Rev 11:15-19, Part 2 – The Seventh Trumpet

Now Is Come Salvation

[Study Aired Nov 15, 2024]

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 11:16  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 11:17  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great;   and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Rev 11:19  And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

In our last study we took note of the fact that the seventh trumpet is the only event among all the seven seals, all the seven trumpets, and all seven vials, which does not immediately describe the actions which this trumpet produces. Notice how this seventh trumpet, unlike any of the other six trumpets, is first alluded to in chapter 10:

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

We are told that this trumpet eventually fulfills the mystery of God, but the same verse 7 of chapter 10 also reveals that this seventh trumpet is a process which requires a certain number of days to be fulfilled.

In chapter 11 we are actually given the fruit which is produced by this seventh trumpet… “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ”, but before the kingdoms of this world can become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, it is revealed that a “manchild”, who was “to rule the nations with a rod of iron” must first be born of a harlot woman, which ‘woman’ was to spend “a thousand two hundred and sixty days in the wilderness, while her “manchild” was caught up unto God and His throne”.

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 12:6  And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

But before that manchild can become mature he must first come to see himself as the beast of Revelation 13, which arises up out of the sea of all flesh. He then matures into “a second beast with two horns like a lamb, but which speaks as a dragon:

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

“The earth and them that dwell therein” includes you and me and all the rest of mankind:

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Three sixes is not the number of “a man”. There is no article in the Greek. The Greek simply reads…”it is the number of anthropos…” and ‘anthropos’ is the Greek word for ‘mankind’. Mankind’s creation began on the sixth day along with all the rest of the beasts of this earth. Consequently ‘mankind’ has been branded with the number six, signifying his incomplete state ever since the beginning of his creation:

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Being ‘incomplete’, which is the spiritual significance of the number ‘6’, mankind is universally afflicted with the false doctrine of “free will”. Mankind is therefore incapable of understanding that he must be brought to “cease from his own works as God did from His”, before he can “enter into the Lord’s rest” and thereby become complete, which is the spiritual significance of the number seven:

Heb 4:3  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5  And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8  For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

The thirteenth chapter of Revelation reveals that the Lord’s Christ must come to see himself as an incomplete and hopeless beast before he can enter into the Lord’s rest and be complete in the Lord, who is in the process of making man in His image. But there is chapters 14 and 15 still to be revealed to the Lord’s elect before he can enter into His rest.

Revelation 14 begins with a snapshot of the completed product, 144,000, of “the firstfruits unto God and the  Lamb:

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault [they are the complete and finished product] before the throne of God.

However, mankind cannot be completed by the work of this all important seventh trumpet, until he has been judged, because God’s judgments, whether in this age or in the great white throne judgment, always teach men to become righteous:

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.

To that end, Revelation 14 tells us of the work of the three angels ‘flying in the midst of our heavens’. ‘Three’ signifies the process of being judged.

These three spirits are working our judgment in our heavens. The first angel brings the gospel to us. That good news includes the fact that “the hour of His judgment is come” upon us. The second angel destroys the very foundations of Babylon in our lives, and the third angel’s work is to pour out the seven last plagues which fill up the wrath of God upon us, and to torment the Lord’s very elect with the fire and brimstone which is His Word and His doctrines. That torment and judgment takes place “in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of The Lamb”. The work of this third angel causes the smoke of our torment to ascend up for the eons of the eons giving us no rest day nor night while there is any tendency at all to worship the beast and his image within us:

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, [Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:]
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

The work of the third and final angel concludes with these words, which let us know exactly to whom these words are addressed:

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The point that is being made is the imminence of the work of this seventh trumpet. “NOW is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ”.

This inheritance is all ours even now but only in down payment form.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest [the downpayment] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

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.

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.

For all who are “found worthy” to be in that blessed and holy first resurrection, this kingdom and this reign is now. “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Rev 12:10)

The judgment of Revelation 14 is the judgment of “the very elect” and it is the product of the pouring out of the seven last plagues of the Lord’s wrath upon the kingdom of the beast within the Lord’s elect which is described in great detail in Revelation 15-16. That ‘wrath of God’ is His judgment which transforms the beast within the Lord’s elect into the four beasts and the four and twenty elders of Revelation four and five.

Where are the four and twenty elders?

Rev 11:16  And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

When we know what the four beasts and the four and twenty elders symbolize, we need not to even ask that question, because the four beasts and the four and twenty elders symbolize one and the same thing. Asking ‘where are the four beasts’ is like asking ‘what happened to the seven cows’ of Pharaoh’s dream, while discussing the the seven ears of corn. The cows and the corn are both symbols of the one point that is being made. There will be seven years of plenty, to be followed by seven years of famine.

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

So too, the beasts and the elders are one. The seven angels and the seven priests are one, and in this entire prophecy God is showing us what the Lord is about to do.

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

And what is God about to do? It is the very next verse, and it is to be “read… heard… and kept, for the time is at hand”.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Christ has “given us a kingdom” just as His Father has given Him a kingdom, and like Him we are to “reign on the earth… for the time is at hand.” “Every creature in heaven and on earth” will worship God, and the four beasts do so continually.

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.

Those who have been given “eyes within” know that the four beasts are always worshiping God

Rev 19:4  And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

But when is this worship emphasized and made especially evident? It is especially evident at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when the kingdoms of this world “within” is seen by those who are “full of eyes within” to fall and “become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ”.

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

What a wonderful day that is when the conquering king takes control of His own rightful kingdom which has been in the hands of wicked husbandmen for so long. Everyone will, in their own time, bow their knee and confess that our Lord is Lord over the man of sin “to the glory of God”.

Rom 14:11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Every part of our being rejoices at the time of this great event.

Rev 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

God’s wrath is, was, and will come before the dead are judged

Rev 11:17  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

How few it is that realize that they are born and live their lives under the wrath of God until the day they believe on Christ. If “the time of the dead that they should be judged” means the resurrection that immediately precedes the millennium, and you do not experience the death and resurrection which is the revelation of Jesus Christ here and now, then you will not be in that resurrection that immediately precedes the millennium, and you will not be one of the priests and kings who will rule with Christ over the kingdoms of this world.

Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

This truth is demonstrated with two verses of scripture. It is a rare person who even sees the apparent contradiction between these two verses of God’s Word.

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?

It is “in judgment” that God pours out His wrath upon all of our ungodliness and unrighteousness. Let’s read it again: “keep the things that are written therein, for the time is at hand… and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged…” (Rev 11:18).

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Death must precede judgment. Only those who are “full of eyes within” can even begin to see that those who “are appointed once to die and then be judged” are us. It is we who are the first to die to our old man through the judgment of our old man, and that dying and that judgment has begun at the house of God and we must “die daily” and be crucified with Christ daily:

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.

It is we who are “crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20), and it is we who are “buried with Him in baptism” (Rom 6:3-4), even as we live and are being judged in these dying “earthen vessels”.

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The ‘world’ that is within us and the ‘world’ that is without us are both bent on the destruction of “the seed of the woman”,  (Rev 12:5). There are many other titles given to the “seed of the woman” who is also called “a manchild who is to rule the world with a rod of iron”, but they are all titles of “the very elect” of God.

Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
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.

While God is in the process of destroying our old Adam by replacing him with a “New Adam” who is called “the last Adam”, it is not our prerogative to “destroy the earth”. That is a task that has been delegated to those who are called ‘the seed of the serpent’ and are said by our Lord to be “of their Father the devil”.

Gen 3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Who is it that our Lord says will bruise His heel? Who is it that seeks to destroy the manchild as soon as he is born? It is each of us when we are “those Jews which believe on Christ, but are still “of our Father the devil”.

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

This is us when we were “of our father the devil”, even as we thought we “believed on Christ”. This is us when our “man of sin” is standing in the temple of God proclaiming himself to be God. This is us as the wrath of God is being poured out upon our ungodliness and unrighteousness and we are made to admit that “I am the man” (2Sa 12:7). This is us when we come to see that “Them that destroy the earth” are those who are seeking the life of our Lord Himself.

Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

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

What is found within the ark of His covenant?

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

These are the closing words of the introduction of the seventh trumpet. “The temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the ark of His testament.”

What was in the ark in the temple of God? Here is the first and the last account of the contents of what “was seen in His temple [in] the ark of His testament”.

Deu 10:5  And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

1Ki 8:9  There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

Within the ark of the covenant was the law of God. That was the basis upon which the covenant was contracted. Israel contracted with God to keep His laws, and our Lord agreed to be their God. That is the same way we are married to our Lord today. That is how we become His bride. We agree to “do the things He says… and fulfill the law of Christ”. If we don’t do the things He says, then we are not His wife, and He is not our Lord.

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

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

That is what is meant by “there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament”. If we have our Lord living within us, then we will be doing the things He says and we will be doing “the will of our Father which is in heaven”. It is “the things which He says” which are the “lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake”. It is “the things which He says” which are the “great hail” which will “sweep away the refuge of lies”.

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

Summary

We have seen that “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ” is primarily to be understood as first happening within, as the image we are is destroyed by Christ as we decrease daily and He increases daily within us.

We have seen that “our Lord and His Christ” is speaking of us as those who are anointed of and are sent out by Christ, just as He was anointed of and sent out by His Father to save this world.

We have demonstrated that the four beasts and the four and twenty elders are one and the same symbol of God’s elect, just as the cows and corn both meant the same thing in Pharaoh’s dreams. Thus, when we are told that the four and twenty elders fall down and worship God when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, we are being told that the four beasts also fall down and worship our Lord and our God.

We have seen that it is God’s Word which is the fire of His wrath which is, was and will be poured out upon all of our ungodliness and unrighteousness, and we saw that this is all being announced and being done even as we are beginning to take the land away from the giants who have for so long dominated our land. This is the significance of the imminent judgment in every generation which is this seventh trumpet, which has already begun to take the kingdom of this world and “by little and by little” transform it into the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.

Finally, we saw that this is all accomplished by the Words of our Lord being within us and destroying by its great ‘heat’ all that can be burned out of us, as we learn to “do the things that our Lord says”.

Next week, Lord willing, we will begin to see what we are given to understand in the first of the four chapters which separate this introduction of this seventh trumpet from the chapter which reveals to us the exact nature of the judgments of the seven last plagues of this seventh trumpet. It will be the beginning of chapter twelve, concerning the woman, the manchild she is prophesied to bring forth, and the dragon who is right there seeking to destroy that manchild.

The Book of Daniel – Dan 7:8-28  I considered the horns

[Study Aired April 11, 2024]

Dan 7:8  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 
Dan 7:9  I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Dan 7:10  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Dan 7:11  I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Dan 7:12  As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
Dan 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 
Dan 7:15  I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
Dan 7:16  I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 
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 for ever, even for ever and ever.
Dan 7:19  Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 
Dan 7:20  And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 
Dan 7:21  I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 
Dan 7:22  Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 
Dan 7:23  Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 
Dan 7:24  And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 
Dan 7:25  And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
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.
Dan 7:28  Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

The first seven verses of chapter 7 reveal the marred vessel of Adam which is broken into four distinct beasts; the fourth beast being the composite beast that is further developed and explained in the thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation. The number four represents the whole of humanity, and to make this point clear, the four beasts in chapter 7 are associated with the four sections of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue from his dream, which also represent the whole beastly nature of humanity throughout history (Ecc 3:18-19, 4=the whole).

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

This last section of chapter 7 of Daniel explains in prophetic words how the Lord is going to use the church to uproot all these beasts through the church that must first be judged and be made ready to carry out the work God has set before them throughout the thousand-year reign and right into the great white throne judgment (Rev 20:6, Rev 20:11-12).

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 20:11  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.

Dan 7:8  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream identified the beast (which is mankind) via the statue (Dan 2:31), and Daniel’s dream further identifies the beast and in more detail explains how the beast, the carnal nature of man, is will be destroyed and made anew (Jer 18:4). In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream the statue is destroyed by a stone that hits the feet (Dan 2:34), and in Daniel’s dream the means by which all those empires or nations within us are going to be rooted up (Mal 4:1) or destroyed is explained with the prophetic dream of Daniel.

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.

Mal 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

Daniel is said to yet be considering the horns, meaning he does not truly understand what these horns represent spiritually (1Co 2:14), however a physical representation is given to him. The statement, “I considered the horns“, reminds us that Daniel prophesied not to himself but to those who have been given to read, hear, and keep the sayings of the prophecies (Rev 1:3) that reveal the gospel of Jesus Christ (1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12).

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

Daniel considering the horns (“I considered the horns“) is another way of saying he was contemplating who can make war with the beast, with the horns of these beasts (Rev 13:4, Rev 17:14), and as he was contemplating the power of these horns, “there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots.“

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 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb [all these horns within us], and the Lamb shall overcome them: (Rom 7:24-25) for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful (Rev 1:3, Mar 13:13).

The three horns that are uprooted represent the judgment which must come upon all flesh and starts with the elect (1Pe 4:17). God’s judgment unfolds in the elect’s lives as a result of our hope of glory within (Col 1:27) who has the power to set us free from sin (Joh 8:36) as He uproots those three horns in our heavens by means of a process of judgment [3 horns] that we experience within our heavens so we can learn of His righteousness. The little horn which comes up and is more stout represents our own iniquities, our own backslidings, and wickedness that will chasten us (Jer 2:19), as we’re put through a process of judgment. Our own self-righteousness is the most stout and enduring sin which we must battle every second of our life, and God will use our weakness, our naturally wretched self-righteous condition to chasten us, and judge us day in and day out (Isa 64:6). 

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.

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

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

The basest metal of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is the fourth part, and the most corrupt compilation of the beast in Daniel chapter seven is the fourth description, and these thoughts tie into why this fourth horn is the stout one in relation to the other three. It is so powerful because it represents man’s belief in his free moral agency (self-righteousness – Isa 64:6), that God will use to chasten him, just as Joseph’s brothers had to endure for the longest time until they came to see in type and shadow that God was sovereign over all and that all of their actions were truly ordained by God – both the good and the evil. The future events of Gog and Magog are also ordained by God to show mankind that He has always been sovereign over every beastly thought and action of mankind and every righteous thought and action that was from Him as well (Isa 26:9, Php 3:9, Gen 50:20, Isa 45:7, Pro 16:4).

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

Gen 50:20  And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. 

The description of this little horn (“and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things“) is most pronounced in the fourth empire which is the feet of miry clay mixed with iron of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue (Dan 2:41) that is exceeding dreadful and will exact judgment upon all the world. The fourth horn represents the basest parts of humanity that want to control everything and have dominion over all, claiming themselves to be gods in the temple [self-righteousness]. This point becomes very clear at the end of chapter 7 by the controlling actions of the little horn (Dan 7:25).

Dan 7:25  And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

The Lord will bring an end to the man of perdition on the throne of every man’s heart. That process as we know begins with the house of God and culminates for God’s people in verse 27 when “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 [first resurrection], whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (Dan 7:26-27).

Dan 7:9   I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Dan 7:10  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Verse 8 (Dan 7:8) speaks about judgment that comes upon the world to which only the elect respond with a sighing-and-crying attitude spoken of in Ezekiel 9:4 and Isaiah 57:15 as God works within our hearts and minds in this age (1Pe 4:17) so we learn to not despise this judgment from God (Rom 2:4), a judgment that sets the stage for these following verses, (Dan 7:9-12), that declare how the church will then be sent out to judge the nations after we have been judged (Rev 2:10) and made ready to do the work of the Lord.

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

Isa 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

After God’s judgment is completed upon the elect, expressed with this statement, “till the thrones were cast down“, then “the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire“, which represents the glorified Christ on this earth and the body of Christ, “his wheels as burning fire” that will rule nations from afar (Mic 4:3).

Mic 4:3  and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Dan 7:11  I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 
Dan 7:12  As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

Daniel describes the judgment which he sees upon the elect with these words, “I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, (aorist event Rev 6:11) and given to the burning flame.” This statement shows clearly that the elect experience the same fire as the rest of humanity first (1Pe 4:12) and then the rest of humanity in the lake of fire, second death (Rev 20:14-15).

Rev 6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 

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:

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. 

The statement, “As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time“, speaks of the rest of humanity who during the thousand-year reign of the saints “had their dominion taken away” because the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15). Their lives were prolonged “for a season and time” and then the time of Gog and Magog unfolds leading up to the second resurrection, great white throne judgment (Rev 20:8). The physical death of all the nations with fire that comes down and destroys them (Rev 20:9) is the natural event that precedes the spiritual death (1Co 15:46) of everyone’s old man in the lake of fire.

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.

Dan 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 

The one “like the Son of man” in verse 13 is not Christ but rather the elect who are coming with the clouds of heaven, “and came to the Ancient of days [Christ], and they brought him near before him.” The clouds bring the clouds toward “the Ancient of days” reminding us we are our brother’s keeper and that we follow each other as we follow Christ in one another, the clouds infolding on themselves (1Co 11:1, Eze 1:4).

1Co 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 

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

What we are reading in this verse is that the Father gives Christ and His Christ this reward of rulership: “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Isa 9:7).

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

Dan 7:15  I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
Dan 7:16  I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
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 for ever, even for ever and ever.

Daniel has now mentioned multiple times how he was “grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me” as a prophet of God who is desirous to know the things of the Lord (Luk 10:24) which is a shadow of the longsuffering, persistent and patient spirit God must give to the elect so they may understand and hold fast to the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Rev 3:11), keeping under ourselves in this life and not taking anything for granted (1Co 9:27, Jas 5:7-11).

Luk 10:24  For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

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

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 
Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 
Jas 5:9  Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. 
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.
Jas 5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Just prior to having these things interpreted for Daniel, he says “I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.” That “one of them that stood by” who answered Daniel represents how the manifest knowledge of God is made known by the church (Eph 3:10).

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,

John’s experience described in the book of Revelation (Rev 7:13-15) shows the end result of the “great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.“

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. 

The elect will take the kingdom, meaning those great beasts, which are four, and the four kings, which represent all of humanity who will be overcome, first within ourselves through Christ (Rev 7:1-12), as our hope of glory. Then the saints will rule the kingdoms of this world outwardly, “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever” (Rev 7:13-15, Rev 3:9, Rev 3:21-22). 

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Dan 7:19  Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 
Dan 7:20  And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
Dan 7:21  I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Dan 7:22  Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 

The “fourth beast” is the composite beast that represents all mankind (Dan 7:7), and this beast “was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet“ (Dan 7:19). The parallel representation of this beast is the fourth kingdom on the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:40-41.

Dan 7:19  Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 
Dan 2:41  And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

The feet of that statue have a head that controls them, which is what Daniel 7:20 shows us. “And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows” (Dan 7:20). In the midst of those three horns there is “even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.” That horn prevails against the elect, but they will overcome and endure until the end, “Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom” [herein lies the patience and faith of the saints being described].

Dan 7:20  and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.

Dan 7:23  Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 
Dan 7:24  And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 
Dan 7:25  And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Herein lies the patience and faith of the saints with these three verses (Dan 7:23-25), which conclude by telling us that the little horn that shall subdue the three kings is going to try the patience and faith of the saints of the most high “and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time“. Whatever this changing of times and laws involves, we know it will be a demonstration of Satan’s power troddening underfoot the elect for “a time and times and the dividing of time” (Luk 21:24, Rev 11:2, Rev 2:10), which is another way of saying 1260 days, or three and a half years, which is the time of our being witnesses (Rev 11:3) to these things. We are sore-pressed but not overcome, in other words (Luk 24:48, Rev 11:8, 2Co 4:8-11, Rom 8:37).

Luk 21:24  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

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

Rev 2:10  Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.

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

Luk 24:48  Ye are witnesses of these things.

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

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. 

“But the judgment shall sit” reminds us that it is God’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Luk 12:32) and that the gates of hell won’t prevail against the church (Mat 16:18, Mat 24:24).

“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” brings to mind (Rev 11:15).

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Dan 7:28  Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Daniel cannot understand what these interpretations mean without the spirit of God, and even with many of the details being interpreted, his “cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me.“

Keeping the matter on his heart (“but I kept the matter in my heart“) is a shadow of how the elect church starts off, not knowing all that we need to know but are still persuaded and convinced to keep these matters on our hearts, patiently waiting for the Comforter to lead us into all truth (Joh 2:17, Joh 14:25-26). Those words of Daniel were also symbolized by Mary, who is a type of the elect church (Luk 2:19).

Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 

Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
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.

Luk 2:19  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Today is our day (Psa 118:24), the day of the Lord, which is the time God has ordained for the elect to consider all these horns, “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn.“

Psa 118:24  This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Rev 4:6-7 The Four Beasts – Part 2B

In our last study we covered the first two of five differences between the descriptions of the four beasts of Ezekiel one and Ezekiel 10. In this study we will cover the last three of those differences.

Third Difference:

The feet of the cherubims are described in chapter 1, but are not mentioned in chapter 10.

Eze 1:7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

Doesn’t “feet like brass” sound familiar?

Rev 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14 His head and [his] hairs [were] white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

What the copper feet, both of these creatures and of Christ, reveal to us is that Christ and these “four living creatures” have one and the same experience walking in bodies of sinful flesh. It is a fiery experience, and it is experienced in sinful flesh, typified by copper as the best the flesh has to offer. That is the spiritual significance of the best of the base metals, copper. That is the spiritual significance of “feet of fine brass as if they burned in a furnace.”

For an in depth study of the spiritual significance of copper read this link:

Metals: Copper Part 1/

It is of utmost spiritual significance that the only copper in the tabernacle of Moses was the sockets which supported the pillars in the door of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is the first room of the tabernacle, which housed the golden candlestick, the table of showbread, and the golden altar.

Exo 26:36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
Exo 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

We all must become familiar with the things of the sanctuary before we can be the cherubims which shadow the throne of God and do and perform the work of that throne. As we come into the holy place, called the sanctuary, we must first pass through the door to the first of the two rooms of the tabernacle called ‘the holy place.’ The copper sockets supporting the pillars of the door of the tabernacle signify the fact that we all come to God by coming out of the earth, where we were all dust to begin with. We have to be copper before we can become gold, just as we have to be the first Adam with “all that is in the world” before we can become Christ and “the things of the heavens themselves.” The only way to God is through the ‘five golden pillars, standing on sockets of brass in the house of God.’ Knowing this makes this promise much more meaningful:

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

Fourth Difference:

The fact that the wings are joined together is mentioned in chapter 1, but not in chapter 10.

Eze 1:9  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

The very mention of wings reveals that the spirit is involved in this revelation. Wings are peculiar only to the fowls of the air, and Christ Himself tells us that the fowls of the air represent the spirit world – be it the dove which represents the holy spirit or the evil spirits which devour the seed planted in the soil of our souls. The wings being “joined on to another” is telling us that these ‘cherubims’ and the saints who they signify are “of one mind and one spirit” as we will see when we discuss the spiritual significance of the sound of the wings being as the voice of God.

Rom 12:16  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

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

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

Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

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.

While these “wings… joined one to another” are not specifically mentioned in the tenth chapter, the spiritual significance of this phenomenon is mentioned in chapter 10 when we are told:

Eze 10:5 And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

“The sound of [their] wings… as the voice of the Almighty God when He speaks” is an incredible spiritual concept. For “their wings [to be] joined one to another,” as they are in flight, these “living creatures” must of necessity be “of one mind and of one judgment”; a concept completely foreign to the churches of Babylon and to the mind of the natural man. Yet that is what we are told of these four living creatures. Now, who in the New Testament are commanded to be “of one mind?”

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

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

2Co 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

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

Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

Here we have eight verses of scripture commanding us to “be of one mind… one spirit… the same mind”. That is the spiritual significance of “Their wings were joined one to another… the sound of the cherubims’ wings was… as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.” These “wings joined one to another” signify the spiritual mind which belongs to all those who are these cherubims:

Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Fifth Difference:

The fifth thing mentioned in chapter 1 which is not mentioned in chapter 10 is the fact that there is a rainbow around the throne of God.

Eze 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
Eze 1:27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
Eze 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

The colors of the rainbow are first mentioned here and in Genesis 9, where we read:

Gen 9:8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
Gen 9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
Gen 9:10 And with every living creature that [is] with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
Gen 9:11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
Gen 9:12 And God said, This [is] the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that [is] with you, for perpetual generations:
Gen 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
Gen 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
Gen 9:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Gen 9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
Gen 9:17 And God said unto Noah, This [is] the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that [is] upon the earth.

The not too subtle reminder in promising not to destroy all flesh with water, is that God has indeed destroyed all flesh in the past, and He is quite capable of doing so in the future. The fact that the promise is “the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh” is actually a warning that there are other means at God’s disposal with which he will destroy all flesh. The destruction of all flesh is essential to the destruction of death. If there were not two resurrections, we could conclude that the kingdom of God within us is the fullness of that kingdom. However, there are two resurrections. The first is “the resurrection of life” which is the ‘blessed and holy firstfruits’, and the second resurrection is the “resurrection to judgment” which will include all others who have ever lived and who were not given to have a part in the “blessed and holy… first resurrection” at the beginning of the thousand year reign of Christ and His Christ:

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 [first] resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the [second] resurrection of damnation. [G2920: krisis, judgment, “great white throne… judgment/ lake of fire/ second death]

This second resurrection will accomplish the destruction of both death itself and the destruction of Satan himself.

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.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Col 1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things [including Satan and his angels] unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

The only way to destroy death is to destroy all flesh. If flesh is being perpetuated, death is being perpetuated, and Satan is still ruling over death. However, Satan will himself be destroyed, and then death will also be destroyed. It is through death that salvation comes to all of God’s creation:

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

The rainbow, whether it is “in the cloud” or “around the throne,” both are in the clouds.

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

The clouds typify “so great a cloud of witnesses.”

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

The “great cloud” of Ezekiel 1 and the “great cloud” of Hebrews 12 are the same “cloud of witnesses” in whom God dwells and in whom is the “throne of God.” It is by the clouds the Lord rules this earth:

Job 36:29  Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
Job 36:30  Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
Job 36:31  For by them [the clouds] judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
Job 36:32  With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints [the clouds] shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

The rainbow in the cloud reminds us that God rules both on earth and is heaven. Both Joseph and the daughters of the king wore coats of many colors as a sign of the rulership they were given.

Gen 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he [was] the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

Gen 37:7 For, behold, we [were] binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

2Sa 13:18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
2Sa 13:19  And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

God’s elect are to be a nation of kings and priests, and are to be seated with Christ in His father’s throne in the heavens where that “bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain” is located:

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

The Lord’s throne appears as the brightness of that rainbow.

Eph 2:6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms— all because we are one with Christ Jesus.(NLT)

Let’s now quickly review the five characteristics of chapter 1 which are not mentioned in chapter 10.

The fact that Ezekiel saw this vision of the Lord’s throne, which ‘throne’ is our hearts and minds, coming out of the north signifies the judgment which we endure now and will administer in the thousand years and the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/ second death:

2Th 2:4  Who [our old man] opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God [“which ye are” (1Co 3:16)] shewing himself that he is God [On God’s throne].

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

Rev 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 [who are not reigning with Christ during the thousand years] 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.

2) The fact that these “four living creatures have the likeness of a man” tells us that these four living creatures are just who they tell us they are in Revelation 5.

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

3) Christ’s feet and the feet of His Christ are both of fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace. They are the same ‘feet of brass’ found on these four living creatures. Brass feet are the symbol of our walk in these ‘clay vessels which are marred in the hand of the Potter” (Jer 18:4). The fact that the only copper found in the tabernacle of Moses, is the sockets which support the five gold covered pillars through which all who enter the tabernacle must pass signifies that God’s elect, like Christ, become the door to salvation for all men of all time. The brass sockets of that door remind us of our earthy origins and the fact that God is calling light out of darkness, and this fact:

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

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 [spiritual] vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

The only copper found in the tabernacle of Moses is the sockets which support the five pillars through which all who enter the tabernacle must pass, reminding us of our earthy origins and the fact that God is calling light out of darkness, and the fact that “that is not first which is spiritual but that which is natural, and afterwards that which is spiritual” (1Co 15:44). The feet of these cherubims and Christ’s feet are both said to be copper. We walk upon our feet, and we saw that the walk of Christ and the walk of these four living creatures has both been in bodies of sinful flesh, “vessels of clay… marred in the hand of the Potter.” Copper being the best of the base metals, is not seen in the tabernacle of God except as the feet or “sockets” of the pillars which comprise the door to the tabernacle through which all must pass. No one comes to God except through this door, and Christ is that door. In Him we, too, are that door with five pillars standing on sockets of brass, or more correctly copper.

4) We saw that the spiritual significance of “their wings were joined one to another” is telling us that these creatures and those whom they typify, are of absolute necessity “of the same mind.” Having “wings” tells us that there is a spirit in these “four living creatures.” It tells us that the spirit in them is “one spirit.” Anything less is disastrous and will lead to spiritual death.

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

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

5) Finally, we saw that the rainbow in the clouds mentioned in chapter one is the sign of the power and rulership of God both in heaven and on earth.

Job 36:31  For by them [the clouds] judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

Psa 76:8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,

Coats of “many colors” were worn both by Joseph and by the daughters of the king because they were rulers.

Gen 37:3  Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

Sa 13:18  And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

In our next study we will see more of the spiritual significance of the wings of these four living creatures. We will see two examples which will demonstrate for us that when the wings of these creatures are “lifted up from the earth”, God’s elect are elevated into the heavens and proclaim heavenly words from the mouth of God. That will be but one of many of the similarities between these two chapters. That is what we will examine next week as we see the things which both chapters have in common.  This is all “a door opened in heaven,” to show us “the patterns of the heavenly things themselves.”

Rev 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in [our] heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Ezekiel 1:1-14 The Living Creatures

[Study Aired January 22, 2024]

Introduction

Before we go into the details of this chapter, let’s take a look at who Ezekiel was. The name Ezekiel means ‘strengthened by God’, and he grew up in Jerusalem where he trained to become a priest in the temple. Unfortunately, he was part of the second group of captives taken together with King Jehoiachin to Babylon. He was the author of the Book of Ezekiel which entails the visions the Lord gave him. The Book of Ezekiel is regarded as one of the five books of the major prophets of the Bible. These five books are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel. 

The first vision that Ezekiel had was about the throne of God which highlighted the four living creatures and whirling wheels. He also had visions regarding the new temple and the restored people of Israel. 

Today’s study focuses on the living creatures Ezekiel saw in the vision from the Lord. 

Ezekiel in Babylon

Eze 1:1  Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Eze 1:2  In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,
Eze 1:3  The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

Ezekiel was by the river Chebar in Babylon where many Israelite exiles had settled, when the Lord appeared to him. Chebar means ‘far off’. What this implies is that living by the river Chebar takes us far off from the Lord, since by the rivers of Babylon we cannot worship the Lord. Being among the captives means that we were together with our brothers and sisters in Babylon or the churches of this world before the Lord came to us.

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
Psa 137:4  How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

The river of Chebar, or the river of Babylon, represents the false doctrines that we imbibe during our sojourn in the churches of this world before Christ shows up at the door of our heart and mind. These false doctrines make us worse off or take us far away from the Lord (the meaning of Chebar). This is what Apostle Peter has to say about this:

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity [False doctrines], they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

It was during our sojourn in Babylon that the Lord came to open our heavens to start understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. The time that this vision of the Lord came to Ezekiel is very significant. We are not told what the thirtieth year refers to. However, we know that the number thirty on a positive note signifies being given the power to reign. We can therefore say that it is when our heavens open and we are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven that we are also given the power to reign over our flesh.

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

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

The fifth day of the month, or the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, implies that our stay in Babylon is all part of the grand design of the Lord to show us His grace through faith. The fact that Ezekiel was part of Jehoiachin’s captivity implies that our bondage, or captivity to the flesh, is only for a period of time. This is because Jehoiachin was released later by the king of Babylon (Christ) to become a king over the kings in Babylon (to reign over the world). In the fullness of time, as we are set free completely from the prison of the flesh (the first resurrection), we are given a change of garment by the Lord, and we shall reign with Him. 

Jer 52:31  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,
Jer 52:32  And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,
Jer 52:33  And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. 
Jer 52:34  And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

In verse 3, we are given to know that the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel. Before this time, although Ezekiel was a priest, he did not have an encounter with the word of the Lord. In other words, it is when our heavens are opened that we hear clearly what the Lord is saying to us in the spirit. 

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.

We are also told in verse 3 that the hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel even during these difficult times in Babylon. That is to say that even when we did not know Him, He was there with us all along and ordering our steps. How much more when we have come to know Him? Surely, He will bring us to an expected end!! The work the Lord has started in us, He will surely bring to completion!! There are times in our lives when we are going through hard times and cannot see the light of day. In the midst of our tribulation, the hand of the Lord is upon us, just as in Ezekiel’s situation in Babylon the Lord was with Him.

Psa 138:7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. 
Psa 138:8  The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. 

Php 1:6  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

The Whirlwind from the North

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

When Christ comes to us, while we are yet sinners and spending our time in Babylon, to show us the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, He comes with His judgment. The whirlwind Ezekiel saw is a symbol of the Lord’s judgment as shown in the following verses:

Jer 23:19  Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

Jer 25:32  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

This is what Brother Mike said in his study of the Book of Revelation about the significance of the north where the whirlwind was coming from. The fact that the tribe of Dan was to be on the north during Israel’s travels and when they settled in the land, tells us of the meaning of the symbolism of ‘the north.’ Dan means ‘judge.’

Gen 49:16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

Num 2:25 The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan [shall be] Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

Apart from the whirlwind, which speaks of our judgment, Ezekiel also saw a great cloud and fire infolding itself. The great cloud represents the cloud of witnesses or the elect who had persevered and won the prize and therefore serve as witnesses to us that the Lord who has begun a good work in our lives will see to its completion.  The fire infolding itself also speaks about our judgment as it is by judgment that we learn righteousness.  One version explains the fire infolding itself to mean fire coming one after another. In some versions, it means fire flashing forth continuously. What is significant is that our judgment is not carried out all at once but comes one after another. If we look back at what we have gone through in this life, it is like the fire flashing forth continuously, that is, being judged continuously just like the three Hebrew young men being in the fire continuously until they were delivered.

Jud 1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints [the cloud], 
Jud 1:15  To execute judgment upon all [the fire infolding itself], and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 

Eze 1:4 And, looking, I saw a storm-wind coming out of the north, a great cloud with flames of fire coming after one another, and a bright light shining round about it and in the heart of it was something coloured like electrum. (BBE) 

Eze 1:4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. (ESV)

The brightness around the great cloud with fire infolding itself signifies the Lord’s coming to His saints with His words. 

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:

In the middle of the fire was the color amber which many versions of the Bible translate as polished metal. 

Eze 1:4  I saw a windstorm blowing in from the north. Lightning flashed from a huge cloud and lit up the whole sky with a dazzling brightness. The fiery center of the cloud was as shiny as polished metal, (CEV)

A polished metal is one that has been refined resulting in the removal of dirt and all the dross. What the polished metal in the midst of the fire signifies is that our fiery trials remove all that contaminates our walk with Christ so that we can be presented blameless before God.

Col 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Coming to Know The Four Living Creatures

Eze 1:5  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
Eze 1:6  And everyone had four faces, and every one had four wings.

In the midst of the storm, out of great clouds and fire appeared the four living creatures who were likened to man. This implies that these four living creatures represent the elect who were the target of the storm and fire. Being four means that they signify the whole of the elect of every generation. In the Book of Revelation, we are made certain of their identity as the Lord’s elect as follows:

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

Each of the four living creatures which represent the whole of the Lord’s elect had four faces of a lion, ox, man and an eagle. 

Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Later in the Book of Revelation, each of the four living creatures has a specific face of either a lion, calf, man, or an eagle. 

Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

What we must realize is that Ezekiel was shown these four living creatures to know the end result of the Lord’s judgment of our old man. In other words, the result of the Lord’s judgment is for us, His elect to become like Christ. The four faces of the living creatures show us who the Lord was when He was here on earth and is now working in us to become like Him. In the spirit, it therefore does not matter whether each of the living creatures has four faces or one as we must bear all the four faces of Christ. 

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. 

The number four means the whole of the matter, and therefore the four faces show us the whole of Christ while He was here on earth. The face of a lion shows us the Lord as the lion of the tribe of Judah. The Gospel of Matthew describes the Lord as a lion of the tribe of Judah. Like a lion, the Lord did not turn back from all the trials and tribulations that He encountered in this life. He will not rest until He makes our enemies (our flesh) a footstool, that is, defeat our enemies. What He starts, He is able to bring to completion!!

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.

Pro 30:30  the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; 

Isa 31:4  For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

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:

The Lord is also described as an ox. This is especially portrayed in the Gospel according to Mark where the Lord worked tirelessly during His time here on earth. We are given indication of this as Mark uses the expression “and straightway… and immediately.” This implies that as His elect, the Lord is tirelessly working out our salvation.

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

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

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

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

The living creatures also had the face of a man. The Gospel according to Luke shows us Jesus as a man. That is why at the beginning of the Book of Luke, Luke traced the genealogy of Christ to Adam, the son of God. The Lord Jesus was a man in every way. That is why He represents us as our High Priest since He went through all that we are going through. As a result, we are able to come boldly before Him to receive mercy and grace at our point of need.

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The living creatures all had the face of an eagle. The Gospel of John focuses on the revelation of the Lord from a heavenly perspective of an eagle which represents the spiritual realm. In other words, John paid attention to the spiritual aspect of the life of Christ since it is the spirit that gives life. We must therefore focus on having our spiritual understanding enlightened as we seek to know Christ.

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.

As an eagle, the Lord is bearing us, His elect, on His wings as He protects us and leads us in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. In conclusion, as Christ is, so are we. We therefore must have the faces of a lion, ox, man, and an eagle.

Deu 32:9  For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
Deu 32:10  He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 
Deu 32:11  As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
Deu 32:12  So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

It is also instructive to note that the four living creatures have four wings. We know that it is only birds or fowls of the air that have wings. This means that the four living creatures are likened to fowls of the air. We know from the Lord’s teaching that fowls of the air indicate the spiritual realm. What this signifies is that, although the Lord’s elect (living creatures) are men, they live in a spiritual realm. In other words, we have been raised to live in heavenly places with Christ. The fact that the living creatures have four wings signifies that the whole of the elect lives in the spiritual realm. 

Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

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

Eze 1:7  And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. 
Eze 1:8  And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. 

The feet of the four living creatures being straight means that their walk before the Lord is not crooked. In other words, they are blameless before God. The soles of their feet being like that of a calf is very interesting. The feet of human beings are very soft and are susceptible to being easily pierced by a sharp object. Those of a calf are very hard and are not vulnerable to being hurt easily. What this means is that as His elect, it is not easy to derail our walk before the Lord. This is because the Lord protects our walk before Him. 

Isa 41:10  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

The feet of the four living creatures sparkling like burnished brass is to remind us of the feet of our Lord Jesus when He appeared to John in the island of Patmos. The burnished brass (copper) signifies the fiery trials we experience in this sinful flesh. Our Lord Jesus was the first to be judged in this life, and as we are following His footsteps here on earth, our feet are being burned in the furnace (judged) so that we shall be blameless before the Lord.

Rev 1:13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 
Rev 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 
Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Having the hands of man under their wings in verse 8 shows our dual citizenship. We live in the flesh here on earth, but at the same time, we are seated in heavenly places in the spirit.

Eze 1:9  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 
Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
Eze 1:11  Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
Eze 1:12  And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

To understand what is said by their wings being joined one to another, we need to look at the function of the wings as stated in the following verse:

Eze 10:5  And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

The sound of their wings is the same as the voice of the Lord. This implies that the joining of their wings means that they have one mind and say the same thing. In verse 11, the two wings which are joined one to another therefore means that they speak the same thing as witnesses of Christ.

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

As indicated, the wings signify the spiritual realm. The two wings protecting the body in verse 11 therefore suggest that in walking in the spirit we do not defile the body or fulfill the desires of the flesh. Our protection in Christ is by walking in the spirit or obeying His words. 

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

The wings of the living creatures stretching upward in verse 11 affirms the fact that the wings of the living creatures signify the spiritual realm as shown in the following verse:

Ecc 3:21  Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

In verse 9, when the living creatures were moving, they went straight ahead. In verse 11, we are given additional information about this straight-ahead movement. That is, we are shown that they move according to the spirit. This suggests that they are led by the spirit to focus only on the prize of the higher calling. They do not look back to focus on the flesh. In other words, the elect do not remember their past experiences (look back) as they forge ahead through the Holy Spirit to focus on the prize of the Lord’s higher calling.

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Eze 1:13  As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
Eze 1:14  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

The appearance of the living creatures as burning coals of fire with lightning emanating from the fire all signify the judgment of the elect which causes us to become the lamps of the world, giving light to those in the household of faith, first in this life and later to the whole world. 

Mat 5:14  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 
Mat 5:15  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Mat 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

The running and returning of the living creatures as the appearance of a flash of lightning in verse 14 is to show us that our struggles (running and returning) in this life are all preparing us to become judges (Flash of lightning) in an age to come.

Rev 20:4  Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

May the Lord continue to help us to become like Him as we focus on the prize of His higher calling. Amen!!

Awesome Hands – Part 170

“The cities of refuge”

August 19, 2020

The Lord always provides His city of refuge. For Christians, He is our refuge.

Psa 46:1  To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psa 14:6  Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
Psa 71:7  I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
Psa 71:8  Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

While this concept is easy to grasp, the Lord is our refuge, it is much harder to hold onto. It seems as though when times of tribulation happen upon us, we often forget that we do have a place to which we can retreat so that judgment can take its course.

Judgment

Judgment is the reason why the city of refuge is implemented. Proper judgment is very hard to come by, but when the Lord is involved, we know that His judgment is just and wise.

In our study today, we find ourselves ported into the world of Joshua 20.

Joshua 11 was the last chapter that we see the Hebrew word “yad” mentioned, and now we jump forward to the next mention of this word, which is found three times in Joshua 20.

In Joshua 11, we saw that the Lord indeed hardens hearts. In the case of a hardened heart, the Lord certainly will not feel like He is a place of refuge. However, in Joshua 20, we find some biblical definitions of what the cities of refuge are all about.

Jos 20:1  The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
Jos 20:2  Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
Jos 20:3  That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

The law of Moses was made up of a lot of laws which were added to the ten commandments. However, one of topics that Moses did not have to delineate on was the topic of the cities of refuge. That is because the Lord Himself instituted this practice.

Killing a person “unawares” was akin to an accidental death. It was not a premeditated murder. However, it was acceptable in the traditions of the people that blood to be repaid with blood.

Exo 21:12  He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Exo 21:13  And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
Exo 21:14  But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Exo 21:15  And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

Joshua simply reminded the people of the law that was already passed down through Moses via the Lord.

Num 35:9  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 35:10  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
Num 35:11  Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
Num 35:12  And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
Num 35:13  And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.
Num 35:14  Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
Num 35:15  These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

You’ll notice that these rules on the cities of refuge were so important that they were mentioned in three of the five books Moses was credited for writing contained in the first five books of the Old Testament.

Deu 19:1  When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
Deu 19:2  Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
Deu 19:3  Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
Deu 19:4  And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
Deu 19:5  As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
Deu 19:6  Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
Deu 19:7  Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

The “avenger” of blood was a person who was given the ability to “avenge” the murder of someone that was murdered. This was a legal act that was instituted because the sanctity of life is very important with God.

However, what is it to be an “avenger” of blood?

H1350
gâ’al
gaw-al’

A primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship), that is, to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative’s property, marry his widow, etc.): –    X in any wise, X at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk (-man), purchase, ransom, redeem (-er), revenger.

Total KJV occurrences: 104

H1350
gâ’al

Total KJV Occurrences: 98

redeem, 24
Exo_6:6, Lev_25:25-26 (3), Lev_25:48-49 (3), Lev_27:13, Lev_27:15, Lev_27:19-20 (2), Lev_27:31, Rth_4:4 (5), Rth_4:6 (3), Psa_69:18, Hos_13:14 (2), Mic_4:10

redeemed, 24
Gen_48:16, Exo_15:13, Lev_25:30, Lev_25:54, Lev_27:20, Lev_27:27-28 (2), Lev_27:33, Psa_74:2, Psa_77:15, Psa_106:10, Psa_107:2 (2), Isa_35:9, Isa_43:1, Isa_44:22-23 (2), Isa_48:20, Isa_52:3, Isa_52:9, Isa_62:12, Isa_63:4, Isa_63:9, Lam_3:58

redeemer, 18
Job_19:25, Psa_19:14, Psa_78:35, Pro_23:11, Isa_43:14 (2), Isa_44:6, Isa_44:24, Isa_47:4, Isa_48:17, Isa_49:7, Isa_49:26, Isa_54:5, Isa_54:8, Isa_59:20, Isa_63:16 (2), Jer_50:34

kinsman, 11
Rth_3:8-9 (2), Rth_3:12-13 (5), Rth_4:1, Rth_4:3, Rth_4:6, Rth_4:8

avenger, 6
Num_35:12, Deu_19:6, Deu_19:12, Jos_20:3, Jos_20:5, Jos_20:9

revenger, 6
Num_35:19, Num_35:21, Num_35:24-25 (2), Num_35:27 (2)

ransomed, 2
Jer_31:10-11 (2)

deliver, 1
Psa_119:154

kinsfolks, 1
1Ki_16:11

kinsman’s, 1
Rth_3:13

kinsmen, 1
Rth_2:20

purchase, 1
Lev_25:33

redeemeth, 1
Psa_103:4

revengers, 1
2Sa_14:11

So, an avenger is a redeemer?!? Could it be the Lord is an avenger of blood? A few of the examples taken from above are:

Psa 74:2  Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

Psa 77:15  Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

Psa 106:10  And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

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

Being a “redeemer” is even more interesting, because being a redeemer is learning about who the Lord is to us and who we are to the Lord as the body of Christ.

1Ki 16:11  And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

Being of the “kin” or of the “kinsfolks” was being related by blood. Are we related to Christ through His blood? I believe we are, according to Christ. We are washed in it, but equally important is that we have taken it INTO us.

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 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.

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

What, then, can we learn and deduce from this information? Well, the story of Ruth and Naomi can be quite revealing.

Rth 2:19  And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
Rth 2:20  And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

Please bear with me as I present the next verses because while they are long to read, they reveal a wonderful connection of who we are in Christ. More than that, they reveal the relationship we have with Him if only we could take it to heart.

Rth 3:7  And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
Rth 3:8  And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
Rth 3:9  And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
Rth 3:10  And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
Rth 3:11  And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
Rth 3:12  And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
Rth 3:13  Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
Rth 3:14  And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Rth 3:15  Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.
Rth 3:16  And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
Rth 3:17  And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
Rth 3:18  Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

Do you ever see a number and wonder why it wasn’t another number? Why not 7 measures of barley? Why not 3? 10?

Here, Boaz gives Ruth six measures of barley. We know the number six has positive and negative aspects, but it also can be seen in the story of Joshua with which we have started today (and other places that talk about the same topic of cities of refuge).

Jos 20:4  And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
Jos 20:5  And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
Jos 20:6  And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
Jos 20:7  And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
Jos 20:8  And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
Jos 20:9  These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

Six cities were given to Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, so that they could have refuge.

More revealing are the meanings behind the names.

Kedesh = A sanctum/clean

H6943
qedesh
keh’-desh

From H6942; a sanctum; Kedesh, the name of four places in Palestine: – Kedesh.

Total KJV occurrences: 12
From H6942 meaning clean.

H6942
qâdash
kaw-dash’

A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): – appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy (-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify (-ied one, self), X wholly.

Total KJV occurrences: 171

Shechem = Shoulder/the place of burden

H7927
shekem
shek-em’

The same as H7926; ridge; Shekem, a place in Palestine: – Shechem.

Total KJV occurrences: 49

The same as H7926 –

H7926
shekem
shek-em’

From H7925; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively the spur of a hill: – back, X consent, portion, shoulder.

Total KJV occurrences: 22

Kirjatharba = City of the four giants

H7153

qiryath ‘arba‛    qiryath hâ’arba‛
(keer-yath’) ar-bah’, haw-ar-bah’

The second form, used in Neh_11:25, has the article interposed; from H7151 and H704 or H702; city of Arba, or city of the four (giants); Kirjath-Arba or Kirjath-ha-Arba, a place in Palestine: – Kirjath-arba.

Total KJV occurrences: 7

Bezer = Fortification

H1221
betser
beh’-tser

The same as H1220; an inaccessible spot; Betser, a place in Palestine: – Bezer.

Total KJV occurrences: 5

The root means a gold clipping, a gold “clipping of defense”.

H1220
betser
beh’-tser

From H1219; strictly a clipping, that is, gold (as dug out): – gold defence.

Total KJV occurrences: 2

Ramoth = Height or exaltation

H7216
râ’môth    râ’môth
raw-moth’, raw-moth’

Plural of H7215; heights; Ramoth, the name of two places in Palestine: – Ramoth.

Total KJV occurrences: 5

The meaning “from something high in value”.

H7215
râ’mâh
raw-maw’

From H7213; something high in value, that is, perhaps coral: – coral.

Total KJV occurrences: 2

Golan = Captive / to make bare

H1474
gôlân
go-lawn’

From H1473; captive; Golan, a place East of the Jordan: – Golan.

Total KJV occurrences: 4

This is from the root H1473 meaning, exiles.

H1473
gôlâh    gôlâh
go-law’, go-law’

Active participle feminine of H1540; exile; concretely and collectively, exiles: – (carried away), captive (-ity), removing.

Total KJV occurrences: 42

These words/cities alone should tell you what you mean to the Lord. Though it may not seem like a good thing to our flesh, look at where we rest when we find refuge from the old man in us via the new man in us.

We are captives to the city of four giants, but in this we are given an exalted fortification placed on us as a burden to be shared by Jesus Christ, thus making us clean. We are man, but we are man in the spiritual form and type and shadow of the six-winged beasts sitting around the thrown of God.

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.

Can it get any clearer than that for where we sit in the Lord?

Yes, we may have burdens, but they are shared with the Lord of all of creation because we are the bride of the Lamb. We now can be cities of refuge for those the Lord sends us to or sends to us.

Though the cities of refuge were appointed to the physical nation of Israel to see that justice was done for those who had circumstances that were not considered murder, spiritual Israel is given spiritual refuge, when we have placed upon us these six wings of the beasts, beasts which continuously “rest not” proclaiming holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty.

Judgment must begin at the house of God, and I am happy to be here with you in this holy house.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 27 Discussion

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Isa 6: What Is A Seraph?

Before we continue our studies here in Isaiah, we need to go back and define with the scriptures exactly what is a 'seraph'. So that is what we will do before we continue to discuss the function and work God has for the seraphims around His throne "in the holy place... [of] the heavens themselves" (Heb 9:23).

We have just learned that the seraphims, the four living creature, the four cherubims, the four beasts and four and twenty elders are one and all types of God's elect who were "redeemed... to God out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation":

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

We have learned that the seraphims have a message to bring to those who make up the house of God, which message causes the posts of the door of the house of God to be moved and to fill His house with smoke:

Isa 6:3  And one [seraphims, vs 2] cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Isa 6:4  And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

I have written on this subject earlier, but for this study I want to make clear here in this sixth chapter of Isaiah exactly what these seraphim are before we continue with what we are told their purpose and function is in the holy place of the temple of God in "the heavens themselves".

'Seraphim' is the Hebrew plural of the Hebrew word 'seraph', so:

What is a 'seraph'?

We have discussed the Biblical description of the four living creatures, the cherubims and the four beasts of Ezekiel 1 and 10 and Revelation 4 and 5. In all four of those chapters these four living creatures around the throne of God, in His temple in heaven, are described as 1) a man, 2) a lion, 3) an ox, and 4) an eagle.

Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

These are the exact same faces on the four creatures "in the midst of and round about the throne" of God in the holy place in His temple in the heavens, in the book of Revelation:

Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

It is very interesting, when we take notice, that three of these four beasts are unclean wild beasts. The man, the lion, and the eagle are all unclean wild beasts. The only beast of the four which is not unclean, according to the requirements of Leviticus 11, is the ox.

Lev 11:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Lev 11:3  Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

Lev 11:13  And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,

With that in mind, we will now examine what the scriptures reveal is a 'seraph', which we are told is also a winged beast right there with "the Lord sitting upon a throne".

Isa 6:1  In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isa 6:2  Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

Here is Strong's definition of this Hebrew word 'seraph' translated as 'seraphims' only here in Isaiah six.

H8314
שָׂרָף
śârâph
saw-rawf'
From H8313; burning, that is, (figuratively) poisonous (serpent); specifically a saraph or symbolical creature (from their copper color): - fiery (serpent), seraph.

And here are all the entries for this word in the Old Testament:

H8314
שׂרף
śârâph
Total KJV Occurrences: 7
fiery serpent, 5
Num_21:6 (2), Num_21:8, Deu_8:15, Isa_14:29, Isa_30:6
seraphims, 2
Isa_6:2, Isa_6:6

If this Hebrew word 'saraph' is five times translated as 'fiery serpent', then why is it translated as 'seraphims' here in Isaiah 6:2 and 6?

Let's look at the verses where this word 'saraf' first appears:

Num 21:4  And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
Num 21:5  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
Num 21:6  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

The word 'fiery' here in verse 6 is the word 'saraph'. It is the same word translated as 'seraphims' in Isa 6. Israel is once again complaining against God for bringing them out of Egypt, and consequently God sent fiery serpents to bite and devour rebellious Israel. Immediately after the Hebrew word 'seraph' is the Hebrew word 'nachash', which is consistently, without exception translated as 'serpent' or 'serpents', throughout the Old Testament.

Here is Strong's definition for the Hebrew word 'nachash'

H5175
נָחָשׁ
nâchâsh
naw-khawsh'
From H5172; a snake (from its hiss): - serpent.
Total KJV occurrences: 31

After the Lord sent the "fiery serpents [the 'seraph nachash'] among the people, and [after] they bit the people; and much people of Israel died":

Num 21:7  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
Num 21:8  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 
Num 21:9  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

The words 'fiery serpent' in verse 8 have only the Hebrew word 'seraph' behind them, unlike the words 'fiery serpent' in verse 6, where they have both words 'seraph', and 'nachash' behind the phrase 'fiery serpent'. Nevertheless 'fiery serpent' is a good translation of the word 'seraph' because the very next verse tells us that in obedience to the Lord's commandment in verse 8 to "Make you a fiery serpent", "Moses made a serpent [a nachash] of brass, and put it upon a pole."

So the beasts biting Israel were serpents, but they were not just any serpent as they were poisonous, 'fiery' serpents, 'seraph nachash', because "they bit the people; and much people of Israel died."

A 'seraph' is clearly not just a serpent. A 'seraph' is a poisonous serpent whose bite kills us. We have always been conditioned to believe that dying is not good, and dying of a snake bite is certainly never considered to an experience anyone in his right mind would ever want to endure.

But what does Christ tell us we must endure before we can find our life?:

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Joh 12:25  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

The story of what happened to Israel proves the truth of this counterintuitive principle given to us by Christ:

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:

"Those men... have not listened to my voice... shall not see the land..." But why did they "not hear [Christ's] voice"? Christ Himself answers that question:

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw [Greek: drag] him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The death of the generation that saw all the miracles Christ performed in Egypt, who came up out of Egypt and still tempted God, had to die and could not enter into the land. That is still true, and the Lord sends serpents to destroy us because we, at that point in our spiritual journey, are "of our father the devil", and we must be destroyed at the hand of "that old serpent the devil":

Joh 8:44  Ye [who believe on Christ, verses 30-32, who witnessed Christ's miracles, who ate Christ's loaves and fishes, You] are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

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. [Here is another Biblical example of four differents symbols for the same one evil spirit "the Devil, and Satan"]

The serpent is not a free agent. He is nothing more than a very necessary tool in the Lord's hand. This is nowhere any more clearly demonstrated than in the events surrounding the death and crucifixion of our Lord Himself. Those who are given to see must acknowledge:

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28  For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 

Christ Himself is prefigured by both a lamb and a lion, two very different beasts:

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

Joh 1:36  And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Hos 11:10  They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

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.

In Numbers 21 the seraph, the poisonous serpent, was the instrument of Christ to kill rebellious Israel, and a likeness of the seraph was also the instrument of Christ to give life to those who had been bitten by the serpents when they looked upon the saraph, the brazen serpent. Christ knew what all of this meant when He made this statement concerning Himself:

Joh 3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 
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.

Those who looked on the serpent did not perish but lived, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

It is Christ who likens Himself, and the life He brings to us, to a serpent being lifted up in the wilderness to give life to those who had rebelled against Him. It should be coming clearer to us what Christ means when He tells us:

Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Christ wants us to know that He is the beginning and the end of all His works. But He also wants us to know that He starts out with marred vessels of corruptible clay:

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.

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

"The vessel that He made of clay was marred in the hand of The Potter", and the crooked serpent was also made as a crooked serpent in that same hand:

Job 26:13  By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 
Job 26:14  Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?

We 'hear such little portion of Him' that we wonder why He has four unclean beasts, including a seraph, a venomous serpent, around His throne, with only one clean beast there.

Yet both "the four beasts and the four and twenty elders" tell us that they are symbols of those who "Christ has redeemed... to God... out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation [to be] made... unto their God kings and priest [to] reign on the earth."

What a wonderful part of this "revelation of Jesus Christ" which is what the book of revelation is all about!

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:

What this means is that these seraphims and the four beast of Revelation 4 and 5 are all a part of the revelation of Jesus Christ, whose revelation is built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, including both of the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel.

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God ["in the heavens", Heb 9:23];
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple ["in heaven", Rev 9:11] in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The single message of all these symbols

We are God's habitation "in heaven". In the book of Ezekiel the four faces of the cherubims are shared by each of the four cherubims. This demonstrates that when we see each creature as an individual creature in the revelation of Jesus Christ, we must remember the truth revealed here in Ezekiel, that we all share all the four faces, and that when we fly, we all fly together because:

1Ki 6:27  And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.

Eze 1:9  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
Eze 1:11  Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
Eze 1:12  And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

Putting all that is revealed to us concerning these seraphims, cherubims, four beasts, and four and twenty elders together, we now know they are all the symbols of those who have been "redeemed... to God by [Christ's] blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; [and will be] made... unto [their] God kings and priests: and [will all] reign on the earth" (Rev 5:8-9).

The fact these creatures, in Ezekiel and in Revelation, are 'four' tells us they represent the whole body of Christ: The Number Four

Having wings which are joined together, tells us they represent the "one body [of Christ with] many members". For their wings to be touching each other as they fly tells us they must be of the same one mind, the mind of Christ.

1Co 12:12  For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. (ACV)

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

That the four beasts are all of one mind is confirmed in Ezekiel one where we are told these "four living creatures" without hesitation all go "whither the spirit was to go". (Eze 1:12)

Summary and Conclusion

The seraphs, are venomous serpents. Only in Isaiah 6 is this Hebrew word translated as 'seraphims'. The fact these venomous seraphims are located at the throne of God, that they each have six wings, and that they cry 'Holy, holy, holy' one to another, demonstrates that these 'seraphims' are just different symbols of the same thing prefigured by the four living creatures, the four cherubims, of Ezekiel 1 and 10, and the four beasts and the four and twenty elders of Revelation 4 and 5.

Just as the cows and the ears of corn both symbolized the same thing in Pharaoh's dream, so also all these symbols are one and all figures of those who have been redeemed to God by Christ out of every nation of mankind:

Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Gen 41:26  The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

Rev 5:9  And they [The four beast and the 24 elders, Rev 5:7-8] sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The only reason why these 'seraphs' are not translated as 'fiery serpents' in Isaiah six, while they are called "fiery serpents" everywhere else that Hebrew word 'seraph' appears, is apparently simply because the translators could not bring themselves to tell us that the scriptures teach that venomous serpents are symbols of those who surround the throne of God.

The use of the symbolism of three unclean wild beasts and venomous serpents with only one clean beast, around the throne of God, is given to make us mindful of what we are without the favor and the work of the grace of Christ within the lives of all who are the elect of God. God's elect are, in and of themselves, no better or any more worthy of the Lord's favor than Satan himself. All of God's creatures are just what He has made them to be, and this, in the final analysis, is the Truth of the Word of God:

Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Even though we were first the offspring of venomous serpents and wild beasts, we are all of the same heavenly Father as Christ, and through Christ and His Christ, all men, "each in his own order", "all... in Adam" will be made alive in Christ, who "is not ashamed to call [all men] his brothers".

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.

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.

If the Lord wills, we are "they that are Christ's [who are to be] made alive... at His coming". Being made to know this should make us proclaim with the apostle:

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

It doesn't get any better than that!

Audio Links

The Spiritual Significance of Biblical Locations – Part 7

Where is the Temple of God? Where and What are the Cherubim in the Temple?

2Sa 22:7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

1Ki 6:17 And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.

Psa 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Num 7:89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

1Sa 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

2Sa 6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

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

Introduction

God hears our cries “out of His temple”. His “house…is the temple”. His temple and His throne are “in heaven”. God speaks to us “from off the mercy seat… from between the two cherubims”, and we are told that He “dwells between the cherubims” which are within “the temple of God… in heaven”. The ark of His covenant is in His temple.

With all of this in mind, the apostle Paul was shown that God’s true house, His true temple, is nothing other than His people in whom He dwells. Here is what we are told:

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.

2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

For many of us, it seems only yesterday that we, along with so many others, were anxiously awaiting the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem as a necessary event that must take place before Christ could come back to this earth. I remember well quoting:

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

This prophecy is repeated by James at the Jerusalem conference in Acts 15:

Act 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

How it is concluded that this prophecy proves that a physical temple has to be built before Christ can return is a mystery to me now, but I can remember well when it not even a question in my mind – the temple had to be rebuilt.

Will a physical temple be built in Jerusalem before Christ returns? Time will reveal whether that will happen, but even if it is built, that will not make it the dwelling place of God, any more that the re-establishing of the state of Israel has served to make the outward Jews who are there today the true Jews in whom Christ dwells. As hated as these words are by both Jews and Christians, they are still inspired of the holy spirit and are the Truth of God:

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

Can an outward Jew be a Jew? Only if he acknowledges that being an outward Jew is in itself “but dung” in the mind of God:

Php 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

In Christ a physical pedigree is of no value whatsoever, and being of the physical nation of Israel is now of no advantage at all. The chapter break between Romans 2:29 and Romans 3:1 has served to keep the Truth of Romans 2:28-29 hidden from the masses of Christians. This is no doubt by God’s design simply because He has come to make blind those who think they see (Joh 9:39). Nevertheless, Romans 3:1 is not a contradiction of the previous two verses and must be understood in the context of the revelation of the previous two verses, or it will be taken to mean the exact opposite of Roman 2:28-29.

Let’s put these verses all together without the chapter break and see what the holy spirit reveals:

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Rom 3:1 What advantage then hath the [inward (Rom 2:29)] Jew? or what profit is there of [spiritual (Rev 2:29)] circumcision?
Rom 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
Rom 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

Our lack of faith in what God says does not change His Truth. The words ‘were committed’ in Romans 3:2 are also in the aorist tense and are a simple statement of fact, that the oracles of God are committed to those who are Jews and who are circumcised. Our lack of faith in Romans 2:28-29 will not change the Truth revealed there, any more than a physical Gentile who was disgruntled with the fact that God had a special physical relationship with physical Israel before Christ would change that fact. The phrase “were committed” is in the aorist tense because of the preceding statement that outward Jews are not Jews at all, and outward circumcision is not circumcision at all. Nevertheless, the oracles of God are still committed to spiritual Jews, who are now spiritually circumcised. The phrase “did not believe” is also in the aorist tense and is again a simple statement of fact without any regard to time. “What if some do not believe what Paul has just revealed to us?” If we refuse to believe that an outward Jew is not a Jew or that physical circumcision is not counted as circumcision by God, will our denial of these Truths change the fact that they are yet True? The answer is:

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

Those who are “the [true] temple of God” are diligently attentive and zealous to be obedient to the Words of God.

Ecc 5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

We “keep [our] foot when [we] go to house of God”, when we fear and tremble before Christ’s words concerning how we are to conduct ourselves within “the house of God”. We cannot do this unless we first confess that we are His temple:

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

“The house of God [is] the temple of God” and the temple of God is “the church which is His body”.

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

So the body in which Christ dwells is also the temple in which He dwells. That explains why we are called “His flesh and His bones” which continue to “fill up that which is behind of His afflictions:

Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Christ loves us as His flesh and His bones because we are His bride whom He loves as He loves Himself.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

God speaks “from between the cherubims”

How does God speak to His people? Does he do so only through the written word on a one-on-one basis? Or does God witness to His people “by the church”? Here is the short answer to this question for all who have eyes that see and ears that hear:

Exo 25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
Exo 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exo 25:19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
Exo 25:20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
Exo 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

God speaks to His people “from between the cherubims”. We see this phrase repeated throughout the Old Testament:

1Sa 4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

2Sa 6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

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.

1Ch 13:6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.

Psa 80:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Psa 99:1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.

Isa 37:16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.

Eze 10:2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.

Eze 10:6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

That “fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims” is the word of God:

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

So the fire that is “between the cherubims” and the “commun[ing] with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims” is one and the same: “my words in thy mouth fire“.

Here is our final verse containing this phrase:

Eze 10:7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim’s unto the fire that was between the cherubims,and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.

Compared with Exodus 25:22:

Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

‘All [the] things which [God] will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel’ are all His Words which will devour all the wood, hay and stubble within His people. The apostle Paul reiterates this Truth in the New Testament:

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is [the doctrine and words of] 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 [“from between the cherubims”] ; 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?

Where does God dwell? He “dwells between the cherubims”. He dwells in His temple, and “ye are the temple of God… the spirit of God dwells in you”!

Since you and I are now His people, how does God now communicate Himself and His doctrine to His people? The fact is that He still speaks to His people “from between the cherubims”. Here is how the apostle Paul summarizes all of these verses which tell us that God speaks to us from between the cherubim, from out of His temple, which is the abode of His spirit which “dwells in you”:

Eph 3:8 Unto me [You and me (Mat 4:4, Eph 3:10)], who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Eph 3:9 And to make all men see [speak to “all men”] what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church [the cherubim (Rev 5:8-10)] the manifold wisdom of God,

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you [not just Paul].

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

Notice the description of these four beasts in the book of Revelation:

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

These are the very same four beasts of Ezekiel 1 and Ezekiel 10:

Eze 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

When we put this verse together with what we read in Ezekiel 10 we discover that the definition of “a cherub”, when no other form is specified is to be understood as “an ox”. Notice what we are told of these very same creatures in Ezekiel 10:

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

Here in Ezekiel 10 “the face of an ox” is replaced with “the face of a cherub”, and yet the very next verse tells us this is the very same creature seen in Ezekiel 1:

Eze 10:15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.

Eze 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

“The heavens were opened” and Ezekiel saw this vision of the throne of God. Our heavens are being opened, and we are made to know that these four creatures are the whole body of one Christ. In Ezekiel each creature has all four faces, whereas in Revelation each creature is distinguished with just one of these four faces. What this tells us is that we are all within each other, just as we are all within Christ and His Father, and just as the seven churches are separate churches yet they are all within all of us, and the message to each church is also addressed to “He that hath an ear”.

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.

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

Rev 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Rev 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

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

Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

In conclusion, here is how Christ Himself tells us that He is still speaking to His people “from between the cherubims”. Every time you see the words ‘thy’ or ‘thee’ or ‘church’, just substitute the word ‘cherubim’, those who “have [been] redeemed… to God by [Christ’s] blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev 5:9), and you will see how God is still speaking to His people “from between the cherubims”:

Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Now let’s reword these verses to make them accord with the truth revealed to us in Revelation 5:9 by the four living creatures, the four cherubims:

Mat 18:15 Moreover if [a cherubim’s] brother shall trespass against [a cherubim], go and tell him his fault between [the cherubim] and him alone: if he shall hear [the cherubim], [the cherubim] hast gained [the cherubim’s] brother.
Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear [the cherubim], then take with [the cherubim] one or two more [cherubims], that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear [those cherubims], tell it unto the church [the cherubims]: but if he neglect to hear the church [the cherubims], let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

It is of utmost significance to know that God’s true ‘cherubims’ never speak or even “think above that which is written”:

1Co 4:6 Now these things, brothers, I applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us ye might learn not to think above that which is written, so that ye may not be puffed up, one over the one against the other. (ACV)

When we are careful to never “think above what is written”, it is not us, but Christ who continues to reiterate and strengthen the safety that is in these words “which [are] written” in Matthew 18:15-17 and which keep His cherubim from being defiled with the diseases of Egypt (Exo 15:26). To His cherubim, who have been redeemed to God out of every nation, Christ continues:

Mat 18:18 Verily, I am saying to you, Whatsoever you [cherubim] should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you [cherubim] should be loosing on the earth shall be those loose in heaven.
Mat 18:19 Again, verily, I am saying to you that, if ever two of you [cherubim] should be agreeing on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it is they [the cherubim] should be requesting shall be coming to them [the cherubim] from My Father Who is in the heavens.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three [cherubim] are, gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them [the cherubim]. (CLV)

This is such an important doctrine of Christ, that He reaffirmed it to His ‘cherubims’, His disciples, immediately after His resurrection as it is recorded for us in:

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you [His cherubim].
Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them [His cherubim], and saith unto them [His cherubim], Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Joh 20:23 Whose soever sins ye [cherubim] remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye [cherubim] retain, they are retained.

I pray that all these verses, “line upon line, and precept upon precept” have served to demonstrate that God is still speaking to His people “from between the cherubims”. He does not speak from a single cherubim, as some so emphatically affirm. Christ nowhere instructs His cherubim to operate independently of His other cherubim. Christ wants us to know that He has ordained that we are never, ever to so much as “think above that which is written” and that He has ordained for every word to be established only in the mouth of two or three witnesses, before we seek a multitude of counselors by telling it to the church. If after we “tell it to the church”, which is a hated doctrine of Christ if ever there has been one, then we are to let that brother or sister be to us as a heathen man and a publican if there is no repentance. To what end? Do we put a brother or sister out of our fellowship to humiliate them and to feel superior? No, of course not! Every true ‘cherubim’, every true disciple of Christ, knows that it is he himself who is ‘chief of sinners’, and he is humbled that Christ has seen fit to forgive him his unpayable debt. This is the reason why those who tremble at the Word of God refuse to allow a heathen man and a publican and a heretic into his spiritual house:

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.

“When you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “The power of our Lord Jesus Christ” is His Words in His cherubim, who are “Jesus of Nazareth” (Act 22:8) What a loving heavenly Father we have! If indeed He and His Son are living and dwelling within us, we, too, will be the first to “forgive from the heart” (Mat 18:35) a repentant brother or sister who has been brought by the dragging of the holy spirit “to the church” by whom they are made to see themselves, and to know they have sinned grievously and have been brought to repentance and to seek the forgiveness of Christ’s cherubim, His true disciples, by whom He had earlier spoken to them.

If ever we fail to follow Christ’s instructions here in Matthew 18, this is what we are solemnly warned:

Mat 18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? [Mat 18:15-17]
Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

We will close this study on the location of God’s temple and His cherubim with Christ’s demonstration of how His true disciples react when our forgiveness is indeed “from the heart”. This is the spirit that is in us when Christ and His Father abide within us. This is how God has welcomed us back when we have repented and sought His forgiveness, and this is how you and I will welcome back any repentant brother or sister:

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!
Luk 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Luk 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
Luk 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Luk 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Luk 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Luk 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
Luk 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

That is the spirit that is in the temple of God, which is within all in whom Christ dwells. That is the repentant and forgiving spirit which is within all in whom the fire of the Word of God has performed its purifying work.

Audio Links

Introduction

We saw last week that Christ is in these four beasts as the lion of the tribe of Judah, the legitimate legal heir of King David, in the gospel of Matthew. He is, as mentioned in Mark, the ox, the tireless servant by whose strength is much increase. He is the son of man, whose genealogy is traced all the way back to Adam in Luke, and He is presented to us from the view of the heavens, as the eagle, in John’s gospel.

Today we will get a much more mature vision of who these four beasts represent, and in doing so we will see just how true the statement is of Christ, “As My Father has sent me even so send I you,” and we will see that our relationship to Christ is just as close to Him as His relationship is to His and our heavenly Father. By knowing who these four beasts represent we will also see what is meant by Paul’s statement that Christ’s inheritance is “in the saints” and that it is through that inheritance Christ was delivered up “through our offences and was resurrected through our justification.”

Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us- ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for [Greek: dia, through] our offences, and was raised again for [Greek: dia, through] our justification.

If God does indeed give us “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, then we will see that it is these four beasts and the four and twenty elders around the throne of God who are used to symbolize for us “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” and it is the goal of this study to demonstrate this is indeed the spiritual significance of the symbol of four beasts.

Who are these four beasts?

There is a very good reason why these four beasts are “in the middle of and round about the throne of God.” Here is what these beasts tell us of themselves. We need not guess who they represent. They tell us plainly who they symbolize.

Rev 5:1  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
Rev 5:2  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Rev 5:3  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:4  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
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.
Rev 5:6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 5:7  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

There it is as clearly as it can be stated. These four beasts and four and twenty elders are God’s elect who have been “redeemed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” to become kings and priest ruling this earth. That is who these four beasts symbolize. However, this revelation was not given all in one place in scripture. It has been given to us line upon line and precept upon precept, beginning in the garden of Eden, culminating in this “signified revelation of Jesus Christ”.

Rev 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Rev 4:2  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Rev 4:3  And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Rev 4:4  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Rev 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
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.

A door was opened in heaven… in the spirit… a throne set in heaven… one seated on that throne… the throne being like a rainbow and like an emerald… Around this throne in heaven are twenty-four elders wearing white raiment, and twenty-four golden crowns. Next we see a sea of glass before the throne, and in the middle of the throne and round about the throne are four beasts; a lion, a calf, a man and an eagle. Every beast has six wings and are full of eyes within, and they cry, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” What is all of this symbolism? Where does it all originate? It all begins with the cherubims with a flaming sword in Genesis 3, when mankind was driven out of the garden:

Gen 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

It is in the tabernacle of Moses and again in the temple of Solomon that we see these same four beasts all around both the tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Solomon. Both the tabernacle and the temple show us that heaven and God’s throne are symbolized by the holy of holies and the ark of the covenant with the cherubs overshadowing the mercy seat:

Exo 26:1  Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
Exo 26:30  And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.
Exo 26:31  And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
Exo 26:32  And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
Exo 26:33  And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
Exo 26:34  And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

In the tabernacle the cherubims overshadowed the mercy seat and were on the curtains that made up the tabernacle, and they were woven into the vail that hung on the four pillars, which separated the holy of holies from the holy place. Later it is revealed to us that these same four creatures are carved into the doors and walls of the temple of Solomon. In either type, the message is clear; you must go through these four creatures in order to enter into the presence of God.

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.
Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Paul tells us this is all a type and shadow of “heavenly things.”

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

Christ did not die to purify a physical temple with physical outward implements like candlesticks, tables, knives and tongs. He died and was resurrected to live His life in and to purify you and me. Christ’s elect are “the heavenly things themselves.” The temple and its implements are figures of the true. They are figures of us, and that is where Christ went when He “entered into the holy places” made without hands.

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.

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world [Greek: aion, age]. Amen.

God’s throne is in His house, His temple, the heavens, and in Christ we are all of these:

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Again, what do the four beasts say of themselves?

Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

What and where is heaven?

A door is opened in heaven… a throne is set in heaven. If we do not know where and what is heaven, then not one word of this prophecy will be understood. What and where heaven is, is a study we have already covered in depth, and we came to see that, for the sake of communicating with us, we are informed that God dwells “in the heavens.” For an in-depth study read What And Where Is Heaven. Here are but a very few verses for the sake of this study.

Psa 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Psa 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Psa 115:3  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psa 123:1  Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

“God dwells in the heavens.” There it is! This tells us where God dwells. Can we believe and receive what this reveals about the location of heaven? Here is where heaven is; here is where God dwells:

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Heaven is not a physical, geographical planet because God is not a physical God. God is spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in Truth.

Joh 4:24 God is spirit, and those who are worshiping Him must be worshiping in spirit and truth.(CLV)

The King James Version has “God is a spirit,” but there is no article in the Greek. It reads simply, “God is spirit,” and we are plainly told:

2Ch 6:18  But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

God created the heavens and the earth. He does not need a physical location. He is spirit, and He dwells in His people. He dwells in heaven. “The spirit of God dwells in you!”

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

What are the cherubim?

We saw earlier that these beasts, the cherubims, are first mentioned in Genesis 3, when God placed them as the door- keepers of the tree of life. Just look at where else the Old Testament has these beasts. As we saw above, their revelation is in stages, starting with the Garden of Eden. In Eden and in the tabernacle and temple, there are only two cherubs, and in the tabernacle the cherubs have just two wings. However, there are four cherubs around the throne of God in Ezekiel, and each cherub has four wings. Here again is what Genesis reveals.

Gen 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

The wings are not even mentioned in Genesis. The next place we see these cherubims is in the tabernacle of Moses. God spoke to Moses “from between the two cherubims” which overshadowed the mercy seat. Here in Exodus the cherubs are given wings.

Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

Exo 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Num 7:89  And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

It is the function of the cherubims to “keep the way of the tree of life,” and as such they are on the doors of the temple of Solomon.

1Ki 6:23  And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.
1Ki 6:24  And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.
1Ki 6:25  And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.
1Ki 6:26  The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.
1Ki 6:27  And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.
1Ki 6:28  And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.
1Ki 6:29  And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.
1Ki 6:30  And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.
1Ki 6:31  And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.
1Ki 6:32  The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.

When God’s gold is “spread upon the cherubims” it is not covering our idols of our hearts, but it is serving as the channel through which others are brought to God.

In Solomon’s temple the cherubims were carved onto the two doors of the temple, to “guard the way of the tree of life” symbolized by the ark of God.

The next place we see these beasts, these cherubs, is once again around the throne of God, in Ezekiel 1:

Eze 1:1  Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

Both here in Ezekiel 1 and 10, when these creatures are mentioned, they are always seen around the throne of God and are in the midst of and handling the fire of God. In Ezekiel 10 and in Revelation they are only seen within the context of an “open heaven,” meaning a spiritual mind being opened and enlightened to see and understand spiritual knowledge.

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Eze 1:5  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
Eze 1:6  And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
Eze 1:7  And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
Eze 1:8  And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Eze 1:9  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Eze 1:26  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

These are the exact same animals mentioned in Revelation 4 and 5. In verse 20 of Ezekiel 10 we find that the spirit of the four creatures is also in four wheels:

Eze 10:1  Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
Eze 10:2  And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.

Eze 10:16  And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
Eze 10:17  When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
Eze 10:18  Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
Eze 10:19  And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’S house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Eze 10:20  This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
Eze 10:21  Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
Eze 10:22  And the likeness of their faces [was] the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

Who is it who is around the throne of God saying holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty? According to Revelation 4, it is these four creatures. But in Isaiah 6 we see these same four creatures symbolized by one single creature “more subtle than any beast of the field,” and this time we see all six wings, just as they are given six wings in the book of Revelation, and they are performing all the same functions of being around God’s throne and handling the fire of God.

Isa 6:1  In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isa 6:2  Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Isa 6:3  And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Isa 6:4  And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Isa 6:5  Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isa 6:6  Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isa 6:7  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isa 6:8  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isa 6:9  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Isa 6:10  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Num 21 reveals that these seraphims are winged serpents.

Num 21:8  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent [Hebrew: seraph], and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Num 21:9  And Moses made a serpent [Hebrew: nachash, serpent] of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent [nachash] had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent [nachash] of brass, he lived.

We have seen that the four beasts and the four and twenty elders all sing a song, proclaiming for the whole world who they symbolize:

Rev 5:6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 5:7  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

In Ezekiel and Isaiah, we have all the functions of the four beasts of Revelation chapters 4 and five. But in Ezekiel and Isaiah these accomplishments are split up between cherubs with four wings and seraphs with six wings. In Revelation these beasts are all combined into the four beasts with six wings who proclaim that God is holy and that they have been redeemed to God out of every nation and they will rule on earth. It comes as a shock for us to realize that even in the heavens we are made aware of our earthly origins as serpents and as beasts.

What is the function of these beasts. Yes, they are on the doors of the tabernacle of Moses and the doors of the temple of Solomon, but what does that signify?

In our next study we will see why these beasts are in the middle of and around the throne of God, and we will see why they have been chosen to rule with Christ on earth. We will see that Christ has chosen these four beasts and the twenty-four elders as His channel through which He will bring all men to Himself. We will see that these four beasts and twenty-four elders symbolize the Christ of Christ.

[The next installment of this study can be found here.]