Revelation 20:7-10 When the 1,000 Years are Expired, Part 1

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
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.
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.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Introduction

In our last study we learned that Satan was placed under house arrest for “a thousand years” and was not permitted to deceive the nations during that time. This week we will see that “when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.”

As always we are reminded that these are not words only for those who will some day be living on this earth “when the thousand years are expired”, but that “this generation will not pass before all these things shall be fulfilled” (Mat 24:34), and that two thousand years ago we were told, “Keep the things written therein, for the time is at hand.”

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

With all of this in mind, let’s go to Matthew 24, and observe how Christ’s prophecy for “this generation” parallels this portion of this revelation of Jesus Christ within us.

Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
Mat 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
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.
Mat 24:25  Behold, I have told you before.
Mat 24:26  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, [he is] in the secret chambers; believe [it] not.
Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:28  For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
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.
Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

“My words shall not pass away.” It is Christ Himself who tells all His disciples of all time, “this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” It is Christ Himself who tells us “My words will never pass away”, and it is Christ Himself who tells us that this includes “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Notice how this all accords with “the supper of the great God” in Revelation 19.

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 19:18  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.

Here in Revelation 19 we see an angel inviting the fowls of the heaven to eat the flesh of horses and them that ride on them at the supper of the great God, and here in Matthew 24 Christ is telling us that “the eagles will be gathered together wheresoever the carcase is.” “The dream is one” (Gen 41:25).

Since Christ tells us…

Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

… and then He tells us:

Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

When we put Matthew 24:34-35 together with Revelation 1:3, 22:6-7 and 18-19, what does this tell us concerning this period called “a thousand years”? Here are those verses in Revelation:

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

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings [are] faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed [is] he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Our permissive spirit always asks ‘which things written in this book are we to keep’, hoping to somehow avoid “keeping [all] the things written therein.” ‘Surely’, reasons our natural mind, ‘the things written therein (Rev 1:3) and the sayings of the prophecy of this book (Rev 22:6-7), do not include the seven last plagues, or this thousand years of being reigned over by God’s elect, or this thing called the lake of fire. Surely God is not saying that all men live by even these words!’

Well, if that is the case, then all these verses are bald face lies:

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

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

These words are all true, they have “never passed away”, and the reason “all things present and to come are ours” is because the words of Christ are themselves Christ, who in Truth “is, was and will be… the Word of God.”

That being said, however, the elect do not experience the actual lake of fire, which “is the second death” because we are assured:

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.

And…

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The elect ARE found in the book of life, so they are not cast into the lake of fire. The lake of fire, which is the second death, has no power over them and cannot hurt the Lord’s elect:

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Not that we don’t experience ‘fiery trials’ during our life in the flesh, but the experience called the ‘lake of fire’ is for those whose names were not found in the book of life.

What does all of this tell us about this period called “a thousand years”?

Is “a thousand years” literal?

This is a “signified” book:

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

However, it is a period of time, and that is what it signifies. It does not signify the Lord’s creatures or their actions, good or bad. It signifies a literal period of time.

The first thing we need to establish is the Biblical and spiritual signification of the number ‘one thousand.’ One thousand is ten to the third power; 10 x 10 x 10. We have seen in our earlier studies on the spiritual meaning of numbers in scripture that the number 10 is the Biblical symbol for our flesh at its worst and at its very best. God enumerated exactly ten nations in Canaan which He would give to Israel when He brought them out of Egypt. It was Joseph’s ten brothers who sold him into Egypt. There were ten plagues upon Egypt which brought Pharaoh, the Biblical type of our sinful flesh, to let Israel leave Egypt. God gave Israel the ten commandments in the wilderness to govern their actions in bodies of flesh. There were ten rebellions while in the wilderness by Israel against their own savior. One thousand is this number ten, the number of our flesh, to the third power. Ten is our flesh, and three is the number of the process of our judgment. As such, one thousand years is the spiritual symbol for the judgment of our flesh at its very best.

Spiritual Significance of the Number Ten

Numbers in Scripture: Three – the Process of Spiritual Completion Through Judgment

What do we find when God judges our flesh at its zenith? What we discover is that flesh, at its zenith, at its very best, is still corruption and rebellion against a pure, spiritual heavenly Father and His Christ.

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

So that is what all these verses concerning God’s sovereignty in “all things, things present and things to come” is telling us. They are declaring to us that God is working in our lives, and what He is telling us is that this “thousand years” is part of that “one event to all men.” What these verses are telling us is that “the time is at hand for us to keep [this] thousand years.” What they are telling us is that the phrase “a thousand years” signifies and is used by the holy spirit in this prophecy as a symbol of something “which must shortly be done” in our lives, and which we all will “shortly… keep” and do “for the time is at hand.”

What exactly is the spiritual significance of this thing called “a thousand years” or in theological jargon, “the millennium?” What takes place during this time when our flesh is being brought to its zenith, just before its destruction.

The first thing we need to realize concerning this symbol is what it is not. It is not a time when God will save this world. Rather, it is the time that sets up our flesh, and all flesh, for its own destruction. For God to be saving anyone, He has, throughout His Word revealed that being an overcomer requires “the wicked one… the tempter” to be overcome, as our Lord overcame him.

Mar 1:12  And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
Mar 1:13  And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

1Jn 2:13  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1Jn 2:14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

It is only through the fiery trials from the Adversary himself, that the Christ is tried. There is no such opportunity during the thousand years because Satan is hedged out of those lives during this time. When we begin to mature, “think it not strange concerning the fiery trials” which we must encounter to overcome the wicked one. He is released upon us at this time, and he will overcome us, before we are resurrected with our Lord and called up to heaven to sit with Him in His Father’s throne.

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:

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

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

Only after all this has been done “in the same hour… a great earthquake” takes place within us, and we are then qualified to be “seated with Christ in the heavens.” This earthquake is the time of the destruction of our flesh so we can be “saved by fire” through that very destruction and through that death.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

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

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Here is the account of that destruction of all flesh and the institution of the lake of fire which will be used by God to show mercy to, and to “save by fire”, all men, excluding those who were chosen to be God’s elect as they have already gone through their fire. Their fire is NOT the lake of fire, but what Peter calls our ‘fiery trials’; the fire being the purification by God’s word.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
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.
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.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11  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.
Rev 20:12  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.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

There is no “lake of fire” for us who are being judged at this time, as our experience is called fiery trials, and it behooves us to follow a ‘pattern of sound words’.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

“For the time is come” means “because the time is come that through suffering as a Christian, judgment must begin at the house of God.” There will be no “suffering as a Christian” taking place during the “thousand years”, and there will be no “judgment beginning at the house of God” during the thousand years, because Satan will be imprisoned, under the seal and the chain of the word of God. He will be under house arrest, in the bottomless pit, or abussos, of the carnal mind of our flesh. This is true also for the lake of fire as Satan himself is being purified in the lake of fire, so he is not doing the work he does now as an adversary in our lives. None of the necessary principles, ingredients or elements needed to produce or purify overcomers in this age is in place during the thousand-year reign nor in the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death. During the thousand-year reign there is no “wicked one [to] overcome.” The “wicked one” is imprisoned in the so-called ‘bottomless pit’ during the thousand-year reign:

1Jn 2:13  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1Jn 2:14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

Being an ‘overcomer’ is an essential factor for qualifying for having a part in the first resurrection and ruling with Christ over the nations of this world for a thousand years.

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

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

Therefore, since those who live in bodies of flesh and blood during the thousand-year reign cannot possibly be in the one and only “blessed and holy… first resurrection” of life which occurs at the beginning of the thousand-year reign of “our Lord and His Christ.” Everyone who lives in bodies of flesh and blood during that time will be raised up at “the resurrection of judgment… white throne judgment/ lake of fire/ second death.”

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; [At the beginning of the thousand year reign, (Rev 20:6)] and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. [Greek: ‘krisis’, judgment]

Rev 20:11  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.
Rev 20:12  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.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [“the resurrection of life” a thousand years earlier] was cast into the lake of fire.

The only part the elect have in the thousand-year reign is rulership with Christ. They are not ruled over with a rod of iron for a thousand years. The words which the spirit uses to distinguish those in the resurrection of life from those in the resurrection of judgment should be the words we use also.

Here is a list of the phrases used by the holy spirit to make clear this distinction:

1) “Resurrection of life” at the beginning of the thousand year reign versus “resurrection of judgment” at the “great white throne judgment” (Joh 5:28-29, Rev 20:11)

 2) “Judgment… now” versus “white throne judgment” after one-thousand year reign (1Pe 4:17 and Rev 20:11)

3) “Numbered 144,000” versus “a great multitude which no man could number” (Rev 7:4 and Rev 7:9

4) “A manchild who was to rule the nations” versus “The woman [who] fled into the wilderness” (Rev 12:5 and Rev 12:14)

5) “The dead which die in the Lord” versus “gathering the clusters of the vine of the earth” (Rev14:13, Rev 14:18)

6) “They that are called to the marriage supper of The Lamb” versus “the supper of the great God” (Rev19:9. Rev 19:17).

7) “They that have part in the blessed and holy first resurrection” versus “whosoever was not found written in the book of life”.

The righteous overcomers are always mentioned first. It is they who are raised first because they are dying first and being judged first. Their resurrection is separated by a thousand years from the resurrection of judgment of those who are not dying in this present age and who are not being judged in this present age.

In our next study we will discover when physical Israel will be saved and we will see why the Lord had to rule the world for a thousand years before releasing Satan to deceive the world again.

Ezekiel 30:1–26 A Lament For Egypt

[Study Aired September 2, 2024]

Introduction

Today’s study continues with the prophecy against Egypt which focuses on her destruction, and that of her allies and confederate, and all her interests and concerns.  As indicated in the previous study, Egypt is a symbol of Babylon of which we were part of during our sojourn in the physical churches of this world. This is made clearer later in the chapter when the Lord mentioned that He will give the land of Egypt to the King of Babylon.

Egypt also refers to our walk when we were dominated by our flesh as we  conform to the standards of this world. The chapter gives details of the judgement of Egypt and her cities which is our judgement. This evil experience of the Lord’s judgement that we go through in this life is to drag us to know Him. We can therefore learn from this chapter that the Lord’s ways are not our ways. This is to assure us that in the midst of all that we are going through in this life as we wonder why things happen the way they do, the Lord is at work in us to bring us to an expected end!!

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 
Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

The Sword Shall Come Upon Egypt

Eze 30:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 
Eze 30:2  Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! 
Eze 30:3  For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen. 
Eze 30:4  And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down. 
Eze 30:5 Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.  

The word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel in verse 1 is the same as Christ coming to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

As indicated in 2 Thessalonians 2:8, the coming of the Lord to us is accompanied by His judgement of our old man. Verses 2 to 4 affirms to us the judgement of the Lord when He come to us with His words. The day of the Lord is the time of the Lord’s judgement. A cloudy day in verse 2 means a gloomy day and that day being the time of the heathen means that it is a time of trouble for our old man who is signified by the heathen. Why is the day of the Lord a gloomy day? It is because the Lord is taking us through an evil experience which brings us to our wits ends. During this period, it is as if our Lord is not with us or has forsaken us. That is what it means when our sun is darkened in the day of the Lord. This is what Peter has to say about the day of the Lord:

Act 2:19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Act 2:20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The moon turning into blood implies that through the Lord’s judgement, we come to see that our mother (moon), which represents the churches of this world, are rather putting us to death spiritually just as they had put to death physically, the Lord’s messengers.

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

It is during this period of our fiery trials that when we call on the name of the Lord, we are saved.

Psa 107:12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Psa 107:13  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 
Psa 107:15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

As indicated in the previous study, we came to the conclusion that when our walk with the Lord is dominated by our flesh or old man, then we are just like the people of the world or Egyptians. In verse 4, the sword coming upon Egypt is the Lord judging us as we walk in the flesh. In this case, the Lord is using the sword as His instrument of judgement. Here in verse 4 and 5, Egypt together with Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia and Chub are all being judged. To understand why these nations are being judged together with Egypt, we are given a clue in verse 5 which says that all these nations are in league with Egypt. In other words, Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia and Chub all exhibit the traits of worldliness associated with Egypt. All these nations therefore represent our flesh which must be destroyed through the sword.  The sword on a positive note means the word of the Lord.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

The negative aspect of sword used in verse 5 refers to words that are spoken which destroy us. The sword refers to the lying words and false doctrines of the adversary.

2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Psa 64:2  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
Psa 64:3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

These negative words spoken is one of the tools that the Lord uses to judge us.

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

Jdg 7:22 And the three hundred [men with Gideon] blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host [of the Midianites]: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

Eze 30:6  Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 30:7  And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted. 
Eze 30:8  And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed. 
Eze 30:9 In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh. 

In verse 6, we are told that they that uphold Egypt shall fall. This means that our old man which is the source of all worldliness including pride shall be destroyed through the Lord’s judgement. The towers of Syrene is a border town of Egypt on the frontier of Ethiopia. The fact that the destruction stretches up to the towers of Syrene means that the Lord will do a thorough work with our old man such that nothing of our old man shall be left untouched. In this case, the instrument of the Lord’s judgement is the sword which is the fire of the word of the Lord which brings about tribulation and persecution because of the word we have received.

Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 

The Lord judgement shall utterly destroy our old man as revealed in verse 7 where our old man shall be desolate and wasted. It is through this evil experience that we shall come to know the Lord. As we have indicated in previous studies, cities can represent churches and in this case, Babylon.

Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Rev 18:9  And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

The destruction of the cities in verse 7 therefore refers to the destruction of Babylon within our hearts and minds. In verse 8, we are told that all the helpers of Egypt shall be destroyed. These helpers are the churches of this world or Babylon which strengthen our old man. The destruction of these helpers therefore refers to the ruin of Babylon within us.

The messengers coming forth in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid symbolize the false apostles in Babylon who peddle the gospel as they come with messages which make us afraid and bring pain. All of this happened to us when we were in Babylon which is symbolized here as Ethiopia.

Joe 2:3  A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
Joe 2:4  The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
Joe 2:5  Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
Joe 2:6  Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 
Joe 2:7  They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march everyone on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
Joe 2:8  Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk everyone in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
Joe 2:9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

Eze 30:10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon. 
Eze 30:11  He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land: and they shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain. 
Eze 30:12  And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken it. 
Eze 30:13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. 

In verse 10, the Lord is saying that He will use Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, to bring an end to Egypt. That is to say that the Lord will use our time in Babylon as the occasion that He is seeking to come and judge us to destroy the source of worldliness (Egypt) within us. In verse 11, we are made aware that the evil experience that we go through in Babylon which entails being inundated with false doctrines, symbolized by Babylon drawing their sword against us, brings us to spiritual death. These false doctrines are propagated by these false teachers and prophets.

2Pe 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
2Pe 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

In verse 12, selling the land into the hand of the wicked means our bodies become dominated by our flesh or old man. Through the Lord’s judgement, our rivers become dry, which implies that the Lord shall destroy our false doctrines. Our land being waste means that our old man or flesh shall be destroyed. Verse 13 continues to emphasize the destruction of our idols and images which represents our false doctrines, together with our old man. As the Lord takes us through this process of judgement, our old man or flesh become apprehensive or fearful, knowing his time is short.

Eze 30:14  And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No. 
Eze 30:15  And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No. 
Eze 30:16 And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily. 

The names of these cities of Egypt which the Lord is dealing with through His judgement reveal the characteristics of His judgement. Pathros means part of Egypt. What this means is that the Lord’s judgement is a process which is carried out in parts. In the Book of Revelation, we see that our judgement is carried out in parts as shown in the following verses:

Rev 8:8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

Zoan was the dwelling place of Pharoah at the time of the exodus of Israel and the city of No means disrupting. Thus, in verse 14, the Lord is telling us that the seat of our old man or flesh symbolized by Pharoah, and everything within us that disrupt the kingdom of the Lord from being established within us shall be destroyed with the fire of the word of the Lord as He carries out His judgement gradually.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

In verse 15, the Lord will pour out His fury upon Sin, a city in eastern Egypt which serves as the strength of Egypt. The Lord will also cut off the multitude of No. Sin means thorny or clay. We know from the scriptures that thorns spiritually represent false doctrines.

Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

As indicated, No which is a city in Egypt means disrupting and therefore the multitude of No signify those false apostles whose message disrupt the kingdom of the Lord from being established in us. What verse 15 is telling us is that both the false doctrines in our heavens which represent the strength of our old man or flesh and these false apostles who propagate these false doctrines shall be dealt with through the Lord’s judgement or fury. In other words, we shall see who these false apostles really are and therefore, shall not influence us again.

The Lord setting fire in Egypt, in verse 16, signifies the Lord coming to us to destroy our old man with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. The Lord’s judgement shall destroy everything including the false doctrines in our heavens. It is instructive to note that in verse 16, Noph is mentioned as being distress daily as the Lord sets fire in Egypt. Noph is another name for Memphis which was the capital city of Egypt and it means presentability. What this implies is that being presented to the Lord as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord is through the Lord’s judgement and that this work is done daily in our lives. As a result, we die daily to the things of the flesh.

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

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

Eze 30:17  The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity. 
Eze 30:18  At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity. 
Eze 30:19 Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I am the LORD. 

The city of Aven in Egypt means trouble or sorrow. The young men of Aven therefore refer to the Lord’s elect who are going through trouble or sorrow as a result of the evil experience of the Lord’s judgement. Pibeseth signifies mouth of loathing which represents our old man or flesh who blaspheme against the Lord. We were all blasphemers but as we fall by the sword of the Lord’s judgement, we become counted as faithful.

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 
1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

Tehaphnehes means “thou will fill hands with pity”. What verse 18 is telling us is that even as the Lord judges our old man and our day become darkened, He will show us pity and not tempt us to a point that we cannot bear.

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

Through the Lord’s judgement, the Lord shall break the yoke of our flesh as He takes his strength away.  In verse 18, we are also told that cloud shall cover Egypt as her daughters are taken into captivity. The cloud covering Egypt means that the world is shielded from the Sun who signifies Christ. We, His elect, are the cloud of witnesses which are shielding Christ from being seen by the world and Babylon. That is why the whole world and our brothers and sisters in Babylon are in captivity of the devil.

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

It is when someone recognizes us as ambassadors of Christ that the Sun or Christ is unveiled to that person.

Luk 13:35  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

In verse 19, the Lord is assuring us that through His judgement we shall come to know the Lord.

Egypt Shall Fall to Babylon

Eze 30:20  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 30:21  Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword. 
Eze 30:22 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. 

The number eleven signifies the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh and that of seven speaks of the completion of the perfection of the flesh. The number one shows us that everything is of God. With this in mind, the eleventh year in the first month of the seventh day of the month in which the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in verse 20 signifies that what the Lord is coming to tell us relates what He is doing regarding the ruin and disintegration of our flesh and that this destruction only takes place after our sins are complete before Him. In this case, the sins of Pharoah the King of Egypt, who represents our flesh or old man have become complete. Our sins being complete is the same as our sins reaching the heavens. In the Book of Revelation, it is when the sins of Babylon have reached its fulness or become complete that the Lord shall come to judge her.

Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Rev 18:6  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.  

In verses 21 and 22, the Lord is showing us what He is doing through the judgement of our old man. As we have indicated, Pharoah, King of Egypt symbolizes our old man or flesh. Here in verse 21, the Lord is saying that the arms of Pharoah is broken and that it shall not bound up to be healed and that it shall never be strong again to hold the sword. This verse is telling us that through the Lord’s judgement, our old man or flesh is destroyed, such that he cannot come back to haunt us with the sword or his false doctrines. In verse 22, the destruction of our old man involves the demolition of the works of the flesh (his arms) and his strength which deals with His ability to influence us. The  annihilation of our old man or flesh also involves making the sword to fall out of his hands which signifies the destruction of the false doctrines in our heavens.

What is shown here about the destruction of our old man or flesh through the Lord’s judgement is the same as what is shown in the Book of Daniel about Daniel’s vision. In the vision about the four beasts which together represent the whole of our old man or flesh, we can see that it was through judgement that his dominion is taken away and given to the Lord’s elect.

Dan 7:17  These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 
Dan 7:18  But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever.

Dan 7:26  But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 
Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 

Eze 30:23  And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. 
Eze 30:24  And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man. 
Eze 30:25  But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt. 
Eze 30:26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I am the LORD. 

In verse 24, the Lord is saying that it is He who strengthens the arms of the king of Babylon to make Pharoah groan of a deadly wound. Spiritually, what this verse is saying is that it is in Babylon or the physical churches of this world that the beast or our old man is given a deadly wound. However, as we see in the Book of Revelation, this deadly wound becomes healed.

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

In verse 25, we are made aware that it is the Lord who has strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon as He put His sword in his hand. At the same time, the arms of Pharoah shall fall down. We can see in verse 25 that it is the Lord who has caused Babylon to be strengthened with resources and has given them false doctrines (sword) to accomplish His purpose of keeping the multitude in the world (Egypt) including Babylon from getting to know the truth and be saved in this age.

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:
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

On the other hand, as the Lord’s elect, the Lord has given the king of Babylon to rule over us for a period of time. It is this period of our walk in Babylon that the Lord uses as the occasion to come into our lives with His judgement to destroy the works of our old man or flesh within us which is symbolized by the arms of Pharoah falling down as the king of Babylon stretches His sword against the land of Egypt in verse 25.

The Egyptians being scattered among the nations in verse 23 and 26 is the Lord breaking down the flesh or our old man such that he cannot be gathered together to become a force to reckon with in the lives of His elect. That is how we get to know the Lord as we serve Him.

Psa 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 

Dan 12:1-13  O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end

[Study Aired June 13, 2024]

Dan 12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 
Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 
Dan 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 
Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 
Dan 12:5  Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 
Dan 12:6  And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 
Dan 12:7  And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 
Dan 12:8  And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Dan 12:9  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 
Dan 12:10  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 
Dan 12:11  And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 
Dan 12:12  Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 
Dan 12:13  But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. 

Daniel, like all the prophets of old, were used by God to “shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end”, and it was for the elect’s sake that God ordained it to be so (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11, 2Co 4:15-16). 

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come [the process of judgment upon all the sins of the world that are within us and must be ruled over through Christ (Joh 1:29) in order to fulfill God’s will  (1Jn 2:16-17)] .

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish [1Co 15:31], yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

In order for us to faint not, our outward man must perish and “the inward man is [be] renewed day by day” as we die daily (1Co 15:31). God is accomplishing this in the lives of “every one that shall be found written in the book” (Dan 12:1) by the faith of Christ (Php 2:12-13) which is given to the church that must be tried in fiery trials (Col 1:24, Act 14:22) in order to perfect that faith of Christ within us (Luk 22:32,  1Pe 1:7). We are immeasurably blessed to learn and know that the trials God gives us build up the church and not tear it down as He brings us to our safe haven (Psa 107:30). When we feel sore pressed on every side through judgment, God will intervene and deliver us after we are brought to our wits’ end, and then with the comfort He provides through the trial we will be able to comfort others, building up the body of Christ (Mat 16:18, 2Co 1:4, Joh 8:36, Rom 8:35-39).

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

It is through Christ and Christ alone that those seals of judgment can be opened and endured by those who are called to this narrow and strait way (Mat 7:13-14) that brings with it the strength of Christ (Php 4:13) and the promises of God that tell us we won’t faint in the day of adversity (Pro 24:10, Php 4:13), because God is faithful to hear and deliver His people (Luk 18:1, Luk 18:8, 1Pe 4:19, Rev 5:5, Php 1:6).

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].

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof [Php 2:12-13].

God wants us to focus on all these exceedingly great and precious promises that He’s given us which speak of our hope of glory within (Col 1:27, Rom 8:24). Christ is making a way for us to obtain the extra oil of God’s word, supplied through the church, through the trials of our faith, through the adversities of life God has promised will not prevail against the church, but rather will be the means (Rom 8:28) by which we will be able to go onto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32, Luk 7:22, Heb 6:1, Mat 17:23).

Being confident of these promises and the work of grace through faith we’re experiencing through Christ unto salvation (Eph 2:8) is very much what this last chapter of Daniel is all about, starting with the first verse that sets the stage for these final prophecies of Daniel that are filled with  promise and hope for the body of Christ.

Dan 12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 

Michael standing up (Psa 24:3, Mal 3:2, Rev 6:17) represents the angels or messengers of God who experience God being mindful of them (Psa 8:3-4, Psa 111:5, Heb 2:6) by way of the holy spirit, the comforter that will strengthen them and see them through “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time” (Mat 24:20-22). Michael therefore represents our hope of glory within Jesus Christ (Col 1:27, Rom 8:9).

Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:

Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Psa 8:3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 
Psa 8:4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  

We are being told “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered“, and this thought parallels Christ’s own words in Matthew 24:20-22. It is simply because God is mindful of His children that they will be able to endure through whatever God has ordained for them to endure through in this life (Mat 20:23, 1Co 10:13).

Mat 24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

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

It is because God is mindful of His workmanship (Eph 2:10), the church, the little flock, that “at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” (Rev 20:12, Rev 20:4-6).

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened the books. And another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by the things having been written in the books, according to their works.

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

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

All men will hear His voice in the order which God has ordained (1Co 15:22-25), and it can only be in one of two resurrections; “unto the resurrection of life” or “unto the resurrection of damnation.” This is precisely what, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt”  is a prophecy of.

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

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

Figuratively speaking, we are Christ’s feet that are first washed (Eph 5:30, Joh 13:8-10, 1Co 15:22-25) before the rest of the world, and so we read, “he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet” (1Co 15:25). This is the order of how all men will be saved, 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 [during the thousand year reign of the saints and right into the lake of fire, great white throne judgment] For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet [His feet being “the general assembly and church of the firstborn” who will be God’s threshing tool (Heb 12:23-24, Isa 41:14-16)].

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

Joh 13:8  Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. [the elect are washed first so we can have a part in God’s plan of salvation (Oba 1:21)]
Joh 13:9  Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 
Joh 13:10  Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 
1Co 15:24  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. 
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

Isa 41:14  Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 41:15  Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.
Isa 41:16  Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Dan 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

It is those who were granted to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour (2Pe 3:18) who will shine “as the brightness of the firmament.” The firmament represents the mind of Christ we have now within our hearts and minds, because of our heavens being cleansed (1Co 2:16, Joh 17:17, Heb 9:23). With that mind of Christ we will be able to save ourselves and those who hear us (1Ti 4:16).

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 

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

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

In time, all mankind will hear the manifest knowledge of God made known through the church who are likened to “the stars for ever and ever” (Rev 1:20) who will be used to “turn many to righteousness“, meaning all of humanity to righteousness (Oba 1:21).

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 

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. 

Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 

Daniel is not given to know the truth of these prophecies, and so his book is closed as opposed to, “and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book” of Danil 12:1. The seals of the book are open now for God’s elect which describe the detailed process of judgment God’s people must go through in order to make the bride ready (Act 14:22, Rev 21:2, Rev 19:7).

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. 

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

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

“Thy people are delivered” because God will send His word and heal the elect in this age, so that we in turn will be sent as Christ was sent to us to heal the nations (Psa 107:20-22, Joh 20:21-22, Joh 3:16-17, Oba 1:21).

Psa 107:20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 

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

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 

Joh 20:22  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

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. 

The “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” represents the many called (Mat 22:14), ever searching but not able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2Ti 3:7). Part of the increase of physical knowledge is the increase in understanding historical events of history via the anti-types of Christ. However, by not connecting that reality of the spiritual anti-types to the spiritual type in Christ, leaves the searcher of truth ever searching and not able to come to the knowledge of truth (2Ti 2:24-26). This is a key to the kingdom that keeps the masses that are searching for Christ, blinded (Act 26:15-18), and as Christ said, it’s not that the many called don’t want to know these truths, it’s simply that it has not been given to them to know the truth, but it is given to God’s children whose eyes and ears have been blessed to be opened first (Mat 13:17-19).

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

2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth [Mat 13:13].

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 
2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [Joh 6:44]
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, [Daniel in particular as we’re learning] and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Mat 13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Dan 12:5  Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 
Dan 12:6  And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 
Dan 12:7  And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Dan 12:8  And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Dan 12:9  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 

Daniel then sees two men standing on either side of the river and a man clothed in linen upon the waters. The “man clothed in linen” represents Christ who is in our midst as we live and move and have our being within Him (Act 17:28). The word one is not in the original text of Daniel 12:6 so it is Daniel who asks the question, “And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” The two men on either side of the bank of the river represent the two witnesses who represent the elect, and the man on the water typifies Christ being clothed in linen, and His answer to Daniel about the wonders he is seeing describes for God’s elect who have ears to hear, that it is by Christ’s relationship with our Father, and our relationship with them both, that these wonders can be understood (Joh 14:20). The man on the water “held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever” because it is Christ who must intercede for us to be able to then fulfill what is said next “that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” This “time, times, and an half” is the time of our ministry on this earth which is Christ’s ministry being performed through the elect (Rev 11:1-3, Php 2:12-13). Daniel heard the words, but he did not understand, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?” Again we are reminded of how blessed we are to have eyes that see and ears that hear what Christ is saying in the midst of the church (Eph 3:10). Daniel’s time will come when he will know and understand, but at this point he was prophesying for us and was told “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.“

Dan 12:10  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 

Dan 12:10  Till a number are tested and make themselves clean; and the evil-doers will do evil; for not one of the evil-doers will have knowledge; but all will be made clear to those who are wise. (BBE)

‘Many’ can both be seen as a larger or smaller number of people. We know there is an innumerable multitude spoken of in the book of Revelation, and that would be “many”, but the symbolic number of 144,000 which can be numbered, and represents the elect, is still ‘many’ throughout the ages who have been called and chosen and remained faithful to the end. In other words, “Till a number are tested” (Dan 12:10 BBE) or “many shall be purified” (Rev 17:14).

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.

Going through a process of judgment in order to “be purified, and made white, and tried” is what those who are “called, and chosen, and faithful” of Revelation 17:14 will experience in this life. It is those trials that will help us learn obedience in this life and help us understand the will of God that transforms our thinking and brings our thoughts into subjection to Christ (2Ti 2:12, Tit 2:12). Those who despise God’s chastening are spoken of with these words, “but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand.“

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; [Heb 12:6]

Dan 12:11  And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 
Dan 12:12  Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 

The abomination of desolation being set up in the temple of God for 1290 days represents the man of perdition or beast on the throne of every man’s heart, and the number 12 represents our fleshly foundation in this case, which must be judged (9). The way this judgment is accomplished is by God’s hand (1), and our flesh is made manifest and witnessed against for what it is (2), through His judgment (9), the knowledge of sin being made known by the law that judges us (Rom 3:20).

Those who endure to the end will be saved in this life (Mat 24:13) and what we must be blessed to endure is the complete judgment of God’s wrath poured out upon us (Rev 15:8). Enduring through His wrath against our old man is symbolized by those who “waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” These are those who not only fall on the stone and are broken but also, “on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” of Matthew 21:44.

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

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

The 45 days beyond 1290 days that take us to 1335 reveals symbolic numbers that herald back to the point that God’s elect must go through a process of judgment, in order to “be purified, and made white, and tried.” Starting with number 45, we see it is the whole (4) of the elect who will be saved by grace through faith (5) and the numbers 4+5 add up to 9 which is the number that represents the judgment which we must endure to the end. 

These judgments are what are needed to form the patience and faith of the saints, by which we can possess our souls (Luk 21:19). The number 1335 represents the means by which God’s workmanship will be completed within those who have been predestined to that work in this life. The (1) represents God who is doing the work in us through Christ, the two (3)’s are a witness that it is Christ who is carrying out the process of judgment within us (Php 2:12-13) that will enable us to be saved by grace through faith, the number (5).

Dan 12:13  But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Daniel had to be a patient man (Jas 5:10) being given all this knowledge and wisdom and prophecy and yet was told  “go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.“

Jas 5:10  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

To “stand in thy lot at the end of the days” is coming up in the second resurrection, great white throne judgment. The prophets patiently enduring through so many trials in this life is the reason why they will have fewer stripes in the lake of fire, but every man’s works, including Daniel’s and John the baptist’s, and all of humanity, must be tried with fire (1Co 3:13-15, Mar 9:49-50)

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Mar 9:49  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Mar 9:50  Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

Revelation 7:1-3 – Part 5, What Hurts the Earth, Sea and Trees?

[Study Aired June 2, 2024]

Rev 7:1  And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Rev 7:2  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Introduction

We will look at the scriptures which show us what trees represent in the scriptures first. The main question we will address today is, exactly what is it that hurts the earth, sea and trees, and we will ask why are the four angels told to wait “till we have sealed the servants of our God” in their foreheads? We are plainly told that it is “the four angels, to whom it is given to hurt the earth and the sea.” We saw in our previous study that those four angels represent the whole of God’s spirit, and the whole of the spiritual realm, working with and upon the ‘four corners’ or the whole of ‘the earth’, His physical creatures, the sons of Adam. We saw that ‘four’ or ‘the whole’ is symbolic of God as “the father of [all] spirits.”

Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

The scriptures make it clear that God uses both good and evil spirits to both trouble and to bless His creation, and they also make clear that whether that creation is being troubled or blessed, it is all working together for the good of all in the end.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

What is it that judges us all?

So the “four spirits” are the whole of God’s spirit realm, and we are told by Christ that realm is dealt with and sustained “by the word of His power.”

Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

What is that “word of His power?”

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

Psa 148:7  Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
Psa 148:8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

So it is these very words which we are studying which will “hurt the earth, and the sea, and the trees.” Why do these words “hurt” God’s creation? The reason is that “judgment is upon the house of God”, and that judgment is a “fiery trial.”

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

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

These words are spirit and life, but they are also fiery words which are judging us at this very moment.

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

“Judgment must begin at us… for the time is at hand.” What happens at this point in our walk? We need to count the cost and know what happens when we discover that we all have to eat these words and live these words and realize that the flesh and the outward “profit nothing.” Here is what happened when Christ revealed that His Words, “every word”, was spirit and life which must be eaten and drunk as His flesh and His blood.

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

What a well-numbered chapter and verse – 6:66! Remember that; when you come to the point of understanding that Christ’s words are not to be understood as outward, physical words, but they are to be understood as inward spiritual words, your own flesh and the flesh of all men will “go back and walk no longer with our Lord.”

So let’s first ask…

What is the spiritual significance of trees in scripture?

The first time this word ‘tree’ appears in scripture is in Genesis 1:11 as part of the creation narrative.

Gen 1:11  And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

Here is Strong’s definition of the Hebrew word which is often translated as ‘tree’ in the Old Testament.

H6086
e ts
ates
From H6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence wood (plural sticks): –  + carpenter, gallows, helve, + pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood.

Notice that the Lord caused “the fruit tree” to be “brought forth… upon the earth.” Where did Adam and Eve go to hide themselves after they disobeyed God? They went where we all go when we simply “cannot hear” Christ’s Word.

Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

Yes, Adam and Eve were the only two people on earth at that time, but we will now see that scripture reveals trees are simply one more type of God’s Adamic creation, and Adam and Eve hiding themselves among the trees of the garden is just a type of our own sheepish instinct to hide among great numbers of men when we cannot yet receive the words of our Lord.

Look at how this word is used in the words of prophecy:

Son 2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit [was] sweet to my taste.

Jer 17:7  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
Jer 17:8  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

How does prophecy refer to men who place their trust in their own flesh and take God’s glory to themselves?

Isa 7:2  And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind [“The four winds of heaven… the four winds of the earth”].

Christ Himself is called “the tree of life”:

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.

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.

How easy it is for God to effectuate change on this earth when He declares that it is time to do so. “The heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.” That is what we are studying today. We are being told that God uses His spirit to move in the hearts and minds of His people. Back to the meaning of the word ‘trees’ in prophecy:

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

It is interesting to note that the word translated ‘wood’ in Jeremiah 5:14 is the same Hebrew word translated ‘tree’ in Genesis 1:11. Once again, people are trees.

Look at how Christ and the New Testament speak of us as trees:

Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

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

Jud 1:12  These [apostates] are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds [they are] without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

The fruit of the life of a righteous man, on the other hand is called “a tree of life”:

Pro 11:30  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Throughout the Bible trees are types of men, and the fruit of the trees are the works of men. Since we are to “read, hear and keep” the things written in this revelation of Jesus Christ, the trees in this prophecy are each of us, and our works are our fruit.

Later in this revelation of Jesus Christ, we will see that one of the heads of our beast within receives a “deadly wound.” However, we will find that “deadly wound is healed”, and we become a completely healthy beast once again. So it is us whose “fruit is [at our own time] withered, and we are without fruit”, and we must be “twice dead and plucked up by the roots.” This is all an ongoing ‘is, was and will be’ process within us which must continue “to the end” until the symbolic “third day.”

A sister in Christ pointed out to me that Christ was hung on a ‘tree.’

Act 10:39  And we [Peter at Cornelius’s house] are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Gal 3:13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Where is that written?

Deu 21:22  And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23  His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Realizing the spiritual meaning of a ‘tree’ makes it clear that Christ was hung upon our sins so that His blood covers our sins, and that is it “through our offenses” that He was delivered up.

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

The Greek word translated ‘for’ in both cases in this verse is not the Greek word ‘gar’, which means ‘because’. Rather, it is the Greek word ‘dia’, meaning ‘through.’ Romans 4:25 should properly be translated “Who was delivered through our offenses and was raised again through our justification.” So in a Biblical sense, Christ was delivered up and hung upon us, and it was upon us and our sinful flesh and blood that His blood was shed. He was “hung upon a tree.” In this book of symbols there are seven nations and many men within those nations. It is into that one beast that the kingdom of God, with which this book is concerned, must be established, as the King of that kingdom grows within each of us.

Here is where this word appears elsewhere in this revelation of Jesus Christ.

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

So now that we know it is the whole of the spirit of God that is given to hurt the earth and the sea, and the trees of the earth…

Why must the four spirits “wait till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads?”

Rev 7:2  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

If the “four angels standing on the four corners of the earth” are the symbol of the whole of the spirit realm under “the Father of spirits”, then who is this “other angel” who ascends from the east and commands the four angels not to blow upon or hurt the earth, the sea or the trees “till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads?” What is this seal, and why is it “in their foreheads?”

Once again, we must look “line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” to discover what the spirit is signifying with these words.

Isa 28:9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

To understand what is meant by being sealed with the seal of God in our foreheads, we must first ask…

What is the spiritual significance of one’s ‘forehead’?

Here is where the forehead is first mentioned in scripture:

Exo 28:36  And thou shalt make a plate [of] pure gold, and grave upon it, [like] the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
Exo 28:37  And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
Exo 28:38  And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

The words “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” were to be engraved in a “plate of pure gold,” and it was to always be “upon his forehead,” as a symbol of what God wanted within Aaron’s mind and spirit.

Here is how Jeremiah uses this word ‘forehead.’

Jer 3:3  Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou [Israel, God’s own people] hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

A whore is not ashamed of being a whore because her heart and mind is corrupted because she is not following the heart and mind of God. Therefore she has a whore’s forehead.

Here is how Ezekiel uses this symbolic word, forehead:

Eze 3:8  Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Eze 3:9  As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

What is it that God uses to make Ezekiel’s forehead “as an adamant harder than flint… against their foreheads?” Here is what affects our foreheads. It is in the very next verse:

Eze 3:10  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.

Here is how the holy spirit contrasts the mark of God with the mark of the beast:

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

Where is the name of the great harlot to be found?

Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

What are God’s words, “all My Words” of Ezekiel 3:10? What is it that gives us the ability to withstand all the fiery darts of the enemy? We simply cannot get away from the fact that it is God’s Words which “are spirit” which are “fire, hail: snow, and vapour; stormy wind [which all] fulfill His word.”

Psa 148:8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

Why are the four angels told to wait until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads?

It is “all My words” which we read, hear and keep through which “judgment is now on the house of God.” It is “the things which are written therein” which will fulfill all we read about in the seven trumpets and in the seven vials which are the seventh trumpet. “Every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” is part of the revelation of Jesus Christ within us all “fulfilling His word.” It must all be placed within our hearts and minds. When it is given us to receive these, His words, then we will have been sealed in our foreheads, and it is then that we can begin to receive the judgments of the revelation of Jesus Christ, which judgments are within these seven seals, trumpets and vials. Only after we have been prepared by our loving heavenly Father will the fiery trials of that judgment, which is these seals trumpets and vials, begin to be poured out upon us.

“Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” is just another way of saying that God prepares the heart of His people for every move He makes in their lives. It is in His love and consideration for our frame that He reveals nothing to us before He prepares our hearts and makes us “able to hear it.” It is in His love and mercy that he places on us none of the “fiery trials that are to try us” until after He has prepared us to bear that trial.

Mar 4:33  And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

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

The way of escape is demonstrated to be through the flood, through the prisons of Egypt, through the Red Sea, through the lion’s den, through the fiery furnace and through the death of the cross. It is wonderful comfort that we are never given Truth which we cannot bear or a trial for which we have not first been prepared to receive and endure to the end.

King David asked the Lord to prepare the hearts of His people to build Him a temple, and that is our prayer also:

1Ch 29:10  Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
1Ch 29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
1Ch 29:12  Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

1Ch 29:16  O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.
1Ch 29:17  I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
1Ch 29:18  O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Jer 12:3  But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

When we accept that God’s Word is a two-edged sword, then we will understand that “the day of slaughter… works together for good” in us as our old man dies daily and we are crucified with and buried with Christ. When we accept that “all things are ours”, that we must live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, only then does the “day of slaughter” become words of comfort in and to the new man within us. Only then can we see that the table prepared for us in the presence of our enemies is also within us.

Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

It is for all these reasons that we read:

Rev 7:2  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Summary

We have seen once again in this study that the fire that judges us all is “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” We have seen that the word ‘trees’ signifies men, mankind or Adam, upon whom God’s judgment must come. We took note that the word translated ‘tree’ is even more often translated ‘wood’, and that it is wood which the fire issuing out of  the mouth of God’s former elect burns out of His latter elect. We have seen that the word ‘forehead’ in scripture typifies and signifies what is in the hearts and minds of God’s elect. God’s elect first have the forehead of a whore, and in time that old whore is destroyed and replaced by Christ who gives us a new mark in our foreheads and in our hands. Finally, we saw that while we “keep the things written therein”, we will not keep them until we have been prepared to do so by a loving heavenly Father who will not suffer us to be given either knowledge or trials for which He does not first prepare us and for which He does not first prepare our hearts.

Next week, Lord willing, we will learn why the tribes of Ephraim and Dan are missing from the list of the twelve tribes of Israel. We will also learn why there are only 144,000 who receive the seal of God in their foreheads, but “after this” there is also “a great multitude which no man could number” who are dressed in white robes, and we will learn why there are two groups mentioned here and what the difference is between these two groups.

2Ki 19:1-18  Save us out of his hand that all may know that you are God alone

[Study Aired March 2, 2023]

2Ki 19:1  And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 
2Ki 19:2  And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 
2Ki 19:3  And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth. 
2Ki 19:4  It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. 
2Ki 19:5  So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 
2Ki 19:6  And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
2Ki 19:7  Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.
2Ki 19:8  So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 
2Ki 19:9  And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
2Ki 19:10  Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 
2Ki 19:11  Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 
2Ki 19:12  Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? 
2Ki 19:13  Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
2Ki 19:14  And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
2Ki 19:15  And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
2Ki 19:16  LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
2Ki 19:17  Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, 
2Ki 19:18  And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 
2Ki 19:19  Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.

2Ki 19:1  And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
2Ki 19:2  And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 
2Ki 19:3  And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
2Ki 19:4  It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. 

These first verses demonstrate in type and shadow the way God’s elect will react when we come to know that this is the day of the Lord for us, which is why God’s judgments are upon us (1Pe 4:17). Rending our clothes and covering ourselves with sackcloth as Hezekiah did is a symbol of how we witness to this world with a broken and contrite heart (Isa 66:2) as we fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ (Rev 11:3, Col 1:24). That time of affliction is typified by the words of Hezekiah who states, “This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.” This is true, we cannot bring forth this miraculous birth of being resurrected in the first resurrection of ourselves as Hezekiah reminded the people in type and shadow language, and yet if we are blessed to be turned to the Lord as we are humbled under His mighty hand, we will be exalted in due time by Christ who is “the resurrection, and the life” (Joh 11:25-26, Rom 5:6, 1Ti 2:6, 1Pe 5:6)

Rev 11:3 And I will be endowing My two witnesses and they will be prophesying a thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.

Rom 5:6  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 

1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 
1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Hezekiah sees and understands the somberness of the situation they are facing with king Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and sends “Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.” We need to go to the prophet to hear the word of the Lord so we can discern what God’s will is in the matter (Pro 11:14, Pro 24:6). Going to the prophet is a symbolic action from the old covenant that reminds us we must learn from each other the manifold wisdom of God as the Lord leads and inspires (Amo 3:7, Eph 3:10). 

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

Pro 24:6  For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

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

Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Hezekiah, who is a type of Christ, sends three groups clothed in sackcloth, “Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, as a symbol of how we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior (2Pe 3:18) through a process of judgment that humbles us to be as a little child in our desire to learn  (Mat 18:3). 

Eliakim (“God establishes”) is over^{H5921=steward} the king’s house symbolizing our role being about our Father’s business (Gen 41:40, Luk 2:49400;”>)
Shebna^H7644  (“grow”) is the ‘recounter’ or ‘declarer’ bringing forth the new and the old (Mat 13:52)
The elders of the priests symbolize the holy nation which we are becoming through God working in our lives (Exo 19:6, Eph 2:10)

There is humility and hope in this statement of Hezekiah who says, “It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.” This tells us we don’t just sit back and expect that we are a shoe in for the first resurrection (Php 3:11-14). Rather, we take action (“wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left“) knowing that it is Christ who is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, part of which is to “lift up thy prayer” for each other “for the remnant that are left” via “the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ” the “holy Spirit of promise” that “helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Php 2:12-13, Php 1:19-20, Eph 1:14, Rom 8:26).

Php 1:19  For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Php 1:20  According to my earnest expectation and my hope [expectation (Eph 1:14) hope (Col 1:27)], that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

2Ki 19:5  So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 
2Ki 19:6  And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
2Ki 19:7  Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

Isaiah was a major prophet of Hezekiah’s day, and these words would have been very reassuring to the king coming from someone whose track record was spotless regarding not saying something that was presumptuous in his flesh (Deu 18:22). 

Deu 18:22  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

The message to king Hezekiah is just as relevant for the body of Christ today that tells us not to fear what man can do to our flesh, but rather fear God (Luk 12:5, 1Pe 2:17, Luk 23:40, Ecc 12:13, Ecc 8:12, Rev 14:7), knowing that the battle is the Lord’s and that He will take vengeance on all our enemies, which typifies for us the spiritual destruction of our old man within which is certain to unfold as we look to Christ to accomplish this (1Sa 17:47, 2Th 2:8, Php 1:6, Heb 12:3).

We are all men and women of like passions, meaning all capable of all sin and not able to be anything other than what God has determined for us to become from the foundation of the world, and so Isaiah is used to encourage Hezekiah that he should “Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me” seeing it was for Hezekiah’s sake these thing were unfolding, just as our trials are so we may learn of God’s faithfulness through the storms (Psa 107:20-29). 

Psa 107:22  And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare his works with singing. 

Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, So that the waves thereof are still.

The miracle God’s love can produce in those with whom he is working (1Jn 4:18, Rom 5:5), is so great and powerful that we don’t even need to give thought in that day (Mat 10:19-20) when we are persecuted to the extent that God has ordained for ourselves individually in this life, knowing it will never be beyond the measure we can endure (1Co 10:13) and that the Lord will always be with us in the midst of those fiery trials (1Pe 4:12, Luk 21:17, Dan 3:25). What he does to Hezekiah’s enemies is symbolic of what He does to our old man who must be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming. “Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.” This is what happens to our sinful nature within our “own land“, meaning our own iniquities will chasten us (Jer 2:19) and our carnal nature will be destroyed “by the sword in his own land.”  The carnal part of us is being destroyed by God’s word (“the sword“ Heb 4:12), and the new creation is profiting by the knowledge of Christ that quickens us (Joh 6:63).

Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.

Elias was a man of like passions as these verses demonstrate (1Ki 19:1-3, Jas 5:17-19), and God used him as He used Peter to show that our flesh has nothing to do with being brave and strong in the Lord, but rather it is a work of God that is done by faith (Php 2:12-13), and boasting is excluded by the law of faith (Rom 3:27), a faith that of necessity must be perfected by being put through the fiery trials or much tribulation of this life that bring us to cry out to our savior,  Jesus Christ (Act 14:22, Psa 107:30).

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.

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

2Ki 19:8  So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 
2Ki 19:9  And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,
2Ki 19:10  Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 
2Ki 19:11  Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 
2Ki 19:12  Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?
2Ki 19:13  Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?

You cannot change the spots of a leopard, and so we see “Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish” (Jer 13:23), confirming that point of how the beastly nature does not go down easily and will continue to be proud and blasphemous right up to the end of our lives, which is why we must die daily and endure unto the end in order to be saved (Mat 24:13, 1Co 15:52). The king of Assyria represents that unwavering spirit of rebellion in flesh that is against the spirit (Gal 5:17) and can only be destroyed through Christ as we die daily by being baptized into His death (1Co 15:31, Rom 6:3). “Sennacherib” is a type and shadow of the god of this world who is the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2) working in and influencing the lives of leaders like “Rabshakeh” over whom Hezekiah, as type of the elect, will be more than a conqueror through God’s power (Rom 8:37). 

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

2Ki 19:14  And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.
2Ki 19:15  And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.

All of the false accusations, the persecution, the reviling, and all manner of evil that was being spoken of against Hezekiah and brought to him at the hand of the messengers so he could read it, typifies for God’s elect these verses found in Matthew 5:10-12.

Mat 5:10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 
Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The way in which we overcome those many persecutions is to cast our cares upon the Lord (1Pe 5:7) or “spread it before the LORD” who cares for us. It is our fervent prayers that avail much (Jas 5:16) as we are raised in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 2:6), symbolized by Hezekiah who “went up into the house of the LORD.“

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

“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luk 18:1), which is the example that Hezekiah, who was a type of the elect, was demonstrating for our sakes. “And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims.” It was within that prayer he acknowledged God’s sovereignty as we do, being blessed to know this truth that is being reflected in these words: “thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.” 

Christ tells us about Himself that “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Mat 28:18), and so we “pray without ceasing” (1Th 5:17) and ask God to fulfill His will “in earth, as it is in heaven” which he has all power to do so (Mat 6:10) as the fit man of Leviticus 16:21 can and will do for His body that is represented as the scapegoat taken out into the wilderness. That is the only way the new heaven and the new earth can be made and the new Jerusalem received from above (Rev 21:2), typified again by Christ controlling another beast “a colt the foal of an ass” that was ridden into Jerusalem triumphantly (Php 2:12-13, Rev 21:1, Mat 21:5, Zec 9:9). If Christ is working in our lives, our trials are going to make us stronger instead of destroy us, and what will be destroyed is the sinful Adamic nature that must be put off so that we cease from sinning (1Co 3:17, 1Pe 4:1). Christ is the only one who can set us free from sin symbolized by His strength in taking the scapegoat and donkey where they were wont to go (Mat 5:13-18, Heb 12:6, Joh 21:18)

2Ki 19:16  LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.

We are learning one of the main reasons we have enemies in this section of scripture,  answered in verse 19, which says “that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only” (Rom 9:17). God’s elect are being sacrificed for the world who are enemies of the cross (Gal 2:20), demonstrated by their love of the things of the world, called friendship with the world (Jas 4:4, 1Jn 2:15). That friendship is our former conversation of Ephesian 2:2 which witnesses to us that we are naturally against Christ when His spirit is not ruling within our heavens.

We are called to learn of God’s love that makes it possible for us to love our enemies who serve us in their unbelief, not having been given eyes that see, or ears that hear which was all of us in our appointed time (Mar 8:17-18). Those who serve the living God are blessed to come into His presence and believe that He will “bow down his ear, and hear” the prayer of his people (Heb 11:6, Rom 3:27, Mat 6:33). We are given to believe in order to do the work of God (Joh 6:28-29), as we learn that His eyes are open to what is transpiring throughout the whole earth for our sakes (2Ch 16:9, 2Co 4:15).

2Ch 16:9  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

God knows what is in the heart of every man and hears “the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God” (Gen 6:5, Mat 24:37). This blindness on the part of our enemies results in the persecution of God’s people as they seek an occasion against the flesh and bones of the Lord (Eph 5:30), and all this persecution is purposed according to the counsel of God’s will (Act 4:27-28, Eph 1:11) that brings us to our wits’ end in order to deepen our trust in Him as we cry out to our Lord for deliverance which He alone can bring (2Co 4:8-9, 2Co 1:9).

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 

2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

2Ki 19:17  Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
2Ki 19:18  And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

As previously mentioned in an earlier study of Kings, Satan tries to remind us of our days of bondage and sin which can so easily beset us, which was what Rabshakeh was doing when he boasted about all the nations Sennacherib had conquered, and Hezekiah’s acknowledgement of this truth before God typifies our acknowledgement as God’s people that we understand only God can make war with the beast (Rev 13:4) and if the beast is still ruling the roost, then Christ has not yet intervened to destroy that enemy (Joh 8:36).

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

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

Sennacherib’s casting of “their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them” are actions that can be seen as what God does to us when we have our faith purified by fiery trials, even by the wicked who are God’s sword in our lives (Psa 17:3). Every man in his own order will have all of the works of his life tried in the fire, but for the elect, that day of judgment is mercifully upon us now (1Co 3:11-16, 1Pe 4:17).

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [“their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them“]
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

2Ki 19:19  Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.

Only God can save us out of the hand of our enemies, and that is what we beseech Him to do as Christ did and was heard in that He feared (Heb 5:7, 1Jn 4:17). We are admonished to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). This is what this impassioned plea of Hezekiah typifies for God’s elect today. It is our desire to be delivered from Satan, and against the powers and principalities that are working in the heavens of all mankind (Act 4:27-28, 2Ch 16:9, Mat 10:16). God hears the cry of His people and will deliver them so that one day “all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only” (Rev 11:15, Rev 4:8-11).

Act 4:27  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,

2Ch 16:9  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. 

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

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

Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

[God sanctifies the church first, the body of Christ (Col 1:24) who acknowledge that process of holiness which comes from God with three holies, “Holy, holy, holy“, which reminds us how blessed we are to lose our life now in order to have the rest later (Act 20:35, Oba 1:21)]

Rev 4:9  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 
Rev 4:10  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

“O Jehovah our God, save thou us, I beseech thee, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou Jehovah art God alone”

Hi Mike,​

I was thinkin​g​ this morning about ​two​ verses in the bible containing the word forever​:​

​”​Behold, the man had become as one of us, to know good and evil (this was right after he died the first time), now lest he put forth his hand and eat from the tree of life and live FOREVER…”​

“…​and the devil was cast into the lake burning with fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were also, and shall be tormented day and night FOREVER AND EVER.​”​

​I wonder what God meant when he said ‘forever’​the first time. ​H​e just drove ​[Adam] out of the garden and had to live like 900 years before he died the second time. 2nd death…I​ wonder if he died in a lake of fire,​ too…long time to live in a fallen state​,​ doncha think?

​S____

Hi S​____,

Thank you for your question, about having to “die the second time” to use your words.

I think you already know the word translated ‘forever’ in Hebrew is ‘olam‘. Its Greek equivalent is ‘aion‘​ (​eon in English). Both mean a period of time of no particular length but having a definite beginning and a definite end.

With that in mind, ​please consider this verse:

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed^G606[G5736] unto men once to die^G599[G5629], but after this the judgment:

The verb ‘appointed’ is in the present tense as the [5736] indicates in e-Sword, but the verb ‘to die’ is in the aorist tense, indicating the dying process of those who are being judge​d​ at “this present time” (Rom 8:18).

No one dies twice. The loss of physical life is not considered death by Christ. It is referred to as simply being “asleep”, as Christ plainly said when He raised the 12 year old girl from being physically dead and also​ in ​the ​case of the resurrection of Lazarus:

Luk 8:50  But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
Luk 8:51  And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
Luk 8:52  And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
Luk 8:53  And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Luk 8:54  And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
Luk 8:55  And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

If we are being judged in this present time, then we are dying daily in this present time, and we are the first to do so. The only death with which scripture concerns itself is the death of our carnal-minded “old man”.

If he is ‘dying’ in this present time, then He will come up in “the first resurrection, the resurrection of life”, having already been judged and having his carnal mind burned out of him in this present time.

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [Greek: krisis – Judgment because they were not judged in this present time].

So no one dies physically twice, because judgment comes only to those who die first and are judged first:

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

If a person is not experiencing fiery trials and having his carnal mind burned up in “this present time”, then he will come up in a second group to be judged and to die to his old man in the white throne judgment, which is also called the lake of fire or the second death:

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.
Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
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.
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.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11  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.
Rev 20:12  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.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is “the second death” because of its order, because it comes only after the first death which is taking place “in this present time” for those who will come up in the first resurrection having been judged in this life.

I hope this helps you to see that no one dies twice and that the second death is a second group who must die to their carnal mind in a “lake of fire [which] is the second death.

YbiC, Mike

[Study Aired February 6, 2022]

Jer 30:13  There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.
Jer 30:14  All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
Jer 30:15  Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.
Jer 30:16  Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.
Jer 30:17  For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Jer 30:18  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.
Jer 30:19  And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
Jer 30:20  Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
Jer 30:21  And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.
Jer 30:22  And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Jer 30:23  Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.
Jer 30:24  The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

In our last study the Lord told us:

Jer 30:11  For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
Jer 30:12  For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.

This lament is repeated a second time just a few verses later in today’s study:

Jer 30:15  Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

It is of utmost significance that we take note that all this lamentation for the sad spiritual condition of our old man is for the purpose of producing the Lord’s ultimate outcome. The Lord’s goal in our lives is expressed in verse 11 of last week’s study. I will quote it again with verse 12 which connects us with today’s study:

Jer 30:11  For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.
Jer 30:12  For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.

The book of Revelation reveals that the Lord’s elect, who are being judged in this age, must endure His wrath just as those who will come up in “the resurrection of judgment”. They will also endure the wrath of God in their judgment which is called in scripture ‘the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/ second death’ (Rev 20:7-15).

Because we will “not be left altogether unpunished” we will therefore be punished for our iniquities and our sins in the very same ‘fiery words’ that will judge those who are “cast into the lake of fire”.

The last verse of our last lesson gives us the reason we will not be left altogether unpunished:

Jer 30:12  For [H3588: ‘kiy’, because] thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.

The Lord goes on to explain why our bruise is incurable, why our wound is grievous, and why our “sorrow in incurable”:

Jer 30:13  There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.
Jer 30:14  All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.
Jer 30:15  Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

“[Our] bruise is incurable… [our] wound is grievous… [our] sorrow is incurable for the multitude of [our] iniquity”. The Lord uses our own self-righteousness, which is inherent in “the vessel that He made of clay” (Jer 18:4) as the occasion He can always count on to justify His judgment of the rebellious kingdom of our self-righteous old man. It is only through the purifying flames of our destruction that we are cleansed of the corruption, rebellion, and the loathsome stench of self-righteousness that is this vessel of clay:

Psa 51:2  Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Look closely at what we just read… “[So] that you might be justified when you speak and be clear when you judge me, I have sinned against you and done this evil in your sight!” That is the very purpose for our sins and our self-righteous transgressions. Our self-righteous transgressions are as much a part of “all things” as are the “good works which God has ordained that we should walk in them”:

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

These words are written when King David had been shown his own sins by the prophet Nathan.

Psa 51:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

The Lord is showing us that our sins are first and foremost against the Lord Himself, giving Him every right to ‘make us again, another vessel as it seems right to The Potter to make us’:

Job 23:13  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. [with me]
Job 23:14  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me [both good and evil (Pro 16:4, Isa 45:7)]: and many such things are with him.

2Sa 12:9  Wherefore [Why] hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Jer 18:5  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Jer 18:6  O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

The Lord is not afraid of what we might think of Him. He makes His part in our trials very clear… “the vessel that He made of clay was marred in the hand of the Potter… I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one…” It pleases Him to bruise us, and to give us a fiery judgment and to destroy the kingdom of the enmity that is inherent in our carnal minds. It is He who brings us to our “wits’ end” before He brings us to our “desired haven”:

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

It pleases the Father to do everything “after the counsel of His own will” including ‘bruising’ our Lord and us:

Isa 53:1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
Isa 53:2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him [on us (Lev 16:10)] the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth [Rom 12:1, 1Co 15:31, Gal 2:20, Col 1:24].
Isa 53:8  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken [Col 1:24].
Isa 53:9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed [His elect], he shall prolong his days [Through the resurrection (Rom 6:1-4)], and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities [Lev 16:7-10 and 21-22].

This 53^rd chapter of Isaiah is to the Jewish religion and commentators what Colossians 1:24 is to the orthodox Christian community. They simply cannot understand how Christ can be spoken of in these terms:

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:

You and I, through Christ within us, ought to identify with every word of Isaiah 53:1-11. We should do so because the Lord tells us:

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

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.

These verses identify us with the Christ of Isaiah 53 and with the scapegoat of Leviticus 16:

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

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

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

We should identify with every word of Isaiah 53 because the scapegoat symbolizes us as “a living sacrifice” who ‘fill up in our [own] bodies that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ’:

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:

Our suffering as “a living sacrifice” fills up that part which “the live goat”, the “scapegoat” fulfilled as it also “made an atonement with [Christ]”.

Our suffering as “a living sacrifice… [puts] all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins… upon the head of the [scape]goat… to make an atonement with [Christ]”:

Lev 16:7  And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man [“Christ in us”, Col 1:27]  into the wilderness:
Lev 16:22  And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you [“a fit man”, Lev 16:21], the hope of glory:

We are the Lord’s scapegoat. We are His living sacrifice who are “crucified with [Him], nevertheless [we] live, yet [it is not we who live] but [it is] Christ who lives in us… bear[ing] all their iniquities”, all the iniquities of “His body which is the church”.

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

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ [“Crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20)] in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

How did Christ endure all of this? He did it the same way we endure it. He did it through the power of His Father’s spirit within Him:

Joh 8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

The same is true for us. Without Christ, who lives His life within us by His Father’s spirit, we, too, “can do nothing”:

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

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.
Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Here we have the truth about the Godhead right from the mouth of the Lord Himself. “The comforter… is the holy spirit… the comforter… is the spirit of Truth”. Then, who is this spirit called “the comforter”?

To answer that question, we first have to become aware of the fact that the Greek word translated ‘comforter’ is G3875 ‘parakletos’. This word is translated as ‘comforter’ four times, and all four times are in John; once in John 14:6, twice in John 15:26, and once in John 16:7.

G3875
παράκλητος
paraklētos
Total KJV Occurrences: 5
comforter, 4
Joh_14:16, Joh_15:26 (2), Joh_16:7
advocate, 1
1Jo_2:1

Notice what e-Sword reveals. This Greek word ‘parakletos’ appears a fifth time in the epistle of this same apostle John in 1^st John 2:1. As though cleverly and deliberately hidden from our eyes, the revelation of who this ‘parakletos’ is in that verse is not translated as ‘comforter’. Instead, it is translated as ‘advocate’.

Who then is this ‘comforter’ who is also called ‘the holy ghost… the spirit of Truth [and our ‘advocate’? Here is to whom it is that all these different titles apply:

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate [G3875: ‘parakletos’] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Now we can understand what Christ meant when He told us in John 16:14 that the comforter would “receive of mine and show it unto you”:

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.
Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

The very next verse explains what Christ meant by “receive of mine…” Christ can call His Father’s spirit “mine” because His Father gave it to Him for Christ to give His Father’s spirit to us “from the Father”. The holy spirit is called “the holy spirit of God” (Eph 4:30) because it is the spirit of the “one God, the Father”, and it is Christ Himself who informs us that “the comforter, which is the holy spirit… proceeds from the Father”:

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Joh 16:15  All things that the Father hath are mine [including His holy spirit]: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter [our “Advocate… Jesus Christ” (1Jo 2:1)] is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things [including Christ and “the holy spirit of God”, Eph 4:30], and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

After we have been judged and have learned that “our righteousness is of God” and is not of ourselves, then our old man and those whom the Lord used to judge us will themselves be judged:

Jer 30:16  Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.
Jer 30:17  For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Jer 30:18  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.

“The city shall be builded upon her own heap” is telling us that our salvation comes to us at the expense of the destruction of our old man and all his false lying doctrines. The false doctrine of the trinity, upon which the false doctrine of an immortal soul is based, has now become spoil to me and these lies are mine “for a prey”, and I am being healed of all the wounds all those false doctrines inflicted upon me. I am indeed “called… an outcast” but such persecution is “not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” if we are given to “endure to the end”:

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

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Jer 30:19  And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
Jer 30:20  Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
Jer 30:21  And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

The holy spirit tells us that “Out of them shall proceed thanksgiving… I will glorify them”. What this reveals is that we are “out of… Jerusalem above the mother of us all”, who is also known as “the bride, the Lamb’s wife”. That is who we are!

“Their nobles shall be of themselves” means we will all be “of the same mind” (1Co 1:10).

Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

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

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

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

“Their governor” sounds as if it is speaking of an individual, and to the extent that we are “one in Christ”, it is speaking of a single governor. However, if we are “in Christ” then we are a nation of kings and priests who will govern all nations. First, we must be granted to govern all the nations and principalities within us, and then we will be given to govern the nations of “this world”:

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;
2Co 10:6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world [within us first (Rev 1:3)] are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Jer 30:22  And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Jer 30:23  Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

Carefully notice the change of tone between these two verses. Verse 22 proclaims the glorious outcome of the Lord’s purpose and His plan (Rom 8:28). “Ye shall be My people and I will be your God.” Verses 23 and 24 proclaim the judgment which is required to bring about that purpose and that plan (Heb 12:6).

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.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

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

Jer 30:24  The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

It requires “the fierce anger of the Lord” against the rebellious kingdom of our old man and against this rebellious world to “perform the intents of His heart”. The ultimate “intent of His heart” is for all men to be saved. The intent of His heart for this present time is that through His “fierce anger, and His fiery judgments to save a “few… a very small remnant”, and then through those few He will judge and save all the rest of mankind:

Isa 1:9  Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

Mat 20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

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

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. [It does not read ‘Exclusively of them that believe”]

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

What the Lord wants, the Lord gets. He Himself performs in me and in you and in all men what He desires:

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

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

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Having His mind is to have His spirit, and it is His spirit which imparts to us His peace, and His peace surpasses all understanding because we are given to know that all His judgments will, in the end, teach all men His righteousness.

We will conclude this study with two very encouraging and peaceful sections of scripture which concern the outcome of all we have been given eyes to see and ears to hear:

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

Therefore:

Php 4:6  Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks.
Php 4:7  Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8  Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable.

Here are our verses for our next study as we continue to be shown how the Lord preserves us even as He judges us:

The Lord Will Turn Mourning to Joy

Jer 31:1  At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:2  Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
Jer 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jer 31:4  Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
Jer 31:5  Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
Jer 31:6  For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.
Jer 31:7  For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
Jer 31:8  Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
Jer 31:9  They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Jer 31:10  Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
Jer 31:11  For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
Jer 31:12  Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
Jer 31:13  Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
Jer 31:14  And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.
Jer 31:15  Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
Jer 31:16  Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
Jer 31:17  And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
Jer 31:18  I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
Jer 31:19  Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
Jer 31:20  Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

Dan 3:1-30 They Serve not thy Gods nor Worship the Golden Image

[Study Aired November 22, 2021]

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 
Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 
Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 
Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 
Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 
Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 
Dan 3:10  Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 
Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 
Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 
Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 
Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 
Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 
Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 
Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 
Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 
Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 
Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 
Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 
Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 
Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. 

Daniel Chapter 2 ended with Daniel being given great gifts and made a ruler by Nebuchadnezzar.  This is to let us know of the great gifts our Lord is giving to us.

Dan 2:48  Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 

As we indicated in the previous review, becoming partakers of His divine nature through escaping from the corruption that is in the world through lust, is what these great gifts from the Lord are achieving in us. That is what will guarantee us the prize which is also the joy that is set before us. This joy entails reigning with Christ when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.  Daniel, together with the three Hebrew men, were made rulers to assure us that we shall also possess the crown of rulership in the fullness of time.

1Co 10:11  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

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

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

Today’s study of Daniel chapter 3 focuses on who we are and how through our fiery trials, represented here by the furnace, those called and chosen are not given to worship the image created by Nebuchadnezzar.

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 

This image of gold created by Nebuchadnezzar represents the beast or the old man in every human being.  This is confirmed by the measurements of the image. It has a height of 60 cubits and a breadth of 6 cubits. As we are aware, the number 6 signifies the number of man. The number 60 = 6×10. The number 10 means completeness of the flesh. It shows our complete rebellion against our Lord. So, the image represents the beast or the old man within who is the source of all our rebellion against God.

Num 14:22  Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 
Num 14:23  Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:

The image set up by Nebuchadnezzar was made of gold, which signifies how the old man corrupts the truth of the word of God. In other words, we turn the precious word of the Lord into images of men or idols of the heart which is the same as false doctrines, which is the stumbling block of iniquity during our time in Babylon powered by the old man (the image of gold). This old man is also empowered by the devil.

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

It is significant to know that the image of gold was set up in Dura of Babylon. Dura means ‘dwelling’. So, what we are being told is that during our time or dwelling in Babylon, we were under the influence of this image or our old man.

Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 

The list of those invited to come for the dedication of the image of gold included all the prominent people of Babylon. In verse 4, those invited also included people, nations and languages. This means all the people of the world were present at the dedication.

Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

The dedication of the image represents the observance of days, times and seasons which is part of the weak and beggarly elements of the world as spoken of by Paul as follows:

Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 

Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 

According to Strong, the element here means the rudiment or principle of this world. A “rudiment” is a basic, elementary principle or act of worship which became one of the subjects of Paul’s teaching. This rudiment or element does not involve God’s laws at all but rather worldly and pagan teachings.

Col 2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 
Col 2:21  (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 
Col 2:22  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 
Col 2:23  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.  

Examples Paul gave regarding this rudiment or principle or element of the world involved the observance of days, months, times and years.

Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. 

So, what verses 2 and 3 are showing us is that all people of the world, who are all dominated by the beast or the old man, are sold out to the observance of days, times and seasons. We used to also follow the rudiments of the world until our Lord started opening our eyes to see and our ears to hear.

During the early part of this year, I was talking to a pastor who was trying to invite me to the mother’s birthday celebration. I responded that I cannot be part of the birthday celebration because of Galatians 4:10 which talks about us not taking part in weak and beggarly elements of the world. The response that came out of the pastor’s mouth was this: “But we are doing it for the Lord. We are thanking God and giving Him the glory for adding another year to our mother.”  I was going to say that Saul also spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to offer sacrifice to the Lord but was rejected for not obeying the word of the Lord to destroy everything that breathed. However, I felt that I should not continue the discourse as the pastor is entrenched in the ways of this world. I, therefore, left the pastor to continue in ignorance.

1Sa 15:14  And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 
1Sa 15:15  And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 

Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 
Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 

As indicated earlier, the image signifies our old man or the beast within every human being. The verses here imply that all humanity bow down and worship the image or the beast. We all bow down and worship the beast during our time in Babylon.

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

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 

Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 

As shown in the first review of the Book of Daniel, the term “chaldea” came to include practically all of Babylonia and was virtually synonymous with the neo-Babylonian empire. Chaldea means ‘clod breakers’. A clod refers to a lump of earth or clay. The Chaldeans therefore are those that the Lord used as an instrument of judgment to discipline God’s elect, signified by the Jews. Thus, the accusation raised by the Chaldeans against the Jews is all part of the process of perfecting the elect to conform to the image of Christ.

The woman who was caught in adultery and being brought before Jesus by her accusers was for the purpose of stoning her or putting her to death. However, this experience which was meant for evil turned out to benefit her in the sense that she came to know Jesus’ voice and also realized that she was sinful. This fiery trial that this woman went through was as if she had been resurrected from death to life. So, what our accusers meant for evil, actually ends up for our good.

Joh 8:10  When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 
Joh 8:11  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

We are this woman caught in adultery in the sense that we committed whoredom while in Babylon. We were destined to be put to death by stoning. In this case it is the old man that is being put to death. The stones here represent the word of God, which put to death the old man within us through stoning, and simultaneously bring to birth the new man after the image of Christ.

As we shall see later, this accusation resulted in the three Hebrew men undergoing judgment from the king, resulting finally in being exalted to higher positions. Yes, it is very troubling when we are being accused or undergoing judgment, but our Lord will not tempt us beyond what we can bear. May His name be praised!!

Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 
Dan 3:10  Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: 
Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 

It is God’s elect, represented here by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who do not bow down to the beast nor serve other gods (another Jesus).

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 

When the devil realizes that we have overthrown him from his hold on us through the daily dying of our old man, resulting in us refusing to worship the beast, the devil comes with great wrath knowing his time regarding his influence on our lives is very limited or short.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 
Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 
Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

It is those who are dying daily to the flesh or the old man who are the ones who are cast into a burning fiery furnace to speed up the destruction of the old man.

Isa 48:10  Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 

When we are under the illusion that we control our will or destiny, then we behave like Nebuchadnezzar thinking that not even God will prevent us from getting what we want since He has given us our will. It is when we enter the house of God that we realize that without Him, we can do nothing and that there is no such thing as having our own will to do whatever we like!! Everything is of God!!

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 
Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 
Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 

These verses are to let us know that the three Hebrew men did not love their lives even unto death. They were prepared to lose this life to gain it. That is also what happened to Esther. She was prepared to come before the king uninvited and suffer the consequence of losing her life in the process. The word of God says that these things were written for our admonition.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 
Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Est 4:15  Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, 
Est 4:16  Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 

The furnace being heated seven times is to let us know that we are speaking here of the complete trials we face in this life which destroy the old man in us. This furnace represents our trials and the heat of the fire from the furnace signifies the word of God which is the fire that purifies us seven times.

Psa 12:6  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. 

Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 

Being bound before being thrown in the furnace is to let us know that we are all servants of corruption (slaves of sin) and therefore in bondage to our old man. That is why we have to go through the furnace to completely (seven times) set us free from our bondage to sin.

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 

2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 

Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 

Being bound in their coats and other garments means that we were entrenched in our self-righteousness which is iniquity. Casting their garments into the furnace symbolizes the destruction of our self-righteousness – a negative application of garment.

Gen 35:2  Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

2Ki 25:29  And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life.

Eze 33:13  When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 

The positive application of garments represents the righteousness of Christ.

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

Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

The flame of fire that slew the men that took the three Hebrew men into the furnace is the word of God. To us, this fire, or the word of God, is light to our path and liberates us from our shackles of sin. On the other hand, this word of God, or flame of fire, becomes darkness to those not given to know Christ in this life.  The flame of fire slaying them means that those who are not elected in this life become spiritually dead.

Exo 14:19  And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 
Exo 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. 

Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 
Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 

We go into our trials (furnace) bound, but we end up being free from our bondage to sin (signified by the four men loose and walking) by the death of our old man. In other words, we learn righteousness from our fiery trials.

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

The fact that Nebuchadnezzar saw four men loose is to let us know that all of God’s called and chosen of every generation must experience fiery trials. That is what will set them free from all bondage.

Jer 25:27  Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. 
Jer 25:28  And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. 

Nebuchadnezzar said that the fourth man he saw was like the son of God. We know that this son of God is our Lord Jesus Christ who is with us in our tribulation.

Isa 43:1  But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 
Isa 43:2  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 

His coming to us in our fiery trials is for the purpose of providing a way of escape so that we can bear these trials.

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

Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 

In the fullness of time, we shall be called out of the furnace of affliction of this life into glory. The world we live in is like a furnace. To the elect, it is the furnace that destroys our old man and brings us into righteousness. To those who are not given to know Christ in this life, it is a cloud that darkens their understanding of the love of Christ and therefore does not produce righteousness.

Job 14:14  If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 
Job 14:15  Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.  

Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 

The statement “the fire had no power, nor an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them” is just another way of saying that nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The negative application of the fire having no power over them is that the suffering experienced by those who do not know Christ in this life does not result in righteousness. Rather, it darkens their understanding.

Gal 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 
Gal 3:4  Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

We, the elect, are those who are coming out of the great tribulation first. Later, the whole of humanity will also come out of this tribulation.

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

Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 

We are those who put our trust in the Lord to deliver us from all our afflictions in this life.

Psa 125:1  A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 
Psa 125:2  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. 

We are also those who change the king’s word. To change the king’s word means we are those who put emphasis on the spiritual implication of the word of God and not the letter or the physical words of the Lord. In other words, we recognize that the word of Christ is spirit.

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

To yield our bodies means we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. We can offer our bodies as sacrifice because the tribulation we are going through is achieving for us the righteousness of Christ.

Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 

Another characteristic of those who have gone through or are going through tribulation unscathed is that they do not serve other gods except our God. This means that we are not in any adulterous relationship with another Jesus. We have come out of Babylon, the place where we serve other gods, to worship our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 

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. 

Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

This verse is the same as saying that no weapon formed or fashioned against us shall prosper.

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 

Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. 

The promotion here is the reward or the joy that is set before us. This joy entails reigning with Christ when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

1Co 10:11  Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.   

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

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

Conclusion

Here in Daniel chapter 3, we are being shown who we are. In other words, the image represents our old man or the beast within us who is worshiped by everyone except those who are marked as God’s elect. Our journey in Babylon is to bring us to this point of knowing who we are. This gives the Lord the occasion to come into our lives to judge us. This judgment is the furnace that the Hebrew men were thrown into.

The lesson we can learn from this chapter is that if we love our life, we will end up losing it, but if we lose our life, we shall gain it. Loving our lives means bowing down to the image created by Nebuchadnezzar or being under the influence of the flesh. If we love our lives, we do not go into any furnace in this life, but if we lose our lives, we are destined to be in the furnace of affliction of this life. The suffering we are all going through now attests of the reality of this furnace of affliction.

Joh 12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 

But that is not the end of the story!! The three Hebrew men came out of the furnace unscathed!! In other words, they ended up being overcomers. We are also predestined to come out of this furnace of life victorious. This present suffering is achieving for us incomparable glory which shall be revealed in the fullness of time!!

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

[Study Aired July 25, 2021]

Jer 14:1  The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
Jer 14:2  Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
Jer 14:3  And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.
Jer 14:4  Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
Jer 14:5  Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.
Jer 14:6  And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.
Jer 14:7  O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.
Jer 14:8  O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
Jer 14:9  Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art  in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.
Jer 14:10  Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
Jer 14:11  Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
Jer 14:12  When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

The first verse of this study identifies these as the Lord’s words, insuring the certainty of the message He has given Jeremiah to give to us:

Jer 14:1  The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.

“The[se] word[s] of the Lord…concerning the dearth” are as sure as the rising of the sun. At the time this word of the Lord came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth, it was a literal drought which would afflict all of Judah, all of His people. All these physical experiences of Israel are spiritual “types of us”:

1Co 10:6 Now these things became types of us, for us not to be lusters after evil things, (CLV)

This ‘dearth’ comes upon us because of our self-righteous thoughts which lead us to believe that we are the source of anything, good or evil, when The Truth is:

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We just naturally serve ourselves as our own king, and this is the curse upon us while we are in that state of mind:

1Sa 8:18  And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

The Lord has ordained that He will use our self-righteousness and our sins as the occasion He is seeking to trouble us and then to condemn and destroy the carnal-minded kingdom of our old man within our members:

Psa 50:15  And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt  glorify me.

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Our carnal mind is totally unaware of this Truth:

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is  enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Here is the Greek word translated ‘enmity’ along with its definition:

G2189
ἔχθρα
echthra
ekh’-thrah
Feminine of G2190; hostility; by implication a reason for opposition –  enmity, hatred.

If we do not harbor deep-seated “hatred” toward the Lord and His ways, we will fear Him and be obedient to His words, and we will believe that we can do nothing but what He makes us “both to will and to do”:

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

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

We are not just naturally in possession of this knowledge, but we are just naturally in possession of the law of sin in our members and a mind that just naturally possesses deep hatred toward God and His commandments.

Obedience to God and His words is associated with that which is the exact opposite of a dearth:

Lev 26:3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
Lev 26:4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
Lev 26:5 And your threshing [wheat harvest] shall reach unto the vintage [grape harvest], and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
Lev 26:6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.

“Rain in due season” is the exact opposite of a ‘dearth’, a drought. Here is the Hebrew word which is translated as ‘dearth’ in this first verse:

H1226
בַּצֹּרֶת
batstsôreth
bats-tso’-reth
Feminine intensive from H1219; restraint (of rain), that is, drought: – dearth, drought.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

This Hebrew word appears only one other time in the Old Testament, and that one other time is in this same prophecy of Jeremiah:

Jer 17:7  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
Jer 17:8  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought [H1226: ‘botstsoreth’, dearth], neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

It is we who as the Lord’s own chosen people have turned our backs on Him and have turned instead to the false doctrines of our own imaginations, and we must endure this dearth because this ‘dearth’ is integral to the destruction of our old man.

The Lord has ordained that the destruction of our own old man must come by ‘the sword’ and by famine [dearth] and by pestilence (vs 12).

Jer 14:2  Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
Jer 14:3  And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

The phrase “black unto the ground” is simply an expression of extreme grief and mourning in scripture. Because of his self-righteous pride, the Lord took all of Job’s great riches away from him. Then he killed his seven sons and three daughters. Finally, the Lord afflicted Job with boils from head to toe. Here is how Job described the mourning he endured when the Lord was judging his self-righteousness by afflicting him in so many extreme ways:

Job 30:30  My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
Job 30:31  My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of them that weep.

That is the necessary pain of the judgment of our doomed, rebellious, self-righteous, carnal-minded old man.

We simply do not have it in our flesh to deeply repent of our rebellious desire to please ourselves without first being judged by the Lord’s fiery words. The death of our old man as he is being consumed by the flaming sword which guards the way of the Tree of Life, brings extreme grief to our flesh and to the rebellious, self-righteous mind of our old man.

As Paul and all the prophets have made so clear, the burning out of the “wood, hay and stubble” that is our old man is common to all men, but this process of being judged and having this stubbornness burned out of us “begins… at the house of God”:

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

It is these ‘fiery words’ which ‘chaps’ our ground, meaning the heart and mind of our rebellious carnal mind:

Jer 14:4  Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

Now let’s see what this word ‘chapt’ means in this verse. Here is the Hebrew word which is translated as ‘’chapt”:

H2865
חָתַת
châthath
khaw-thath’
A primitive root; properly to prostrate; hence to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear: – abolish, affright, be (make) afraid, amaze, beat down, discourage, (cause to) dismay, go down, scare, terrify.
Total KJV occurrences: 48

Of the 48 entries for this word, look at how it is most commonly translated:

H2865
חתת
châthath
Total KJV Occurrences: 48
dismayed, 27
Jos_1:8-9 (2), Jos_8:1, Jos_10:25,
1Sa_17:11, 2Ki_19:26, 1Ch_22:13, 1Ch_28:20, 2Ch_20:15, 2Ch_20:17, 2Ch_32:7, Isa_37:27, Jer_1:17, Jer_8:9, Jer_10:2 (2), Jer_17:18 (2), Jer_23:4, Jer_30:10, Jer_46:27, Jer_48:1, Jer_49:37, Jer_50:36, Eze_2:6, Oba_1:9 (2)
afraid, 6
Isa_20:5, Isa_31:4, Isa_31:9, Isa_51:7, Hab_2:17, Mal_2:5
broken, 6
1Sa_2:10, Isa_9:4, Jer_48:20, Jer_48:39, Jer_50:2, Jer_51:56
abolished, 1
Isa_51:6
affrighted, 1
Job_39:22
amazed, 1
Job_32:15
beaten, 1
Isa_30:31
chapt, 1
Jer_14:4
confound, 1
Jer_1:17
discouraged, 1
Deu_1:21
scarest, 1
Job_7:14
terrify, 1
Job_31:34

This is what Job, a type of the Lord’s elect, had to endure to begin the dying process of his pride and self-righteousness:

Job 7:13  When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
Job 7:14  Then thou scarest [H2865: ‘chathath’, dismayed, discouraged, terrorized] me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

This chastening is brought upon us by restraining His ‘rain’ from our ‘land’ and bringing a spiritual ‘drought’ upon us. No part of our life is unaffected by this drought:

Jer 14:5  Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.
Jer 14:6  And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.

Every farmer knows that a ‘hind’, a female deer, and a ‘wild ass’ are capable of surviving on much less provender or foliage than domestic cattle. What we are being told is that even these hearty wild beasts are being decimated within us by the Lord’s ‘chastening and scourging’ of our pride and self-righteousness.

There is no way to avoid being dragged to see what we are, and it is a most miserable experience because we simply cannot believe we are that wicked. Remember what the Lord told us earlier in this prophecy:

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

Our ‘iniquity’ is our “own [self-]righteousness”:

Eze 33:13  When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it [Trusting in our own righteousness].

Taking credit for anything, our righteousness or our sins, is the act of “scattering [our] ways to strangers” because our old man is definitely a stranger to Christ.

If we are blessed to do so, we will plead with the Lord:

Jer 14:7  O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

“Do thou it for thy name’s sake” signifies that we realize that we must first suffer this dearth “for His name’s sake” because, through our hypocritical self-righteousness, we have brought a reproach upon His name:

Rom 2:21  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Rom 2:22  Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Rom 2:23  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

If we are “bound to the altar with cords” then the Lord will convict us of our self-righteous hypocrisy and we will, even as we struggle, cry out to Him:

Jer 14:8  O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
Jer 14:9  Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD  art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.

Oh yes, the Lord is more than able to save us. Indeed, that is exactly what He is in the process of doing “for [His] name’s sake”.

Psa 50:15  And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

It takes His chastening grace for us to “forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts”. It takes all seven plagues to bring us “to [ourselves]”. The seven last plagues culminate in “an earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth”, and that is what is required to get our attention. It also requires a drought, a “dearth”, a famine of the Word of God in our lives to bring us to the point of seeing just how sinful this clay vessel is and how badly we need to be given dominion over it.

Amo 8:11  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Luk 15:14  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
Luk 15:15  And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luk 15:16  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
Luk 15:17  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

I well remember commenting to a friend many years ago, shortly after coming out of the Worldwide Church Of God, that I felt as if I was on a spiritual plateau, going nowhere. What I called a ‘plateau’ was, in reality, “a famine… of the hearing the words of the Lord”. From that point the Lord “made me to err from his ways and hardened my heart from His fear, and in His time, He brought me to my wits’ end.

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Our heavenly Father is a loving Father, but His love in no way conflicts with His justice.  Being a God of love necessitates being a just God, and that is why we are told:

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?

Even as we are being brought to our wits’ end and we are being chastened, it comes to us because we must all reap double what we have sown while we were in Babylon. However, the reward of judgment in this present time is more than worth the shame and suffering of that judgment:

Isa 61:7  For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

To those who do not know the mind of Christ, these words sound as if they are telling us that all we have to do is to choose to sow to the spirit and resist the temptation to sow to our flesh. That is the great lie of the great false doctrine of ‘free moral agency’. That false doctrine makes a lie of these words of Truth:

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

That is the message of scripture from Genesis to Revelation. It is God who ‘is working all things after the counsel of His own will’:

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

We are turned away from our own Husband when we seek to impose our will upon Him. When we attempt to impose our will upon our Lord, He refers to this as ‘loving to wander’, and like Cain we will not be accepted. Rather the Lord will “remember our iniquity and visit our sins… for our own good”.

Jer 14:10  Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
Jer 14:11  Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
Jer 14:12  When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

It is the Lord’s own Word, ‘His sword’, which has already pronounced judgment upon us through a famine of His Word, and by pestilence, which typifies all the “diseases of Egypt”:

Exo 15:26  And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

The “diseases of Egypt” typify all the false doctrines afflicting the kingdom of Babylon and the kingdom of our old man who has been under the rule of this great harlot for so long. We turned our back on the Lord and His Word, and as the Corinthian fornicator, who typifies every one of us when we ‘lose our first love’, the Lord also turns His back on us and does not hear our prayers or the prayers of others who may be praying for us.

We must learn to be obedient to these words:

1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife [the church, Act 20:30].
1Co 5:2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
1Co 5:3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Co 5:6  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

As counterintuitive as it is to our flesh, its own destruction is the best thing any of us will ever come to know. “The destruction of the flesh” is the Lord’s goal for every man because, all false doctrines to the contrary, this is the Truth:

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

In this same chapter we are also told:

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Christ made clear there is no such thing as “a spiritual body of eternal flesh”:

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

Yes, indeed, a resurrected spiritual body can appear as “flesh and bone”, but that is not its composition:

Luk 24:39  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

This event was done because of the lack of faith by the disciples. When Christ was finished making His point that He was indeed resurrected from the dead, He then led them out of Jerusalem “as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them…”

Luk 24:51  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

When we “present our bodies a living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1), “die daily” (1Co 15:31), and we begin to be “crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20), it is at that point that we are beginning to be judged, and we are beginning to enter into His rest (Heb 4:1-4).

Until we are given spiritual eyes which are capable of ‘seeing’ that neither our own works, nor the works of others, are really our own works or their own works, we are still spiritually blind, and we are turning our backs on our spiritual husband. We are one and all “made to err from [His] ways, and our hearts are hardened from [His] fear” (Isa 63:17). Indeed, we are to “judge those that are within”, but we are never to judge those that are outward in this present time:

1Co 5:9  I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
1Co 5:10  Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
1Co 5:12  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1Co 5:13  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

These prophecies all concern that which is “within”, be it within me or within the body of Christ. Even as we “judge them that are within”, we must never attempt to force feed “strong meat” to a weak brother who as yet is capable of eating only herbs:

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things:  another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5  One man [weak in the faith] esteemeth one day above another: another [“We… that are strong”, Rom 15:1] esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind [“Bear with… him that is weak in the faith”].
Rom 14:6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

It is iniquity and self-righteousness when we attempt to make a weak brother eat our strong meat. Judging them that are within has to do with overt rebellion as King Saul rebelled against the very plain words of the Lord. “Do not ye judge them that are within” refers to overt fornication. It has no application to a weak brother who simply has not yet come to see the necessity of going on to perfection. He is grateful for the herbs and the milk of the Word which he has been given. He is a “carnal… babe in Christ” who is not yet capable of digesting the “strong meat” of the Word:

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

Paul is admonishing us against factionalizing Christ, but he is not casting out the “carnal… babes”, rather he is bearing with them in hopes of bringing them to maturity.

Attempting to admonish anyone who is not “within” the body of Christ is not even under consideration in any scripture. It is the Lord who is ruling in the kingdoms of this world, and we must never make the mistake of attempting to “make straight that which He has made crooked”. We must be vigilant never to attempt to make strong that which the Lord has made “weak in the faith”. The Lord will strengthen both the strong and the weak, and He will do so on His own schedule.

Ecc 7:13  Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye [“We… that are strong” (Rom 15:1)], but not to doubtful disputations.

Let us gently admonish “him that is weak in the faith”, and Paul did in 1^st Corinthians 3:1-4 and as he does here in:

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk [“eats herbs”] is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

It is “strong meat” to realize that these words:

Jer 14:11  Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
Jer 14:12  When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

These words are addressed to you and me. This “the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord”:

1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

If the Lord had not turned us over to Satan for the destruction of our flesh, if He had not refused to hear our prayers and had not consumed us by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, then we would never have been brought to our wits’ end and made to cry out to our heavenly Father to deliver us from our own destructive ways.

Psa 107:21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. [Our “punishment”]
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

This is what the Lord is doing, and we are blessed to know Him and to be given His mind:

Amo 3:1  Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
Amo 3:2  You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

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

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

The punishment, the chastening and scourging of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

This world doesn’t know it, but they are all waiting for the Lord to reveal to them those who are His “very elect”. Those elect will be the saviors of this world:

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.

That is our study for today. I pray the Lord will give us all to wait on Him to save both us and this world. We are growing at His pace and on His schedule, and the same is true for all the rest of this world.

Here are our verses for next week:

Jer 14:13  Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
Jer 14:14  Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Jer 14:15  Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
Jer 14:16  And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.
Jer 14:17  Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.
Jer 14:18  If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.
Jer 14:19  Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!
Jer 14:20  We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.
Jer 14:21  Do not abhor us, for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.
Jer 14:22  Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

Jer 7:18-34 Truth Is Perished

[Study Aired April 25, 2021]

Jer 7:18  The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Jer 7:19  Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?
Jer 7:20  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
Jer 7:21  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
Jer 7:22  For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
Jer 7:23  But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Jer 7:24  But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Jer 7:25  Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
Jer 7:26  Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
Jer 7:27  Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
Jer 7:28  But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
Jer 7:29  Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
Jer 7:30  For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
Jer 7:31  And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.
Jer 7:32  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
Jer 7:33  And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
Jer 7:34  Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

Many so-called ‘Christian’ churches are now in favor of same sex marriages, abortions, and trans-sexual operations or simply accepting you as a sex which you are not. It was officially announced that a transexual is running as a Republican for governor of California, the most populous state in the United States.

Truly “the truth is perished”, and Christ and His doctrines are now illegal in the entire world.

Old Testament ‘idols’ typify New Testament false doctrines and “idols of the heart” (Eze 14:1-9). It is these ‘idols of the heart’ which have brought this world to be as it is in total rebellion against its own Creator. As we read in our last study, when we have a false doctrine which we cling to at the expense of believing the Truth, we believe that lie only because “I the Lord have deceived that prophet” (Eze 14:9). That is the situation with which we begin our study today:

Jer 7:18  The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

This is what the vast majority of Christians do every year when they observe pagan holidays and attempt to ‘Christianize’ those pagan traditions, such as Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. No one denies that these holidays are of pagan origin, but they all claim they are keeping them in honor of the Lord’s birth, His death and resurrection or in honor of ‘All saint’s evening’, to which mindset the Lord answers:

Deu 12:29  When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
Deu 12:31  Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
Deu 12:32  What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

“You shall not do so unto the Lord your God” is telling us plainly, “Don’t keep pagan days and then tell me you are  doing it to Me. Don’t do that!”

Truly “This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.”

Jer 7:19  Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?

“Do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” Just look around you and you will see that the government of the United States is so confused that it cannot state for certain that a boy is a boy and a girl is a girl. It doesn’t know that life begins at the beginning of life, and it certainly is not “one nation under God”, whose words are not to be tolerated in the halls of government.

This “experience of evil [and] confusion” is common to all men before we are “once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and [are] made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come” (Heb 6:4-5). Our rejection of our Creator gives Him the “occasion [He is] seeking” against our rebellious flesh, which at the appointed time is given dominion over us:

Jdg 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

The Lord gives us an experience of evil for the specific purpose of humbling us:

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)

We are humbled when the Lord judges us:

Jer 7:20  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
Jer 7:21  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
Jer 7:22  For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
Jer 7:23  But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
Jer 7:24  But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

The fact that we all at first “listen not, nor incline our ear but walk in the counsels and imagination of [our own] evil heart” gives our Lord the occasion He is seeking to pour out on each of us the “fury [of His] great wrath”:

Jer 21:5  And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.

Jer 7:25  Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
Jer 7:26  Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

Every generation gets worse and worse:

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

This self-willed, self-righteous rebellion against the Lord’s words is the lament of all the prophets, including the prophet Hosea:

Hos 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Hos 11:3  I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hos 11:4  I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
Hos 11:5. He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
Hos 11:6  And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
Hos 11:7  And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

“When Israel was a child” sets the tone for the words of this prophecy. It reminds us that as babies we aren’t even aware of what our parents do for our health and wellbeing… “but they knew not that I healed them”. Nevertheless, the Lord has ordained that once we have a relationship with Him we will never return to our ignorance of Him. The next step in our “experience of evil” (Ecc 1:13) is to continue to turn our backs on our Deliverer until we are carried away into Babylonian captivity… “He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.”

These words apply to all men, but it is important that we notice the timing of these stiff-necked rebellions against our Lord. This is how we all act when we are first dragged out of Egypt. This is also how we act before and during our time as servants of “the Assyrian”, meaning our time in Babylon. These prophecies begin to be fulfilled in our lives while we are still saying:

Num 14:3  And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Num 14:4  And they said one to another, Let us make a captain and let us return into Egypt.

Eventually the Lord drags us, as His children, past wanting to return to Egypt, and He even gives us the strength to overcome many of the giants that possess our land. Then the Lord has ordained that even if He destroys one hundred and eighty five thousand in the camp of the Assryians, we self-righteously take the glory to ourselves and do not give it to the Lord.

2Ch 32:22  Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and guided them on every side.
2Ch 32:23  And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.
2Ch 32:25  But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

The Lord works with every man only through “fiery trials” (1Pe 4:12). The initial moving of the spirit within our lives comes to us in the form of some trial in our lives. We simply are not made to seek the Lord when times are good. We grow spiritually, even at the very beginning of the work of the Lord in our lives, only through some type of trial which will trouble our spirit. It may be a business deal that has scammed us out of our hard-earned wages. It can be physical sickness and ailments of many sorts, or it can be a friendly or a romantic relationship which has let us down, and we feel rejected by the whole world. These trials are what the scriptures refer to as ‘Egyptian taskmasters’, and at the appointed time the Lord comes into our lives and gives us a mental glimpse of a much better land and the hope of a much better future in that land. However, even as the Lord is dragging us out of Egypt, we find ourselves wanting to return to Egypt. If we love the Lord and are “the called according to His purpose”, then we, as symbolized by Caleb and Joshua, are given to enter into His kingdom where our judgment begins:

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Notice our instructions. We are told to “rejoice” while we are enduring “fiery trials”, and we are told to “glorify God on this behalf… that judgment must begin at the house of God…”

Peter poses the rhetorical question, “Where shall the ungodly and sinner appear… if the righteous scarcely be saved?” Jeremiah answers Peter’s question:

Jer 7:27  Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
Jer 7:28  But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
Jer 7:29  Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
Jer 7:30  For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
Jer 7:31  And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

When we teach our children to disobey the Lord, we are burning them in the fire of the Lord’s words. When we teach our children to observe days, months, times and years, we are burning them to the false idols of our hearts.

The fires of Tophet which devour the children of the Lord’s children are the converse side of the fire of the Lord which burns out all the wood, hay and stubble in the lives of those who are groaning and travailing in pain together until now, suffering with our brothers who are in the world.

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

Peter’s words here agree with the words of the apostle Paul in:

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

The difference between the suffering of “the whole creation” and “ourselves who have the firstfruits of the spirit” is that we have been granted to repent of burning our children in the fires of Tophet, whereas ‘[our] brothers that are in the world’ are not yet given that repentance. Satan is given to devour our brothers who are in the world (1Pe 5:9), but he is not allowed to devour us simply because Christ is interceding for us. Judas was told, “That which you doest, do quickly”, but knowing that Peter would deny him that very night, this is what the Lord told Peter:

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

We obviously have something “[our] brothers… in the world” just do not have:

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

We know this is true because Christ Himself said:

Joh 17:9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Our brothers in the world suffer with us, and we suffer with them. The only difference is that our suffering in this present time is working judgment within us, which “judgment must begin at the house of God”, whereas their suffering in this present time is upon the “rejected and forsaken generation of His wrath”.

Jer 7:29  Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

As Revelation 15 states, no man enters the heavenly temple until the seven vials of the Lord’s wrath have been fulfilled in that man’s life:

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

All men will experience the Lord’s wrath against their iniquities and transgressions just as Christ experienced the Lord’s wrath against His flesh and blood which could not inherit the kingdom of God. However, it is a blessed and holy few who will experience His wrath now and enter through judgment into His temple now rather than being judged later at the great white throne judgment:

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

All the Lord requires of us is to acknowledge our iniquity, our self-righteousness, and our transgressions against Him. We should all be as the apostles and be wanting to ascertain that the Lord has prayed for us that our faith never fails us. The fact is that though Judas was only one out of twelve, he typifies “the son of perdition” in all men of all time. What a blessing it is to be granted to suffer with Christ in this present time while the whole world is groaning and travailing in pain, rather than having to groan and travail in pain again in the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death.

Christ Himself experienced the rejection of His flesh by His Father, “In a little wrath”:

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

There are those who claim these words are not speaking of Christ. Take that up with our Lord whose flesh cried out:

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

What these excruciatingly sorrowful words tell those who are given eyes that see and ears that hear the things of the spirit is that not even the flesh of the Son of God “who knew no sin” could inherit the kingdom of God.

2Co 5:21  Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Christ was not “made to be sin” by being nailed to the cross, rather He was “made to be sin” by being “made of a woman, made under the law”:

Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements [Greek: G4747, stoicheion, the “carnal commandments” of Moses] of the world:
Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law [Greek: under, “stoicheion”],
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Gal 4:8  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements [Greek: G4747, stoicheion], whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? [“Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage…” (vs 25)]

This revelation that flesh is itself sin, yes, even the flesh of Christ, is not peculiar to the New Testament. King David said this of his mother of whom we have no bad report at all:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

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

For this very reason… for the fact that all flesh equates with corruption, we are now told this of Christ and of our fellow man:

2Co 5:16  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 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What do we do first? Most Christians know Christ only in the flesh. They are even taught to know Him as a babe in a manger, a twelve-year-old in the temple speaking with the Pharisees and lawyers, as a teacher and healer who fed the multitudes and performed physical miracles, and they still see Him only as the physical, fleshly sacrifice for our sins by being nailed to the cross.

All of this is just as essential as the milk doctrines of Christ, and all of this is just as elementary as those milk doctrines which, if we do not go beyond them, will spiritually starve us to death just as surely as an adult would be malnourished if he remained on a diet of only milk:

Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

There are no chapter breaks in the Greek manuscripts, and the very next words are:

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, [the basic fact that Moses did indeed foresee Christ and that “the law is our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ” (Gal 3:24)] let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

Remember these words are all being spoken to those who “ought to be teachers, [but] have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” (Heb 5:12)

It is largely because we self-righteously refuse to stop knowing Christ after the flesh, and we refuse to know Him “in spirit and in Truth”, that Jeremiah, in type, continues his prophecy of the judgment of God upon the inward kingdom of our self-righteous old man and upon the Lord’s own stubborn and rebellious people:

Jer 7:32  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
Jer 7:33  And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
Jer 7:34  Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

These verses of Jeremiah 7:34 and Jeremiah 1:21 reveal that “Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and of abominations of the world” is none other than “Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children”.

Isa 1:21  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25  But after that faith [Christ] is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 4:21  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law [“the schoolmaster” (Gal 3:24-25)], do ye not hear the law?
Gal 4:22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Not one Christian minister in a thousand can see and hear the words, “Agar [Hagar]… answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” The entire historical Christian church identifies with “Jerusalem which now is”, and even speaks of our “common Judeo-Christian heritage” as if Judaism had somehow accepted Christ as their Messiah. Those are not anti-Semitic words. They are simply anti-false doctrine words. The fact is that it is the “Judeo-Christian” world which hates the doctrines of Christ to the extent that the scriptures declare this great harlot is “full of murderers” (Isa 1:21), and she is “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”

Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

‘The voice of mirth, gladness, bridegroom and bride, will all cease from Jerusalem’ (Jer 7:34) is exactly what we are told of the great harlot, Babylon:

Rev 18:21  And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
Rev 18:22  And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
Rev 18:23  And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

The Greek word for ‘sorceries’ is G5331 ‘pharmakeia’, from which we derive our English word ‘pharmacy”. It conveys the sense of being drugged by all the false doctrines of the religions of the entire earth. “By thy sorceries were all nations deceived” reveals that it is through the religions of mankind that “all the kings of the earth” are blinded from seeing the Truth of the gospel.

Jerusalem in the Old Testament was the capital city of the people of God, and in the New Testament, the name ‘Jerusalem’ is symbolic of all those who claim the name of Christ and think they are a part of His kingdom.

Compare these words of Revelation 18 concerning ‘Babylon the Great’ to these words of Jeremiah 25, which are addressed specifically to “Judah… and Jerusalem”:

Jer 25:2  The [word] which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,

Jer 25:10  Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
Jer 25:11  And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

What a revelation! The judgment of physical Old Testament Jerusalem is accomplished at the hand of physical Old Testament Babylon. That judgment of the Lord’s Old Testament people typifies the judgment of spiritual ‘Babylon the great, the mother of harlots”, which is a New Testament name for “Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children” (Gal 4:25). That Old Testament judgment of the Lord’s people is now taking place at the hand of Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, as we witness the fulfilling of the Lord’s words in the mouths of His “two witnesses”. When we accomplish our testimony against the world of the Lord’s apostate people, within and outwardly, then we “lie dead in the streets of the great city where also our Lord was crucified… Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and of Abominations of the Earth… where also our Lord was crucified.”

2Co 2:15  For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing —
2Co 2:16  to the latter an odor from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
2Co 2:17  For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God. (NET)

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6  These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

How do we go about shutting up heaven that it rains not in the days of our prophecy? We do so by simply pointing to these words which are the title of our study today:

Jer 7:28  But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

When we are given to simply be faithful to the Lord’s prophecies, we become the means by which He sets nations up and by which He destroys nations.

Jer 1:9  Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Jer 1:10  See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

This is true inwardly first, but when it is fulfilled inwardly, then it will also be fulfilled outwardly as we witness the destruction that the Lord’s Words in our mouths reveal is the God-ordained result of our disobedience. Just look around about you at the moral and spiritual decay taking place in this dying world.

I just read an email to a conservative news site from a resident of Portland, Oregon. This person said (and I paraphrase from memory), “I am a resident of Portland, and anyone who thinks Portland is burning to the ground simply doesn’t live here.”

That is a perfect example of spiritual blindness, which typifies all men. The strength of the authorities who lead the city of Portland, Oregon (that being their police department) has been being burned to the ground for many months now, and any resident of Portland who cannot foresee where this is leading that city and this nation is beyond blind.

Such a mind, as the writer of that email has, is the spirit which led our Lord to make this statement:

Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

We are not given to know either the day or hour of the Lord’s appearing and the exact date of “the redemption of the purchased possession… the blessed and holy… first resurrection”, but we are made to know that “the time is at hand”, and we are told that the Lord will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets.

Amo 3:6  Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Amo 3:8  The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

That concludes today’s study in Jeremiah 7. We will continue to learn about “His secret” judgments in the next chapter. Here are the verses we hope to cover next week:

Jer 8:1  At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:
Jer 8:2  And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
Jer 8:3  And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
Jer 8:4  Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
Jer 8:5  Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
Jer 8:6  I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
Jer 8:7  Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
Jer 8:8  How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
Jer 8:9  The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
Jer 8:10  Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Jer 8:11  For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.