have they, but they smell not”  we are simply being told what Paul said to the Athenians in regard to their current relationship “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD” where he says “Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you”.

Christ cannot be defined with a carnal fleshly mind, and when we do he remains spiritually unknown unto us. With the mind of Christ we can discern the good and the evil, or judge matters in our heavens through God’s holy spirit, that gives us the ability to hear the voice of the true Shepherd, as the comforter leads us into all truth, and helps us try the spirits whether they are of God or not (Joh 10:27, Joh 16:13, 1Jn 4:1). The holy spirit gives us a mind that is described this way “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” and that spirit helps us judge righteous judgement, because we are not judging after the flesh, but seeking our Lord’s judgment continually, whose judgement is not affected by the appearance, which is why the scripture says the new creature in Christ can say “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2Co 5:16-17). Judgement begins at the house of God, the temple that we are, as our Lord helps us examine ourselves to make sure that the plank is not in our own eye as we mature in our ability to judge righteous judgement that will have us not knowing any man after the flesh (2Co 5:16, Joh 5:3, 2Co 10:5, 1Jn 4:17, Joh 7:24). 

“They have ears, but they hear not” because they can hear, but what anyone hears when they are deceived is a lying spirit which God sends to keep that person from hearing the voice of the true Shepherd (Eze 14:9-10, Joh 12:40).

Eze 14:9   And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.  
Eze 14:10   And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; [Psa 135:18]

Joh 12:40  He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 

“Noses have they, but they smell not”  because they can smell, but what we initially smell from true believers is the smell of death, even as we cannot recognize our own odious spiritual condition that has yet to be healed (2Co 2:16, Rev 3:17). Lazarus and the rich man perfectly portrays this principle of how God’s elect are perceived by those who are “clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day” (Luk 16:19-25). 

2Co 2:16   To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?  

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:” [End Quote]

Just as we are commanded to go and preach the gospel to all nations as a witness, and know that God shows us in His Word that there is a very specific way we do that, starting with the lost tribes of Israel which represent God’s elect (Mat 15:24, Jas 1:1-4, Rev 14:12), so, too, the world and those who proselytize (Mat 23:15) are driven to spread another Jesus and a false gospel. They are compelled to do so by the powers and principalities over which they have no dominion in their lives at this time (Joh 8:44-47). We see in the following verses how the spreading of the true gospel is directly connected with “the patience of the saints” who “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”.

Mat 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

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

Jas 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. [Mat 22:14, Luk 12:32]
Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 
Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 
Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

“They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them” of verse 18 of our study tonight tells us that this making of idols is something that is proliferated over the course of time and that the sins of the Amorites must come to their fullness “throughout all generations” (of verse 13) in order for the great day of “the supper of the great God” to come about (Gen 15:16, Rev 19:17-18).

Gen 15:16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 

Rev 19:17  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; [Rev 19:7]
Rev 19:18  That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. [1Co 6:3]

Psa 135:19  Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron: 
Psa 135:20  Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD. 
Psa 135:21  Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD. 

If God has made you His workmanship, I cannot think of any better reason to greatly rejoice because it means your names are written in heaven and that the ôlâm God is going to finish something that is holy and pure, which will be perfected on the third day and then be used to save the rest of the world (Luk 10:20-21).

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 
Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. [1Co 1:26-27]

We “bless the LORD” because Christ abides in this house, the house of Aaron, and we “bless the LORD” because we are chosen out of the “house of Levi” (Num 17:3-10) to blossom and grow, and we “Praise ye the LORD” because of the mercy God has shown to us in this age (Rom 11:30-32, Eph 2:7) which is revealed from Jerusalem above where we are raised together, blessing the LORD and praising His name for His wonderful works to the children of men that will in time have all men to be saved (Gal 4:26, Eph 2:6, 1Co 15:22).

Num 17:3  And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers…

Num 17:8  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds…

Num 17:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. 

Everything is “for his name’s sake” (Psa 106:8, Isa 48:9-12) as we fill up what is behind of His afflictions (Col 1:24) so that one day we can bring our brothers who “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes” into remembrance of His sovereign plan which caused all the circumstances in their life and our life to work according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11) and for his good purpose within us (Rom 8:28). 

Psa 106:8  Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

Isa 48:9  For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. 
Isa 48:10  Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 
Isa 48:11  For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. 
Isa 48:12  Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. 

We are His kind of first fruits who were first nourished and matured by being blessed to have His love shed abroad in our hearts, giving us the ability to believe all things (Rom 5:5-10, Php 4:13, Php 4:19) and hope all things and endure all things, which is what his love can do (1Co 13:7-8).

1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 
1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 
1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 
1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

We endure in seeing Him who is invisible (1Pe 1:8, Heb 11:27) by the grace and faith of Christ (Eph 2:8) as we “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (1Co 2:9, 1Co 13:12, Php 3:13-15), rejoicing, praising the Lord, and thanking Him, for this “joy unspeakable and full of glory”  that is leading to our “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (1Pe 1:8-12). 

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 
1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 
1Pe1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: [Jas 5:10-11]

Rejoicing or praising God and giving thanks for this spiritual healing He has given us is something we pray we never take for granted, and if God is working with us in this age, He will bring us into remembrance through judgment which will remind us of how indebted we are to our Lord for all He has done for us (Luk 17:17, Rom 11:18-20)

Luk 17:15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 
Luk 17:16  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 
Luk 17:17  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 
Luk 17:18  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 
Luk 17:19  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. 

Rom 11:18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 
Rom 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 
Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 

Psa 82:1 A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
Psa 82:2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
Psa 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Psa 82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
Psa 82:5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
Psa 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Psa 82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Psa 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Knowing who Asaph is by looking at the various scriptures that mention his name and then correlating that understanding of who and what he did in his life will serve to help us understand this “Psalm of Asaph” and how God’s people are gathered or drawn together, which is what Asaph’s name means. We are gathered together to be witnesses of these things today.

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

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

This particular Psalm demonstrates what God is doing in the midst of his people, and how He is bringing us to see that we go from being false prophets at first and then by the grace and faith of God we become faithful witnesses or “recorders” of God’s truth once we have been judged and our “dead bodies” lie dead in the street for “three days and an half” as stated in.

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 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
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.

God will not allow the people to bury His two witnesses (Eph 1:11) or “not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves”, which tells us that being trodden under the foot of men is a good thing and something that must also be witnessed by “they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations” who “shall see their dead bodies three days and an half”. God puts our dead bodies on display for all the world to see (Gal 2:20), and the world cannot understand why we won’t run to the same excess of riot and come down from the cross that we must endure with Christ through the darkness of this world in man’s flesh which is symbolized by the three hours of darkness, the process of coming out of the earth, earth, earth, that can only unfold by being on the cross with Christ.

Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

Mar 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

We are asked in verse 2 “how long will you judge unjustly” and “accept the persons of the wicked” which questions precede verse one which tells us “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods”. God’s judgments will always be just long enough to serve His purpose of showing us how powerless we are without Him and how we are beasts (Ecc 3:18) that need deliverance through judgment that only becomes just judgment in our hearts after we’ve been granted to follow Christ’s example of a life completely dependent on our Father (Joh 5:30, Heb 12:1-2).

If we are going to “comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” and to ” know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph 3:18-19), we must as His children enter into a narrow path of judgment and much tribulation (Mat 7:14, Act 14:22) which will be accompanied by His mercy which is shown in how our Father prepares our hearts to heed the admonitions that tell us to be awake and be ready (Eze 38:7, 1Pe 5:8).

What God must do at first is show us that we don’t judge justly, and that we accept the persons of the wicked until we are judged of Him, then we can learn through that judgment upon us to do what is required in verses three and four, which speak of pure religion (Jas 1:27). God’s mercy is found in the Ark which is a type of the church where the saints of God come to understand what is “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” that make up the spiritual construction of this ark or temple or body of Christ that we are (1Co 3:16).

Verse 5 reminds us again of the faulty foundation of the church, or the earth that we come out of that knows not, neither understands, as we walk in darkness (1Jn 5:19). It is not just some of the foundation that is “out of course” but rather “all the foundation” the whole stay of bread and water taken away (Isa 1:3, Isa 3:1)

Being a son of God as Adam was (Luk 3:38) and knowing that “Ye are gods” (Joh 10:34) does not make you of that generation who are being judged and made anew in this age (Mat 24:34), however if we are blessed to not “die like men” or “fall like one of the princes” it will require that we are blessed of God to die daily and be baptized into His death which dying was only typified in the old covenant and every life that is sacrificed in unbelief to teach God’s elect that lesson (Col 2:16-17, 1Co 10:11).

In other words, we can be dead in the street today for three and a half days (Rom 14:5) while at the same time be alive in Christ and raised in heavenly places (Eph 2:6) to bear witness and record of His might and power for three and one half symbollic years by the power of the holy spirit, which spirit makes it possible for this record, this witness, to be accomplished (Rev 11:3, Zec 4:6). The only days that God’s elect are “fully persuaded” of is the ‘day of the Lord’ and not the days, months, times and years of this world (Gal 4:10). It is in the ‘day of the Lord’ that all nations are gathered (Asaph) and judged and blessed to become a new creation in Him (Joe 3:2).

The end result and purpose for God raising us up as a kind of first fruits being judged in this age is described in.

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

If we are made ready to be judges, kings and priests in this age, it will be because He has risen us up and gathered us together into heavenly places to be judged so that we can “inherit all nations” and see all men be saved through the body of Christ the church who will be used to gather “my heritage Israel”. The valley of Jehoshaphat is another type and shadow of that time when Gog and Magog come up against the camp of the saints who have been made ready and done all so they can stand against the adversary who will be saved yet so as by fire.

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

Joe 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Psa 82:1 A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

Clearly it is God who does the dragging and converting in our life (Joh 6:44, 1Co 3:6) and He brings His people to see that there is no might in us [lying dead in the street] at all until His power is given (Rev 11:3). This is why it says “he judgeth among the gods”.

People thought Paul was a god because of their superstitious ways and by what he was able to do in their midst (Act 28:3-6).

The symbolism is not lost on us being that not only are we not hurt by the sting of the serpent who represents Satan (1Co 15:55, Heb 2:14), but we are also able to heal each other as we confess our faults and seek His mercy by looking to the Seraphim in each other (Num 21:9, Joh 3:14, Eph 2:6).

Paul explained to the church what he and Apollos and all God’s elect are in His sight.

1Co 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

So now we need to ask who was Asaph? Asaph is Christ and God’s elect in type and shadow, and looking at the words forest, gardens, orchards, and paradise in the following verses is very instructive to show us what we must be doing if we are about our Father’s business as Christ was (Luk 2:49).

Who is Asaph? His son(s) record and bear record, who witness and are used of God to take care of the garden, of the orchards, and of the kings forests. Asaph is you and I in this age if we are being blessed to “eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise^G3857 of God”.

(recorder) 2Ki_18:18; Isa_36:22; 2Ki_18:37 ; Isa_36:3
(made a sound with) cymbals to praise the Lord: 1Ch_15:19; 1Ch_16:5 ; 1Ch_25:1; Ezr_3:10
(chief of the) singers to praise the Lord with thanksgiving: Neh_12:46
keeper of the king’s forest: Neh_2:8

(KJV) Neh 2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest,^H6508 that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

(ABP+)Neh 2:8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the garden,^G3857 which is to the king, so as to give to me wood to roof the gates of the palace of the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house, for which I shall enter unto it. And [³gave ⁴to me ¹the ²king] by [³hand ⁴of God ¹the ²good] upon me. (1Co 3:16 not just the temple of God but what went into that temple, the building and all that was within and around it).

… H6508 pardês Total KJV Occurrences: 3

Neh 2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest,^H6508 that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

Son 4:13 Thy plants are an orchard^H6508 of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

Ecc 2:5 I made me gardens and orchards,^H6508 and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

… G3857: seen in KJV:

Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.^G3857

2Co 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise,^G3857 and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise^G3857 of God.

“He judges among the gods” 1Ki 3:28

(ABP+) G3588 God^G2316 stood^G2476 in^G1722 the congregation^G4864 of gods;^G2316 [²in^{G1722 3}the midst^{G3319 1}and]^G1161 of gods^G2316 he examines.^G1252

(CLV) An Asaphic Psalm Elohim is stationed in the congregation of El; Among the elohim is He judging:

(DRB) A psalm for Asaph. God hath stood in the congregation of gods: and being in the midst of them he judgeth gods.

(ERV) One of Asaph’s songs of praise. God stands in the assembly of the gods. He stands as judge among the judges.

(KJV) A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

(LITV) A Psalm of Asaph God stands in the assembly of the mighty; He judges in the midst of the gods.

(Rotherham) A Melody of Asaph. God, hath taken his place in the august assembly, In the midst of the gods, will he judge.

(YLT) –A Psalm of Asaph. God hath stood in the company of God, In the midst God doth judge.

The reason we can be blameless and harmless in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, is because God has granted us to be given “to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Psa 82:2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

There is a “Selah”, a pause, at the end of this question because God wants us to reflect and examine ourselves daily, to know if we are truly judging justly and not accepting the persons of the wicked. It is always easier for our flesh to go along and get along as does the whole ecumenical world whose mantra is “unity in the essentials and tolerance in the nonessentials”.

What is nonessential to the flesh is to mortify the deeds of the body and judge that body, and the flesh feels no need to be holy and reject the persons of the wicked. The world cannot understand that God has called us to the highest possible standard of bringing every thought into subjection unto him, knowing that we will give account for every idle thought to our merciful Father who is little by little preparing the bride of Christ for the rest of humanity who cannot at this hour cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

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;

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

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.

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

Psa 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Psa 82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

These two verses can be summed up with this verse:

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.

We are “afflicted and needy”, the weak of the world who are in need of a physician. The world has been blinded to not see their need for this physician and consider themselves spiritually healthy, which mindset is what keeps us spiritually blind.

Luk 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

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.

Psa 82:5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

God purposed from the foundation of the world that humanity would “know not” and be blinded by the parables that Christ would speak. Walking in darkness is the corrupt foundation that we are called out of, and it is the earth or Babylon who’s “out of course” as her paths are not straight, and it is only those who are called out of the church in this age or out of the wilderness who can be blessed to make our ways straight through Christ who is the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel who makes this possible.

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

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Joh 1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

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

Zec 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Psa 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

We are God’s children, and behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we may have this privilege and honour to be judged in this age to be blessed to be able to die to self and be baptised into his death (Rom 6:4). 

1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Psa 82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

We are the seed that must die (Joh 12:24) in order to bring forth fruit, and if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death as one body, one seed (Gal 3:16) then we are being raised today into the newness of life that is Christ and his body also called the ‘manchild’ (Eph 2:4-6, Rev 12:5).

Psa 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

“Arise, O God, judge the earth” is being fulfilled in these verses where we read:

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

‘We are his witnesses of these things.’ We are advancing the gospel of God through our suffering (Php 1:12) which causes us to cease from sinning (1Pe 4:1). Our gathering [Asaph] helps us heal and mend from those chastening moments and scourgings that every son must receive to become sons of God in this age (Heb 12:6). And finally our gathering, recording and overcoming together as one family of God is preparing us as a ministry of reconciliation that shall together “inherit all nations”.

Mike,

Is it okay to engage in debates with those in Babylon? I do say “debate” knowing very well it is a thin-line between debate and “argue”, and I do not approve “arguing” myself. So I try to discern the spirit of the responses and not to let my flesh get in the way and come in a spirit of anger. So for example, there is one debate in particular I got in with a few people.

“Why wouldn’t God create all humans to innately believe in him, or did He?”

Now, I didn’t specifically bother to answer the question. I know the answer, but by the time I saw it, there were already people spewing “God gave man free will” and the idea that man must freely choose to believe in him. But there were a few people I did comment on to challenge them. One person said, “free will was high in His priority list”. That was pretty laughable. I questioned was that in the same Bible that has Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, etc., etc.

This verse witnesses to how I feel about things like that:

Psa 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

I feel so obligated to “preach” and correct, even though it seems overwhelming. Just so much lies. But the few to whom I did comment, they commented back, and it became a debate with them using a lot of opinions with nothing to confirm it and with me using Scripture references to confirm what I said. Am I wrong for doing this? I do feel convicted, I will confess that much. It feels wrong to tell people they are wrong, even though I’m attempting to present the truth to them. And I will not use the excuse used with Jesus “reprimanding” the pharisees, etc. I don’t mean to do that; I just do have a love for the truth, and these lies are “eating me up”.

So am I wrong in this? If I should stop, I will. I just need advice, and now I wonder if I should say anything or not.

ybic,

S____

Hi S____,

Thank you for this question about whether you should debate those in Babylon.

Christ is always our example, and while He never once backed down from those who attacked Him or who attempted to trip Him up in His words and His doctrine, neither did He ever once jump into an ongoing debate, must less go about looking for an ongoing debate into which He could insert Himself and His truths. Without exception Christ’s detractors always came to Him and not the other way around.

Christ himself makes this clear with this commandment:

Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

“Give not that which is holy unto dogs” is exactly what we do when we attempt to give God’s Truth to people who show no signs of having been drug to God against their own will.

But we cannot make a doctrine out of one verse of scripture, so I will also point out this verse of scripture which is in complete and total accord with Mat 7:6:

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw [Greek: helkuo, drag] him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Here is the definition of the Greek word ‘helkuo’:

G1670
ἑλκύω, ἕλκω
helkuō helkō
hel-koo’-o, hel’-ko
Probably akin to G138; to drag (literally or figuratively): – draw.

“Every man… that has heard” is only those who have been granted “ears to hear”, and “eyes to see” the mysteries of the kingdom of God as Christ informed His disciples when they asked him why He spoke in parables: Notice what the holy spirit inspired Christ to say in verse nine just before His disciples ask their question:

Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

When we attempt to share the mysteries of the kingdom of God with those who have not even been given eyes to see or ears to hear those mysteries, we are actually attempting to give them that which God has blinded them from seeing and that which He has not yet given them ears to hear. In other words we are attempting to give sight to those whom Christ came to blind:

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Those whom Christ has made aware of their spiritual blindness are those to whom He has come to give spiritual eyes that see. All such people will be those who cry out to Him, “Jesus… have mercy on me… that I might receive my sight”:

Mat 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
Mat 9:28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
Mat 9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
Mat 9:30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
Mat 9:31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

Mat 20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
Mat 20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
Mat 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
Mat 20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
Mat 20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
Mat 20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

Spiritual Pharisees are generally great believers in the doctrine of free will. Here Christ has an opportunity to engage such spiritually blind people, and He passes up that opportunity because He did not come to open their eyes but to blind them. You and I are Christ, and as such we, too, have come “that they which see might be made blind”.

Having shown you these verses and the principle of recognizing that only the holy spirit can grant us eyes that see and ears that hear, and only the holy spirit is capable of dragging anyone to Christ, it is of utmost importance that we do not go overboard and withdraw ourselves from our calling to let our light shine in this dark world.

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

As a Babylonian minister pointed out when I was in the World Wide Church of God, it takes very little spiritual power to be a spiritual fog horn. You can play the radio on a car all night long, and in the morning the battery will still crank the car, because it takes very little power to make a noise. But if you leave the lights on for only a couple of hours, it can completely drain a new battery simply because it takes much more spiritual power to “let your light so shine before men” than it takes to be a clanging brass preaching to people who have been given neither eyes to see nor ears to hear.

If we simply follow in Christ’s footsteps and “do the things [He said] to do” we will be the light we are commanded to be, and we will attract plenty of attention from those before whom we are being made a spectacle.

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

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

Just follow faithfully in Christ’s footsteps, and God will cause those in whose lives He has been working to seek you out as they sought out our Lord. So be a light, and be patient to do the things Christ has commanded us to do, and He will send you others to whom you can indeed be both a light and an instructor in righteousness:

I hope this serves to given you some faith and confidence in what the Lord would have you to do.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike

Mike,

Just wanted to send you an encouraging e- mail that my wife, my mother and my cousin are seeing and understanding the Truths of God that you have helped reveal to us through your website.

My wife and I are now dealing with the “coming out of Babylon” process. We attend a “Inter- denominational” church and we are both involved in ministries there. We have many friends there, and we are still praying for guidance on how to handle the situation.

Thanks for everything Mike,

D_____

P. S. Concerning Gary Amirault and the Tentmaker people, God has used many of the resources on his site to help me see many truths. But after prayer and much study of the scriptures, I have to believe Heb 13:8 and all the other’s that say the same thing.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is THE SAME yesterday today and to the ages;

Hi again D_____,

This is all very exciting. It is an honor to be given ‘eyes to see and ears to hear.” To the multitudes “it is not given.” To this day, they are unable to understand the parables of Christ. The parables of Christ, to this very day, hide the meaning of His message, “Lest [ the multitudes] be converted.”

Never allow yourselves to become discouraged because you need to be aware that you are being called to a very lonely and rejected walk with Christ. “Ye shall be hated of all men.” But the glory and rewards of our perseverance will be more than worth any rejection we might endure. Expect your “many friends” to vaporize as they learn of your new found faith. The vast majority will remain faithful to the doctrines of the harlot church. “Many are called but few are chosen” means what it says. Be ready to give an answer to him who asks you a reason for the joy that is in you, but on the other hand don’t cast your pearls before swine. These are not contradictory statements. Rather they are complimentary statements. God will indeed give you the wisdom to make it through this trial. It will be a growing experience which will prepare you to be a light to others.

I am pleased that you see the depth of the Truth of Heb 13:8. Christ is indeed the same yesterday, today and forever.

Stay in touch D_____. Let me know how you are doing.

Mike